Venison Backstrap Dried Beef. #2

[scubohuntr]

Looks great, Bear! You don't hang it to dry at all after smoking?

 

[Bearcarver]

Looks great, Bear! You don't hang it to dry at all after smoking?

Nope, Don't want it too dry, like the store bought stuff.
If it's too dry, you put it in a sandwich & it sucks the moisture right out of the Bread.
And Thanks for the "Like".

Bear

 

[bill ace 350]

Venison Backstrap Dried Beef #2

NOTE: I don't know how I missed posting this one until now.
It might have been around one of our Hospital stays.
This one was never posted on SMF before, but it is going to end up in my Step by Step Index.

I had these Backstraps in my Meat Freezer for nearly a year, and I was running out of Dried Beef, so let’s get her done!!
Again it was just a Small Doe that my Son got, so there isn’t going to be very much, but every little bit helps, and it tastes Great !!



Day #1 (Prepping & Curing):
Thaw, Rinse, Dry——4pieces-----Total 3 pounds 10 ounces.
These were cut to fit in One Gallon Zip-locks, so we weigh the meat, and measure proper amount of TQ for each piece.
Rub 1/2 ounce of TQ and 1 TBS of Brown Sugar per pound of meat, and put in Zip-Locks.
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.
These pieces were only about 1 1/4” at the thickest point, so I only put them in my curing fridge for 7 days @ 37*--38*. I also flip the packages over & press down on them every afternoon.


Day #7 (Prep for Smoking):
Remove pieces from bags & rinse them off. I didn’t bother soaking to remove the surface salt on these, because the last ones I did had no salt flavor at all.
I made a cut in the middle of the thickest piece to check that the cure got to center, and it was obvious that the 7 days was more than enough time in Cure.
I skipped the Salt fry test, because like I said earlier, I had no salt flavor at all last time.
Dry pieces & sprinkle with CBP, Garlic powder, and Onion powder.
Put all pieces in fridge uncovered over night to start pellicle.


Day #8 (Smoking Time):
7:30—-———---—-Pre-heat MES 40 to 140°.
8:00----------------Put rack with meat in 3rd position (of 6 position smoker) in MES 40, without smoke. Also Fill AMNS with Hickory Sawdust, and light one end.
8:30----------------Put Well lit AMNS on left side of bottom rack of MES.
11:00--------------Insert Maverick meat probe in thickest piece. Internal Temp is 122°.
11:30———-—-----Bump Heat to 170°.
12:00--------------Internal Temp is 136°.
1:00----------------Internal Temp is 142°.
2:00----------------Internal Temp is 144°. Bump to 190°
3:00----------------Internal Temp is 156°.
3:30————----—-Internal Temp is 162°. Kill heat, but leave AMNS in.*
4:30----------------Internal Temp is 162°.
5:00——---———--Remove Pieces. Internal temps ranged from 158° to 165°.

Allow to cool to about 100°, Wrap in plastic wrap & put in fridge 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.

This stuff is Awesome, and could not tell it from Beef Dried Beef.

Note: You don’t get much from a small Doe’s Backstraps:
Started with 3 Lb 10 Oz.
Finished with 2 Lb 10 Oz.


Enjoy the Pics,
Bear




Pieces of Backstrap from a Small Whitetail Doe:
View attachment 340002


Cure & Brown Sugar applied, and ready for Fridge:
View attachment 340003


Thickest piece sliced open, with the deep red all the way through center shows curing complete after 7 Days in cure.
Curing longer would be fine, but not necessary:
View attachment 340004

Pieces seasoned and ready for Smoker:
View attachment 340005


AMNS loaded with Hickory Dust & one end lit:
View attachment 340006


Everything inside ready to go:
View attachment 340007


Mavericks ready to go & Clothes pins holding cables in place:
View attachment 340008


Trees are Golden again:
View attachment 340009


More Golden leaves over my Son’s Pole Barn Shop:
View attachment 340010


One of the good things about the glass door—I can see the dust has burned past halfway in the second row without opening the door, and I can see my Temp probes:
View attachment 340011


