Kangaroo Biltong

The thousands of footie fans who’ve been milling around the pubs and cafe’s in Cape Town, Jo’burg, PE and especially Rustenburg, will no doubt have been introduced to South Africa’s delicacy – biltong. They’ll be returning home soon, and after a few hours on home soil the craving will start. It’ll probably be around about the time they crack open the first can of beer as they sit down to watch a game. They’ll suddenly feel the need for a savoury snack like no other.

Australians are in luck – we deliver! If you’re in Sydney CBD, Darlinghurst or Surry Hills we’ll try to bring it to your door the same day, otherwise it’ll be in the mail the next day.

Our new grab-sized vacuum bags are here, and we think they look great. The bag contains a proud little Aussie flag on the end of a toothpick, which will come in handy after munching your way through the contents! There is also a leaflet inside which lists the ingredients and prompts the recipient to complete our .

To be honest there wasn’t much in the way of packaging before this, so its a major step forward. The vacuum-sealing keeps the biltong fresh and dry for longer. Biltong itself doesn’t really need to be refrigerated or even sealed however, because the meat is dried to a point where there is often more moisture in the surroundings than in the meat – it tends to act like a sponge! Biltong in South Africa is usually produced and stored in very dry climates – most of the interior is very dry. Australians reside mostly in humid and coastal areas. Biltong and humidity don’t mix too well, so best keep biltong in an airtight container – where it’ll last for weeks and weeks.

Usually, you wouldn’t want paper near meat as it would get soaked in fats. Not so with kangaroo biltong. Its naturally almost fat free and we cut off any visible fat to make it even leaner. The proof is in the untainted leaflet!

Last month at the Falls Festival (Marion Bay, Tasmania), Kangaroo Biltong was a roaring success with many Australians sampling kangaroo meat for the very first time. There were still a few that turned their nose up at the idea, but on the most part there was surprise at how tasty the biltong was. Virtually everyone who tried it said they enjoyed it and many came back for more.

Many enthusiastic discussions were had about kangaroo as a sustainable food source. Tasmanians on the whole are very aware of the impact certain industries can have on the environment. One of the most obvious being the battle against destruction of old growth forests by Forestry Tasmania. We visited the Upper Florentine and saw how beautiful it was and with such rich biodiversity – it was quite disturbing to think that it could be destroyed just to plant a new plantation.

Now thats a mouthful!
If you’ve ever been to South Africa, you’ll realise that dried meat is a big thing. Whether you’re watching rugby on tellie, at the football, on a road trip or just peckish – biltong is the number one snack.

South Africans and Australians are very similar – their laid back attitudes, attachment to the great outdoors, adventurous spirit and a love of barbeques. There are many cross-overs but also some major differences. Australia has an abundance of kangaroos (and other herbivores) but Australians aren’t accustomed to eating their native animals. On the other hand, South Africans have a healthy appetite for eating their native animals – almost all their herbivores are eaten in one form or another – most commonly, biltong.