Are you ready to take your biltong-making skills to the next level?
In this quick guide, we’ll go over all the necessary spices you need to craft the perfect batch of biltong every time.
We’ll delve into the different types of spices and discuss the best combinations for a truly delicious result.
Plus, we’ll provide tips and tricks for bold culinary adventurers to create your unique, delicious snack recipes.
So, if you’re ready to explore the world of biltong spices, let’s get started!
The dilemma: Buying already made biltong spices vs. making your own?
1. Advantages and disadvantages of buying Premade Biltong Spices
When creating the perfect biltong, having the right spices is essential. You don’t want to take any chances of ruining that expensive piece of meat. Buying premade biltong spices can be a great way to achieve this.
Advantages
There are many advantages to buying premade biltong spice products. Firstly, experts often make and craft them precisely to create an amazing taste. They’ve been tried over and over and made to perfection.
Secondly, these premade blends can provide an array of flavors that may not be available in your hometown or local supermarket.
Thirdly, you can save time and money, as there is no need to buy each spice separately. And there’s no mess (or better: less mess) in the kitchen. So buying premade spices certainly has a huge convenience factor for beginners.
They’re cheap and affordable, and they make the whole process fail-proof. So it’s just one less thing to worry about.
Disadvantages
There are a few disadvantages to buying premade biltong spices rather than making your own.
One of the biggest drawbacks is that you have no control over what goes into the spice mix. As a result, you may end up with too much or too little of certain ingredients you favor, or you may get a blend that’s not quite right for your taste.
And surprisingly, some premade blends may contain additives and preservatives to help increase their shelf-life.
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Because the mixes are already made, they tend to cost a bit more than if you were to buy all the individual ingredients separately. However, I don’t find this a problem as the premade ones’ prices are still very affordable.
Plus, you don’t always know what type of herbs and spices are used in premade mixes, so you won’t be able to recreate them yourself if you decide later on that they weren’t quite right for your tastes.
While some manufacturers will list all the ingredients on their packaging, others may leave out certain details or only provide a vague overview of what’s inside.
If you’re looking for the perfect blend of biltong spices, here are some tips: firstly, do your research and read reviews on different brands before selecting one; secondly, think about the protein you will use it with so they pair well.
Two of the most famous brands, definitely worth ordering and checking out, are:
United States availability:
- Hot and Spicy
- Unique Snack
- USDA approved
- South African Biltong
- Lean and High Protein food
United States / United Kingdom availability:
- Savoury flavour with top notes of white pepper
- Blend of spices with a prominent coriander
- Great on game biltong
- Produced by Freddy Hirsch
- Freddy Hirsch Kalahari Biltong Spice
- Crown National Safari Biltong Seasoning,
both made in South Africa (which makes the experience more authentic) and available worldwide.
2. Disadvantages of Making Your Biltong Spices
You are making your biltong spice blend can be very rewarding but also difficult and time-consuming if you’re starting. It’s important to understand the risks associated with creating your blend of spices, especially if you’re new to the process: you might mess things up.
One of the biggest disadvantages of making your biltong spice blend is that you may not get the flavor profile you want.
It takes trial and error to get the perfect balance of flavors, and even then, it might not turn out as expected on your first try.
Additionally, creating a fine blend will be much harder if you don’t have local access to certain ingredients or spices.
Another possible disadvantage of making your biltong spice blend is that it could cost more money in the long run than buying premade biltong spices. In addition, since you’ll need multiple ingredients and spices, depending on what type of flavor profile you want, it could add up quickly.
And you might end up never using some of them ever again.
You may also need special equipment like a mortar and pestle, a spice grinder, or a food processor to grind down some ingredients into finer pieces before mixing them.
Finally, there’s always the chance that your homemade biltong spice blend won’t turn out right because something was off balance with either too much or too little ingredient or spice added.
Even if you measure carefully and follow instructions precisely, there’s no guarantee that your biltong will come out as planned every time. This is part of the fun, but when you’re just starting and have the chance to ruin an expensive piece of meat — it’s not recommended.
Overall, making your biltong spice blend can be exciting but not without risk or potential drawbacks. If you are inexperienced in creating spice blends or have limited access to certain ingredients, buying premade biltong spices might be a safer option for getting consistent results each time.
Conclusion: when just starting, you’ll get the best results by buying premade biltong.
This article is part of a Biltong Spices series:
- Buying Already Made Spices vs. Making Your Own?
- What are Biltong Spices? An overview
- How to Make And Use Your Biltong Spice Mix
- Biltong Spices: Benefits and FAQ