Dried Beef

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bill ace 350

Master of the Pit
Original poster
Dec 28, 2013
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Grabbed 4 eye roasts at the commissary today.

Tomorrow will trim, rub with Tender Quick, brown sugar, garlic and onion powder, maybe some cayenne and or paprika too.

Cure, rinse and let pellicle form overnight.

Coat with liberal dose of coarse ground black pepper, smoke and bring to temp.
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Probably 8 - 12 days. Haven't taken them out ofvthe packages yet. Thickness will depend on how much fat i trim from the bottom. They always hide the fat.

Might go 7 - 10, who knows
 
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Is it critical that the TQ be spread evenly over each roast and do you baggie or vac pack during the cure??
 
Oh yes. Dried beef (inset wild game here) has long been my comfort food.
I've got a 4-1/2# eye in the cure since Saturday. Trimmed about a pound of fat from starting weight.

Not a fan of Tender Quick due to the salt levels (about 2.25%) and the added nitrates.
I use pink salt #1 at 150 ppm, salt at 1.5%, and sugar under 1%
Is it critical that the TQ be spread evenly over each roast and do you baggie or vac pack during the cure??
I dry brine. I spread more of brine mix over the the thicker portions of meat.
After rubbing it down, I do a slight vacuum pack. I stop the process before the liquids get sucked into the sealer
 
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Is it critical that the TQ be spread evenly over each roast and do you baggie or vac pack during the cure??
I try to apply it evenly. I put them in ziploc bags. Once the liquid starts to accumulate, i shake the bag to disperse the liquid over the meat. I turn the bags at least once a day as well.
 
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Oh yes. Dried beef (inset wild game here) has long been my comfort food.
I've got a 4-1/2# eye in the cure since Saturday. Trimmed about a pound of fat from starting weight.

Not a fan of Tender Quick due to the salt levels (about 2.25%) and the added nitrates.
I use pink salt #1 at 150 ppm, salt at 1.5%, and sugar under 1%

I dry brine. I spread more of brine mix over the the thicker portions of meat.
After rubbing it down, I do a slight vacuum pack. I stop the process before the liquids get sucked into the sealer

That's the other thing I was wondering, I have Instacure #1 was thinking of using that.
 
Tender Quick, brown sugar, garlic and onion powder, maybe some cayenne
I like Tender Quick for this . Last dried beef I did I added some Carolina reaper powder to the bag . I really like it with the added heat . The heat was all the way thru the meat . Once the liquid forms it draws it in .
I'll be watching .
 
I like Tender Quick for this . Last dried beef I did I added some Carolina reaper powder to the bag . I really like it with the added heat . The heat was all the way thru the meat . Once the liquid forms it draws it in .
I'll be watching .
I think I'll pass on the reaper powder!
Ghost is my limit!
I was toying with putting some crushed fennel and anise in one of the bags.
 
I think I'll pass on the reaper powder!
I'd have to look at the thread I did . I think it was only a 1/4 tsp , but yeah , I'm not into extreme heat either .


I was toying with putting some crushed fennel and anise in one of the bags.
We may have talked about this . I did fennel and anise on a loin , but I think that one was injected .
I'd go for it .
 
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I'd have to look at the thread I did . I think it was only a 1/4 tsp , but yeah , I'm not into extreme heat either .



We may have talked about this . I did fennel and anise on a loin , but I think that one was injected .
I'd go for it .
I figure as long as you have the proper amount of cure, the sky is the limit as far as other spices/flavorings.
That's what makes it interesting.
 
All 4 trimmed up. Weighed them and all around 2 pounds +-.
Used 1 Tbsp TQ per pound, 1 tsp brown sugar per pound, 1 tsp each garlic and onion powder per pound, and 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper per pound. Figure i'll cure 10 days.
 
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...
Not a fan of Tender Quick due to the salt levels (about 2.25%) and the added nitrates.
I use pink salt #1 at 150 ppm, salt at 1.5%, and sugar under 1%
I dry brine. I spread more of brine mix over the the thicker portions of meat.
After rubbing it down, I do a slight vacuum pack. I stop the process before the liquids get sucked into the sealer
That's the other thing I was wondering, I have Instacure #1 was thinking of using that.
Instacure #1 is pink salt #1 Good question
Using pink salt #1 instead of Tender Quick is my preference as you control the salt level and there is no nitrates in the mix.
You do need to add more salt to get to your taste preference
 
So how do you spread to cover a roast with dry instacure??? Obviously the TQ is enough to 'rub' around the roast like putting on a 'rub', but I have no idea how much #1 to use but it can't be more than a couple t-spoons if that?? How is this then applied???
 
So how do you spread to cover a roast with dry instacure??? Obviously the TQ is enough to 'rub' around the roast like putting on a 'rub', but I have no idea how much #1 to use but it can't be more than a couple t-spoons if that?? How is this then applied???
Instacure #1 is usually less than a teaspoon depending on the size of your meat.
You use calculators to measure the amount of salt and pink salt for a cure.
Digging Dog Farm is a popular choice. calculator

I use the Dr. Blonder calculators for salt and cure.
Salt brine
Cure
 
Instacure #1 is usually less than a teaspoon depending on the size of your meat.
You use calculators to measure the amount of salt and pink salt for a cure.
Digging Dog Farm is a popular choice. calculator

I use the Dr. Blonder calculators for salt and cure.
Salt brine
Cure

yes thank you, That's cool and I already had those links, My real question was, how is this tiny amount supposed to be dry rubbed on a 3 pound roast with 20 times the surface area of the only couple tablespoons of salt and cure?? thru a shaker??? if the instacure is less than a teaspoon, how does it cover the meat???
 
Mix the cure, salt, and sugar completely.
I've not had a problem using my nitryl gloved fingers to spread the mixture on the meat.
I eyeball and use more on the thicker portions and taper off on thin end.
The sprinkled mix goes a lot further than you think it will to cover the meat

I always double the calculator cure time. My cure fridge varies from 38° to 32°
 
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I threw a batch together last week to cure. Used a 2.35 lb top round I had in the freezer. Used PP#1 with brown sugar and a half cup of water. I weighed the meat after trimming, plus the weight of the sugar and water to apply the correct amount of PP#1 (6 grams/5 lbs, or a fraction of 5 lbs in this case ).

Meat was about 1 1/2" thick. I cut it in half crosswise. 7 day cure. Cheated and used the oven to dry due to feeling under the weather. 10 hours at 170F to 215F, bumping the oven up by 15F every 3 to 3.5 hours. Final meat IT was 154F (no need to worry about the 4 hour rule due to the cure).

Cooled on the counter to less than 100F, then uncovered in the fridge for 3-4 hours to cool completely. Ziplocked overnight then sliced on the food processor this morning.

Not salty at all. I might add a little salt (1-2 tsp) next time.

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