If you've just discovered biltong, the first comparison you'll make is with beef jerky. They're both dried cured meat, both high in protein, both come in small bags. Beyond that, they're different products made by different processes with different results.
How each one is made
Jerky is cooked. The meat is sliced thin, marinated in a sauce (typically soy, sugar, and smoke flavouring), then heated at low temperature until the moisture drops enough to preserve it. The cooking is what makes jerky shelf-stable.
Biltong is not cooked at all. The meat is cured in vinegar and salt, coated in spices, then hung to air-dry over several days. No heat. The vinegar cure and the drying process do the preserving work instead.
That difference in process is why the two products taste so different. Cooking changes the protein structure of the meat. Air-drying doesn't. Biltong retains more of the natural beef flavour, which is why it tastes meatier and less processed than jerky.
Texture
Jerky is thin, flat and uniformly chewy. The slices are cut thin before cooking because thick cuts don't cook evenly. The texture is consistent throughout.
Biltong is thicker. The strips are cut from whole muscle, and the drying time determines how firm or tender the finished product is. Wet biltong has a soft, almost rare-beef texture in the centre. Dry biltong is firmer throughout. You can order it to your preference, which isn't something jerky offers.
What's in it
This is where the gap is clearest. Jerky marinades typically contain sugar, sometimes in significant quantities. Many commercial jerky products contain 6 to 10 grams of sugar per 100g. Some contain more.
Biltong contains trace sugars at most. Our biltong at Biltong Direct has 0g carbohydrate and trace sugars per 100g. The spice mix is coriander, black pepper and salt. That's the full list.
The protein difference is also meaningful. Our biltong contains 49g of protein per 100g. Beef jerky typically sits around 30 to 33g per 100g, partly because the added marinade dilutes the protein density and partly because the cooking process changes the structure of the meat differently to air-drying.
| Feature | Biltong | Beef jerky |
|---|---|---|
| Process | Air-dried raw | Cooked or smoked |
| Thickness | Thick cut, variable texture | Thin, uniform |
| Sugar per 100g | Trace | 6 to 10g typically |
| Protein per 100g | 49g | Around 30 to 33g |
| Carbohydrates | 0g | 5 to 15g typically |
| Flavour | Vinegar, coriander, black pepper | Sweet, smoky, sauce-based |
| Origin | South Africa | USA |
Which one to choose
If you're tracking protein, watching sugar, or eating low-carb, biltong is the better choice by the numbers. If you prefer a sweeter, smokier flavour, jerky suits that preference.
Most people who try biltong don't go back to jerky. The flavour is less processed, the protein is higher, and once you've had a proper thick-cut wet biltong there's nothing comparable in the jerky aisle.
We've been making biltong in Basildon since 2004. Shop the full range here.