Ok first of all, the name Beef Jerky does not stand its ground against Biltong. I mean, Bil Tong, bahm… compared to jerk-y. Here’s their biggest biltong/beef jerky differences:
Biltong takes about 3 – 4 days to prepare. Jerky takes about 5 hours.
Biltong is hanged and dried in the wind. Jerky uses an oven to expedite the drying process.
Biltong usually has a more salty, honest taste. Jerky could taste more artificial and sweet sometimes.
Besides that, both these products are basically just dried out meat, a recipe as old as mankind.
Biltong wins!
Off course here at BB, we are totally biased towards biltong’s superiorness over jerky. Because of a longer timeframe to prepare the South African delicacy, the reward for a pure product is bigger. Whereas the quick time to prepare jerky provides you with a less satisfying taste. The sweetness added to beef jerky also spoils the idea of real salty piece of meat and it actually cheapens what the meat represent, which is durability and survival.