Ayoba-Yo - Spicy Biltong

Ayoba-Yo is a brand of biltong and droëwors owned by Ayoba-Yo USA, based out of Oakton, VA. The brand got started in 2013.

Co-founded by Wian van Blommestein, Ayoba-Yo is a family run business that focuses on South African-style meat snacks. Made in a USDA-inspected facility, the company's biltong and droëwors is made from top round and spiced with an old family recipe. It's free of artificial ingredients and preservatives.

Ayoba-Yo describes this Spicy Biltong as being gluten-free, and, "...a tender piece of beef with a naturally explosive flavor."

Ingredients

Beef, salt, coriander, cayenne pepper, worcestershire powder, chili powder, pepper, brown sugar, vinegar

Review

The first flavors that hit my palate is a blend of vinegar and coriander, with a light bit of cayenne in the background. The chewing brings on some natural meat flavors, along with tanginess, and a bit more cayenne and salt. There's a light bit of heat building.

For being marketed as "Spicy Biltong", it definitely delivers on its expectations. I get the classic flavor of South-African-style biltong, mostly as the aged, marbleized meat flavor bolstered with coriander, salt, and vinegar. But I also get a decent level of spiciness from the cayenne pepper. On my personal heat scale, I'd rank the heat as "mild medium" (level 2 out of 5).

Otherwise, the primary taste profile is that of an aged, marbelized meat flavor, livened up with vinegar, coriander, and salt, then touched up with a light flavor and heat of cayenne.

The meat consistency is excellent. Marbelized beef is sliced thin into bite-sized pieces. It feels dry, though soft. Chewing is easy, very meaty, and once chewed down soft, feels like italian deli meat such as capicola or prosciutto.

Verdict

This Spicy Biltong from Ayoba-Yo offers up a flavor that is unmistakably South African, noted by the coriander, salt, and vinegar seasonings, yet spiced up with a light dousing of cayenne. Overall, it's not hot, but adds a light bit of heat to a biltong that's already tangy and lively. The cayenne tends to compete with the biltong flavor, so if you want more of that South African taste, buy the Traditional instead. Get the Spicy if you want a blend of both. Otherwise, I really love the aged, marbleized meat flavor that comes out of this biltong, along with its tender, easy chewing.

Rating: Best (5/5)