When A Slab Of Biltong Might Be A Better Snack Choice Than Beef Jerky
Posted on: 17 October 2022
Beef jerky is a tasty snack, but sometimes its qualities are not something you're craving on a particular day. Maybe you want something a little easier to chew or something that isn't sweet, like some flavors of jerky can be. Or, maybe the way the jerky that you bought is cut left pieces that were too thick or too sinewy to comfortably eat, even if you were to cut them down. If you're not craving jerky one day but want dried meat for a snack, biltong might be what you want. Biltong is a form of air-dried beef that's flavored and usually sold in slabs that you cut yourself. And the way it turns out is perfect if you're looking for non-sweet, tender, thinner pieces.
You Can Cut to Preferred Size
Beef jerky can be bought as a slab and cut, but most often, you'll find it precut into a jumble of pieces that aren't always completely separated. In fact, sometimes when you try to pull one piece out of the bag, a mass of pieces comes out, along with meat crumbs. Biltong slabs are easier to find, and these you can easily cut thin slices off of that aren't connected by bits of sinew. All you have to do is slice the slab on one end into thin slices.
The Texture Is Softer
Beef jerky can be very tough, especially if you have a thicker piece. This isn't bad in and of itself, but it does take time to chew. In fact, you'll notice that more brands are offering versions marketed as tender and easier to chew. With biltong, the meat is supposed to be a little softer and thus easier to chew to begin with. That means no more trying to gnaw through a tough piece of jerky, and you have an overall easier time eating the biltong.
Much Less (or No) Sugar
Biltong usually isn't prepared with any sort of sugar. Or, if a brand uses sugar, it's a tiny bit, enough to provide a little sweetness, but not a lot. This makes biltong great for people who are watching carb and sugar intake. And remember, it's not always about keto diets or diabetes; some feel better not eating many sweet things, or they just don't like the fact that so many supposedly non-sweet foods have sugar in them. If you're just not a fan of sweet flavors or want to cut down on how much added sugar you're ingesting, biltong makes a great snack in these cases.
Again, none of this is meant to imply that somehow biltong is better than jerky overall. There are merely some times when jerky just isn't going to satisfy your craving because of its texture, flavor, or convenience, just like any food. Air-dried beef slabs made into biltong may be what you'd want instead.
Contact a supplier to learn more about slabs of air-dried beef.
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