Smoked Dried Beef with lots of Qview

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Got another questions I saw you post "Put each Eye Round in it's own individual Zip-Lock bag & put in fridge at 37˚/38˚ for about 10 days.".  So because I have two kids in and out of the fridge all day I have noticed my fridge swings from 38-42 throughout the day.  So it tried a thermometer in a glass of water to see what something with some mass reads and I have found the water is hitting 39 all day today but will check in the AM to see what is does over night.  So just as long as my water does not go below 36 am I ok?
Mine stays between 37* and 38*, but if you stay between 34* and 40*, you should be good.

Bear
 
 
Here's the results of yesterdays smoke! 4 hours hickory, 4 hours maple, 11.5 hours total to 256F.

Yummy!

These were eye of rounds, cut to 3 inch. Next smoke in a couple days will be the top rounds turn. I did notice one thing, even tho the top rounds were cut no thicker than 3 inches, the cure didn't make it all the way to the center where it was still raw, so I mixed another batch of cure, recoated them, and they've been in the frig for 2 more days so far. Not sure when to pull them to smoke, I'm guessing another 10 days?

Thanks Bear!

Oh... A friend gave me about 20 pounds of hickory and cherry smoke sawdust, but it's too coarse for the A-Maze-N and won't stay lit. If I run it thru a hand grinder would that be too fine?

TA!
Phil

Phil,

Your rounds & slices look Great!!

I never had to cure something twice. Another 10 days with cure will probably make it too salty.

3" thick is pushing the limits for curing without injecting it, but 10 days should have been enough.

Something over 3", I would cut in half to be safe.

Bear
 
Thanks. Taste great too! THis time I remembered to soak them after the cure....  fyi: 11.5 hours left them a bit moister than I wanted, so next time I'll adjust the lower temps time to dry them out a bit more.

Never had to cure 2x? Well, guess I'd better pull those puppies, soak them, dry overnight and get them in the smoker tomorrow. Will let you know..

Thanks again!

Phil
 
 
Thanks. Taste great too! THis time I remembered to soak them after the cure....  fyi: 11.5 hours left them a bit moister than I wanted, so next time I'll adjust the lower temps time to dry them out a bit more.

Never had to cure 2x? Well, guess I'd better pull those puppies, soak them, dry overnight and get them in the smoker tomorrow. Will let you know..

Thanks again!

Phil
Two birds with one stone:

#1---That moist Dried Beef is my fault, because I like it more moist than store bought Dried Beef, mainly because my favorite way to eat it is a Sammich with American Cheese & MW on White Bread. I might have mentioned if you want it more Dry, do what you're doing, hold it longer at lower temps, so you can get more smoke on it & dry it out more, before taking it to final temp. That will do it.

#2----If you didn't cure all the way to center, to play it safe, you could smoke it for 2 hours @ 200*. Then sterilize your temp probe & put it in the center of the biggest piece. Then take it to 140* in no longer than the total of 4 hours. Then it will be safe to back the heat down for a few hours, before finishing it at about 160*.

Hope this helps,

Bear
 
 
Thanks. Taste great too! THis time I remembered to soak them after the cure....  fyi: 11.5 hours left them a bit moister than I wanted, so next time I'll adjust the lower temps time to dry them out a bit more.

Never had to cure 2x? Well, guess I'd better pull those puppies, soak them, dry overnight and get them in the smoker tomorrow. Will let you know..

Thanks again!

Phil
When I did mine I ended up drying for 23 hours.   

I smoked at 120 for 10 hours and then bumped the temp up.
 

I like mine dry too.
 
I'll have to catch it tomorrow, Phil.

That's past my bedtime.

However, if you want it real dry, you gotta go longer than I do.

Bear


 
Ok, it's tomorrow, and the meat has had a chance to cool off in the frig before I did a little test slicing and tasting... Yum! I smoked the first 4 hours with hickory, then 1/2 hour with some apple chips that need to be used up, then 4 hours with cherry. That apple puts a nice sweet hint to the meat.

Speaking of using up some chips, I've got several bags of wood chips and about 40 pounds of sawdust that was given to me. Obviously the chips won't work in the amazn, and the sawdust, being coarse, doesn't want to stay lit.  So, does anyone know if I put it thru a hand grain grinder if it will work like the dust we buy from Todd?   I hate having to feed the smoker every so often using the unit's smoke pan, plus, it smokes too heavy that way.

Here's the photo of the top round.


It looks wet, but it's bone dry, that's just the "candied" smoke pellicle surface I guess.
 
 
Ok, it's tomorrow, and the meat has had a chance to cool off in the frig before I did a little test slicing and tasting... Yum! I smoked the first 4 hours with hickory, then 1/2 hour with some apple chips that need to be used up, then 4 hours with cherry. That apple puts a nice sweet hint to the meat.

Speaking of using up some chips, I've got several bags of wood chips and about 40 pounds of sawdust that was given to me. Obviously the chips won't work in the amazn, and the sawdust, being coarse, doesn't want to stay lit.  So, does anyone know if I put it thru a hand grain grinder if it will work like the dust we buy from Todd?   I hate having to feed the smoker every so often using the unit's smoke pan, plus, it smokes too heavy that way.
Looks Great, Phil !!!

Are you able to wait a day or 2 to slice the rest??

I believe the grain grinder will work, if you get the dust right, because I think Todd said a long time ago you could use an old blender in an emergency, if you weren't worried about wrecking it.

