One of the most common questions we get is – “aren’t Jerky & Biltong the same thing?”
Wrong! – Jerky & Biltong are very different.
Whilst both are dried meat, have a long shelf life and are giants in the meat-snack industry, that is where the similarities end.
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Origins
Jerky originates from North & South America – in fact, the word “jerky” is actually derived from the Spanish word charqui, which came from the Quechua (a Native South American language) word ch’arki, which means to burn (meat).
Biltong is a well-known South African delicacy.
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Ingredients
Beef is typically the main ingredient for both snacks, although cuts vary.
Jerky tends to be made from very lean cuts for a premium taste. We use responsibly sourced, PGI Welsh Beef for our jerky, giving it the stamp of approval for quality.
Biltong cuts instead depend on the desired texture, using a mix of learn or fatty cuts.
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Process
Our jerky is marinated in our very own recipes, air-dried in our state of the art ovens for up to 12 hours, and hand-cut into slices to make sure each slice is perfect.
Biltong most commonly uses vinegar, salt and simple spices like coriander, to cure and marinate the meat before the drying process begins.
So, which is better? Well, we might be slightly biased, but we are definitely Team Jerky!
New to jerky? Search our flavours here
