Smoked Dried Beef with lots of Qview

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OK. Sure seems like a lot of fluid tho...  The rounds are literally swimming it it. Guess I got some really fresh meat, huh.

Thanks!
 
Dry cure can't move through meat---You need that juice.

Just keep flipping daily. Much of that juice will be reabsorbed, but there can be some left at the end. Sometimes more than other times, but it doesn't matter. When the curing is over you can dump it.

Check the first two pics at the link below. One was the juice left at the end of curing some Pork Loin, and the other was from Bottom Round.,

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/109617/canadian-bacon-and-dried-beef-cured-smoked

Bear
 
Quick question, then I think I heading for the grocery meat counter.

With the Tender Quick cure and brown sugar mix, this is used simply as a rub if I butterfly the round to under 3 inches thickness, correct? As only  rub and not injected, does this change the curing time or formula of 1/2 inch a day +2 days?

This will make for a perfect smoke next weekend. It's colder out and I can't wait to give this a go.

Thanks Bear! You're a real asset and very generous with you time! Much appreciated.
 
 
Quick question, then I think I heading for the grocery meat counter.

With the Tender Quick cure and brown sugar mix, this is used simply as a rub if I butterfly the round to under 3 inches thickness, correct? As only  rub and not injected, does this change the curing time or formula of 1/2 inch a day +2 days?

This will make for a perfect smoke next weekend. It's colder out and I can't wait to give this a go.

Thanks Bear! You're a real asset and very generous with you time! Much appreciated.
Yes, you can butterfly, but I find it easier to just cut it in half.

On the time in cure, the rule is "1/2"  per day + 2 days for absolute minimum". However I add 2 or 3 days to that, whichever of those days works best for me.

BTW: The original rule was (How many 1/4" are there in half of the piece of meat + 2 days) but that was kinda dumb, when how many half inches are there in the whole thickness is the same thing.

Any more questions, give me a yell !!

Bear
 
 
Yes, you can butterfly, but I find it easier to just cut it in half.

On the time in cure, the rule is "1/2"  per day + 2 days for absolute minimum". However I add 2 or 3 days to that, whichever of those days works best for me.

BTW: The original rule was (How many 1/4" are there in half of the piece of meat + 2 days) but that was kinda dumb, when how many half inches are there in the whole thickness is the same thing.

Any more questions, give me a yell !!

Bear
Okay so to make sure I've got tihs perfectly clear on my end- if I do either butterfly the round or slice it in half I am NOT using any liquid, correct? It is simply a dry rub on the outside, right?

I've never cured anything before so don't want it to be rubbed with the cure AND soaking in it, if that's not the way to go.

Again, thanks for the assistance.
 
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Okay so to make sure I've got tihs perfectly clear on my end- if I do either butterfly the round or slice it in half I am NOT using any liquid, correct? Yes--The only liquid will be what the TQ & Brown sugar produces. When that happens, don't dump it out, just keep flipping it daily.

It is simply a dry rub on the outside, right? Right.

I've never cured anything before so don't want it to be rubbed with the cure AND soaking in it, if that's not the way to go.

Again, thanks for the assistance.
Sorry for taking so long---Haven't been feeling well.

Bear
 
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Hope you're feeling better Bear! 

Here's my latest masterpiece. I cut the rounds lengthwise but left them connected, plus I did one of those 3 pound (?) summer sausages just for S&G's.

The Summer sausage came out great,. as you can see, only about 1/2 of it is left. I also learned that even with the 1 hour soak to remove salt from the rounds, when you marinate meat this thin, it still ends up a bit salty, so next time I prep them this way, I'll probably reduce the TQ by 1/3.

Total time was 11 hours, it hit 156 at about 10.5, but I left it go to 158, as last time it was a bit more moist than I wanted.  I think maybe my thermometer may be off a bit, as 158 is just about perfect moisture wise. Smoke was on the last 10 hours. One A-maze-n 6 x 8 with only 4 slots filled with hickory, then a second load of cherry with only 3 slots filled, and the smoke ended about 10 minutes before the meat did. Outside temps started out around 45 in the am up to about 61 at mid afternoon, then back down to 40's for the last couple hours, with 12 mph winds the whole time.

So, all is said and done and my Christmas shopping is now finished..... <G> Oh.... the day after I bought these 2 rounds, the price at Costco jumped from $3.89 per pound to $4.69 per pound.  I may be done smoking rounds till prices come back down. Besides, I want to try smoking some trout as soon as Costco has some again.

Thanks again Bear!

Phil

 
 
Hope you're feeling better Bear! 

Here's my latest masterpiece. I cut the rounds lengthwise but left them connected, plus I did one of those 3 pound (?) summer sausages just for S&G's.

The Summer sausage came out great,. as you can see, only about 1/2 of it is left. I also learned that even with the 1 hour soak to remove salt from the rounds, when you marinate meat this thin, it still ends up a bit salty, so next time I prep them this way, I'll probably reduce the TQ by 1/3.

Total time was 11 hours, it hit 156 at about 10.5, but I left it go to 158, as last time it was a bit more moist than I wanted.  I think maybe my thermometer may be off a bit, as 158 is just about perfect moisture wise. Smoke was on the last 10 hours. One A-maze-n 6 x 8 with only 4 slots filled with hickory, then a second load of cherry with only 3 slots filled, and the smoke ended about 10 minutes before the meat did. Outside temps started out around 45 in the am up to about 61 at mid afternoon, then back down to 40's for the last couple hours, with 12 mph winds the whole time.