Bear
 
"Looks Great, Phil !!!

Are you able to wait a day or 2 to slice the rest??

I believe the grain grinder will work, if you get the dust right, because I think Todd said a long time ago you could use an old blender in an emergency, if you weren't worried about wrecking it.

Bear"

Actually, I only cut that little sample, then put the rest in a ziplock till I need it. I'm even thinking of freezing it uncut. I've got about 6 pounds sliced from an earlier smoke in the frig to go thru first, but I'm sure as soon as my friends find out, it'll be gone quickly!

I thought it was interesting that top round comes out just as tasty as eye of round, even tho it's a lot cheaper.

Will get out the grinder and try. Will let you know the results. Just got to keep it from going too all dust. In the meantime, I've got a couple bags on the way from Todd.
 
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I have a hobart. 800 bucks used but it would slice a brick if I wanted.
 
 
Actually, I only cut that little sample, then put the rest in a ziplock till I need it. I'm even thinking of freezing it uncut. I've got about 6 pounds sliced from an earlier smoke in the frig to go thru first, but I'm sure as soon as my friends find out, it'll be gone quickly!

I thought it was interesting that top round comes out just as tasty as eye of round, even tho it's a lot cheaper.

Will get out the grinder and try. Will let you know the results. Just got to keep it from going too all dust. In the meantime, I've got a couple bags on the way from Todd.
Cheap????

Here's how to really get it cheap, and it also comes out just as tasty as the Eye Rounds!!!----Venison!!

I used to get all of my Deer Hind Quarters made into "Venison Dried Beef".

Now I make my own. MMMmmmmm.......

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/101317/smoked-venison-dried-beef

I slice mine real thin on a slicer, and vacuum pack it. I have some in the freezer over 2 years, and it's just liken it was when I put it in.

Bear

PS: Unless you already did, I would start a new thread, asking about slicers. You'll get a lot more participation that way.
 
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Venison? Wish I could, but deer are getting rare around here. Once the elk take up residence, the deer move out. And getting an elk license takes an act of god, lots of $$$$$ or knowing someone in the fish and game department. I have many friends who deer hunt, and the average is 1 every 10 or more years!

New thread, got it. Sorry, wasn't thinking!

Thanks!
 
 
 
Venison? Wish I could, but deer are getting rare around here. Once the elk take up residence, the deer move out. And getting an elk license takes an act of god, lots of $$$$$ or knowing someone in the fish and game department. I have many friends who deer hunt, and the average is 1 every 10 or more years!

New thread, got it. Sorry, wasn't thinking!

Thanks!
 
Don't be sorry---Just not many will see it here.
biggrin.gif


We don't have many Elk, and they are all in Northern counties. My Son usually takes 2 deer a year, and some guys take 4 or 5 around here.

He's gonna save me some Backstraps for some Venison Dried Beef.

Bear
 
Here you go Bear. I think I "done good!" All vac'd and packed and ready to go. And I still have some in a zip lock to munch on!  About 2 more rounds to cure and smoke and I'll have everyone's Christmas presents done!


I think I've created a monster...... Smoke em if you got em!

I grew up on South Mountain, between Allentown and Bethlehem, in what was then still the boonies of eastern Penna back when deer were abundant, but very wary. Today you have more deer, but they've gotten smaller. Out here, we have mule deer and Elk.  Last mule deer I ran across, the top of his back was even with the hood of my truck.  White tails are here too, but a bit smaller than the muley's. Wish I was able to still go hunting. I miss the pheasant, rabbit and deer hunting I used to enjoy back there many many years ago.

.
 
 
Here you go Bear. I think I "done good!" All vac'd and packed and ready to go. And I still have some in a zip lock to munch on!  About 2 more rounds to cure and smoke and I'll have everyone's Christmas presents done!

I think I've created a monster...... Smoke em if you got em!

I grew up on South Mountain, between Allentown and Bethlehem, in what was then still the boonies of eastern Penna back when deer were abundant, but very wary. Today you have more deer, but they've gotten smaller. Out here, we have mule deer and Elk.  Last mule deer I ran across, the top of his back was even with the hood of my truck.  White tails are here too, but a bit smaller than the muley's. Wish I was able to still go hunting. I miss the pheasant, rabbit and deer hunting I used to enjoy back there many many years ago.

.
Looks Real Good, Phil !!!  Now I gotta get another pack out of my freezer. My BIL gave me some sticks from a Buck he got in Archery Season. Dressed out at 206. Not many around here get bigger than that.

I know South Mountain pretty good. Almost bought a house in the woods there, before we built our log house.

South Mountain is still fairly wooded, but only good for Archery for deer. Still got a lot of rabbits around here, but almost no pheasants. Lots of Turkeys now.

Bear
 
I've got an interesting question... I have my last two holiday rounds curing in the frig, they've been in the zippy's for 5 days now, and I've turned them everyday. But the baggies are getting full of lots of juice from the meat.... Should I pour that off or just leave it?

Thanks!
Phil
 
 
I've got an interesting question... I have my last two holiday rounds curing in the frig, they've been in the zippy's for 5 days now, and I've turned them everyday. But the baggies are getting full of lots of juice from the meat.... Should I pour that off or just leave it?

Thanks!
Phil
No---Don't pour that juice out. That has cure in it & will be reabsorbed by the time your curing is over.

Bear
 
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