Stellenbosch Hills Biltong & Droewors Adventure

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This sounds like it could be fun.
Step forward PG Slabbert – winemaker and manager at Stellenbosch Hills:

Stellenbosch Hills is the first cellar to combine two proudly South African delights with their Biltong & Droëwors Adventure to be enjoyed in the cellar door. The art of drying meat nowadays is as specialised as the art of wine making. Our aim was to create a competition where three of South Africa’s most popular products – wine and biltong and droëwors – could be combined.

Wait. What? Let’s just review that again: the plan is to combine wine and biltong and droewors?
It’s only the best idea to come out of the winelands since Big Concerts decided not to have the U2 concert at Val de Vie.
And enjoying them (the food and drink, not U2) in the cellar door may also yield some small degree of protection should a Kiwi-style earthquake unexpectedly hit Stellies.
They’ve thought this through.

So what’s it all about?
Well, essentially, it’s a biltong making competition, which I was alerted to by twitter user @Tara_L_B. Good work, Tara.
And, as Stellenbosch Hills notes (seemingly with a hint of disappointment):

Somebody has to win ….

and by “win” they mean “win” the fat R60,000 worth of prizes for the biltong which best complements their 2007 Shiraz. Surely to do that though, one would have to eat loads of biltong and drink loads of red wine in the name of research?

Damn.

As regular readers will know, I’m a bit of a biltong fan and I have been rubbing my meat with spices, hanging it out, letting it dry and giving to friends and family to nibble on for several months now. In fact, only this morning, I unhung some of my best work so far.

Using Freddy Hirsch spices together with my not-so-secret Sheffield-based (or should that be “Sheffield-Baste”?!?!?! LOL!) (sorry) ingredient, I like to think I have crafted an ex-pat masterpiece, capable of beating even the most ardent of local biltong craftspersons.

So – could an outsider, a rooinek, a soutie – really slip in and nick the R60,000 from right under the local’s noses?

Usurper can like to be my middle name.

Better bring your A-game, Boland, ‘cos I’m in it to win it.
(terms & conditions apply)

10 thoughts on “Stellenbosch Hills Biltong & Droewors Adventure”

  3. @Geoff – ditto!

    @6000 – I would pay good money to see the look on the faces of the local boere if you did win. Priceless, indeed. (And make sure you have a speedy getaway car at hand)

  5. Hi Mr 6000,

    I have been an eager follower of your blog over the last year and a bit and I am also a very keen home biltong maker. I was just wondering whether you also had trouble maintaining the correct temperature during the last two months? My last batch had this very odd “well done” meaty taste, almost like it was placed in an oven…

    I use a 60 watt bulb and the biltong maker is in our garage, which at the time probably was about 30 degrees c. I also use Freddie Hirsch spices with a bit of brown vinegar and Worcester Sauce over the meat before I let the meat covered in spices rest for about 3 hours before I hang. The last time my meat hanged for about 4 days, which was probably a bit long…

    I know you are very proud of your recipe, but any tips would be helpful. You are welcome to send them to my e-mail address directly (droodman@mweb.co.za).

    Thanks in advance, and keep the blogs rolling!

    Kind regards,

    Du Toit (my name)

  7. “13. Prizes are not cash refundable.”

    Are you really prepared to trade your recipe for a couple of over-prized bottles of wine?

  8. Tara > Loving the “when”… 🙂

    Geoffrey Chisnall > I know a guy that makes great biltong. For a price.

    Rich > Meh – I’m just entering for the fun of it. And to win.

    BBM > Like I said – it’s hardly a secret.

    Du Toit > Thanks for the comment. Have replied by email. (or at least will be doing ever so shortly.)

    Emil > Cricket? WTF do the English know about cricket?

    carl botha > Mutual benefit:
    1. They get secrets of best biltong recipe ever.
    2. I get bottles of wine.
    3. My hometown in UK gets more trade from (1).

    Everybody wins.

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