Air-Dried Coriander and Vinegar Cured Beef

Jasmine Kwon @jasminekwonSep 14, 2026

5 ingredients

14 steps

Air-Dried Coriander and Vinegar Cured Beef, illustrated

What you need

1 kg (2 1/4 lb) beef topside or top rump, with a strip of fat left on
60 g (1/4 cup) coarse sea salt
60 ml (1/4 cup) red wine vinegar, or brown malt vinegar
20 g (3 tbsp) coriander seeds
5 g (2 tsp) black peppercorns

Method

Restated from the original video

1
Cut the beef with the grain into strips about 3 cm (1 1/4 in) thick. Trim away silver skin and sinew but keep the fat.
2
Rub the salt over every side of the strips and lay them in a non-metal dish.
3
Leave them for 3 hours at cool room temperature or in the fridge, turning them every hour so the salt reaches all sides.
4
Brush off the loose salt with your hands without rinsing the meat.
5
Return the strips to the clean dish, pour over the vinegar and leave for 2 hours, turning them a few times.
6
Meanwhile, toast the coriander in a dry pan over medium heat until fragrant and a shade darker, 2-3 min. Tip onto a plate and cool completely.
7
Crush the coriander and peppercorns in a mortar or spice grinder until coarse, with visible pieces.
8
Lift the beef out of the vinegar and pat each strip dry with paper towels.
9
Press the spice mix onto all sides of the meat, working it into every crease.
10
Push a meat hook or opened paper clip through the top of each strip. Weigh each strip and write the weight on a tag.
11
Hang the strips apart from each other in a dry, airy, insect-proof place between 25 °C (77 °F) and 30 °C (86 °F), ideally with a fan moving the air.
12
Start weighing after 4 days. The biltong is ready when each strip has lost about half its weight and is firm outside but still slightly soft in the middle, usually 5-7 days.
13
Slice thinly across the grain with a sharp knife.
14
Store wrapped airtight in the fridge for up to a few weeks, or freeze for longer.

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About biltong

Biltong is strips of beef cured in vinegar and a coating of crushed coriander and black pepper, then air dried until firm rather than cooked with heat or smoke.

What cooks argue about

Cooks disagree on drying time: a shorter dry leaves the center still soft and dark red, prized by some, while a longer dry hardens it through for a firmer, more shelf stable result.

What usually goes in

Every version of biltong

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Imported from pantsdownapronson.com. Recipe Grab pulled out what you need to cook it; the video stays where its author put it.

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