# Cold smoked venison backstrap..



## Meatcandy101 (Sep 26, 2021)

Does anyone have a good cold smoked venison backstrap  recipe?  I'd like to cold smoke some backstraps and I really don't know where to start.  My plan is to route the smoke of my pellet smoker to a vault type smoker yo produce the cold smoke.  I'm not sure how long to smoke or cure and looking for some tips!


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## indaswamp (Sep 26, 2021)

Cold smoke is not recommended UNLESS you first cure the meat with cure#1 and salt. Cold smoking occurs in the optimum range for pathogenic bacteria to grow so you need the protection of the cure #1 to protect the meat.

Remember the 40-140 rule...
Raw meat uncured must not stay between the temps. of 40-140*F for more than 4 hours.

What are you trying to make.


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## Meatcandy101 (Sep 26, 2021)

indaswamp said:


> Cold smoke is not recommended UNLESS you first cure the meat with cure#1 and salt. Cold smoking occurs in the optimum range for pathogenic bacteria to grow so you need the protection of the cure #1 to protect the meat.
> 
> Remember the 40-140 rule...
> Raw meat uncured must not stay between the temps. of 40-140*F for more than 4 hours.
> ...


I'm planning on cold smoking venison backstrap.   I'm definitely going to  cure it but not quite sure how long to cure or smoke.  From what I've researched so far I'm thinking of doing a dry cure of sea salt and sugar for a few hours then cold smoke for 12 hours or so.  Just hoping to get some insight/tips from those who have done it.


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## indaswamp (Sep 26, 2021)

Use a cure calculator..
https://genuineideas.com/ArticlesIndex/nitritecuringcalculator.html

125ppm
enter pounds of meat
enter zero liquid for a dry brine

That will give you amount of cure.

Then enter thickness, and tubular for a backstrap

that will give you length of time to cure the meat to the center. You can add a couple days just for insurance...


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## Meatcandy101 (Sep 26, 2021)

indaswamp said:


> Use a cure calculator..
> https://genuineideas.com/ArticlesIndex/nitritecuringcalculator.html
> 
> 125ppm
> ...


Awesome, thank you!


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## Meatcandy101 (Sep 26, 2021)

Cold smoked venison - muntjac back strap steaks - Butter Wouldn't Melt
					

Ever see cold smoked food and think it's a magical process not for the home cook? You couldn't be more wrong - much easier than you might imagine, this cold smoked venison (muntjac) took little over 36 hours. A subtle gamey flavour with a little smoke & a hint of spices was completed by a...




					www.butterwouldntmelt.com
				



I was planning on using this recipe because the cold smoked backstraps I'm trying to recreate looked exactly like these.  I was surprised to see the short cure time of 90 minutes.  Any thoughts on this?


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## uncle eddie (Sep 26, 2021)

You probably already know this but, just in case...
I have "regular smoked" venison backstraps with excellent results.  
If I recall I smoked them at 225F.  They were bacon wrapped.  Very tender and delicious.


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## indaswamp (Sep 26, 2021)

I'll defer to 

 chef jimmyj
  at this point, but it looks to me like the backstrap is sliced thin and made into a type of jerky. I see no mention of cure #1 in the recipe you posted, just salt and sugar.


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## Meatcandy101 (Sep 26, 2021)

uncle eddie said:


> You probably already know this but, just in case...
> I have "regular smoked" venison backstraps with excellent results.
> If I recall I smoked them at 225F.  They were bacon wrapped.  Very tender and delicious.


Yes, this is one of my favorite ways to cook backstrap.  Just looking for more snack type preserved options.  I had some very similar to the link I attached and it was amazing.


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## Meatcandy101 (Sep 26, 2021)

indaswamp said:


> I'll defer to
> 
> chef jimmyj
> at this point, but it looks to me like the backstrap is sliced thin and made into a type of jerky. I see no mention of cure #1 in the recipe you posted, just salt and sugar.


Those slices were the finished product.  Unlike anything I've ever had.


