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  • Dried Beef Step by Step (My Best Ever)

    Dried Beef Step by Step (My Best Ever)

    I decided to write this one up the best I can, because this stuff is Awesome, and I'd like as many of you as possible to get to taste this stuff!!!
    It's really very easy to make:



    When I was carrying a lunch box, I used to always have two Sammies in there.
    If Mrs Bear put two Ham & Cheese in there, after 3 days, I'd get tired of it.
    If it was Roast Beef, same thing after 3 or 4 days.
    Lebanon & Cheese, maybe only two days & I was tired of it.
    But Dried Beef was different, I could eat that for months, but it was always too expensive!!!

    Dried Beef and American Cheese with Miracle Whip (or Mayo) on white bread has always been my favorite "lunch-box" sammy. That's what I carried on Construction jobs, Beth Steel jobs, Cabinetmaking jobs, and Deck jobs (also when fishing or hunting).
    Just about every deer I ever shot had at least one hind quarter turned into "Dried Venison" by one of our local butcher shops in SE Pennsylvania.

    Now I can finally make my own. I made my first batch nearly 3 years ago, and they just keep getting better and better!

    If I don't have any Venison, I just get some lean beef. Eye Round works the best for me---Nice shape, and very little trimming needed.

    I'll try to make this as easy as I can, so anybody can do what I just learned how to do about 3 years ago.

    Day #1 (Prepping & starting the cure):
    First I found some Beef Eye Round at $2.99 per pound, the cheapest I've seen it for years.
    I got 4 roasts, equalling a total of 15 pounds, and after trimming all the fat off, I still had exactly 14 pounds of nice lean red Beef.

    Then I weighed each piece, and put them each on their own plate, and marked the plates they were on with those weights.
    Then I calculated the proper amount of Tender Quick for each piece, and put that on separate smaller plates.
    I use the suggested amount, which is 1/2 ounce of TQ for every pound of meat.
    Rub the proper amount of TQ on each piece, along with about 1 tsp of Brown Sugar per pound.
    Then put each piece in a Zip-lock bag, along with any cure that fell off before it went into the bag.
    That cure was measured for each piece, so it must stay with the piece it was designated for.

    Then the bags go into the fridge at temperatures between 35˚ and 40˚ (I keep mine at 37˚-38˚).
    To calculate how long to cure in fridge, I use the following method:
    One day for every 1/2" of thickness of the thickest piece.
    Then add 2 days for the absolute minimum number of days.
    I then add 2 or 3 days to that for more safety, and to pick a day I like to smoke.
    You can add another couple days if you can't smoke on one of those days.

    My largest piece was 2 3/4" thick, so that gives me 6 days, plus 2 days for an absolute minimum of 8 days.
    Then I usually add 2 more days for safety, but this time I added 4 more days (12 total days), so I could smoke it on a day I had nothing else to do.

    Day #13 (Remove from cure, and Prep for Smoking):
    So after 12 days curing, I rinsed all 4 pieces off.
    I usually soak my cured meats for a half hour or an hour, but since I never get any salt flavor, I decided not to this time.
    I cut the biggest piece in half, and took a slice from the middle for my testing.
    The center was dark reddish pink, so it was obvious that the cure got all the way in, and there was only a very slight salt flavor---Perfect!

    I dried the pieces off, and managed to get them all laid out on one smoker shelf, after sprinkling some Black Pepper, Garlic Powder, and Onion Powder on both sides.
    Then back into my meat fridge to await the next day's smoking.

    Day #14 (Smoking Time):
    6:00AM------------Preheat Smoker to 140˚.
    6:30AM------------Put meat on 2nd position in MES. Sterilize Probes, and insert. Fill AMNS with Hickory Dust & light one end.
    7:00AM------------Put AMNS on bars to left of Chip Drawer.
    8:00AM------------Meat at 77˚ IT.
    9:00AM------------Meat at 98˚ IT.
    10:00AM----------Meat 108˚.
    11:00AM----------Meat 114˚.
    12:00Noon-------Meat 116˚. Bump Heat up to 180˚.
    1:00PM-----------Meat 120˚.
    2:00PM-----------Meat 124˚. Only 2" of Dust left to burn. I added about 1 1/4 rows of Hickory pellets next to burning Dust to ignite it.
    2:00PM-----------Also Bump Heat up to 180˚.
    3:00PM-----------Meat 132˚.
    4:00PM-----------Meat 135˚.
    5:00PM-----------Meat 137˚. Bump Heat to 200˚.
    6:00PM-----------Meat 142˚.
    7:00PM-----------Meat 147˚.
    8:00PM-----------Meat 152˚.
    9:00PM-----------Meat 157˚. AMNS ran out of fuel.
    10:00PM---------Meat Temps from 158˚ to 162˚. Pulled all out of smoker.

