# Dried Venison



## scubohuntr (Dec 10, 2017)

So I took the football roasts from the little buck I shot this fall and tried Bearcarver’s method, more or less. I couldn’t find Tenderquick anywhere, so I just used the Diggingdog calculator with cure #1. I put them in the refrigerator on November 27 and took them last night (December 8). Each chunk was 2 pounds 4 ounces and just under three inches at the thickest point.

I took them out and dried them off, then left them uncovered in the refrigerator overnight. This morning I rubbed them with pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder.







I loaded up a full AMNPS with apple pellets and lit it up. I preheated my smoker to 130, which in my POS Masterbuilt means anywhere from 80 to 175. I put in an aluminum foil heat baffle over the tray and put both roasts on the top rack.






Checked on it after an hour; the AMNPS was out and the temp was 39. Restarted.
After three hours in the smoke, I turned the meat over and switched places.

10 hours in. AMNPS burned out. Temperature was 140. Loaded the AMNPS with apple pellets again and let it go overnight.

I pulled them out after a total of 23 hours in the smoke. I let them cool in the refrigerator for about four hours, then sliced the end off one. The colt and flavor were great, but the texture is a little soft inside. I think I’ll hang them in the back bedroom for a few days and hope they’ll firm up a little.


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## tallbm (Dec 10, 2017)

Man that looks great!

Would you say the curing process makes the internal silver skin soft and easily edible?
I have two of the same roasts from an Axis doe I shout in October.  I am not sure what I am going to do with them as the silver skin in that roast is bit of a concern and will determine what I do with the roast.

Thanks! :)


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## scubohuntr (Dec 10, 2017)

I don’t think the curing makes the silver skin edible, but the paper thin slicing should do it. Previously I have just ground those roasts, as the shrinkage and chewiness make a pretty poor roast or chops.


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## pc farmer (Dec 10, 2017)

Looks good. I go 30 hours on mine bit they are really dry.    23 should have been long enough to not be soft.


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## tallbm (Dec 11, 2017)

scubohuntr said:


> I don’t think the curing makes the silver skin edible, but the paper thin slicing should do it. Previously I have just ground those roasts, as the shrinkage and chewiness make a pretty poor roast or chops.


Thanks for the feedback!

Yeah I hear you on grinding those roasts.  That is what I normally do but this being my only Axis deer ever I decided to save all the roasts.  Axis deer meat is regarded as arguably the best tasting venison you can get your hands on.  I wanted to make sure I saved it lol.  I have some time to get creative with it :)


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## scubohuntr (Dec 18, 2017)

I hung the venison for a week or so, then sliced it yesterday. Not a great pic, but it came out pretty good. I probably need to upgrade my slicer, as my cheap Weston just doesn’t have the finesse for really thin slices.


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## tallbm (Dec 19, 2017)

Looks good to me :)


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