How to make traditional South African Droëwors - Dry Curing Meats for Beginners

beef

🥗Healthier: game meat

💰Cheaper: pork

Game meat offers a leaner option, while pork is often less expensive.

vinegar

🥗Healthier: apple cider vinegar

💰Cheaper: white vinegar

Apple cider vinegar adds flavor and is often perceived as healthier.

spices

🥗Healthier: herbs

💰Cheaper: mixed spice blend

Using herbs can reduce sodium intake, while spice blends are cost-effective.

Welcome to the series on dry cured meats for beginners.

Introduce the dish: South African Droëwors (dried sausage).

Mention that no nitrites are added and that it requires minimal equipment.

Suggest using a KitchenAid grinder with a stuffing attachment for ease.

Explain the drying process using a homemade biltong box to control drying and keep it free from insects.

Emphasize the importance of using fresh meat, ideally freshly butchered.

Cube the beef and brisket fat, then place it in the freezer to chill.

Prepare the sheep casing by soaking it in water with baking soda for a couple of hours.

Grind the clove in a mortar and pestle, then gather all the spices: nutmeg, toasted coriander seed, ground clove, whole peppercorn, and salt.

Add brown vinegar and Worcestershire sauce as liquids.

Grind the dry spices together in the mortar and pestle (or use a food processor).

Check on the chilled meat and prepare to grind it using a coarse plate on the grinder.

Mix the ground meat and fat with the spices, then add the vinegar and Worcestershire sauce.

Gently mix the meat without overworking it to avoid protein extraction; just coat the meat with spices.

Place the mixture in a bowl or tray, cover with cling film, and refrigerate for about three hours (or overnight).

After three hours, check the mixture and note the smell.

Prepare to stuff the mixture into the sheep casing using a sausage stuffer.

Lubricate the stuffing horn and the casing with water for easier stuffing.

Stuff the casing loosely to avoid breaking it.

Link the sausages at a marked point to keep them uniform in size, though linking is optional.

Use a sausage pricker or sharp needle to prick air pockets in the sausages to ensure even drying.

Show the biltong box construction with wooden rods wrapped in cling film to keep it clean while hanging the sausages.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level: