· By Avi MAHARJAN
Biltong vs Jerky: What Is Actually Different
They both look like dried meat in a bag. They are made in almost opposite ways, and once you know the difference you will not confuse them again.
The short answer
Jerky is cooked. Biltong is cured. Everything else follows from that.
| Biltong | Beef jerky | |
|---|---|---|
| Origin | South Africa | North and South America |
| Method | Vinegar cured, then air dried | Marinated, then heat dried or smoked |
| Heat used | None | Yes |
| Cut | Thick, sliced after drying | Thin strips, sliced before drying |
| Grain | Cut with the grain, sliced across after | Cut against the grain |
| Sugar | Traditionally none | Usually sweetened |
| Texture | Tender, crumbles | Chewy, pulls apart |
| Drying time | Days | Hours |
How biltong is actually made
Whole strips of beef are cut with the grain, soaked in vinegar, then rubbed with salt and coarse coriander. The vinegar is the important part. It drops the pH and does the preserving work that heat does in jerky.
The meat then hangs in moving air for several days at room temperature. Nothing cooks it. Water simply leaves. What is left is dense, deeply beefy, and still recognisably meat.
It gets sliced at the end, which is why biltong comes in thick pieces with a dark rim and a red centre.
How jerky is made
Thin strips are marinated, usually in something containing sugar, soy or Worcestershire, then dried with heat or smoked. Heat is what makes it safe and shelf stable.
Because it is sliced thin before drying and cut against the grain, it ends up flat and chewy rather than thick and tender.
Which one tastes better?
Different jobs.
Biltong tastes of beef, salt and coriander. There is nothing between you and the meat. If you like a good steak, biltong is closer to that experience.
Jerky tastes of its marinade. Teriyaki, honey soy, sweet chilli. The meat is a carrier for the flavour rather than the flavour itself.
People who move from jerky to biltong usually describe the first bag as tasting plain, then stop wanting jerky within a month. The sweetness is a habit more than a preference.
Nutrition, side by side
Biltong generally comes out ahead on protein density, because it dries longer and loses more water. It also usually has no sugar at all, where most jerky carries several grams per serve from the glaze.
Both are salty. That is how cured meat works and neither is the low sodium option.
Which should you buy?
Buy jerky if you want a sweet, chewy, snack aisle experience.
Buy biltong if you want protein without sugar, a tender texture, and beef that tastes like beef.
Ours is Australian wagyu, cured and air dried in small batches in Mortdale. Traditional is the honest starting point, and the trio bundle lets you work out which flavour is yours.