South African Food
How to Vacuum Seal Biltong — Keep It Dry, Tender and Perfectly Preserved
Biltong and vacuum sealing seem like opposites — one is a drying process, the other removes all the air. The good news: done correctly, vacuum sealing is the best way to store biltong long-term. Done wrong, it turns your prize slabs into sweaty, mouldy disasters.
5 min read · South African Food
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Why Biltong Is Different
Most foods benefit from vacuum sealing immediately. Biltong is more complicated because it's a partially fermented, cured product. The rules change depending on how dry it is, how it's cut, and whether you want to store it at room temperature or in the freezer.
Get it right and vacuum sealed biltong lasts 6 months at room temperature and up to 2 years in the freezer — with texture and flavour almost indistinguishable from fresh-made. Get it wrong and you'll find mould growing on week-old biltong that cost you R80 for 100g.
The Three Types of Biltong — Different Rules Apply
✓ Dry Biltong
Hard, fully dried through. Breaks with a snap. Zero visible moisture.
Storage:
Room temp 6 months / Freezer 2 years
Rule:
Seal at room temperature. No special preparation needed.
⚠ Medium / Soft Biltong
Slightly soft in the centre, dried on the outside. The most popular style in South Africa.
Storage:
Fridge only / Freezer 18 months
Rule:
Must be refrigerated after sealing. Room temperature storage risks mould.
! Wet / Sliced
Freshly sliced with visible moisture. Tender, almost raw-looking centre.
Storage:
Fridge 2–3 weeks / Freezer 12 months
Rule:
Refrigerate immediately. Seal in small portions — once opened, consume within 3 days.
Step-by-Step: How to Vacuum Seal Biltong Correctly
Check moisture level before you seal
Press the thickest piece between your fingers. If moisture transfers to your hand, the biltong is too wet to store at room temperature. It must be refrigerated or frozen — even after vacuum sealing.
Portion into single-use amounts
Vacuum seal in 100–200g portions — what you'll eat in one sitting. Once you open a sealed packet, the biltong begins oxidising again. Small portions reduce waste and maintain freshness.
Dry the biltong surface if needed
If there's surface moisture (oil, marinade residue), pat dry with a paper towel before sealing. Moisture on the bag opening is the #1 cause of seal failure. Use the Liquid Stop function on your LAVA machine for extra safety.
Reduce vacuum pressure for sliced biltong
For thinly sliced biltong, reduce the vacuum level to 60–70% using the pressure control dial on LAVA V.300+ machines. Full vacuum will crush the slices into a compressed mass. You want firm, not crushed.
Double-seal for long-term storage
For freezer storage or anything over 3 months, run a double seal — seal once, then shift the bag 2mm and seal again. This ensures there are no micro-gaps in the weld.
Label with date and type
Write the date and biltong type (wet/dry, whole/sliced) on the bag with a permanent marker before sealing. After 6 months in the freezer, every package looks identical.
What You Can and Can't Do
Do This
- • Seal fully dry biltong at room temperature
- • Freeze medium biltong for 2+ months of storage
- • Seal whole sticks (sliced later) for best texture retention
- • Use embossed LAVA bags — smooth bags block the vacuum channel
- • Reduce vacuum pressure on sliced, tender biltong
- • Store dry sealed biltong in a cool, dark cupboard
Never Do This
- • Seal wet biltong and leave it at room temperature
- • Seal biltong with any visible mould — discard the affected pieces
- • Use full vacuum pressure on soft sliced biltong
- • Open and reseal the same packet multiple times
- • Seal biltong while it's still warm from the drying box
- • Mix dry and wet pieces in the same packet
Important: Mould Safety
Vacuum sealing does not kill mould spores — it removes oxygen, which slows but doesn't eliminate anaerobic mould growth in wet biltong stored at room temperature. Never seal biltong with any visible white, green or black mould.Unlike hard cheese, the entire piece must be discarded — biltong's fibrous texture allows mould to penetrate deeply even when surface mould looks minor.
How Long Does Vacuum Sealed Biltong Last?
| Biltong Type | Without Sealing | Vacuum Sealed — Room Temp | Vacuum Sealed — Freezer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fully dry biltong (sticks) | 2–4 weeks | 4–6 months | 18–24 months |
| Medium / soft biltong | 5–7 days | Not recommended* | 12–18 months |
| Wet sliced biltong | 2–3 days | Not recommended* | 6–12 months |
| Droëwors (dry) | 2–3 weeks | 3–4 months | 12 months |
| Stokkies / snapsticks | 1–2 weeks | 3–4 months | 12 months |
* Wet and medium biltong can be vacuum sealed and stored in the fridge for 3–4 weeks. Room temperature storage without complete drying risks mould.
For Biltong Producers
If you're producing biltong to sell at a farmers market, butchery or online — presentation matters as much as preservation. Vacuum sealed biltong in a tight, flat pack looks professional. A LAVA V.300 or V.333 Chrome handles the throughput for small to medium production runs.
- Consistent seal width — LAVA's 42 cm sealing bar covers wide flat-pack portions without resealing
- Pressure control — dial in the exact vacuum level for your product's texture
- Liquid Stop protection — essential when sealing oily spiced biltong where fat can migrate toward the seal
- Transparent bags — LAVA bags are clear, so the product sells itself
For high-volume biltong producers, the V.333 Chrome and V.400 Premium offer commercial-rated pumps and stainless steel construction for food-safe daily production.
See It in Action
The Right Machine for Biltong
For home use, the V.300® Premium X handles biltong perfectly — pressure control, Liquid Stop and a 42 cm seal. For commercial biltong production, talk to Anneke about the V.333 Chrome or V.400 Premium.