Products, Ingredients & Storage

Everything you need to know about our biltong, droewors/meat sticks. From the ingredients we use to how our products are made.

What ingredients do we use in the biltong?

We keep things simple. No sugars, preservatives, or artificial flavour enhancers. Just real food. Sea Salt: Organic grass fed and finished Australian beef, gluten free white vinegar, sea salt. Classic: Organic grass fed and finished Australian beef,

What type of meat do you use?

All of our biltong is made using 100% organic, grass fed and finished Australian beef. Our droewors (meat sticks) are made using a blend of over 60% wild kangaroo and organic beef brisket.

Is the meat cooked or raw?

Neither, it's air dried. We air dry the meat for 7 days at ambient room temperatures. This process slowly draws all of the moisture out of the meat, which preserves it naturally without the need for cooking or refrigeration. It's a completely safe me

Why do you call it "air dried steak"?

We refer to our biltong as "air dried steak" because most Australians aren't familiar with what biltong is. By calling it air dried steak, it gives people an immediate sense of what they're getting, which is a whole muscle, air dried beef product. We

What spices do you use in the meat sticks?

Here's a breakdown of what's in each flavour:. Sea Salt: Wild kangaroo (>60%), organic grass fed and finished Australian beef brisket, gluten free white vinegar, sea salt and collagen casing. Classic: Wild kangaroo (>60%), organic grass fed and finis

Why don't you use garlic or onion?

We try to keep our ingredient lists as minimal as possible. We also know that garlic and onion can cause digestive issues for many people, so we've left them out to make our products more accessible to everyone. In our Classic flavours, we use cloves

Why do you use collagen casing on the meat sticks?

We use collagen casing for a few reasons:. The casing is completely safe to eat and is a standard part of traditional droewors making.

Do you make jerky?

No, we make biltong. While they might look similar, biltong and jerky are made using very different processes and have quite different textures and flavour profiles. See our "What's the difference between biltong and jerky?" article for the full brea

Are there parasites in the kangaroo meat?

No. Our roo meat is completely free from parasites. We source all of our wild kangaroo through suppliers who work closely with health authorities and government bodies to maintain high health and safety standards throughout the procurement and proces

Are your products safe to eat during pregnancy?

Our biltong is made from just three things: organic grass fed meat, vinegar and spices. No sugars, no artificial ingredients, it's about as clean a meat snack as you'll find. The common concern around eating biltong during pregnancy is the risk of li

Is biltong good for hiking and outdoor adventures?

Absolutely, it's one of the best trail snacks out there. Biltong is lightweight, shelf stable, high in protein and requires no refrigeration, making it ideal for hiking, camping and long days outdoors. It was originally created as a travel food, afte

What is your lowest fat product?

All of our meat snacks contain a relatively high fat content by design. We prioritise quality fat over sugar and preservatives. Per 100g, our biltong and meat sticks both contain approximately 29g of fat and 0g of sugar or carbs. If you're looking fo

Why do you use grass fed beef?

A few reasons: health, taste and sustainability. Grass fed and finished beef is healthier: it contains better nutrients, healthier fats and antioxidants, and no added antibiotics or hormones. Beyond the health benefits, we source exclusively from far

What is the shelf life?

All of our meat snacks have a 14 month shelf life when unopened and stored in a cool, dry place like a pantry. Once opened, we recommend consuming within 14 days. You can also extend the shelf life further by storing in the fridge or freezer. Frozen

Where is your beef from?

All of our beef is sourced from farms in Queensland 🙂. Every cut is grass fed and finished, certified organic and regeneratively farmed making it some of the best quality meat in the world. 👌. If you'd like to learn more about the beef we use in ou

Is the vinegar sulphite free?

Yes, our vinegar is sulphite free. Our vinegar supplier has conducted tests to confirm this and provided us with written confirmation.

Are your products free from onion and garlic?

Yes, we don't use garlic or onion in any of our products. We keep our ingredient lists minimal by design, and we know that garlic and onion can cause digestive issues for many people, so we've left them out entirely.

Are the meat sticks safe to eat?

Yes, absolutely. Here's how we ensure it:. Our meat sticks have a shelf life of 14 months from packaging. Once opened, we recommend consuming within 14 days.

Are there vaccinations in the beef?

No. We've confirmed with our beef suppliers that all beef used in our products is completely free from vaccines, including mRNA. We source exclusively from organic, grass fed and finished farms that do not use additives, hormones or synthetic treatme

Why is there no oxygen absorber in my packet?

Each packet of our biltong includes a small oxygen absorber sachet. It's there to help keep your meat snacks fresh, and it's clearly not for eating (please don't consume it). 😄. What if my packet doesn't have one?. First, have a good look as the sac

Is Barbell biltong Halal?

Yes! All of our biltong flavours and our all beef meat sticks are made with halal certified beef. The one exception is our kangaroo meat sticks. These are made with wild harvested kangaroo, which isn't processed according to halal principles, so they

Why isn't there a halal logo on the packaging?

Good question. While our beef is halal certified, we don't currently display a halal logo on our packs. If you'd like a copy of our halal certification for your own peace of mind, just email us at [email protected] and we'll send it through.

Do your snacks contain MSG, preservatives or hidden ingredients?

Nope. No MSG, no preservatives, no artificial anything. We think that stuff is bulls#&t, which is kind of our whole reason for existing. Every ingredient in our biltong is something you'd find in your own pantry. Here's the full list for our Classic

Is Barbell biltong certified organic?

Our beef is 100% organic, grass fed and grass finished Australian beef, sourced from certified organic suppliers including OBE Organic, Australia's oldest organic beef company, and Arcadian Meat Co. The organic certification sits with our cattle supp

Can I eat biltong while pregnant?

We get this one a lot, and it's a fair question. Biltong is air dried rather than cooked, and the usual concern with uncooked meats during pregnancy is listeria. Here's what we do to keep our biltong safe:. That said, every pregnancy is different, an

What are the white spots on my biltong? (And how do I store it?)

White powdery spots or a light white film on biltong are usually nothing to worry about, they're typically salt or fat rising to the surface as the meat dries, and completely safe to eat. This is normal for a natural, air dried product. Fuzzy, green,

How do I store my meat snacks?

Unopened bags can be stored in a cool, dry place like a pantry no refrigeration needed. Once opened, we recommend consuming within 14 days. If you'd like to keep an opened bag for longer:. For more tips: https://www.barbellfoods.com.au/pages/storing-

What is the shelf life?

Why are there white spots on my meat sticks?

No need to worry as this is completely safe to eat! 🙂. What you're seeing is called efflorescence, a natural phenomenon where salt and proteins migrate to the surface of the meat during the drying process, leaving a white powdery residue. It's a sig