Biltong governing the importation of meat-based products from non-EU countries laid down by HM Customs and Excise and its successor HM Revenue and Customs, thus it is made in the UK. In the United States, biltong is relatively rare as beef jerky has been traditionally the more popular dried meat snack. Within the last five years, biltong has begun a small emergence within the United States, particularly from South African immigrants who have brought their local culture and foods with them. This has been most common in affluent areas of major cities where the local population can afford to experience a
Smoked meat soon found that the absorbed smoke acted as a preservative. Perhaps the most famous "smokers of meat" were the Caribbean natives who smoked it on a rack over a smoky fire, a setup they called "barbacoa" (one possible etymological origin of barbecue). Country Ham is the United States version of a dry cured ham (other dry cured hams include Italy's Prosciutto, and Spain's Serrano). Most country hams are smoked at the end of the curing process (often with hickory wood). Most Country Hams are aged 90 days or longer to achieve a flavor profile. Famous among early smokers of meat