Beef Biltong

This is a snack from South Africa, and a great way of preserving meat in a snack that's great to take with you on hikes. You'll want to hang the meat to dry in a warm place with plenty of ventilation. If you want a sugar free variant, replace the sugar with 50% salt and a small dash of soy sauce.

Ingredients

• 1.2kg lean beef joint, such as silverside or topside, with fat trimmed off
• 4 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 4 tbsp coriander seeds
• 4 tbsp dark brown sugar
• 2 tbsp kosher salt
• 1 tbsp bicarbonate of soda
• 2 tbsp black peppercorns
• 1 tbsp paprika

Method

1. Slice the meat into 2 cm thick slices and spoon over the vinegar.
2. Rub the vinegar into the meat slices on both sides and leave to sit in a dish while you prepare the rub.
3. Put the coriander seeds into a microwave proof dish and microwave on full power for a minute and a half.
4. Put the cooked coriander seeds and all the remaining ingredients into a pestle and mortar and grind until there aren't any whole coriander seeds remaining.
5. Drain the vinegar from the meat and let each piece drip dry for a few seconds.
6. Coat each slice of meat with the dry rub and stack up in a dish.
7. Cover and refrigerate for 12 hours.
8. Remove from the refrigerator and hang for four days in a dry, well ventilated and warm place.
9. Slice each slice into strips and then cut into smaller chunks.
10. Store in a air tight bag in the fridge for up to a few weeks (if it lasts that long).