How to Dry, Cure and Smoke meat All in one video

[@ivanvlasic988]

West Auckland, New Zealand born, parents came from Pupnat, Korcula. First thing old man did when got his own property, was build a stone and concrete smoke house.

[@VelebitMountainMan]

That's it brother keep the tradition alive...

[@ivanvlasic988]

@@VelebitMountainMan we shure are cuz. We use manuka over here and do batches with a bit of feijoa, plum or grapevine from pruning off the the property

[@ivanvlasic988]

@@VelebitMountainMan Hvala, you too

[@dirtyswar]

@@ivanvlasic988 I'm going to use the grapevine on my next smoke session. That's a great idea

[@nz-nz]

West Auckland here too 🙌

[@nathanadrian7797]

Wow, I am so impressed! I would have never expected something like this happening in a large city. I live in the country, and even out here in the boonies most people just go to the store for what they want! I hunt, fish, raise a few cows and hogs, and butcher all my own meat, and I can't wait to acquire these skills. I already make ham, sausage and bacon, but it still needs refrigeration when I am done. This will be the next step in my education, thank you. Greetings and respect from southern B.C. Canada!

[@marymciver6026]

My grandmother used to wash it, dry it as salt pepper put it in a flower bag use a hook and hang it up in our porch till it dried delicious!!!

[@rechenobrigon2445]

it is really informative. i am a university student taking food processing technology course from the Philippines. Thank You for this

[@HydrantMaster1975]

It’s that time of year!!! I have two loins that or salted each wing 3 1/2 kg Tomorrow, I order two capocollo‘s and four pork shoulders to make salami!!! Over 10 years I’m producing at home and I use 2% salt content 13°C at 70 to 80% humidity. No complaints other than I didn’t make enough for everybody. Lol. Enjoy guys and girls and keep the traditions alive for many more generations to come. God bless.

[@VelebitMountainMan]

I love it! I'm with you, weather is finally cold, next weekend I'm meeting my butcher and starting the prosciutto, can't wait!

[@brady8877]

What would happen if you skipped the salting stage and went straight to the smoke house?

[@HydrantMaster1975]

Just an educated guest here my opinion is your product will go straight to the garbage bin. I don’t smoke any of my products never have Although I’ve heard sometimes it’s for flavour sometimes it’s for drying and a lot of times it’s for pest control. Salt is being used for many years for curing meats, not only by Italians, but by people around the world. The salt draws out the moisture from the meat which allows the end result to be shelf stable. I used Curing salt Purchase from My butcher. I did further research and realized how potent that stuff is and a very minor miscalculation could seriously hurt somebody. And also many medical studies Available proven to create Cancers From The nitrates and Nitrites Especially in men. 2% Straight Sea salt is the bare minimum needed for curing meat. I use this For everything including my whole muscle projects. Fine sea salt made by Aurora. Over 25 years has been my choice Check The label on The box there should only be one ingredient. I know it seems silly, but you wouldn’t imagine the other shit that they put in there anti cake agents Iodine Etc. I am turning 50 this year and I learned not to F with the old school And any message or teachings they provide. And now I am the old-school. My advice respect the old school and their methods. They fed their families for years from the fields with no refrigeration. Their methods are tied tested, and true. It’s just my opinion however I’d like to experiment as well, so there’s nothing wrong with trying a little piece of meat and skipping this and skipping that and do your own experiments and conclusions. Good luck hope this helped

[@AhJodie]

Beautiful! It all looks so beautiful, and my mouth is watering! Thank you for showing us all how to do this.

[@andrewskrypnyk601]

I luv the way that you demonstrate drawing out the water with your hand! Awesome! 😂

[@justanotherday08]

This is wild i had no idea meat can be preserved I mean i knew it can be turned to jerky but not this without going bad So thank you very much for this video!

[@osuseniprokelj9813]

Well done man suvo meso is the best.. greeting from serbia...

[@nordwest23]

Really excellent video! You show it like it is and do not over complicate it😎

[@Hato1992]

It's so different from what I know from Poland. Here we usually use saltpeter and salt to make brine and put meat there. It takes about week to 2 for meat to be ready to smoking. And at my home it was usually made this way: first high temperature from flames to make it cook it outside and close meat, then on lower heat smoking for few hours.

[@VelebitMountainMan]

The Polish are some of the best meat and sausage makers in the world. This technique is different because we have a warmer climate in Croatia, and our curing techniques evolved with our location. You should give this a try, you'll like it!

[@miroslavbeno8584]

Slová, paprika , slanina pršut, sú aj v slovenskom jazyku!! Zdravím zo Slovenska. Hvala vam iz Slovačke ljubav!

[@aldomoro5736]

То је српски Бато, сви словенски језици потичу одатле ;)

[@duje44]

@@aldomoro5736 Da nije hrvata, pričali bi turski

[@jackMeought-fr8vl]

I don't speak any Slovenian but I got like 60-70% of that

[@dakotaheeren7468]

if you put the meat on a rack while its salting you shouldnt need to flip it or if your rack is high enough even empty the tray until you're done so you can just leave it sit and save some work. alternatively you could suspend it above the tray (or above the ground for anybody who has a floor drain and just rinse the floor off when done)

[@YvesStOnge]

This 😂a wonderful set up 😂love it.

[@YvesStOnge]

Love it men

[@helihoot]

Great video. How do you slowly control the humidity in a garage?

[@MegaMarkoTV]

Dobar si stari! Vise soli - vise vina 💪🏼

[@VelebitMountainMan]

LoL i zera rakije🥃

[@ruggedaustralia7136]

Greate tutorial i have a question when turning the meat and throwing out the salty water do you resalt the meat or just the one time duing the salting process

[@VelebitMountainMan]

Just the one time. There is a process where you salt it twice 1.5% each time, but I didn't find any benefit to doing it twice.

[@DarkWishes13]

You might have all these people fooled but i know where your from good VID thankyou

[@billwardlow8907]

This is really cool, just learning about this. How do you keep flies away from your meat in the garage?

[@VelebitMountainMan]

I only smoke and cure seasonally, fall and winter. Usually I wait for the evening temps to be around 30F. The one thing Chicago doesn't lack is cold weather... The other thing you can do is build a screen box. I've been meaning to make one but haven't had time. Couple 2x4's and some window screen material and your set.

[@billwardlow8907]

@@VelebitMountainMan Thank you for this great information and content

[@JMTKD1]

What type of wood did you use for the smoke house?

[@VelebitMountainMan]

Pine and cedar for the roof. Unfortunately I built it during covid and the lumber crisis, the 1x3 pine was so bad I couldn't use it to fill in the walls and I used plywood. I'll pop out the panels in a few years and swap them out with solid pine.

[@jasminkapic9492]

Good explanation. Great video. Thank you Sir

[@KatMa664]

Amazing how do you control the humidity?

[@VelebitMountainMan]

I built a cure room in my basement and dropped in a small fan and a humidifier. You can check out the video here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qXm7n56Yodt0itU

[@1983CRO]

The weather here in Texas is weird. Cold for a few days and then it goes up to 60 to 70 for a couple of days, then back down

[@albertgarcia2020]

you have it hanging on racks in your shed. How do you keep the flies from getting to the meat? Does the salt make them not want to get on the meat or is it because you are up north and it is cold. I am in texas and it is never cold long enough to get rid of the flies.

[@giangos100]

How do you air dry meat in hotter countries though? and smoking as well my smoker before starting is at 30 degrees , like the outside temperature.

[@MR-fx5td]

How do you salt cure exactly ? With a water+salt solution ? Or just putting salt on it directly ? The juice comes out of the meat, and it probably dissolves the salt no ?

[@danssv8]

Love your smoke house setup

[@maithem212]

Cool! I understand the salting process and how it removes water, but what's the role of smoking at low temperature? Also how long does the meat keep once its dry enough? Thanks for the info!

[@VelebitMountainMan]

Smoke enhanced flavor but it's optional, it also acts as a preservative and helps ward off pests like flies. Once it's done curing and loses the weight I strongly recommend vacuum sealing and freezing. Frozen it will last years, refrigerated it will last months and open air it will continue to dry until it becomes too dry to eat.

