Biltong Care
Keep It Fresh, Serve It Properly
Biltong is a living product — it keeps curing, it reacts to the air around it, and it tastes its best when you treat it right. Here's how to store it, how to serve it, and how to tell when it's simply doing what biltong does.
1. Storing your biltong
While it's still sealed, keep the pack in a cool, dry cupboard away from the stove, the kettle and direct sunlight. Vacuum-sealed and unopened, it keeps its best for 2–3 months. The fridge isn't necessary yet, but it does slow the curing down.
Once you open the pack, decant the biltong into a paper bag or an open dish. Don't seal it in plastic — biltong needs to breathe, and sealed plastic makes it sweat, softening the meat and inviting mould. Enjoy it within 5–7 days.
If the weather is humid, move opened biltong into an airtight container in the fridge, where it will keep for around 2 weeks. Take it out roughly 10 minutes before serving so it comes back to room temperature.
For the long haul, freeze it in an airtight bag for up to 3 months. Thaw it in the fridge and eat it within a few days. Never thaw biltong in the microwave — it cooks the meat and ruins the texture.
2. The four enemies of biltong
Heat & direct sun
A warm spot, a sunny windowsill or a hot car dries biltong out until it turns hard and brittle. Keep it in the coolest cupboard in the kitchen.
Humidity
Moist air is what turns biltong soft and invites mould, especially on the coast. In humid weather, move opened biltong into the fridge.
Stifling plastic
Once opened, a sealed plastic bag or airtight jar makes biltong sweat. It needs to breathe — paper is the Boeties' material of choice.
Time & air
Left open in a dry room, biltong keeps drying and hardens. A paper bag keeps the balance: protected, but still breathing.
3. Serving it properly
Room temperature, always
Biltong tastes best at room temperature — the fat softens, the spice opens up and the texture is exactly right.
Cut or tear with the grain
Slice thinly across the grain for tender bites, or tear strips off along the grain the way it's done around a braai.
Pair it like a Boetie
Strong coffee in the morning, a cold beer in the afternoon, or a brandy in the evening. Biltong plays nicely with all three.
Build a snack board
Add cheese, nuts, dried fruit and a bowl of droëwors alongside your biltong for a board that disappears fast.
- Never microwave biltong — it turns leathery in seconds.
- Don't store it next to strong-smelling food; biltong picks up flavours from its neighbours.
- Taking it on the road? A paper bag inside a lunchbox is the original padkos setup.
4. When your biltong talks back
A fine white bloom is normal. It's salt and spice coming to the surface as the biltong cures. It's completely safe — scrape it off or eat it, your call.
Mould looks different. It's fuzzy, grows in spreading patches and smells musty. If you see that, don't eat it. Send us a photo and we'll replace it — see our Returns Policy.
Hard and dry isn't spoiled. If your biltong has been open a while and dried out, it's still perfectly good eating — the texture is just firmer. Keep it for a stew, or brew it in a cup of coffee.
Still unsure about a pack?
Send us a photo and we'll tell you straight. More answers live on our FAQ page, and you can always stock up on the good stuff in the shop.