Better Biltong

I gave biltong a second try with a better cut of meat, in an attempt to make it more authentic (and tastier).  I used a 3-pound eye-of-round (same cut as often used for bresaola), and cut it into three 3/4" slabs running with the grain.

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Then, I dipped them in cider vinegar, added the spices (toasted corriander seeds, brown sugar, salt, and black pepper), and put them in the dehydrator.  It's been about a week since I actually did this, so don't recall the exact times and temperature, but I think I let it run for about two days at around 120F degrees (with the idea of low and slow, compared to my last approach with the thinner strips).  Here's what came out:

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It felt pretty good on the outside, but the inside was still quite moist, and I was concerned that it might spoil.  It also looked a little too moist/rare when I compared the interior to lots of biltong images online.  So, back into the dehydrator for another day, and at a higher temperature (150ish, I think).  Here's the final product:
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I need a south african to drop by to taste it and confirm, but I think it's done.  It tastes great (and gives a good jaw workout).  

Biltong

I was at a friend's birthday party a few weeks ago and was seated next to someone I'd never met, and, inevitably, The Meat Club came up.  Turns out my new friend was South African and enamored with a South African dried meat called Biltong.  I was clueless, but it sounded great to me and a good way to use some of my leaner cuts of beef.  But, not having a good desert wind to dry it in, my plans were tabled.  Fortunately, fate intervened in the form of my wife's birthday, when she asked me to get her a dehydrator (which I quickly did before she decided to change her mind and ask for a pair of shoes).

So, the stars aligned, and I pulled out some of my lower grade beef from the freezer to give it a test drive.  I found a couple of sites on-line (http://www.3men.com/biltong.htm; http://www.markblumberg.com/biltong.html; there are tons of others), and then started cutting, mixing, mashing, and drying.  I used some generic "swiss steaks" and "cube steaks" from our last cow the Bud's processed, since I generally don't like to use these for other cooking and they looked pretty lean.  I cut them into 1-2" strips and then dried at 140 degrees F for 12 hours. 

Turned out pretty good, especially for a first effort and the quality of the meat I used.  Next time I'll carve up a piece of the round into thicker strips and probably turn down the heat a bit and go a little longer.  The dehydrator manual recommends 140-160F for jerky, but my sense from reading about biltong is that it's not supposed to be quite as dry/tough as typical American jerky.

If anyone has any insights or experience, feel free to chime in.

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