Joburg’s traditional South African fare has a tasty future in kosher kitchens.
Whenever my doorbell rings, my dog freaks out. Blueberry runs to the door barking, placing herself firmly between me and the approaching visitor. Her loud bark makes her presence known, discouraging ninjas and other would-be attackers from carrying out their nefarious plans. Her violently wagging tail, however, betrays the true motivation that drives her dramatic greeting; Blueberry hopes that whoever has rung the bell has brought her something delicious. It’s not an unfounded hope. Once a week she frolics through the living room gleefully sticking her nose into the grocery bags, just knowing she’ll get bits of whatever is in there once it’s cooked. Today her dream just might have come true – I got a box of sausages and dried beef. Ultimately, though, Blueberry would be disappointed, because it was all too good to share.
As Blueberry navigated her roller coaster of canine emotions, I examined the bounty. The package contained Biltong and Boerewors. Gezuntheit. Or, should I say “Mag God jou seen,” which is Afrikaans for “G-d bless you.” And since both products are Glatt Kosher, I certainly think He gives His approval. Joburg produces authentic, Glatt Kosher traditional South African cuisine. The company was started by David Libesman, a South African born Jew who delighted his American friends by serving them his favorite native foods. By putting his products on the market, he may very well delight you, too. I was certainly impressed.
I tried the Biltong first. I was particularly impressed with it because like beef jerky, it offers a shelf-stable, protein rich snack. Unlike beef jerky, it has a very reasonable sodium content (just 150 mg per serving). It is also lean (97% fat free), and slowly dried which gives it a texture unique from American beef jerky. Jerky beef is first saturated in savory marinade and then cooked. A bite of jerky floods the pallet with the flavor of the marinade. Biltong offers the same satisfying robustness and beefy flavor without the aggressiveness delivered by jerky. Biltong was chewy at first bite, and then softened as I processed it. It is lightly spiced to enhance the flavor of the beef without overshadowing it. When I ate the Biltong I thought, “That is tasty beef,” instead of “Yum, teriyaki!” I would have been content to finish the whole thing off on its own, quite honestly, but Libesman suggests trying his Biltong in a salad. I figured that he’s the professional, I should heed his advice.
Biltong’s flavor reminds me of a good burger or roast beef, so I kept that in mind as I prepared the salad. I put together simple ingredients that would play off the Biltong; I wanted it to be the main feature of the dish. I tossed a handful of Biltong with dark greens, cherry tomatoes, red onions and a little olive oil and balsamic vinegar. It was a quick, easy, healthy lunch with unique and robust flavor.
For dinner, I made the Boerewors or “Farmer Sausage.” Once again, Joburg introduces its audience to a different way to eat beef without overshadowing the flavor of good beef. Boerewors is spiced in a perfect balance – just enough to create an exciting dish, but not enough to outshine the flavor of the beef. The simplicity of the spicing also makes Boerewors very versatile. I grilled mine on the George Foreman and then served it in onion buns with spicy mustard and French fries on the side. I tried another with no condiments, and plated it with grilled vegetables. I chose sweet vegetables to play up the savory quality of sausage. Onions, peppers and zucchini made for a colorful compliment. Boerewors would have also been delicious diced in an omelet or served with pancakes as a breakfast sausage (at any time of day. I believe in breakfast for dinner). The ease of preparation and flexibility of flavor, plus the fact that it freezes well and can be cooked without defrosting, make this a great protein to have on hand. At 21g per serving, it’s on the fattier side, so while it’s not healthy enough to be a diet staple, it makes quite a treat.
Joburg brings exciting flavors to the kosher market with its Boerewors and Biltong. The former is a novel departure from hot dogs or sausages, the latter a healthy alternative to beef jerky. They are both handy proteins – Boerewors cooks up easily and Biltong is ready right out of the bag. They were both so tasty that, unfortunately for Blueberry, I didn’t leave a scrap behind. Maybe she’ll get lucky and tomorrow a ninja will pop by for tea.
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