Flying in and out of Cape Town for university, I would always make sure I make a stop at the kiosk near the boarding gates to purchase some game biltong. Almost everyone I meet is a little taken aback and confused by my choice to not eat meat (beef, mutton, goat to be specific). However, most just get used to the idea or brush it off as a personal health/life choice I made.
My husband has a friend, who used to go hunting and made his own biltong and often we would get a nice consignment (the perks of affiliation). I won’t lie though, there were times I wondered if they weren’t trying to feed me beef on the sly. That reminds me of the time my husband tried to pass off ox-liver for chicken livers when he fed me breakfast during my pregnancy. I took a few bites and realised that the consistency was not of chicken livers, even if they weren’t cooked well.
I didn’t eat the rest of it and he later came clean that he was trying to up my iron levels for the baby and me because I had already begun chewing ice, so when the gynaecologist told him it was due to an iron deficiency, he was on a stealth mission. Pretty sweet I guess, lol. It wasn’t until last year that we had a significant supply of game.
My brother-in-law went on a hunting trip and they put us on. Different cuts and mince. This was exciting particularly because it came after an impeccable meal we discovered, some impala meatballs from a local eatery. We have a new butchery in the neighbourhood, it seems like every meat lover's dream, and they sell game! My husband visited the store and came back with some eland wors.
This excited me merely because boerewors can make a few delicious dishes, a fan favourite being loaded wors rolls, meat balls for pasta dishes, and also small cutlets for breakfast. There’s something about game meat, it is very delicious, with what I can only describe as an earthy taste (I guess free range and pure, untampered with, natural).
Reading up on eland, it is said it is close to beef in flavour and that one might not be able to tell them apart. But if you focus your palate on the meat’s flavour and texture, you will find that its flavour is just that bit more enhanced and absolutely divine. A piece of eland fillet with only salt, pepper and olive oil, gets you the unadulterated flavour of the meat. It is mind blowing with the simplest seasoning. This is especially the case with the loaded wors rolls. The flavour of the meat is enhanced by the add-ons, pure tenderness and succulence. Be proactive in choosing the right ingredients and creating the perfect balance to achieve optimum results.
INGREDIENTS
Hot dog rolls Eland wors roll sausage 1 large onion 1/4 cup of tomato sauce 1 tsp soy sauce 1 tbls red chili flakes or cayenne pepper 1 tsp vinegar 1 tbls sugar Salt & black pepper to taste Topping : Cheese, nachos, tomatoes, acon, coleslaw, jalapeño, relish.
INSTRUCTIONS
Cook the sausages on a braai stand, grill pan or regular frying pan on medium to high heat, ensuring to rotate the meat as it cooks and browns on all sides evenly. Chop onions and fry until soft. Create a sauce by adding soy sauce, tomato sauce. Vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper and cook down. Slice and butter the buns and toast on a hot pan. Place the sausages in the buns. Load up with your chosen toppings from the suggestions on the ingredient list and enjoy immediately! The ingredients listed have no specific quantity for each item – it really depends on how much you want on the top of your hotdog and how many people you are feeding. The ingredients are listed as a guide only so you can serve them up just the way you like them!
