Bil-tong “Buttock tongue/strip” is a form of dried/cured meat originating in Africa. It has nothing to do with tongue, but rather thick strips of meat cured with salt, vinegar, pepper & coriander and air dried for several days. Basically, Southern Africa’s version of Jerky. Biltong can be made with any type of red meat, even duck.

Drywors is an air- “dried sausage” also originating in Southern Africa. Beef is ground, seasoned and traditionally stuffed into sheep casings and hung to air dry for several days. Spices include salt, pepper, coriander, clove and nutmeg.

Air-dried meat in a controlled environment retains more of its nutritional values compared to dehydration, where heat is added. It also leads to a different consistency since it takes longer for the proteins to break down. Air drying does lead to somewhat of a crusty outside but creates a tender inside without the use of sugars. Low and slow vs warm and quick. Because there is no heat involved, biltong retains nutrients better than jerky.

Yes, if it is made in a controlled environment. The process of air drying is not a commonly used process due to the risk of bacterial growth. Heat treatments, acids and preservatives like nitrates were introduced to dried meats to prevent bacterial growth. However, there are additional factors that can contribute to prevention of bacterial growth without the use of additives and treatments.  Temperature, pH control, humidity and water levels can all play a role in ensuring a safe finished product.

Years of scientific studies and testing have been done by our company & the industry to support air dried meats as USDA certified ready to eat, shelf stable and safe.

Six months has been a good number in our experience if stored properly. There is still some moisture to a degree in the meat so direct contact with sunlight and drastic temperature change can cause condensation inside the package and thereby run the risk of mold.

If you ordered Biltong we have included a Biltong Handling Insert - please review this information and follow the recommendations to ensure the longest life for your purchase. 

Unopened our packages can be stored at room temperature. You will want to avoid direct sunlight exposure as mentioned above. The shelf life of our products depends greatly on the environment in which they are stored.

The products also freeze beautifully in the bags, or you can split the packages into smaller zip bags or air-tight containers.  These products have more moisture than traditional jerky and lack the preservatives found in most commercial dried meats – don’t expect the same shelf life and treatment as the “other” jerky brands. We are not able to refund product that spoils due to mishandling, the safest way to preserve your purchase is to freeze what you don't intend to eat within 3-5 days.

Dried meat orders ship out Monday through Friday. We make every attempt to ship all orders received by 12pm CST the same day. Orders received after 12 may ship out the following business day.

We use most major carriers (USPS and UPS) so we can provide your address with the lowest rates and quickest delivery times available. We always provide tracking information so you will know where your package is and how it is being delivered.

We try to choose shipping options that ensure your package will be delivered within 3 business days. If you live far from our TN facility or in a remote area it may take a bit longer. We ship 5 days a week so weekends may affect your transit times due to carrier delivery policies.

We wish we could, but we cannot control where your package is or when it will arrive so we ask that you please be patient, we will do everything we can from our side to follow up and resolve your shipping issues but there is only so much we can do. We understand and agree it’s frustrating but you will get your order or we will make it right.

If you package arrives damaged and the product is ruined, please follow these steps and contact us immediately.

1. Take a photo of the outside of the damaged box or envelope
2. Take a photo of the damaged product
3. Email us photos with a brief description of the situation (where the package was left, any other details that may help with a claim)

We will work quickly to replace or refund your damaged products.

If your tracking shows delivered but you did not receive it the first step is to wait 2 more days. Sometimes carriers mark the package as delivered when it is still in transit. After those 2 extra days please contact us so we can place a trace on the package and follow up with the carrier. If your shipment is lost, we will file a claim and either replace or refund your order.

Yes. Our dried meat products are USDA inspected and certified to be shelf-stable. We make these products to be safe, even during extended transit periods and very warm temperatures. The exception to this is if a bag is damaged in transit and opened in some way – at that point we need to place a claim and replace that product.

We always do our best to ensure our customer's satisfaction. We have a detailed Return & Refund Policy.

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