Heat turned off, but AMNS left in for awhile yet—Never too much TBS:
View attachment 340012


Ready to wrap for the 2 day rest in the Fridge:
View attachment 340013


Ready for 2 day Fridge rest:
View attachment 340014


After 2 days in Fridge & 4 hours in Freezer, ready to slice:
View attachment 340015


Plate of Venison Dried Beef, and a Bowl of End Trimmings for my Son:
View attachment 340016


Closer look at plate of Venison Dried Beef:
View attachment 340017


My Son gets all these Trimmings—He goes Nuts over them——Says “Best Jerky Ever!!”
View attachment 340018


All wrapped for Fridge & Freezer. Sure isn’t much!!
View attachment 340019

looks awesome. if I'm successful this season, ill give it try. question - Why do you refer to it as dry?

 

[Bearcarver]

That's Great Bill !!
Let me know how you like it.
As for the name "Dried Beef", that's just what it's called, and the Butchers & Processors intentionally Dry it for long times.
I don't dry mine like they do, because I like it a little more moist.

Bear

 

[archeryrob]

Bear, I really like this recipe! I have used it on deer and goose and I have to say it fundamentally changes goose more than anything I have even seen. Goose is the gamiest meat I have ever eaten and it cures out better than the deer does. I cover the outside heavily in Black Pepper with some onion and Garlic powder, but not sure the later to survive the smoke.

I am set to be covered in more deer than I could eat this year. We have to thin the herd down but the land owners wishes as they are too many deer. I want to do this with some more hind roasts like the round and the large flank but I would like to sugar/honey glaze it. Have you done this? I might not dry it all day as I do the others and use this as Gift packages for the land owner and other people. Have you ever done this?

 

[archeryrob]

also used the same recipe for trying long term preservation. I overcooked some duck breast and thy have been opening the basement fridge for two months and no spoilage, but they finished drying in the fridge.

I also saved a goose breast and wrapped in a cut sheet, tied with butchers twine and hanging in the basement. It is completely dry and I am just testing how long it will stay viable to eat. The wife will be gone in December to the in laws for a week. I think my buddy and I will down some beers and run it though for a test drive. ;)

Your post on the cured deer meat "dried Beef" was still to date my favorite thread.

 

[Bearcarver]

Bear, I really like this recipe! I have used it on deer and goose and I have to say it fundamentally changes goose more than anything I have even seen. Goose is the gamiest meat I have ever eaten and it cures out better than the deer does. I cover the outside heavily in Black Pepper with some onion and Garlic powder, but not sure the later to survive the smoke.

I am set to be covered in more deer than I could eat this year. We have to thin the herd down but the land owners wishes as they are too many deer. I want to do this with some more hind roasts like the round and the large flank but I would like to sugar/honey glaze it. Have you done this? I might not dry it all day as I do the others and use this as Gift packages for the land owner and other people. Have you ever done this?

Thank You Rob!!
I'm real glad you like this & use it !! That makes my Day!!
I never put any glaze on them, but I have also done Hind Quarters: (Like Below)
Smoked Venison Dried Beef

Bear

 

[Rings Я Us]

Thank You Rob!!
I'm real glad you like this & use it !! That makes my Day!!
I never put any glaze on them, but I have also done Hind Quarters: (Like Below)
Smoked Venison Dried Beef

Bear

Little off topic , You ever try venison rib like this? Boy that sure looks like an empty canvas to me.

 

[Bearcarver]

Nope---Never---Can't stand Venison Tallow, and not going to spend a lifetime trying to pick the fat off of skinny Deer Ribs.
That's why I use only Backstraps & Hind Quarters for my Venison Dried Beef.

Bear

 

[Rings Я Us]

Oh I see. I like all the meats and roasts, chops , neck and liver...

 

[Bearcarver]

Nope!!
I come from a Big Time Hunting family, and have helped consume well over 100 PA Deer in my life time.
I have always enjoyed Venison Backstraps, Hind Quarters, Kidneys, Heart, & Liver.
Anything with fat in it, like a Roast or Ribs, you can have, because I have spent a good part of my life scraping the wax off the roof of my mouth. Maybe Michigan Deer are different.

