Every good biltong starts with the same three things in balance: toasted coriander, coarse salt and cracked black pepper. Mix a jar of this and you can cure a batch on a weekday evening without measuring anything.
The Only Biltong Spice Mix You Need
A make-ahead coriander, pepper and salt blend in the correct ratio for 5 kg of meat.
- Prep
- 15 minutes
- Drying
- —
- Total
- 15 minutes
- Yield
- Enough for 5 kg of meat
Ingredients
The blend
- 250 ml whole coriander seed
- 125 ml coarse rock salt
- 60 ml cracked black pepper
- 15 ml brown sugar
- 10 ml bicarbonate of soda
- 5 ml ground cloves (optional)
Method
- 1
Toast the coriander seed in a dry pan over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, until it smells nutty and a few seeds pop.
- 2
Cool completely, then crush coarsely — you want cracked husks, not powder.
- 3
Stir in the salt, pepper, sugar, bicarb and cloves.
- 4
Store in an airtight jar away from light. Use 60-75 ml of mix per kilogram of wet meat after the vinegar step.
Tips from the box
- • Never grind coriander to a fine powder; the husk is what gives biltong its texture on the crust.
- • The mix keeps its punch for about 3 months in a sealed jar.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need bicarbonate of soda in biltong spice?
It is optional. A small amount softens the meat surface and gives a slightly more tender bite, but a traditional mix works fine without it.
How much spice mix per kilogram of meat?
Use 60-75 ml per kilogram of wet meat, applied after the vinegar so it sticks.