Yahoo News The ultimate post-gym protein hit? British beef jerky and biltong, tried and tested
Premium, “craft” beef jerky and biltong has had a makeover, and is now the post-workout recovery snack of choice for carnivores.
Low in sugar and high in protein, British beef can increasingly be found bulking out gym bags across the UK, in lieu of carb-heavy, sugary treats.
Biltong hails from South Africa, while jerky is from America and is usually cut thinner, often smoked and dried in strips. Air-dried biltong is preserved with vinegar, salt and spices. It can be enjoyed rarer, and can contain more fat. Both keep well when sealed.
Here's our pick of the best...
Marks & Spencer peppered beef jerky
£2.50 for 50g, marksandspencerfoodhall.co.uk
Cuts of British beef marinated in soy sauce, cider vinegar and black pepper, with garlic, dill, onion, oregano and fenugreek, and smoked over applewood. Piquant and well seasoned.
8/10
Ember Original Biltong
Contains no added sugar and packs a spicy, peppery punch with nutmeg, coriander, chilli and cloves. Vinegary and dry at first, a few chews unleash the juiciness of the welfare-approved British and Irish beef.
9/10
Billy Frank’s roast beef and mustard flavour jerky
This smoky, hand-cut British beef slowly releases its notes of sweet honey and potent mustard, as well as a hint of tomato ketchup, slowly, so take your time over it.
8/10
Woza Biltong
This Great Taste 2018 award winner is soft, moist, juicy – and far less chewy than the rest, with an umami-rich steak flavour, amplified by Worcestershire sauce. A top choice.
10/10
The Curators Espresso Kick jerky
£10 for 4x30g, the curatorsjerky.com
Large, textured chunks of preservative-free grass-fed beef rubbed with a potent BBQ and coffee marinade. The result is bitter, almost gamy. A novelty: our panel was divided. We also highly reccomend trying their Sweet Sriracha jerky with chilli, and the Teriyaki Spice with soy and ginger.
7/10
Smally's Biltong Original
£2.50 for 35g; smallysbiltong.com
Simple, South African-style, natural tasting biltong with no added sugar – seasoned simply with salt and black cracked pepper, as well as roasted coriander. Made in Suffolk.
8/10
Greeff's air cured beef biltong
65p for 30g, isleofwightbiltong.co.uk
Dry, moreishly salty and reminiscent of roast beef or pepperoni, presented in strips rather than chunks, with a satisfying umami flavour. Another Great Taste award-winner.
8/10
Bad Boys Peri Peri biltong
£4.80 for 100g, badboysbiltong.com
These particularly chewy, incredibly salty morsels made with Hampshire beef look like rosola, and boast a pink, peppery crust. We could taste cider vinegar and garlic, but not peri peri.
7/10
