Venison Backstrap Dried Beef. #2

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Bearcarver

Gone but not forgotten RIP
Original poster
OTBS Member
Group Lead
Sep 12, 2009
45,279
18,182
Macungie, PA
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 would normally put them in my curing fridge for 7 days @ 37*--38*. I also flip the packages over & press down on them every afternoon. Now I add another 3 days to the curing time, because solid meat like Dried Beef takes longer to cure to center than fatty meat like Bacon. So these would get 10 days in cure.
Note: I Never cure for less than 8 days.


Day #10 (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 10 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 #11 (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:
DSCN1939.jpg



Cure & Brown Sugar applied, and ready for Fridge:
DSCN1941.jpg



Thickest piece sliced open, with the deep red all the way through center shows curing complete after 10 Days in cure.
Curing longer would be fine, but not necessary:
DSCN1968.jpg


Pieces seasoned and ready for Smoker:
DSCN1972.jpg



AMNS loaded with Hickory Dust & one end lit:
DSCN1975.jpg



Everything inside ready to go:
DSCN1977.jpg



Mavericks ready to go & Clothes pins holding cables in place:
DSCN1979.jpg



Trees are Golden again:
DSCN1980.jpg



More Golden leaves over my Son’s Pole Barn Shop:
DSCN1981.jpg



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:
DSCN1982.jpg



Heat turned off, but AMNS left in for awhile yet—Never too much TBS:
DSCN1986.jpg



Ready to wrap for the 2 day rest in the Fridge:
DSCN1987.jpg



Ready for 2 day Fridge rest:
DSCN1989.jpg



After 2 days in Fridge & 4 hours in Freezer, ready to slice:
DSCN1991.jpg



Plate of Venison Dried Beef, and a Bowl of End Trimmings for my Son:
DSCN1992.jpg



Closer look at plate of Venison Dried Beef:
DSCN1994.jpg



My Son gets all these Trimmings—He goes Nuts over them——Says “Best Jerky Ever!!”
DSCN1995.jpg



All wrapped for Fridge & Freezer. Sure isn’t much!!
DSCN1996.jpg
 
Last edited:
That looks so tasty! I always thought Backstrap is the best part of the deer cut as steaks in my opinion. But after seeing this, I think I might have just been enlightened!

Just cure and brown sugar in your brine? No salt?
 
Another great thread Bear!
It really looks delicious!
Al

Thank You Al !!

Bear


Excellent John!!! Great step-by-step and good looking food.
I'll probably be away hauling logs and miss deer season again this year, but if I do luck out I'm definitely going to try this.
POINT
Gary

Thank You Gary!!

Bear


That looks so tasty! I always thought Backstrap is the best part of the deer cut as steaks in my opinion. But after seeing this, I think I might have just been enlightened!

Just cure and brown sugar in your brine? No salt?

Thank You Browneyes!!
I would rather have Beef Steak than Deer Steak, but Venison Dried Beef is as good as Beef, and much cheaper.
The Tender Quick already has some salt in it---Just the right amount for Bacon. IMHO.
I only have to add a little more when I use it in Ground Meat.

Bear



And Thanks for the "Likes" from Al, Gary, Browneyes and Jeff.

Bear
 
Last edited:
Thank You Browneyes!!
The Tender Quick already has some salt in it---Just the right amount for Bacon. IMHO.
I only have to add a little more when I use it in Ground Meat.

Bear

DOH! I totally missed the brown sugar was in addition to the TQ! Of course.
 
Nice thread Bear, that VDB looks very tasty! I really need to make some more of this, the flavor is awesome. I agree with Bear Jr on the trimmings!
 
Bear Thank You for the step by step I use it for doing my dried beef (call me Deer less no more hunting property :()
Points
Richie
 
:confused: Gary You must have me mixed up LOL Reply #10
Richie

OOOps, Sorry Richie!!
I was thinking it was Gary who had the deer hunting property loss.
And my eyes are getting tired from replacing Hundreds of Pictures, especially my Left one!
So Thanks Richie !!
And for the "Like".

Bear
 
Another homerun bear .. you knocked it out the park again ... points to you ......:cool:
 
Looks great John! I'll be trying this as soon as the boy gets another elk or a deer.
 
Looks great! What do you primarily do with the meat. Sandwiches or throw into some kind of dish?
 
Looks great! What do you primarily do with the meat. Sandwiches or throw into some kind of dish?

90% of my Dried Beef goes to Sammies:
Two slices of fresh Italian Bread, Miracle Whip (or Mayo if you like it more bland).
Then some Dried Beef & a couple slices of American Cheese.
Used to have two Sammies like this every day in my lunch for 3 months after getting a Deer.

I try not to eat it just by itself, because it goes too fast.
And Thanks for the "Like".

Bear
 
WoW! Wish we'd got some venison first hunt. Luckily my hunting buddy has one more chance. I may have to see if he'll be willing to give up a hunk of backstrap to try this!
 
Mmmm Tasty looking, great job, pics and tutorial

:)

Gary
 
Looks great John! I'll be trying this as soon as the boy gets another elk or a deer.

Thank You Keith!

Bear

WoW! Wish we'd got some venison first hunt. Luckily my hunting buddy has one more chance. I may have to see if he'll be willing to give up a hunk of backstrap to try this!

Thank You Case!
And Thanks for the "Like".

Bear

Mmmm Tasty looking, great job, pics and tutorial

:)
Gary

Thank You Gary!
And for the "Like".

Bear
 
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