For the first time ever, kosher Biltong dried beef and Boerewors beef sausages will be broadly available at U.S. retail stores and food service establishments. Delectable and satisfying, these gourmet quality products are made with a 40-year old recipe brought to the U.S. from Johannesburg, or ‘Joburg,’ by David Libesman, Founder of Joburg Kosher Foods, LLC. “We selected the OU,” said Libesman, “based on input from customers and due to its stature as the most widely recognized kosher certification symbol.”
Rabbi Eliyahu Safran, OU Kosher Vice President of Communications and Marketing, declared, “The Orthodox Union is pleased to certify the ever popular South African Joburg™ Kosher Biltong and Boerewors beef products, so that they may now be enjoyed by the ever-growing kosher market place in the United States.”
Joburg Kosher Beef Biltong and Boerewors Gourmet Sausages are currently available via the internet at http://www.joburgkosher.com and at kosher restaurants in Philadelphia, Teaneck, NJ, New York City, Staten Island, NY, and Skokie, Il. A full scale rollout to kosher specialty shops, grocery stores and dining locations is underway. Joburg Kosher products, first sampled to rave reviews in October at Kosherfest 2010, are produced in New Jersey under supervision of the Orthodox Union. “We are excited to announce that Biltong, the perfect travel food, will also be available Kosher for Passover,” Mr. Libesman said.
Joburg Kosher Boerewors, or ‘Farmer’s Sausage,’ add a new dimension to the gourmet sausage category. They are marinated and seasoned for a juicy and succulent taste experience when grilled, fried in a skillet or broiled. Joburg Kosher Boerewors are not pre-cooked like most other sausages, but are shipped frozen with no nitrates or nitrites, and contain only 280mg of sodium per serving. Great as a center plate entrée, in a roll or in a recipe, Joburg Boerewors are available in Traditional, Garlic and spicy Peri-Peri flavors, in 4-pack/3oz links and 2.5 lb packs. South Africans love “Boeries on the braai (bbq grill)” all year round.
Biltong is a staple in South Africa that is available in stores, butcher shops and roadside stands throughout the country. While kosher beef jerky has been available in the U.S. market, kosher Biltong offers an exciting, new taste experience. Made from premium cut beef, Joburg Kosher Biltong is marinated and seasoned, then slowly dried for days. The result is a savory and satisfying snack or meal that is low in calories, 97 percent fat free, has only 150mg sodium per serving, with no preservatives. Biltong, which requires no refrigeration and is a great travel companion, comes in Traditional, Black Pepper and spicy Peri-Peri flavors. It is available in individual 3oz servings as well as one-pound packs and slabs.
About Joburg Kosher Foods, LLC
David Libesman, the son of a South African butcher, arrived in the USA in 1998. For 11 years he searched high and low for Biltong and Boerewors with the taste and texture that he grew up with. He then decided to make them himself using recipes and techniques perfected over 40 years. The overwhelming response from family and friends led to the creation of Joburg™ Kosher Foods, LLC. The company’s mission is to be the first kosher food manufacturer to make high quality, authentic South African foods widely available through retail shops and foodservice channels throughout the U.S., as well as the Internet. For more information and consumer comments, see the videos at http://www.youtube.com/JoburgKosher.
Rabbi Seth Mandel is Orthodox Union rabbinic coordinator for Joburg Kosher.