Every time we hang-dry jerky, the comments light up: "Isn't that just biltong?" So instead of arguing, the Jerky.com Test Kitchen ran an experiment: a full batch of beef jerky and a full batch of biltong, same day, same kitchen, same eye of round, different methods. They solve the same problem, getting water out of meat, but they get there very differently. Here's every step side by side. Want classic jerky without the work? Try our Montreal Style Beef Jerky.

Biltong vs. beef jerky at a glance

• Meat: jerky wants aggressively lean meat like top round or eye of round, trimmed well. Biltong welcomes a little fat; sirloin with a thin fat cap is a good pick.
• Slicing: jerky is sliced 1/8 to 1/4 inch, usually against the grain. Biltong goes in slabs from 1/2 inch to a full inch, cut with the grain, then sliced across the grain after drying.
• Flavor: jerky is one marinade and a 24-48 hour rest. Biltong is cured in stages: salt, a vinegar wet cure, then a toasted coriander spice coat.
• Drying: jerky dries with heat, done in about 3 hours on our batch. Biltong air-dries at 75 to 100°F with steady airflow; ours took just over 48 hours, pulled at 40 to 50% weight loss.
• Taste: jerky tastes like what you put on it. Biltong tastes like what the meat becomes.

Ingredients:

• Eye of round (half for each batch)
• For the jerky marinade: 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tbsp brown sugar (optional)
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika (optional)
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
• For the biltong: salt, for the dry cure
• Red wine vinegar
• Worcestershire sauce
• A touch of honey
• Whole coriander seeds, toasted and ground
• Black pepper

Instructions:

Slice the jerky: Slice lean beef 1/8 to 1/4 inch, against the grain. Partially freezing the meat helps you get clean, consistent cuts.

Marinate the jerky: Mix the jerky marinade, toss the meat until every side is coated, cover and refrigerate 24 to 48 hours in these marinade containers.

Dry the jerky: Lay the slices on the racks of your dehydrator (we use a Cosori dehydrator) and dry until it bends and cracks without breaking, with white fibers when you tear it. Our batch hit its target in about 3 hours.

Slice the biltong: Cut slabs 1/2 inch to 1 inch, with the grain.

Salt-cure the biltong: Cover the slabs in salt for about 3 hours, then wipe off the excess.

Wet-cure the biltong: Soak the slabs in red wine vinegar, Worcestershire and a touch of honey, covered in the fridge, for a couple of hours.

Spice the biltong: Toast the coriander seeds, grind them fresh with black pepper, pat the meat dry and coat it in the spice mix.

Air-dry the biltong: Hang the slabs with steady airflow at about 75 to 100°F. Ours took just over 48 hours, pulled at 40 to 50% weight loss: firm outside, dense and red inside. Slice it across the grain to serve.

Test kitchen note: Biltong is air-dried at about 75 to 100°F, well below 160°F, and the jerky temperature wasn't given on camera. The USDA recommends heating beef to 160°F (poultry to 165°F) before or during drying. The simplest way is to dry at 160°F. If your dehydrator can't reach 160°F, steam or roast the strips to 160°F first.

More Test Kitchen showdowns: wet marinade vs. dry rub for jerky and soft vs. old-fashioned jerky.

Taste test notes: Doug compared the two on camera. The jerky tears with visible white fibers, and "the flavor hits immediately. They're sweet, they're smoky, it's seasoning forward." The biltong slices instead of tearing, with "that dark crust from all those seasonings" and a smooth, dense interior. It brings "a bold, beefier flavor that really lingers longer," with coriander on the back end and "a slight tang" late. Which wins? "Honestly, neither one is better. They're different tools for different meat snacking moods." As we say at Jerky.com, there's no such thing as the perfect jerky, only the perfect jerky for you.

Can I buy it? Biltong isn't one of our flavors right now, but it could come back any time. Want first shot at new Test Kitchen flavors? Sign up to become an Official Jerky.com Taste Tester. You'll try new flavor drops first and vote on which ones stay.

Biltong vs. Beef Jerky FAQ

What is the difference between biltong and beef jerky?
Jerky is sliced thin, marinated and dried with heat in a few hours. Biltong is cut in slabs, cured with salt and vinegar, coated in coriander and air-dried at low temperature over a couple of days.

Is hang-dried jerky the same as biltong?
No. Hanging is just a way to rack jerky. Biltong is defined by its cure (salt, vinegar and spices) and its low-temperature air-dry.

What cut of beef is best for biltong vs. jerky?
Jerky wants very lean meat like top round or eye of round. Biltong can handle a little fat; sirloin with a thin fat cap works well. We used eye of round for both.

How long does biltong take to dry compared to jerky?
Our jerky was done in about 3 hours. Our biltong took just over 48 hours to reach 40 to 50% weight loss.

What temperature should I dry biltong vs beef jerky at?
The USDA recommends heating beef to 160°F (poultry to 165°F) before or during drying. The simplest way is to dry at 160°F. If your dehydrator can't reach 160°F, steam or roast the strips to 160°F first.

Rather skip the work? Try ours: Montreal Style Beef Jerky or Pastrami Beef Jerky, or browse our old fashioned style beef jerky.

Team jerky or team biltong? Want more biltong recipes? Tell us in the comments!

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