Dried Beef?

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bilvo47

Fire Starter
Original poster
Aug 1, 2007
54
10
Southern Ca.
I have family in NW Iowa and whenever they come out to CA they bring me loads of dried beef - I can't get enough of this stuff but I can't find it anywhere here in So Cal. It's thinly sliced, salty slices of heaven. Okay - maybe I'm exagerating a bit - maybe it just reminds me of my childhood. Does anybody know where I can find this stuff in the L.A. area? or maybe a website that shows how to make it? If the info is available I'm sure that someone on this site knows it!
 
You should be able to find it in just about any supermarket. Look for this:

Here is a list of stores near you that have it:
http://www.hormel.com/productlocator.asp
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Creamed dried beef over toast on Sunday morning!! We even have it for dinner once in a while and pour it over french style green beans. As an appetizer, mix cream cheese and horseradish (to your taste) lay a piece of dried beef out flat, spread the cream cheese on the meat, roll it up and slice it!!! Can't walk by the plate without snatchin ya up some. We also fry it in a little butter and put on a fried egg sammich! We can order it by the pound here at the deli counter...probably the small hormel jars are what to look for. An off chance that if you have "bagged" lunch meat section, they may have it there.
 
Dried Beef
100 pounds lean beef
9 cups salt
6 cups sugar
3 tablespoons nitrate
Using 1-1 ounces per pound of meat, rub the salt, sugar and nitrate mixture onto the beef, making sure all areas are well covered. Rub the beef twice at three to five day intervals. Allow two days per pound of meat for the cure to complete. This may also be calculated by using seven days of curing time per inch of thickness of the cut.

After the beef is cured, rinse it with cold water several times; then hang it and allow to dry for 24 hours. Apply a light or heavy smoke as desired. Hang in a dry, well-ventilated room for further drying. NOTE: Lamb or venison can be substituted for beef. Use large lean pieces, such as the round or legs, and separate into top, bottom and tip.

** If you prefer to have a cooked product, smoke and cook to an internal temperature of at least 160 F.
 
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I like creamed dried beef on toast! Boy, wish I had a good recipe for it. My mom made it on cold mornings and yes for dinner too. Yummy
 
I love that stuff too, great with cream cheese or on a piece of peanut butter toast. Sounds weird, tastes great. Last time I saw it in the store Hormel has it in blue bags now, I guess the glass was getting to cost too much. It's always with the canned fish and shellfish in my store.
Jimbo
 
Hey Az..thanks for the instructions on how to make that stuff. Been seeing those little jars since I was kid but dont think we could ever afford to buy any.  We make our SOS out of Jimmy Dean hot sausage. The Little Bride has it down pat. I can nearly eat my own body weight of that stuff.
 
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