Venison biltong dries faster than beef because there is almost no intramuscular fat to slow moisture loss. Shorten the cure, ease off the vinegar and pull it from the box a day earlier than you would beef.
Venison Biltong (Kudu, Springbok or Eland)
Game meat is leaner and darker than beef — here is the adjusted cure and drying time that keeps it tender.
- Prep
- 30 minutes
- Drying
- 3-4 days
- Total
- 4 days
- Yield
- About 900 g finished biltong from 2.5 kg meat
Ingredients
Meat
- 2.5 kg kudu, springbok or eland haunch, sinew removed
- 50 ml coarse rock salt
Cure
- 100 ml brown spirit vinegar
- 30 ml Worcestershire sauce
- 45 ml toasted cracked coriander
- 15 ml cracked black pepper
- 5 ml ground cloves
- 10 ml brown sugar
Method
- 1
Trim all silverskin and sinew — game sinew never softens as it dries.
- 2
Cut with the grain into 2 cm strips.
- 3
Salt lightly and stand for only 40 minutes; game takes salt faster than beef.
- 4
Rinse briefly in the vinegar, drain, then coat in the spice, cloves and sugar.
- 5
Hang in the box at 25-28 C with steady airflow.
- 6
Check from day 3. Venison is ready when the outside is dark and dry but the strip still bends slightly.
Tips from the box
- • Game with a strong smell benefits from an extra 10 ml of vinegar in the cure.
- • Do not add fat trimmings from the animal — game fat tastes tallowy once dried.
Frequently asked questions
Does venison biltong dry faster than beef?
Yes, usually a full day faster, because game meat carries far less fat and moisture.
Should I freeze venison before making biltong?
Freezing for at least a week at -18 C is a sensible precaution with wild game, and it also makes the meat easier to slice.