Dried Venison

[scubohuntr]

So I took the football roasts from the little buck I shot this fall and tried Bearcarver’s method, more or less. I couldn’t find Tenderquick anywhere, so I just used the Diggingdog calculator with cure #1. I put them in the refrigerator on November 27 and took them last night (December 8). Each chunk was 2 pounds 4 ounces and just under three inches at the thickest point.

I took them out and dried them off, then left them uncovered in the refrigerator overnight. This morning I rubbed them with pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder.

I loaded up a full AMNPS with apple pellets and lit it up. I preheated my smoker to 130, which in my POS Masterbuilt means anywhere from 80 to 175. I put in an aluminum foil heat baffle over the tray and put both roasts on the top rack.

Checked on it after an hour; the AMNPS was out and the temp was 39. Restarted.
After three hours in the smoke, I turned the meat over and switched places.

10 hours in. AMNPS burned out. Temperature was 140. Loaded the AMNPS with apple pellets again and let it go overnight.

I pulled them out after a total of 23 hours in the smoke. I let them cool in the refrigerator for about four hours, then sliced the end off one. The colt and flavor were great, but the texture is a little soft inside. I think I’ll hang them in the back bedroom for a few days and hope they’ll firm up a little.

 

[tallbm]

Man that looks great!

Would you say the curing process makes the internal silver skin soft and easily edible?
I have two of the same roasts from an Axis doe I shout in October. I am not sure what I am going to do with them as the silver skin in that roast is bit of a concern and will determine what I do with the roast.

Thanks! :)

 

[scubohuntr]

I don’t think the curing makes the silver skin edible, but the paper thin slicing should do it. Previously I have just ground those roasts, as the shrinkage and chewiness make a pretty poor roast or chops.

 

[pc farmer]

Looks good. I go 30 hours on mine bit they are really dry. 23 should have been long enough to not be soft.

 

[tallbm]

I don’t think the curing makes the silver skin edible, but the paper thin slicing should do it. Previously I have just ground those roasts, as the shrinkage and chewiness make a pretty poor roast or chops.

Thanks for the feedback!

Yeah I hear you on grinding those roasts. That is what I normally do but this being my only Axis deer ever I decided to save all the roasts. Axis deer meat is regarded as arguably the best tasting venison you can get your hands on. I wanted to make sure I saved it lol. I have some time to get creative with it :)

 

[scubohuntr]

I hung the venison for a week or so, then sliced it yesterday. Not a great pic, but it came out pretty good. I probably need to upgrade my slicer, as my cheap Weston just doesn’t have the finesse for really thin slices.

 

[tallbm]

Looks good to me :)