# Help needed. Too dry meat surface after smoking



## BarberMeatHead (Feb 15, 2021)

Guys I need some advice, help. I smoked meat at around70-80F  for 2 days with a rest time during The night time. My meat (loins, Coppa, shoulder and Ham) came too dry on The surface in my opinion. Appereantly I overdoNe with smoke and sometimes i may let temperature go a little bit to high around 80F.   I did my meat and smoke in The same cabin so this might have had its part for it drying out a bit more then i expected. What im asking is whether Any of you had The same problem for there charcuterie happened. Has it inpacted its drying out process? I'm afraid my meat can develop a dry ring becouse of the prolonged smoking.
Also as this was my first smoking process I added a slab of wet brined bacon and now I'm hanging it @100-120 f.  I'm planning to hold it for few hours in order to reach 100f IT is it possible to make a quality bacon with that kind of time or should I leave it for longer?  The smoked smell is there,  it has developed  a pellacal and haven't dried much from the first smoking.
Thank you in advance


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## tropics (Feb 15, 2021)

You may be able to Vac seal the meat that you think is to dry. The inside may still have enough moisture to soften the outer layer
Richie


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## Murray (Feb 15, 2021)

I have found that cold smoking at temperatures 70-80F gives a difference flavour profile than at 40-50F and I also find I get a “dry ring” at those temperatures.  Sorry I can’t help with how that “dry ring” will affect further drying and aging since I cold smoke at a lower temperature and usually cook hams in the oven at a later date. If you’re not happy with your results try lowering your smoke temperature.


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## indaswamp (Feb 15, 2021)

What was the humidity in the smokehouse? For Cold smoking dry cured products, the environment needs to be about the same as a dry curing cabinet, but just a little higher on the temp...54-70*F and just a little lower on the humidity...65-75%RH. Sounds like the temp. as a little too high and the humidity a little too low.


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## BarberMeatHead (Feb 15, 2021)

Unfortunately I have not tracked humidity, but the logs I used had moisture in them in order to slow the burn.  
I'm not willing to vac seal it. Hoping that increasing chambers temperature to 90+ may help moisturizing the surface and help prolong the drying from inside.


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## chopsaw (Feb 15, 2021)

I've had some hams come out with a tough skin on them . I put them in a zip lock and let it rest in the fridge to rehydrate the outside .


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## BarberMeatHead (Feb 16, 2021)

chopsaw said:


> I've had some hams come out with a tough skin on them . I put them in a zip lock and let it rest in the fridge to rehydrate the outside .


How much did you held them? I have few muscles that vary from 4" to 6-7" that were exposed for some time to smoke , now that i have rehydrated them in chamber they dont seem tough , yet im afraid that within a few weeks they will develop a bark and the moisture wont be able to escape them.. 
Any guides how to recognize dry rings developed by smoking? I had experiences with drying process rings , but the smoking one seems nice at this point , but given that it is just a beggining of a drying process im a bit concerned.


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## chopsaw (Feb 16, 2021)

I wasn't sure if you were further drying or not . My comment was for hams that were taken to a safe to eat temp in the smokehouse .


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## BarberMeatHead (Feb 16, 2021)

Im guessing i did run it for too long. I had a batch of sausages i fermented and placed in the smokehouse day later and they ran for 10-20hrs they looked brown and softer then the others.


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