Backstrap Dried Beef (July 2020)
Bear Junior gave me this Backstrap from Last Year’s Doe.
There isn't very much, as it wasn’t a huge Doe (only about 110 lbs dressed), however I was totally out of Dried Beef, so I needed to get some done.
Day #1 (Prepping & Curing):
I thawed, rinsed, Dried, weighed, and put in 2 Ziplocks.
Each bag got two pieces with the following totals:
#1—1 pound, 8 ounces meat + 3/4 oz of TQ, and approximately 2 TBS of Brown Sugar.
#2—1 pound of meat + 1/2 ounce of TQ, and approximately 1 TBS of Brown Sugar.
Be sure to pick up any TQ that fell off before going into bag, and put it in the bag with the meat it fell off of. That will keep the proper amount of TQ per pound in the bags.
BTW: I added 2 TBS of water in each bag, just to be sure there would be enough liquid to transport the cure.
These pieces were only a little more than 1 1/4” at the thickest point, so I only put them in my curing fridge for 9 days @ 37*--38*. I also flipped the packages over every afternoon.
Day #10 (Prep for Smoking):
Remove pieces from bags, rinse, and soak in cold water for a half hour to remove surface salt.
Cut a couple slices from middle of the thickest piece to check that cure got to center, and to do a salt-fry test.
No salt flavor at all, so Dry pieces & sprinkle with CBP, Garlic powder, and Onion powder.
Put all pieces on a grill rack, and put rack in fridge overnight to start pellicle.
Day #11 (Smoking Time):
6:30---------Pre-heat MES 40 to 150°.
7:00---------Put rack with meat in 2nd position (6 rack) MES 40. Also Fill AMNS with Maple Sawdust, and light one end.
8:00---------Put Well lit AMNS on bottom rack on Right end, above chip dumper, with dumper out 3”.
10:00-------Insert Maverick meat probe in thickest piece. Internal Temp is 118°. Bump heat to 170°.
12:00-------Internal Temp is 142°.
1:30---------Internal Temp is 151°. Bump heat up to 180*.
2:00---------Internal Temp is 158°.
2:30---------Internal Temp is 162°. Cut Heat to 100°.
3:00---------Internal Temp is 156*. AMNS stopped smoking—Burned out.
Put in big bowl to carry in & Kill MES.
Allow to cool to about 100°, and put the bowl in fridge uncovered for 2 days.
Put in freezer for 4 hours before slicing, and then slice very thin, across grain.
Eat some----Freeze the rest in Vacuum sealed bags.
Also made a few of my Favorite Sammies!! <<Miracle Whip on fresh Italian Bread, with Dried Beef & American Cheese.>>
This stuff is Awesome, and as always could not tell it from Beef Dried Beef.
Enjoy the Pics,
Bear
Two Pieces of Backstrap in each curing bag, with TQ & Brown Sugar:
Fresh out of Cure:
Two pieces cut for "Salt-Fry'Test":
Frying test pieces:
Seasoning before Pellicle forming:
Through the Looking Glass:
Not Much from one Doe:
Smoke Amount just right:
All Done---Ready to pull:
Bringing in, cooled to 100°, and into fridge:
Freezer for 4 hours & ready to slice:
All Sliced up:
Bagged for freezing & eating:
Gotta make my favorite "Cold Sammy" Miracle Whip on fresh Italian Bread, with Dried Beef & American Cheese.
MMMMMmmmmmm......................
LOL---Still had room for another "Half" Sammy:
