Lancaster County Dried Beef

[Devo]

Saw this on facebook of all places :whistle: but it looked good and wanted to give it a shot. Now the recipe calls for 130 IT but I like mine taken to 152 IT. I have made this before with pork and I-of-round and I prefer 152 IT. My temps are different also for my smoker. I go 150 F for 40 minutes and than apply smoke and increase temps to 200 F til The IT reaches 152 degrees.

Ingredients
● 3-5 Lbs beef round roasts
● 1 Tbsp. Tenderquick for each lb. of beef (I use my maple bacon powder cure)
● 1 Tbsp. Brown Sugar for each lb. of beef
● 1 Tbsp. Cracked black pepper
● 1 tsp. garlic powder
● 3 bay leaves (crushed)
● 1 dried chili pepper (crushed)
● 10 juniper berries (crushed)
Directions
Trim beef well of all fat and sinew. Mix all cure ingredients together in a bowl. Rub cure over entire surface of meat. Coat well. Place roasts along with remaining cure into a gallon ziploc bag. Place bag into fridge for 12 days, turning every couple days.
Smoke at 130 F. For 8-12 hours.
Bump smoker up to 160 F. And smoke until internal temp of meat reaches 135 F.
Place roasts back into fridge (uncovered) for 5 days to dry before slicing. Slice thin

So out of the liquid brine after 7 days. I gave it a days rest in the fridge and sprinkled it with a garlic & pepper dry rub.



This where I change it up a bit also. I gave it a brushing of maple syrup at an IT of 110 and again at 120.





Did I mention the wind chill at the time I am typing is -28

Going to leave it in the fridge for a couple of days like it was suggested in the recipe. Than I will slice it up and vac pack.

All finished at IT of 152 F

[Bob K]

Wow that looks good!
I know you sampled it before refrigerating . How was it?
At those temps you must be smoking in a building?

[Devo]

Wow that looks good!
I know you sampled it before refrigerating . How was it?
At those temps you must be smoking in a building?

LOL nope the smoker is out on the deck. Don't waist to much time checking on it. Thats why a PID controller is nice. I had it set to shut down the smoker when the IT got to 152°F
As for the taste because I use the maple cure it has almost a pastrami taste to it. Making Canadian bacon the recipe is very similar.
I have two smokers inside the little shed, keeps the wind from effecting the smoker temps.

[redzed]

Wow! That colour is amazing! I don't think it would have lasted too long at my house. I'm sure it tastes good thinly sliced hot or cold. Definitely would have not packed and frozen any! But I probably would have taken it to only 130 as the recipe suggested.