The Origins of Our Biltong Recipe
At Figure Ate, our journey to crafting the perfect beef biltong is deeply rooted in an appreciation of global cultures that have mastered the art of meat preservation over generations. Our biltong story begins with an exploration of how various regions around the world have long relied on natural processes to cure and preserve meat, especially in times before modern refrigeration.
The preservation of meat through methods like smoking, salting, and drying is an age-old set of practices that goes beyond sustenance; it reflects a deep understanding of microbiology and food culture. This relationship between flavor, tradition, and survival has fascinated Jesse Smith, Figure Ate’s Co-founder and Director of Land Stewardship, and his wife Ana for many years. During their travels throughout Europe, they became enchanted by the local charcuterie in countries like Italy, France, and Spain, where each region boasted meats with distinct flavors, techniques, and traditions.
“We traveled extensively across Europe,” Jesse recalls, “and everywhere we went—from the fennel-infused salamis in France to the prosciutto in Italy—there was this rich, local history attached to how meats were cured, flavored, and enjoyed. That sense of place and tradition was something we wanted to bring back to Santa Barbara, where Ana and I were born and raised.”
After returning to the west coast, Jesse and Ana spent the next six years exploring their passion for whole-animal butchery, offering workshops on curing meats and creating artisanal products from heritage breed pigs while running a self-sustaining, integrated farm. This passion for charcuterie, combined with a desire to foster a resilient local food system, led Jesse and his wife to establish Casitas Valley Farm in Ojai, California, in 2012. It was here that their fascination with whole-animal butchery took off, teaching workshops on curing meats and producing artisanal foods from their organic creamery. The farm became a hub for heritage breed pigs, artisanal cheeses, and a rich variety of fruits and vegetables, all cultivated in a self-sustaining, integrated enterprise system.
In 2018, Jesse met Steve Finkel, founder of White Buffalo Land Trust, and together they began exploring how to weave together their shared passions for regenerative agriculture and delicious cured meats. Enter their friend, Ryan Muzzy (affectionately known by all as simply Muzzy), whose deep love for meat and DIY ingenuity aligned perfectly with Steve and Jesse’s vision. Muzzy’s enthusiasm for creating a high-quality, sustainably sourced meat snack led to a key conversation: What if they could make a meat product that was healthy, flavorful, and rooted in a centuries-old tradition of 100% natural preservation methods?
Turns out biltong, a traditional South African beef snack, was the answer.
The processing for biltong is minimal and direct, made from whole cuts of beef air-dried over a week-long process. “We were drawn to biltong because of its simplicity,” Jesse shared. “It’s a product with a very limited ingredient list, but it packs a lot of heritage and flavor. It’s also incredibly snackable—easy to take on the go, with a long shelf life.”
In 2020, Jesse and Muzzy set out to make the first trial batch of biltong, working out of Muzzy’s home kitchen.
Their process began by slicing long strips from a cut of meat like the top or bottom round, marinating the meat in vinegar for 4-8 hours, packing it in salt to cure, and then rinsing it before applying spices.
The key to tender biltong is cutting the final product across the grain, creating bite-sized pieces that are easy to eat and full of flavor. The traditional South African recipe is a simple blend of cracked black pepper and toasted coriander seeds which highlights the purity of the meat. They explored flavor profiles including the traditional seasoning as well as a version with some modern tweaks adding garlic, paprika, and crushed red pepper for an extra kick.
The strips were then hung to dry for about a week. For the test batches, the pair air-dried the strips of meat in a small wooden box created by Muzzy, complete with a light bulb and a fan for air circulation. Unlike jerky, which is heat-dried, biltong relies on natural air and low humidity to slowly dry and cure the meat.
After the first batch, Jesse and Muzzy honed the recipe with several joyful tasting parties with the White Buffalo Land Trust team marking the progress. Eventually, they turned to food scientists to perfect the flavor profile and texture and to a co-packer to scale production while maintaining the high-quality standards that Figure Ate is committed to. Our biltong was officially released to the public under the Figure Ate brand in 2022.
Today, our biltong is a testament to the traditions of meat preservation from around the world, but with a focus on regeneratively raised beef from ranches like Thousand Hills Lifetime Grazed and White Oak Pastures. It’s a snack that carries the history of an ancient technique into the present day, providing a nutrient-dense, delicious product that supports sustainable agriculture and celebrates global culinary heritage.
At Figure Ate, we’re proud to offer a product that’s not only good for your body but also good for the planet. Our biltong honors tradition, invites innovation, and models the commitment to creating a resilient, regenerative food system for future generations.