Biltong is one of Southern Africa’s best-known foods, but it did not appear from one single recipe on one exact date. Drying meat is an ancient preservation method used by many cultures. The biltong we recognise today developed in Southern Africa as people combined meat, salt, vinegar, spices and dry moving air to preserve food without refrigeration.

Where did biltong originate?

Biltong is distinctly Southern African. Indigenous communities had long used drying and preservation methods for meat, while European settlers brought their own curing traditions. Over time these practices adapted to local conditions, available game and beef, long journeys and the need for food that could be stored and transported.

The familiar combination of vinegar, salt, coriander and pepper became part of the process because it added flavour while helping to create a more stable cured product. Thick strips could then be hung in cool, dry air until they reached the preferred texture.

What does the word “biltong” mean?

The name comes from words used for the cut of meat and its strip-like shape: “bil” refers to the rump or hindquarter, while “tong” means tongue. The name describes the long strips traditionally cut and hung to dry.

How old is modern biltong?

People have dried meat for thousands of years, but modern South African biltong is better understood as a tradition that evolved over generations rather than an invention with a single birthday. By the nineteenth century, cured and air-dried meat was firmly associated with travel and life in Southern Africa. Families then passed down their own spice mixtures, preferred cuts and drying methods.

Why biltong is still different

Biltong is normally made from thicker cuts than jerky and is cured before being air-dried. That slower process creates the deep beef flavour and choice of wet, medium or dry texture that South Africans know so well. Beef remains the favourite, but kudu and other game meats are also part of the tradition.

Today biltong is no longer only practical travelling food. It is part of South African food culture: served at gatherings, packed for road trips, given as gifts and argued over according to fat, spice and dryness. At Sampsons Biltong, we keep that tradition alive with small fresh batches and a strong preference for proper flavour and quality meat.