When you need to snack on something, you would usually go for a chocolate bar or some candy that you can buy at the nearest convenience store. But at one point, you might get tired of eating them, and you want something else besides something sweet in your mouth. You can find many alternatives to sweets if you only want to fill your stomach with a bit of food.
One snack that you can try out is biltong, an air-dried steak that people worldwide currently eat. People of all ages buy biltong because it is tasty and not too heavy on their stomachs. If you are new to eating biltong, it would be best to learn about its many interesting facts.
Fact #1: Biltong originated in Southern Africa
If Egyptians first invented beef jerky, you could find that biltong originates from Southern Africa. It was first created when people tried to experiment with meat without putting it in a hot flame. They managed to find that with air-dried meat, wherein they mixed it with seasonings and left it out to dry in the open for a long time.
You should also know that biltong is a word derived from Afrikaans of “Bil” and “Tong,” which translates to rump and strip. Most of the meat used for biltong is cut from the rump area of animals like cows and then sliced into thin strips of meat before the air-drying process begins.
Fact #2: Has one the lowest calories in terms of snacks
Another fact that might convince you to buy biltong is that you do not have to worry about gaining a few pounds after eating a bag of it. You can find that eating one bag of biltong will only give your body at least 100 calories, which is equivalent to gaining 10 pounds within a year. If you only need snacks to keep your taste buds at bay, biltong is the best choice.
Besides the 100 calories, biltong also has 51 grams of protein, which is great for working out. Before working out, you would usually have a tumbler of protein drinks to keep your protein count high. But after you finish working out, you need to regain some of those proteins back and what a fitting way to do that than by snacking on biltong.
Fact #3: Dutch settlers created the first biltong
While it is true that biltong was made in Southern Africa, it was Dutch settlers who were the first ones to invent it. It was the time when they emigrated to Southern Africa during the 18th century. The Dutch settlers needed to find a way to preserve meat in warm and hot conditions, so they tried putting salt on the meat and storing it under their horse’s saddle to cure over time.
Fact #4: Biltong is best during winter
Biltong is a strange type of food to make because it can yield excellent results during the winter. Not too many people know about that method, but biltong is best made in the open air. Winter is the best time to achieve the perfect biltong because of cold and dry air, ensuring the meat gets cured to a suitable state.
If you are looking for a trusted biltong supplier, make sure you look for well-known brands like Barbell Foods. They are one of the many that can supply high-quality biltong to customers.