    Rinsed all pieces, patted dry, and cooled down to 100˚.
    Then put in a bowl, and put in meat fridge for a couple days.

    Day #16 (Slicing & Freezing):
    Two days later, I moved the pieces to the freezer for 4 hours, and then sliced it all up.
    I sliced the ends a little thicker for my Son.
    He says the end slices are better tasting than any Jerky he ever had.
    Then I sliced the rest as thin as I could, while still keeping it in full slices.

    I ended up with 10 pounds, 2 ounces of the Best Dried Beef I ever tasted.

    I put about 1/3 pound in each vacuum pack, and froze all but what we would eat in a few days.

    I tried not to miss anything, but I'll try to answer any questions anyone has.




    Bear




    Trimming fat from 15 pounds of Eye Round Roast:



    14 pounds left after trimming:



    All weighed, and proper amounts of TQ in small plates to match each piece:



    All ready for 12 days of curing:



    Juice left in all 4 bags, after curing, was 7 ounces:



    Sliced for Salt-fry Test. Color shows cure reached to center:



    Salt-fry Test in progress:



    Test showed "Just Right":



    Ready for overnight in fridge before smoking day:



    All pieces cut in half, and ready for slicing real thin:



    Closeup to show color:



    Victims all lined up:



    All sliced up:
    9 pounds, 7 ounces of slices, and 11 ounces of ends.
    Total-----10 pounds, 2 ounces from 14 pounds of raw trimmed Eye Rounds:



    Closeup of slices:



    All ready for eating & freezing:
    Last edited by Bearcarver; 02-20-2016, 09:28 AM.
    Vietnam Vet---9th Inf. Div. Mekong Delta (1969)
    Easy to follow Step By Steps: Pulled Cured Boston Butt Ham and Buckboard Bacon--Smoked Salmon-- Bacon-On-A-Stick--Bacon (Extra Smokey)--Boneless Cured & Smoked Pork Chops & CB--Canadian Bacon & Dried Beef--Ham Twins (Double Smoked)--Double Smoked Hams X 4--Bear Logs (All Beef--Unstuffed)--Smoked Bear Loaf (All Beef-Mild Hot)--Prime Rib (My Best ever)--Another Prime Rib--Chucky (Pulled Beef)--Twin Chuckies--Pork and Beef Spares--Rare Beef (for Sammies)--Raspberry Chiffon Pie---


    Mom & 4 Cub litter---Potter County, PA:

  • #2
    I am soooo gonna make this happpen soon! if they let me :D
    I rub it every chance I get!




    QUOTE = Meat Hunter

    Granted, all this is just in my head. Until I win the lotto, or my career as a stripper pays off, I'm forced to use the kitchen counter....

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    • #3
      Nice work Bear. I bet that'd be mighty nice for sammies. Do you serve it cold and just thaw it out before making sammies, or do you heat it up at all? I'll have to give this a shot! for the wonderful tutorial!!!
      Don

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      • #4
        Great job Bear!! those look really yummy!!! on this one!!
        Brian

        Certified Sausage & Pepper Head
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        • #5
          That looks great! Never heard of dried beef before this forum, what the texture like?
          Mike
          Life In Pit Row

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          • #6
            -Top Shelf
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            • #7
              Originally posted by someAZdude View Post
              I am soooo gonna make this happpen soon! if they let me :D
              Thank You AzDude!!

              Bear


              Originally posted by tadowdaddy View Post
              Nice work Bear. I bet that'd be mighty nice for sammies. Do you serve it cold and just thaw it out before making sammies, or do you heat it up at all? I'll have to give this a shot! for the wonderful tutorial!!!
              Thanks Don!!
              Just thaw it, and treat it like lunchmeat. It has to be cold. It's not near as good heated IMO.
              Many people make Dried Beef & Gravy with it, which is hot, and that is good too, but IMO you're cooking a lot of the awesome flavor out of it.
              Although Dried Beef & Gravy is much better than actual SOS, which is made with ground beef.

              I really like to snack with it, but it lasts longer if you make sammies with it.

              Then there is an awesome Hors d'oeuvre made with this stuff:
              You mix Philly Cream Cheese with Horse Radish.
              Then spread it on a slice of Dried Beef.
              Then roll it up.
              Then cut it in bite size pieces.
              AWESOME !!!!
              Gotta make a whole tray full, because it goes really fast, especially if I'm there!!!!

