Droëwors, meaning “dry sausage” in Afrikaans, is a beloved South African snack that sits alongside biltong as a cured-meat favourite. While related to biltong, it has its own character.
What droëwors is made from
Droëwors is based on boerewors, the traditional South African farmer’s sausage. It is typically made from beef, sometimes mixed with a portion of fat, and seasoned with spices such as coriander, cloves, nutmeg and black pepper.
How it differs from biltong
The key difference is form. Biltong is made from solid strips of meat, while droëwors is minced meat stuffed into a thin casing and then dried. This gives droëwors its distinctive thin, curled sausage shape.
How droëwors is made
The seasoned minced meat is filled into narrow natural casings, which allows it to dry quickly. It is then air-dried, and because the sausages are thin, droëwors often dries faster than a thick piece of biltong.
Texture and taste
Droëwors is usually enjoyed fully dried, giving it a firm, crumbly-yet-chewy texture. The coriander-forward spicing makes it aromatic and savoury.
How to enjoy it
Droëwors is a convenient, protein-rich snack eaten on its own, and it is a popular companion to biltong at braais, on road trips and while watching sport.
