# Dried Venison Loin



## doongie (Jan 2, 2021)

I made some dried venison loin today, total about 6-1/2 lbs.  Three deer worth of inner and outer loins.

A while back I tried Bearcarver’s dried beef recipe and really liked it, but decided to change from using TQ to Cure#1.  I’ve made several batches and am very happy with my recipe now.  

Since I am not using TQ, I needed something to mix the small amount of cure with to get better distribution, so I use a dry rub.  I like the Beef dry rub sold by Angelo’s BBQ in Ft Worth TX.  They were kind enough to give me an idea how much salt is in it, so I use diggindog’s calculator and calculate how much cure and how much rub, then I rub each piece of meat with the proper amount and cure in my fridge for the appropriate amount of time.  I choose not to include any sugar, but I think I will get some beef and experiment with that a little bit.  I also bought Jeff’s recipes, so I will also experiment to see if I like Jeff’s rub better than what I get from Angelo’s.  However, what I did today is what I know works, and gets such good reviews a friend asked me to make some from his deer loins.

I did not get a pic of the first rack before going in, and I did not get a pic when they came out, but, here’s what I did get.  The center rack only took 4 hrs to get up to 160, so I pulled them early, hope the texture is good.  The others took near 7 hrs and will be fine.  Used my AMNPS for about 5-6 hrs.

I’ll vacuum pack and freeze whole, and slice when I thaw for use.


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## crazymoon (Jan 3, 2021)

D,Looking good , I can't wait to see a sliced shot of your finished product.


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## smokerjim (Jan 3, 2021)

Looking good


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## doongie (Jan 5, 2021)

crazymoon said:


> D,Looking good , I can't wait to see a sliced shot of your finished product.



The money shot.

I tried a couple times before I figured out the slow rise in temp over time brought the “dried” texture part of it, which is what makes it.  That is the best part, it intensifies the flavor of the meat, and because of the cure it has a bit of a ham character, so those who don’t generally like venison actually like this.  The Angelo’s beef rub bark seals the deal.


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## hoity toit (Jan 8, 2021)

Looks like it won't last long. You must have nailed it to perfection.

HT


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## 73saint (Jan 8, 2021)

I really like the texture.  Got to try this, LIKE!!!


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## Sowsage (Jan 8, 2021)

Looks good! Making me hungry!!


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## uncle eddie (Jan 8, 2021)

crazymoon said:


> D,Looking good , I can't wait to see a sliced shot of your finished product.



Me too.  Really curious.  

With the meat processing plants shut down due to the Kung-Flu, the small meat-lockers that we used to bring our deer to were butchering beef...no time for deer.  This looks like a great idea for butchering one ourselves.  Big Like!


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## Fueling Around (Jan 8, 2021)

Congrats on the carousel ride.
I love dried venison. The best locker (now closed) always used rear haunch (round) roast for dried.
I would have a hard time giving up my back straps and chops for dried, but you have me looking and thinking


doongie said:


> ...
> I tried a couple times before I figured out the slow rise in temp over time brought the “dried” texture part of it, which is what makes it.  That is the best part, it intensifies the flavor of the meat, and because of the cure it has a bit of a ham character, so those who don’t generally like venison actually like this.  The Angelo’s beef rub bark seals the deal.


Our morning coffee club has enough hunters and smokers that we periodically get treats.  We all comment that many people that don't like fresh game will gobble it down if processed.  For me, I don't like bear, no matter how one tries to disguise it.


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## poacherjoe (Jan 8, 2021)

Looks real good ! Now where can I find three deer ???


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## Brokenhandle (Jan 9, 2021)

poacherjoe said:


> Looks real good ! Now where can I find three deer ???


Just go drive around in your car around dusk! At least around here anyway.   

That sure does look good! Not sure I could use loin or tenders either but still have plenty of roasts! Thanks for sharing!

Ryan


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## HalfSmoked (Jan 9, 2021)

Looks great good job.

Warren


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## doongie (Jan 10, 2021)

Fueling Around said:


> I would have a hard time giving up my back straps





Brokenhandle said:


> Not sure I could use loin or tenders either



I completely understand, I also had a hard time with the decision, but it is the leanest cut, cures quickly, and dries relatively quickly.  Plus my wife will eat it.

If one were to break down a larger lean roast into smaller cuts it would probably be fine, but a full 3 lb roast may have issues with dry cure penetration and I would assume take much longer in the smoker.  A brine cure like Pops might work better for a whole roast, but the drying process might get real long.
Either way, it’s gotta be real lean, venison fat can be pretty “gamey”.


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## doongie (Jan 10, 2021)

Thanks for making this a featured post!


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## doongie (Nov 13, 2022)

Just made a new batch yesterday.  
The top 2 are whitetail backstraps.  Yes, they’re small, I cut them in smaller pieces to fit in the freezer better.

The bottom 4 are Pronghorn backstraps from New Mexico.  A friend of mine went out there to film a friend of his hunting and was given some of the meat.  We tasted a plain piece of the pronghorn the day I cured all this, salt and pepper on the pellet grill till medium rare, it was excellent!  Can’t wait to try it dried like this.  Even the ladies who don’t like venison were impressed with how good it was.


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## Brokenhandle (Nov 13, 2022)

Now I'm hungry!

Ryan


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## tbern (Nov 13, 2022)

does look very good!!


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## JLeonard (Nov 13, 2022)

hoity toit said:


> Looks like it won't last long. You must have nailed it to perfection.
> 
> HT


Yeah, I think I'd just walk around with a chunk in my hand gnawing on it. Looks mighty fine.
Jim


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