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## Meatcandy101 (Sep 29, 2021)

The more research I've done I feel like what I had was dried venison (possibly cold smoked until dry). No way was it brought to a certain temp.


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## indaswamp (Sep 29, 2021)

Meatcandy101 said:


> The more research I've done I feel like what I had was dried venison (possibly cold smoked until dry). No way was it brought to a certain temp.


How thick of a cut of meat are we talking here?


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## Meatcandy101 (Oct 1, 2021)

indaswamp said:


> How thick of a cut of meat are we talking here?


Just about an inch or so.  Would be closer to 2" if I tied it but as it sits in my fridge curing it's flattened out.


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## BigW. (Oct 1, 2021)

Check out Bear's dried beef.  On my list to try soon.





						Bear's "Step by Step" Index
					

Bear's "Step by Step" Index  I made this index, because a lot of guys use my "Step by Steps", and I couldn't get them all in my Signature. Then I'd have to find the one I had that best suited what they were wanting to do. At times it has taken me forever to find one of my Step by Steps that...




					www.smokingmeatforums.com


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## Meatcandy101 (Oct 1, 2021)

BigW. said:


> Check out Bear's dried beef.  On my list to try soon.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


So far I've been following this exact recipe.  I have two 1lb pieces of backstrap curing right now (since Sunday night). I'm planning to do one exactly as this recipe reads and with the other I plan to cold smoke at night and put in the fridge during the day repeating that for a few days for more of a dried venison.


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## BigW. (Oct 1, 2021)

As for cold smoking try an a-maze-n tray.  You can use either pellets or dust.  You could also buy a tube.  I have both.


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## Meatcandy101 (Oct 1, 2021)

BigW. said:


> As for cold smoking try an a-maze-n tray.  You can use either pellets or dust.  You could also buy a tube.  I have both.


I was thinking of putting flexible (metal) dryer vent over my pellet smokers chimney and running it into a vault smoker.  Do you see any potential issues with this?


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## indaswamp (Oct 1, 2021)

Meatcandy101 said:


> I was thinking of putting flexible (metal) dryer vent over my pellet smokers chimney and running it into a vault smoker.  Do you see any potential issues with this?


Will run a lot hotter than the amazen pellet tray or tube.... both will only raise the temp. of the chamber about 5-7*F above ambient temp.
I strongly recommend Dave's pellet dust for cold smoking. Very clean burn, very thin blue smoke.....


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## indaswamp (Oct 1, 2021)

BWT, when you say cold smoke, how cold are we talkin here? In my mind, as a salumi maker, cold smoke is defined as below 71*F....


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## Meatcandy101 (Oct 1, 2021)

indaswamp said:


> BWT, when you say cold smoke, how cold are we talkin here? In my mind, as a salumi maker, cold smoke is defined as below 71*F....


Night time temps right now are consistently in the 50's where I'm at so I'm guessing I'll be close to 70's?


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## indaswamp (Oct 1, 2021)

I like cold smoking at night personally....higher RH% at night. Cold smoke in the 50's is perfect.....that's when I like to cold smoke my bacon.


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## Meatcandy101 (Oct 14, 2021)

Well I figured I'd post my results.  This turned out exactly like I was hoping.  This is essentially bresaola only cold smoked to desired weight reduction.


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## danglin’angler (Dec 5, 2021)

Meat candy , did you follow bearcarvers recipe to cure and smoke to temp or did you cold smoke after the tq cure ? This is similar to what I’m trying to accomplish but am torn between a tq brine or #1 brine and tq rub


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## Meatcandy101 (Dec 5, 2021)

danglin’angler said:


> Meat candy , did you follow bearcarvers recipe to cure and smoke to temp or did you cold smoke after the tq cure ? This is similar to what I’m trying to accomplish but am torn between a tq brine or #1 brine and tq rub


I ended up cold smoking after 8-9 days of curing. I cold smoked it for 4 nights (wrapping and refrigerating during the day) got me close to a 30% reduction in weight.


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