Biltong!! Part 2 of 3

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Welcome back. This is part 2 of my article on how to make Biltong. In Part 1 we covered some of the basics, in this part, I will explain how to build a simple drying case, one that is effective for making 1-2kg of biltong at a time, right there in your kitchen.

Building a drying case

The basic idea is to build an enclosed container wherein the airflow and temperature or rather the moisture can be controlled. Let’s start of with the main component, the Box.

Any cubical or cylindrical container would do the trick, the important thing to consider are:

• Size – Is it big enough to hold 3-4kg of fresh meat, hanging in vertical strips, with at least a 1cm clearance on all sides, you will need at least 1200 sq cm or more. That’s 30cmx40cm, for the mathematically impaired.
• Durability – How long do you want it to last? I know of people who use cardboard boxes as disposable biltong cases. Personally, I like doing something once. Wood, Stainless steel or Aluminum is always a good material.
• Appearance – Not so important, it you are leaving it in your garage. For the kitchen bench top, it’s a little more important.

For a cheap and effective solution, I suggest getting a prefabricated melamine cupboard, preferably with a door that can open and close. I used one from Bunnings that cost only $15 and that had the following dimensions: 400mm(W)x400mm(H)x300mm(D).

OK. Now that the box is sorted, we need something to circulate the air through the box. I found that another cheap solution is a computer case fan. These fans are designed to function under pressure, and to displace large amounts of air to create enough cooling airflow to cool down electronic equipment. There are generally 2 types of case fan, Low voltage (12v) or high voltage (110v/220v). If you decide to use the 12v version, remember that you need to power it and that you will require a transformer to supply 12v output to the fan. I prefer the slightly more expensive high voltage model. Mainly because it simplifies the building of the biltong box.

Thirdly, you need a source of low heat. A standard incandescent light-bulb should do the trick. Depending on where you live, this might not be necessary, but in NZ, where humidity ranges between 75% and 100%, it is certainly needed. Remember that light-bulb needs to be in a proper fitting in order to supply it with electricity. Also remember that you need electrical cable and a wall plug to source the electricity for the biltong box from you local energy provider.

So. Now we have the basics. The rest we will see as we go along, but for the eager shoppers out there, we will need some wire to make hooks and horizontal hanging rails (preferably stainless steel or galvanized). We will need some aluminum or stainless steel sheet metal to make a cover for the light-bulb and a drip tray and we will need some extra wood screws.

As far as equipment goes, we will need a drill, a screwdriver, and a circular hole cutter fitting for the drill. The diameter of the hole cutter should match the size of the fan.

Cut a circular hole in the top of the box, for the fan. Fit the fan over the Hole, on the outside and fasten with 4 screws. Ensure that the blades of the fan is free and clear and that the direction of air displacement is outward. This will be indicated by an arrow on the side of the fan.

Cut another inlet hole in the lower part of the box. Whether it is in the bottom or in the side, doesn’t matter. What matters is that it must be free of obstruction and in such a position that the light-bulb can be fitted over it on the inside of the box. That is then also the next step. Fit the light-bulb on the inside of the box, over in newly cut inlet hole.

Now connect the Light-bulb and the fan to the cord. If you are unsure of the wiring then consult the documentation that accompanied the fan and or the light-bulb. Below is a rough schematic of what the wiring should be like. Before continuing with the case, make sure that the light and fan are both functioning when electricity is supplied.

Next fit 4 to 5 parallel hanging wires in to the top inside of the case. Space them 2 to 4 cm appart. Then build in a cover for the light-bulb to prevent the fresh meat from dripping on the bulb. Optionally you may build a drip tray for the rest of the open bottom of the case.

that’s it for now. You’re done! Check back for part three where we will be making biltong.

For an alternative to building a biltong case, have a look at BiltongBox, to buy one.

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