              LOL---I should do a short, simple post on that.

              Bear
              Vietnam Vet---9th Inf. Div. Mekong Delta (1969)
              Easy to follow Step By Steps: Pulled Cured Boston Butt Ham and Buckboard Bacon--Smoked Salmon-- Bacon-On-A-Stick--Bacon (Extra Smokey)--Boneless Cured & Smoked Pork Chops & CB--Canadian Bacon & Dried Beef--Ham Twins (Double Smoked)--Double Smoked Hams X 4--Bear Logs (All Beef--Unstuffed)--Smoked Bear Loaf (All Beef-Mild Hot)--Prime Rib (My Best ever)--Another Prime Rib--Chucky (Pulled Beef)--Twin Chuckies--Pork and Beef Spares--Rare Beef (for Sammies)--Raspberry Chiffon Pie---


              Mom & 4 Cub litter---Potter County, PA:

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              • #8
                Originally posted by Fishawn View Post
                -Top Shelf
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                Yeah me too!
                JT

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                • #9
                  Originally posted by Whisky Fish View Post
                  Yeah me too!
                  Without reservation.
                  Lang 36 Patio, a few Webers, 2 Eggs, plenty of gadgets and a MES 40 Gen 2.5 electric for bacon and sausage.
                  My best asset however is the inspiration from the members on this forum.

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                  • #10
                    WOW!! That looks awesome!! I like to fry some up for on egg sammie too.
                    It's funny how you hear about SOS (hamurger gravy), southern sausage gravy, but unless you're from up in here you don't really hear of creamed dried beef. Same difference as the others, but much better! This is very expensive to buy. I was getting meat the other day and saw that it was $11.99 a pound!

                    Bear you sliced yours thinker than what we get, we usually get it chipped so that it's almost paper thin. Imagine the look on the ladies face last year when I had to order 5 lbs for a tailgate breakfast and needed them all chipped! She was NOT happy.

                    I love that appetizer too!! Some people will put slivers of pickle in there wrapped up too, but I don't care for that.
                    I'm definitely going to have to try this some time fo sho!!

                    Mustang electric smoker
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                    • #11
                      Originally posted by barkonbutts View Post
                      Great job Bear!! those look really yummy!!! on this one!!
                      Thank You Brian!!

                      Bear


                      Originally posted by PitRow View Post
                      That looks great! Never heard of dried beef before this forum, what the texture like?

                      Thanks PitRow!!

                      I'll explain the texture the best I can. Store bought Dried Beef is much drier than mine, and very salty. I think they do that because they package it in plastic bags & vacuum packed jars, and stores show the packages on non-refrigerated shelves.
                      The closest thing to mine would be the Dried Beef made at small butcher shops, and most of them are more salty & drier than mine too. I could make mine that dry, but it would take another day or two of smoking & drying, and I like mine much better the way it is.
                      Mine is sliced very thin, across grain, and it melts in your mouth. It has a taste of it's own that anyone who ever had good Dried Beef knows, so I would have to say if you could find a tender melt in your mouth Jerky, that would be it. I've never seen tender Jerky, but that would be it.


                      Bear
                      Vietnam Vet---9th Inf. Div. Mekong Delta (1969)
                      Easy to follow Step By Steps: Pulled Cured Boston Butt Ham and Buckboard Bacon--Smoked Salmon-- Bacon-On-A-Stick--Bacon (Extra Smokey)--Boneless Cured & Smoked Pork Chops & CB--Canadian Bacon & Dried Beef--Ham Twins (Double Smoked)--Double Smoked Hams X 4--Bear Logs (All Beef--Unstuffed)--Smoked Bear Loaf (All Beef-Mild Hot)--Prime Rib (My Best ever)--Another Prime Rib--Chucky (Pulled Beef)--Twin Chuckies--Pork and Beef Spares--Rare Beef (for Sammies)--Raspberry Chiffon Pie---


                      Mom & 4 Cub litter---Potter County, PA:

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                      • #12
                        Holy smokes Papa Bear! That looks so pretty. I've not tried that before and it sounds delicious. Thanks for the wonderful tutorials you put out there for us. I sure do appreciate it.

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                        • #13
                          Very nice Bear. Thanks for the post
                          Keith

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                          • #14
                            Island of Misfit Smokers Member #92

                            How to heal the world. Love people and feed them tasty food.

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                            • #15
                              Very nice bear. I like my sammie with butter. I love chipped beef on toas
                              t. and the wife makes a great casserole with it basically noodles, cheese and dried. beef. I need to try making this.
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