So, all is said and done and my Christmas shopping is now finished..... <G> Oh.... the day after I bought these 2 rounds, the price at Costco jumped from $3.89 per pound to $4.69 per pound.  I may be done smoking rounds till prices come back down. Besides, I want to try smoking some trout as soon as Costco has some again.

Thanks again Bear!

Phil
All looks Great, Phil !!!

I'm glad you like it !!

One thing------If it's still salty after an hour soak, don't reduce the amount of TQ !!! Just dump the water out & put fresh water in for another hour soak. Then re-test. Some say put a potato in, but I never tried that. Then check to make sure you aren't using too much TQ, and also add about an equal amount of Brown Sugar.

If Eye rounds are too costly, check the price of Bottom Round, but make sure you trim off the fat cap. Don't want fat in Dried Beef.

Bear
 
Ohhhhh. I'm in trouble now. Smiths (grocery store - Krogers in disguise)  Has Eye of Round on sale for $2.99 per pound. So I went to the store determined I had enough dried beef put up, and wasn't gong to guy any. Then the butcher came out with a huge tray of EOR's freshly trimmed and very lean. I just couldn't resist. So now I have 4 - 3 pound EOR's ribbed and in zip lock baggies, waiting till 10 days passed so they can turn into candy. Only one thing I forgot.... we're in the middle of a deep freeze arctic blast for at least another week (gonna be 9 degrees tomorrow morning) maybe more. Gonna be tough to smoke outside in those kind of temps. Oh well, will just have to watch the internal temps, and go with the flow!

I have noticed 2 things.... no smoke ring, and once you vac pac it and stick it in the frig, the flavor diminishes.  So maybe a little heavier smoke if I'm going to Vac-pac them for cold storage, uncut... ??

Later!

Phil
 
 
Ohhhhh. I'm in trouble now. Smiths (grocery store - Krogers in disguise)  Has Eye of Round on sale for $2.99 per pound. So I went to the store determined I had enough dried beef put up, and wasn't gong to guy any. Then the butcher came out with a huge tray of EOR's freshly trimmed and very lean. I just couldn't resist. So now I have 4 - 3 pound EOR's ribbed and in zip lock baggies, waiting till 10 days passed so they can turn into candy. Only one thing I forgot.... we're in the middle of a deep freeze arctic blast for at least another week (gonna be 9 degrees tomorrow morning) maybe more. Gonna be tough to smoke outside in those kind of temps. Oh well, will just have to watch the internal temps, and go with the flow!

I have noticed 2 things.... no smoke ring, and once you vac pac it and stick it in the frig, the flavor diminishes.  So maybe a little heavier smoke if I'm going to Vac-pac them for cold storage, uncut... ??

Later!

Phil
Holy Chit !!!

I didn't know it got that cold in NM !!!

I don't get a smoke ring on anything, but it's all show anyway.

I smoke mine pretty hard, and slice it thin. Then vac pack & freeze. I never noticed any flavor loss. Keep the smoke light, but maybe longer time smoking. Make sure you let them sit a couple days, before slicing & freezing.

Bear
 
 
Holy Chit !!!

I didn't know it got that cold in NM !!!

I don't get a smoke ring on anything, but it's all show anyway.

I smoke mine pretty hard, and slice it thin. Then vac pack & freeze. I never noticed any flavor loss. Keep the smoke light, but maybe longer time smoking. Make sure you let them sit a couple days, before slicing & freezing.

Bear
Yep, High desert NM is deceptive. I'm in Albuquerque, east side where the elevation is just over a mile high.... And lots of NM is even higher. Up in the northern reaches it was supposed to go to -15 and better (worse?) last night. Will have to watch the news to see just how cold it got. But negative temps in the northern areas is typical. A few years ago, we hovered around 7 degrees for about 3 days. Everything froze. Had to go buy a snow shovel a few days ago, the snow hit 7 inches. yeah, I know, but it was enough to need to be shoveled. There's still a lot of it on the ground.
 
 
Yep, High desert NM is deceptive. I'm in Albuquerque, east side where the elevation is just over a mile high.... And lots of NM is even higher. Up in the northern reaches it was supposed to go to -15 and better (worse?) last night. Will have to watch the news to see just how cold it got. But negative temps in the northern areas is typical. A few years ago, we hovered around 7 degrees for about 3 days. Everything froze. Had to go buy a snow shovel a few days ago, the snow hit 7 inches. yeah, I know, but it was enough to need to be shoveled. There's still a lot of it on the ground.
We only got 3" this time, but 50 miles South of here was that Lions vs Eagles game, with 8" on the field.
biggrin.gif


Bear
 
I was at that game yesterday. One of the most fun games I was ever at! I95 was a complete mess though.
Yup---It looked like fun, but it was fun sitting in my LazyBoy in my nice warm house watching McCoy break a 64 year old record, and the Birds now occupy 1st alone. Too old to sit in the snow for 3 hours.
biggrin.gif


Bear
 
I need some advice...  I just tried this procedure and the center of my meat ended up mealy or mushey   what ever word you prefer.  I used a deer backstrap.

  I used POP's brine mixture.

I left it in the brine for 15 days.

What did I do wrong?
 
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