Air dried meat is one of South Africa’s favourite foods, combining convenience and contemporary technology with a rich cultural tradition. To do this, they cut it into strips or slices and hang it in a temperature and humidity-controlled atmosphere that drains moisture gently and naturally. The procedure keeps all the protein chains intact, enhancing the meat’s nutritional density.
Moreover, its texture is novel—tender yet still chewy. Since ancient times, meat has been air-dried to increase protein and taste. It is the ideal food since it is the favourite raw source of protein and is delicious and healthy. It is fully guilt-free, carb-free, and sugar-free. Continue reading to learn more about air dried meat.
How To Air Dried Meat?
On a baking sheet with a rim, put a wire rack. The protein should be dried with paper towels before being transferred to the refrigerator, uncovered, and set on top of the frame. The rack enables airflow and dries the meat’s surface on all sides. Larger slices of beef with more surface area should air dry in the refrigerator for one to three days. Smaller cuts of meat may air dry for up to an overnight period, but only for around four hours. The protein is prepared for roasting, grilling, smoking, or searing when its surface is dry to the touch.
What Are The Various Types Of Air Dried Meat?
Meat that has been air-dried and cured has been around for centuries. Different kinds of meat, such as cattle, poultry, fish, and game, have been transformed over time into various air-dried meat forms. Biltong is cured, air dried, and may be found in strips, shredded, or powdered. Beef jerky is smoked, spiced, and sliced into strips. In addition, there are several other varieties of air-dried meat.
Jerky
Lean-trimmed beef is sliced into strips and air-dried (dehydrated) as jerky to prevent spoiling. Salt is added to prevent germs from growing before the meat is dehydrated. The Quechua term charka, which means “dried, salted meat,” is where the name “jerky” originated. Simple “jerky” may be made using a low-temperature drying technique and salt to prevent bacterial development.
Jerky may be kept for months without refrigeration and is ready to eat right out of the package. The final cured product must have the right protein-to-moisture proportion to guarantee optimal shelf life.
Biltong
The air-dried, cured meat, biltong, was first produced in Southern African nations. It is made from various types of meat, including beef and game meats, flat pieces of meat sliced against the grain of the muscle, and meat fillets chopped into strips. It is comparable to beef jerky in that both are seasoned, dried meats, although the standard components, flavour, and manufacturing methods may vary.
Droewors
Droewors Australia is a snack item based on the classic coriander-seed flavoured boerewors sausage. This is due to the thinner sausage drying more rapidly and having a lower risk of spoilage before being stored. It is often flattened before usage to provide a wider surface area for drying.
Droewors Australiais unique among air-dried meats in that it is dried swiftly in warm, dry temperatures, as opposed to conventional droge and Italian cured salumi, which is dried slowly in rather cold and damp settings. Another distinction is that drowners lack the curing ingredient in a conventionally cured sausage.
Why Do You Need To Air Dry Meat Before Cooking It?
Most meats sold in markets are stored in airtight containers, which are excellent for preventing smells from escaping and reducing oxidation. The issue is that moisture, the enemy of browning and crisping, is likewise trapped by these packaging materials.
A dry surface has a higher chance of crisping, browning, and caramelizing. Before browning occurs, moisture on the surface must evaporate, and if you wait until the meat is cooked before letting it dry, the protein will often be overdone by the time the surface is dry enough to take on colour.
Is Consuming Air Dried Meat Safe?
We know that drying meat outside in the sun for lengthy periods may appear more comfortable but is far less secure. As long as the proper food safety measures are followed, dried meat is safe to ingest, unlike the chicken breast you took out of the fridge a few days ago.
The main distinction between rotting andair-dried meat is the presence of moisture. You could become sick if you leave a steak out in the sun for the whole day because it will start to grow harmful bacteria. Osmosis happens when a piece of meat is treated with a drying mixture of salt, sugar, and other spices, either by coating or injecting it. As a result, the flesh’s moisture is drained and eventually dries out. Consuming air-dried meat is risk-free and will fill you up since the absence of water creates an environment that prohibits the growth of germs.
Making air dried meat can be hard and take a long time, but the result is worth it. This method has been around for a long time, leading to many new ways to enjoy different kinds of meat. When you try something for the first time, it is hard to fight the need to try it again. We hope that by giving you this information, you will be motivated to tryair-dried meat in new ways and talk about it with some of your closest friends and family members.
