Storing Your Biltong

Whether you’re in the enviable position of having too much biltong or you’ve got some extreme self-control and know how to pace yourself, storing your biltong properly is very important. As a perishable food product, biltong requires specific handling and storage to ensure it doesn’t go off. If you’re wondering how to store biltong to extend its shelf life and delicious flavour, there are a few options.

Things to keep in mind when storing biltong

If you’re asking yourself, “how should I store biltong?”, there are certain factors you need to know before we get into the various storage methods:

• Keep biltong in a dry, cool place — As a meat product, ​​biltong should be stored at low temperatures to prevent spoilage and prolong the flavour.

• Avoid storing biltong in direct sunlight — The hotter your biltong, the more likely it will go off.

• Don’t use a plastic bag — Plastic can cause biltong to sweat. Instead, use a paper bag to keep your biltong dry but still moist.

• Keep your biltong sealed off — To prevent any pests from ruining your tasty snacks, make sure your biltong is properly sealed off.

• Shuffle moist biltong — Occasionally shuffling and moving your biltong around will prevent moisture from building up in specific areas.

• Ensure large slabs are well ventilated — Large pieces of sliced biltong need to be ventilated to continue the drying process. 

• Use a piece of paper towel — If you’re storing biltong in a pantry, adding a piece of paper towel to the bottom of your Tupperware or glass jar will slowly dry the biltong out further — making it invulnerable to the elements.

How to store biltong properly

Depending on whether or not you have opened your packet of biltong and the type of biltong you have bought or made yourself, there are specific ways to store it to keep it fresh and tasty for as long as possible. Here are a few of our suggested ways of storing biltong, as well as the answer to an important question: “can you store biltong in the fridge?”.

With so many different ways to keep your biltong tasting good, you can plan to have biltong ready to eat all year round! No matter how you choose to store biltong, as long as there's no mould visible, your biltong should be good to eat.

Top tip: If you’re thinking about freezing biltong, the good news is that it won’t take long to defrost when you’re ready to get it out. Just remember to keep it cool and dry using one of the storage methods above once it’s defrosted.

Time to stock up

Now that you know just how to keep your biltong tasting fresh and delicious for months on end, be sure that you have enough to keep you going. Browse our full range of biltong and meat products online and enjoy convenient delivery all across Australia. And if you’re interested in learning new and creative ways to incorporate biltong into different meals, be sure to see our unique recipes too.