Venison Backstrap Dried Beef. #2

[Bearcarver]

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.

Hmmm, I never glazed any Dried Beef, because I always slice it paper thin.
And I never cut it into steaks because it's generally much too tough to be cut in any way other than very thin.

Bear

 

[WildThings]

First time trying to cure anything and had a small buck (55#)that I made links from the front shoulders and all trimmings and separated all muscle groups from the hind quarters. Followed your directions from you Smoked Venison Dried Beef thread and got them all in zip locks and into the fridge for 7 days. I religiously massaged and flipped them ever afternoon. Today I got them all out of the baggies and rinsed them all well. Didn't do a fry test or any soaks to remove salt as I was short on time trying to get ready for an upcoming duck hunt. Seasoned up and into my MES for an hour at 140° to dry and then started the AMNS with apple pellets. Raised the temp to 185° and three hours later they were at 156° IT and I shut it down and opened the door with ambient temp around 29°. (Note: this is the Gulf Coast of Texas it don't get that cold here WTH)
After cooling I hand sliced them all and packaged for the freezer (What I didn't eat while slicing anyway) I'm am stoked how well it came out and need to go get me another deer. Thanks for all the info

Tried to upload pictures but keeping getting an error

 

[Bearcarver]

First time trying to cure anything and had a small buck (55#)that I made links from the front shoulders and all trimmings and separated all muscle groups from the hind quarters. Followed your directions from you Smoked Venison Dried Beef thread and got them all in zip locks and into the fridge for 7 days. I religiously massaged and flipped them ever afternoon. Today I got them all out of the baggies and rinsed them all well. Didn't do a fry test or any soaks to remove salt as I was short on time trying to get ready for an upcoming duck hunt. Seasoned up and into my MES for an hour at 140° to dry and then started the AMNS with apple pellets. Raised the temp to 185° and three hours later they were at 156° IT and I shut it down and opened the door with ambient temp around 29°. (Note: this is the Gulf Coast of Texas it don't get that cold here WTH)
After cooling I hand sliced them all and packaged for the freezer (What I didn't eat while slicing anyway) I'm am stoked how well it came out and need to go get me another deer. Thanks for all the info

Tried to upload pictures but keeping getting an error

Sounds Great, WT !!
Glad you're enjoying it.
Probably wouldn't hurt to give this a couple extra days in cure next time.
I never had it happen, but a couple guys had some that didn't cure completely to center.
It takes a little longer to cure Dried Beef than it does Bacon, because it's Solid Red Meat, with no fat.

Bear

 

[WildThings]

Sounds Great, WT !!
Glad you're enjoying it.
Probably wouldn't hurt to give this a couple extra days in cure next time.
I never had it happen, but a couple guys had some that didn't cure completely to center.
It takes a little longer to cure Dried Beef than it does Bacon, because it's Solid Red Meat, with no fat.

Bear

Yessir One of the thickest pieces had a very small grey center. I'm assuming that was an uncured section!

 

[Bearcarver]

Yessir One of the thickest pieces had a very small grey center. I'm assuming that was an uncured section!

Yup---But with the Temps you used, a little spot like that is not a problem.
Just add another 3 days or more to the next one.
I just changed it in my original post on this thread now too.


Bear

 

[biteme7951]

Sounds Great, WT !!
Glad you're enjoying it.
Probably wouldn't hurt to give this a couple extra days in cure next time.
I never had it happen, but a couple guys had some that didn't cure completely to center.
It takes a little longer to cure Dried Beef than it does Bacon, because it's Solid Red Meat, with no fat.

Bear

Yessir One of the thickest pieces had a very small grey center. I'm assuming that was an uncured section!

Another vote for extra days. You will find the grey center will have a taste similar to liver and it won't keep well in the fridge. Had a batch not cured to center and just cut the center portion off when bagging and saved for the dog, who loved it. Now at the end of the curing time I will cut the largest hunk thru the middle for my fry test to see that it is cured thru before smoking. It's pretty tough to mess it up if you use Bear's step by step, and follow it "step by step"

Barry.

 

[Preacher Man]

Bearcarver - Do you mind me asking why you ran your thermometer probes through a clothespin?

 

[Bearcarver]

Bearcarver - Do you mind me asking why you ran your thermometer probes through a clothespin?

