The Dutch settlers who arrived in Southern Africa in the 17th century brought recipes for dried meat from Europe. Preparation involved applying vinegar, then rubbing the strips of meat with a mix of herbs, salts and spices. The need for preservation in the new colony was pressing as building up herds of livestock for a steady supply of fresh meat took a long time. There was native game about but it could take hunters days to track and kill a large animal and they were then faced with the problem of preserving a large mass of meat in a short time in a hot climate.

Biltong has certainly come a long way since the 17th century and has evolved from a necessity to a luxury snack item. Stellenbosch Hills was the first cellar to combine two proudly South African delights with their Biltong & Wine Adventure to be enjoyed at the cellar door.

We learnt that the art of drying meat nowadays is as specialised as the art of wine making, during a visit to Freddy Hirsch, one of the sponsors of the annual “Biltong Maker of the Year” Competition.  They also host biltong-making workshops (for those in dire need of birthday gift inspiration).

I expected a visit to Freddy Hirsch to comprise a short tour of their factory – I was proven wrong in the best possible way. The facilities at Freddy Hirsch HQ comprise state of the art laboratories, test kitchens and (best of all) blind tasting facilities. We got a tutorial in the art of biltong making, donned white coats, hairnets and gloves and proceeded to make our own biltong! Inspiration flowed as we all mixed our own spices and searched for the perfect cut of meat to cure. We even got a demonstration of dishes that can be made with biltong – no more biltong dust sarmies; rather nachos with biltong and chilli poppers stuffed with cheese and (yes) biltong…

Back to the competition: Each year a different Stellenbosch Hills wine is chosen to be the inspiration for entrants. The winner’s biltong must be the best match for the chosen wine. This year the choice of wine is the Stellenbosch Hills Shiraz 2007.

Entrants can use any meat for their entries and prizes of R60 000 are up for grabs. The judging will take place early September after which the top three places will be announced.  Prospective entrants for this battle of the best biltong can order entry packets at a cost of R150. This includes a bottle of Stellenbosch Hills Shiraz 2007, a Freddy Hirsch spice pack, as well as delivery costs for the entry pack.

Participants must register before or on August 1, 2012. Closing date for entries is August 31, 2012 when 500g of biltong from all participants must be delivered to Stellenbosch Hills for judging.

We have certainly been inspired to enter the competition; we certainly need no other excuse to sample the delicious Stellenbosch Hills Shiraz. Come August, we’ll be ready – who will beat the Batonage biltong entry?  Shall we have a little side competition amongst bloggers?

www.stellenbosch-hills.co.za or 021-8813828 for more competition details or contact Freddy Hirsch on 021-5074500