Actually all we do now with the annual Deer or 3 our Son gets is:
Backstraps & Hind Quarters for Dried Beef.
And Deerburger with the rest of the Deer (Mixed with Pork & Beef).

Bear

 

[disco]

Definitely a Bear classic worthy of a point or like or whatever it is now! It make me wish I wasn't too lazy to hunt!

 

[Bearcarver]

Definitely a Bear classic worthy of a point or like or whatever it is now! It make me wish I wasn't too lazy to hunt!

Thank You Disco!!
I quit hunting years ago---Bear Jr keeps us well stocked with Venison.
And Thanks for the "Like".

Bear

 

[archeryrob]

Bear, That link is the original recipe I found. My two waterfowl buddies are curing the goose breast now too the same way. I love that I can follow this for tasty meat or let is dry and its actually cured and will last a long time. I have duck and goose breast dry as a block of wood right now. I will slice and eat and maybe re-hydrate and post up later on it.

I want to do the deer like this and glaze it as Christmas gift packs for people. I just don't know if I should glaze it outside the smokehouse. Maybe cure and smoke it then to the grill and glaze it.

Rings R US, you are basically cutting the back strap out attached to the ribs rather than a long skinny roast. This is the only way you can do deer ribs, IMO. They don't have anything but thin connective meat and the meat over the ribs is covered in a layer of fat that will ruin the flavor. This is deer ribs but just eating the back strap with a handle or done for presentation. I would find it a PITA for vacuum sealing and freezer storage. I am not sure how hard it is cutting the back strap away from the spine and snapping/cutting the ribs out.

 

[Rings Я Us]

I see.. nice!

 

[biteme7951]

Nice post Bear! I have used your dried beef post for venison for a few years and it never fails. I too use the backstraps, along with the rump roast and sirloin for dried venison. the trimmings do make great snacks and all i have to do is fire up the slicer and my dog comes a running knowing he will get a few "drops" along with all the crumbs when I clean up.

Barry.

 

[Bearcarver]

Nice post Bear! I have used your dried beef post for venison for a few years and it never fails. I too use the backstraps, along with the rump roast and sirloin for dried venison. the trimmings do make great snacks and all i have to do is fire up the slicer and my dog comes a running knowing he will get a few "drops" along with all the crumbs when I clean up.

Barry.

Thank You Barry!!
I'm glad you're enjoying this stuff, and the 4 legged clean-up crew too!!
And Thanks for the Like.

Bear

 

[the-bone]

Bear,
I made your dried venison last year and EVERYONE scarfed it up! It literally does melt on your tongue. Got 2 Kempton deer this year and am trying to plan out a years worth of smoking,sausage and jerky adventures.

 

[Bearcarver]

That's Great John!!!

I'm glad you like that Venison Dried Beef!!!

Nothing wrong with Kempton Deer---Should be just as good as Macungie Deer!!!

Bear

 

[archeryrob]

Bear, I did a buck rump (both hams in muscle groups) yesterday on the smokehouse. Two footballs and 4 flatter roasts. I went with a brown sugar honey glaze this time after curing and smoking. I tried glazing in the smokehouse and it was a failure. Messed up the smokehouse, let all the heat out, got sugar syrup everywhere. The dog ate several ounces of leaves trying to lick all it up probably. Brought it in the house and finished glazing in the oven for 45 minutes at 200 with three coats and 15 minute dry cycles. Maybe should have done two, but I'll slice tonight and see how it is. I am doing these as ham steaks for gifts for friends, land owner and others.

My 20 year old daughter wouldn't leave it alone. I told her she couldn't cut any and they would get cut the next night (today) and she was tilting the pan scooping the juice/glaze out with a spoon. She gave me some and the smoke sugar flavor was awesome. I had to finally cut a thin tip on one of the flat steaks that wouldn't make great gift sizes anyways to shut her up.

More will be reported and will post it all on my blog and on her later this week or next.