Great question---Also an easy one:
I don't rest my Smoker probes on racks or anything in the smoker.I just hang it from the top vent.
With my old Fully Stainless Steel MES I used to tape the cable to the top of the smoker with electrical tape, to keep the probe from moving out of the position I set it at.
When I got this MES, I found out Electrical tape doesn't stick to the Black finish on the outside of the smoker.
So I started hanging the probe through the top vent, and when I get it to the exact position that I want it to be, I clip a spring loaded clothes pin on it at the vent, to keep the weight of the probe from pulling it down farther through the smoker.

I hope that makes sense, because it works Great.

Bear

 

[Preacher Man]

I don't rest my Smoker probes on racks or anything in the smoker. I just hang it from the top vent.

Oh, I see.

Is this because you've got a hunch that clipping the probe to the grate gives you a false reading on the actual smoker temperature even with the grate clips?

 

[Bearcarver]

Oh, I see.

Is this because you've got a hunch that clipping the probe to the grate gives you a false reading on the actual smoker temperature even with the grate clips?

Sorta---I don't really trust being close to any metal.
Plus I like to keep the tip of my smoker probe about 3" from the main part of the meat, and the best way is to let it hang through the rack the meat is on, to about 3" below the meat. Then I clip it just above the Vent, so it stays right there through the whole smoke.
3" is far enough from the Cold (originally) Meat, so the cold meat doesn't effect my therms, yet close enough to the meat to get the temp of the air in that part of the Smoker.

Bear

 

[smokerjim]

Thanks for reposting this, I will definitely try this, just happens to be archery season. Thanks again, you are always so detailed on your how too.

 

[Old goat]

Sure made my mouth water. Will try this fall when I get a deer. And thanks for the info.

 

[Bearcarver]

Thanks for reposting this, I will definitely try this, just happens to be archery season. Thanks again, you are always so detailed on your how too.

Sorry it took me a year to get back to you, Jim, but "Old Goat" (below) bumped it up for me to see.

Bear

Sure made my mouth water. Will try this fall when I get a deer. And thanks for the info.

Thanks for Bumping this up, and Good luck hunting this year.
You'll love the Venison Dried Beef.

Bear

 

[Brisket Man]

Resurrecting an old thread. Just got my TQ delivered today. I put 2 nice deer roasts in the fridge to thaw. Will be starting the cure tomorrow. This will be my first attempt at curing any meat. Will post pics along the way.

 

[Bearcarver]

Resurrecting an old thread. Just got my TQ delivered today. I put 2 nice deer roasts in the fridge to thaw. Will be starting the cure tomorrow. This will be my first attempt at curing any meat. Will post pics along the way.

That's Great, B.M. !!
I just replied to your PMs.
Just yell if you have any more questions.

Bear

 

[Brisket Man]

Finally got around to smoking my 2 deer roasts on Saturday. Just finished slicing it up. This stuff is awesome! Thanks for your wisdom Bear!

This was my first attempt at curing any meat. I'm hooked now... lol

Did it on my offset vertical smoker with Royal Oak charcoal and an AMAZN maze, with Bear Mtn Hickory pellet dust. Made the dust in an old blender.

 

[Bearcarver]

Oh Boy---Looks Great !!
Nice Job!!

Now. try;
2 slices of Italian Bread, with Miracle Whip or Mayo.
a couple slices of your Venison Dried Beef.
And some American Cheese.

Bear's favorite Sammy.

Bear

 

[Brisket Man]

Just put cure on another 5.5 lbs of deer meat. 2 small loins, a small roast and 2 other small chunks out of a ham. Should have some thin blue smoke rolling on Memorial weekend...

The last batch didn't last very long. It's a good way to use up some deer meat that I had in the freezer. It's been vacuum packed since 2020 deer season.

 

[Bearcarver]

Just put cure on another 5.5 lbs of deer meat. 2 small loins, a small roast and 2 other small chunks out of a ham. Should have some thin blue smoke rolling on Memorial weekend...

The last batch didn't last very long. It's a good way to use up some deer meat that I had in the freezer. It's been vacuum packed since 2020 deer season.

Ahhhh, Yes!!!
A very Tasty way to clean up aging Venison!!
Glad you're enjoying it--I love it !!

Bear

 

[Brisket Man]

Ready for some thin blue smoke tomorrow...