Kilishi (Nigerien Spiced Dried Beef)
In short: Paper-thin beef dried, coated in a peanut and chili spice paste, dried again and finished over the grill. A spicy, jerky-like Sahel snack. It takes about 4 h 30 min in total and makes 8 servings.
- Prep
- 1 h 30 min
- Cook
- 3 h
- Total
- 4 h 30 min
- Servings
- 8
- Difficulty
- Challenging
- Calories
- 215 kcal
Kilishi is the dried, spiced beef of the Sahel, associated with Hausa cooks in Niger and eaten across the region. Very thin sheets of beef are dried, brushed with a paste of ground peanuts, chili, ginger and garlic, dried again and briefly grilled. The result is chewy and deeply savory, with a nutty, smoky edge. It travels well, which made it a trade-route food, and today it is a popular snack at gatherings.
Instructions
- Freeze the beef for 1 hour so it firms up. Slice it across the grain as thin as you can, about 3 mm (1/8 in), into large pieces. Sprinkle with 1 tsp salt.
- Heat the oven to 80°C (175°F). Lay the slices on wire racks over baking sheets and dry for 2 hours, until firm and dry to the touch but still pliable.
- Whisk the peanut butter with the warm water until smooth, then whisk in the salt, ginger, garlic, onion, paprika, cayenne, cloves and honey to make a thick, brushable paste.
- Brush the paste thinly over both sides of every dried slice. Return to the racks and dry in the oven for another 30 to 45 minutes until the coating is dry and the meat is firm.
- Heat a grill or broiler to high. Grill the slices for 1 to 2 minutes per side, until the paste darkens and smells toasty. Watch closely, because the peanut coating burns fast.
- Cool completely on a rack. Cut into pieces and store in a closed container in a cool, dry place for up to 2 weeks, or in the fridge for up to 1 month.
Tips
- Slicing is the hardest part. Ask a butcher to slice the beef paper-thin on a machine, and start with firm, half-frozen meat if you slice it yourself.
- Mutton, goat or venison can replace the beef. Leaner meat dries faster, so start checking it 30 minutes sooner.
Questions and answers
Is kilishi the same as jerky or biltong?
It is a cousin. Kilishi is much thinner than biltong and is coated in a spicy peanut paste before a quick grilling, so it has a nutty flavor.
How spicy is kilishi?
It can be quite hot, but you control it with the cayenne. Start with 1 teaspoon for a medium heat.
Can I dry kilishi in the sun?
Traditional kilishi is sun-dried, but that needs dry, hot weather. The low oven is safer and more reliable at home.
How long does it take to make Kilishi (Nigerien Spiced Dried Beef)?
About 4 h 30 min in total: 1 h 30 min of preparation and 3 h of cooking.
How many calories are in Kilishi (Nigerien Spiced Dried Beef)?
About 215 kcal per serving, with 25 g of protein, 6 g of carbohydrates and 10 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 215 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 25 g |
| Carbohydrates | 6 g |
| Fat | 10 g |
| Fiber | 1 g |
| Sugar | 3 g |
| Sodium | 930 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
