Dried beef, sometimes called chipped beef, is a versatile cured and dried meat product that can be used in many dishes. While you can buy it pre-packaged, making your own homemade dried beef is deeply satisfying and allows you to control the ingredients.
In this comprehensive guide, I’ll take you through the basic process of making dried beef at home from start to finish using easy-to-follow steps. Let’s get started!
Why Make Your Own Dried Beef?
Here are some of the best reasons to try doing it yourself:
-
Avoid preservatives – Store-bought dried beef often contains nitrates, nitrites, and other preservatives. When you DIY, you control what goes in the meat.
-
Customize flavors – With homemade, you can add your own choice of spices and flavorings.
-
Save money – Pre-packaged dried beef can be expensive, Making it at home costs a fraction of the price
-
Fun weekend project – It’s an engaging hands-on activity and the results are delicious
Ingredients Needed for Homemade Dried Beef
You don’t need a lot of fancy ingredients to make great dried beef at home:
-
Beef roast – Top round or eye of round work well. Choose a 3-5 lb roast.
-
Curing salt – This provides flavor and preserves the meat Morton Tender Quick is a good choice
-
Sugar – Helps counterbalance salty flavor. Granulated white sugar is commonly used.
-
Spices and herbs – Customize flavors with garlic, pepper, coriander, juniper berries, etc.
-
Curing bag or container – Food-safe plastic bag or plastic container for curing.
-
Smoker or oven – For cooking and drying the cured meat.
Step-by-Step Instructions for Homemade Dried Beef
Follow these simple steps for foolproof results:
1. Prepare the Meat
- Rinse beef roast and pat dry. Trim off any excess fat or silver skin.
- Cut roast into 1-2 inch thick slabs. Keep them as uniform as possible.
2. Make Curing Mixture
- In a bowl, mix together 2 tbsp curing salt per 1 lb of meat.
- Add 1 tsp sugar per lb of meat.
- Add any spices like black pepper, garlic powder, etc.
3. Apply Curing Mixture
- Rub the curing mix evenly all over the meat slabs.
- Really work it into every crevice and surface.
- Stack slabs and wrap tightly in plastic wrap.
4. Cure the Meat
- Place the wrapped meat stack in a curing bag or container.
- Remove excess air. Refrigerate for 7-10 days, flipping occasionally.
5. Rinse and Dry
- After curing, remove meat and rinse off cure mixture. Pat very dry.
- Optionally let it air dry in the fridge for a few hours before smoking.
6. Smoke and Dry
- Smoke meat at 150-170°F until internal temp reaches 145°F.
- Bump temp up to 170-190°F to fully dry it out for 2-3 hours until hardened.
- Let cool. Slice thin against the grain and enjoy!
With these simple steps, you’ll have delicious homemade dried beef ready to use however you like. Slice it thin for sandwiches and snacks, dice it up for omelets or pasta, or eat it straight as a protein-packed meat bite.
The satisfying DIY process lets you control the quality and flavor. While it takes some time and patience, the hands-on experience of making dried beef from scratch is extremely rewarding. I hope you’ll give this classic meat project a try soon. Enjoy!
Step 2: Fillet the Meat
Well, I bought a full piece of meat and had to cut it into small stripes. The smaller, the less time it takes the meat to dry.
With my trusty wooden cutting board and knife, I cut the meat into 10–15 cm long strips spaced about 0 5cm thickness.
Then I washed the stripes with warm water and place them in a sandwich box.
Step 3: Add the Spices, Salt and Vinegar and Get Messy
It’s okay to make changes here, but there are a few things that must be included in the recipe:
-Vinegar – mandatory because it cleans the meat and acts as preservative. Because vinegar is acidic, it can stay fresh for a very long time without having to be refrigerated.
– Salt – also a must, acts as natural preservative and also for taste
– Marjoram – optional but I always use it
– Ground pepper – optional
– Hot Pepper – optional, I always use it when I’m cooking just for me
– Thyme – optional but I always use it
Mix all the ingredients in a bowl or you can put all the ingredients on the meat.
Poor the marinated sauce on the meat and, with your hands, start mixing everything really good.
After I finished, I sealed the box and and give it a good shake.
Leave the box in the fridge for a couple of hours, I left it for 12 hours.
How to make dried meat at home
FAQ
What cut of meat is used for dried beef?
How do you make your own dried meat?
What is the process of drying beef?
How to dry beef Jerkies?
Once your meat is polished, you have to slice it into strips. Make the slices as thin as possible, so that the drying process is fast and smooth. Also, don’t forget that you have to slice against the grain, as this will keep the beef moderately tender. This is the ideal texture for dried beef and jerkies.
How do you prepare dried beef?
To prepare dried beef, start by selecting lean cuts of beef and using curing salt instead of regular or kosher salt. Lean cuts of beef, such as eye of round or top round, work best for making dried beef. They have less fat, which helps in the drying process. When it comes to seasoning, the options are endless.
How to make dried beef taste good?
Vinegar – This one is important because it will serve as the preservative of the ingredient. It also cleanses the meat. With this, the meat can last long even without refrigeration. Salt – The combination of salt and vinegar improves the overall lifespan of the dried beef. It will also enhance the taste of your delicacy.
How to make dried beef last a long time?
Here are they: Vinegar – This one is important because it will serve as the preservative of the ingredient. It also cleanses the meat. With this, the meat can last long even without refrigeration. Salt – The combination of salt and vinegar improves the overall lifespan of the dried beef.