Venison Backstrap Dried Beef
My Son gave me this Backstrap about 2 weeks before my Open Heart Surgery, so it's been sitting in the freezer nearly 2 years. Since it was in Vacuum Sealed bags it was just like new.
There isn't very much, because it was from a small Doe (under 100 pounds), however I was totally out of Dried Beef, so I needed to get some done.
Day #1 (Prepping & Curing):
Thaw, Rinse, Dry----6 pieces-----Total 3 pounds 13 ounces.
Split in half to fit in Gallon Zip-locks, weigh, and measure proper amount of TQ.
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.
Note: I Never cure for less than 7 days.
These pieces were only a little more than 1" at the thickest point, so I only put them in my curing fridge for 7 days @ 37*--38*. I also flip the packages over every afternoon.
Day #8 (Prep for Smoking):
Remove pieces from bags, rinse, and soak in cold water to remove surface salt.
Cut a couple slices from middle of the thickest piece to check that cure got to center, and to do a salt-fry test.
No salt flavor at all, so Dry pieces & sprinkle with CBP, Garlic powder, and Onion powder.
Put all pieces on a grill rack, and put rack in fridge overnight to start pellicle.
Day #9 (Smoking Time):
6:45----------------Pre-heat MES 40 to 150*.
7:00----------------Put rack with meat in 2nd position in MES 40. Also Fill AMNS with Hickory Sawdust, and light one end.
8:00----------------Put Well lit AMNS on bars in bottom left of MES.
9:00----------------Insert Maverick meat probe in thickest piece. Internal Temp is 117*.
10:00--------------Internal Temp is 122*.
11:00--------------Internal Temp is 124*.
12:00--------------Internal Temp is 126*.
1:00----------------Internal Temp is 127*. Bump heat up to 170*.
2:00----------------Internal Temp is 140*.
3:00----------------Internal Temp is 149*. Bump heat up to 190*.
4:00----------------Internal Temp is 156*.
4:30----------------Internal Temp is 162*. AMNS stopped smoking ---Burned out.
5:00----------------Turn off Smoker & remove pieces. Internal temps ranged from 158* to 169*.
Allow to cool to about 100*, and put in a bowl in fridge uncovered 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.
Enjoy the Pics,
Bear
Pieces from 2 Backstraps from a small Whitetail:
Pieces weighed & Tender Quick measured:
Pieces in Zip-Locks with TQ and Brown Sugar, ready for Fridge:
Pieces cured & test slices cut. Deep red in center shows complete cure penetration:
Frying up test slices:
My favorite part----Taste testing-----No salt flavor at all:
All ready for Fridge to start pellicle over night:
My AMNS filled with Sawdust & one end lit:
Picture taken from my Smoker while I wait. Just mowed for the 11th time this year:
All Done & my AMNS is burned out (bottom left):
Close-Up:
Partially frozen ready for slicing:
All sliced up. Not much, but it'll hold me for a little while:
Close-up of one dish of sliced goodness:
My Son gave me this Backstrap about 2 weeks before my Open Heart Surgery, so it's been sitting in the freezer nearly 2 years. Since it was in Vacuum Sealed bags it was just like new.
There isn't very much, because it was from a small Doe (under 100 pounds), however I was totally out of Dried Beef, so I needed to get some done.
Day #1 (Prepping & Curing):
Thaw, Rinse, Dry----6 pieces-----Total 3 pounds 13 ounces.
Split in half to fit in Gallon Zip-locks, weigh, and measure proper amount of TQ.
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.
Note: I Never cure for less than 7 days.
These pieces were only a little more than 1" at the thickest point, so I only put them in my curing fridge for 7 days @ 37*--38*. I also flip the packages over every afternoon.
Day #8 (Prep for Smoking):
Remove pieces from bags, rinse, and soak in cold water to remove surface salt.
Cut a couple slices from middle of the thickest piece to check that cure got to center, and to do a salt-fry test.
No salt flavor at all, so Dry pieces & sprinkle with CBP, Garlic powder, and Onion powder.
Put all pieces on a grill rack, and put rack in fridge overnight to start pellicle.
Day #9 (Smoking Time):
6:45----------------Pre-heat MES 40 to 150*.
7:00----------------Put rack with meat in 2nd position in MES 40. Also Fill AMNS with Hickory Sawdust, and light one end.
8:00----------------Put Well lit AMNS on bars in bottom left of MES.
9:00----------------Insert Maverick meat probe in thickest piece. Internal Temp is 117*.
10:00--------------Internal Temp is 122*.
11:00--------------Internal Temp is 124*.
12:00--------------Internal Temp is 126*.
1:00----------------Internal Temp is 127*. Bump heat up to 170*.
2:00----------------Internal Temp is 140*.
3:00----------------Internal Temp is 149*. Bump heat up to 190*.
4:00----------------Internal Temp is 156*.
4:30----------------Internal Temp is 162*. AMNS stopped smoking ---Burned out.
5:00----------------Turn off Smoker & remove pieces. Internal temps ranged from 158* to 169*.
Allow to cool to about 100*, and put in a bowl in fridge uncovered 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.
Enjoy the Pics,
Bear
Pieces from 2 Backstraps from a small Whitetail:
Pieces weighed & Tender Quick measured:
Pieces in Zip-Locks with TQ and Brown Sugar, ready for Fridge:
Pieces cured & test slices cut. Deep red in center shows complete cure penetration:
Frying up test slices:
My favorite part----Taste testing-----No salt flavor at all:
All ready for Fridge to start pellicle over night:
My AMNS filled with Sawdust & one end lit:
Picture taken from my Smoker while I wait. Just mowed for the 11th time this year:
All Done & my AMNS is burned out (bottom left):
Close-Up:
Partially frozen ready for slicing:
All sliced up. Not much, but it'll hold me for a little while:
Close-up of one dish of sliced goodness:
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