South Africa is not particularly known around the world for its revolutionary ideas in the culinary world. Their history is similar to that of many other countries, especially those belonging to ancient empires. South Africa is strategically located between two oceans, giving it easy access to Eastern and Western influences and foods. One of the few areas in which South Africa has developed its own foods is in dried meats. The two main examples are Biltong and droewors (which will be called "Drywors (dry-vors)" for the purposes of this article). Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Biltong is a word as generic as stew and curry. Its origins come from Holland, where Dutch settlers manufactured it extensively in South Africa to guarantee a long shelf life for their meats. For those beginning long journeys, biltong was an ideal choice among the food items brought with them. Biltong is essentially dried meat seasoned to consumers' taste. It is almost always started in a vinegar solution to give it its characteristic acidic flavor. Biltong is traditionally made from beef. As exploration and expansion continued in South Africa, so did consumption of native wildlife. It didn't take long for the people to decide that they needed to somehow store the local game meat instead of letting it rot while they hung the animal heads on their walls. Popular game variations include kudu, gemsbok and ostrich. A kudu is a type of large antelope, similar in size to the American elk. Kudu is a very lean and dry meat, ideal for creating biltong. This is also the case for gemsbok. The only difference between these two animals (besides appearance) is the difference in taste. The ostrich is unique from its other avian cousins ​​because its meat is actually red meat. Even though they are a red meat, they are similar to other birds in that their meat is low in fat and cholesterol. When made into biltong, ostrich can be very tender and hearty compared to other meats, especially beef. Although there are an endless amount of biltong recipes, most of them follow the same procedures. Below is the recipe the Brummers use to make a basic biltong: 1 roast, any type (the leanest possible is preferred) 2 cups brown sugar 2 cups salt, kosher or sea salt preferred . 1 gallon red wine vinegar salt, pepper ½ cup crushed cilantro ¼ cup red pepper powderCut the roast into 1-inch-thick slices. Rub equal parts salt and sugar into the meat and let sit for an hour, allowing any remaining liquids in the meat to drain away. Rinse the meat in the red wine vinegar and soak for 5 to 15 minutes. Season with salt, pepper, coriander and red pepper powder. Hang in a dry, cool environment for at least 2 weeks. Biltong is important to South African culture. It is used for teething babies to give them something to chew on. If there is a rugby, football or cricket match on, biltong is always there with beer and chips. It is consumed by all races and people of all social classes, from the poorest to the richest. It is considered one of the most iconic foods representing South Africa..