[@DuckGuy-1957]

I do basically the same here in NW Oregon, but it's something I can only do in the winter. (like you I'm sure)

[@noturfather1106]

Nice pfp lol

[@sandilindemuth121]

Also how do you keep the smoke keep going during the smoking process .Do you use wood ... green wood. woodchups... What type of wood do you recommend..

[@nickn6223]

Cherry and applewood is best

[@summerforever6736]

Oak is good too

[@radinajevdevic7491]

Hope you see my question. I checked all the correspondence to check if anyone already asked this and no one did. We have similar set up as you, wooden smoke house similar size with small stove to produce smoke that comes through the bottom of smoker via pebbles filter. We are in British Columbia and started to smoke meat for the first time. However those days happened to be very humid outside with humidity being close to 100%. TEmperature outside is close to 0 or 1 celsisus (33 F). WE are smoking our first lot for 6 days now. However our every smoke turned out into condensation from inside and on the meat. Huge dissapointment. The worst is the first smoke then we increased ventilation by opening a whole on the bottom of smoker and keeping the door a bit ajar. We also reduced fire so that reduced condensation significantly We assumed that smoking dries meat but clearly its not, The wood we used is still not fully dried, mapple, it probably also introduced additional moisture. You mentioned that you use little heater inside teh smokehouse and used when it was very cold. Can you tell us please do you think if we use heater with some fan action would that help us? How much we should use heat so that we do not raise temeprature too much to cause meat to spoil. How often to heat and when during the smoking Can we stil use this batch of meat. I guess it may have some issue with tast due to condensation but we can continue drying it and curing it in garage for additional few weeks as you suggested in your videa. . Any insight would be greatly appreciated. Adnan

[@VelebitMountainMan]

Thank you for the comment, a lot of questions here, and I will try to answer, but if I miss something, please ask again. First, it sounds like the temperature of the smoke is too hot going into the smoke house. Use a aluminum duct pipe and use at least 5 or 6 feet. The extra distance will help give the smoke time to cool before it enters the smoke house. Second, use only fully dried wood. Your wood will put off stem if not fully dried and cause soot and moisture. Third, smoking does not cause the meat to dry, it flavors and preserves the meat. Putting your smoked meat into a curing chamber will facilitate drying. Fourth, try smoking for shorter periods of time with less wood and allow the meat to fully cool again before smoking the next time. Fifth, adding a heater would be a last resort. The heater will absolutely stop the condensation but will also cause the internal temperature of the meat to get into the danger zone for bacteria growth much quicker. I don't use a heater or a fan anymore. I redesigned my smokehouse to help move air quicker. I will still get a little condensation here and there but it's much better than before. Watch this: kzbin.info/www/bejne/nWjaYYebjbeEeac Also watch my video on pork loin, good info on curing chambers. Good luck, feel free to ask more questions!

[@radinajevdevic7491]

Cao Drug your tips and video helped a lot and we just finished our first batch of beef, all in one month, and it taste amazing despite a few initial problems with condensation inside the smoke house. Now we are on the second batch using pork loin and after salamura for 10 days we managed to do one smoke for 8 hours in our outside smoker, once the outside temperatures were around 28F (-2 C ). Next day and it seems for whole week we will be in deep freeze with temperatures on average around -6 to -17 F ( -21 to -27 C). We moved the meat back to the garage where it is comfortable 37 F (3C) and 55%. I guess you cannot do smoking when it is that cold outside ? If you do , do you have any suggestions e.g. should I use heater to raise temperature inside the smoker a bit? Or, should we wait? Would meat be comfortable and safe in the garage, slowly drying until warmer weather comes when we can continue with another 2-3 smokes? I do not have a condition room where I could raise humidity to 80% so the meat will be probably dying faster than ideal.

[@VelebitMountainMan]

Glad to hear it's going well, I would use a little heater or start the fire in the morning and then move the meso to the garage when the fire is 99% dead. Tonight is 15F outside so I'm going to smoke in the morning, meat is hanging in the garage at 33F. No issues with spoilage at those temps. Hanging it in the garage at 55% humidity isn't a problem either with whole muscle, only with sausage. Kobasice will get the skin at 55% pretty quick. Zvuči koda će bit ukusna zima kod vas, malo kupusa malo mesa, rakicu jednu, ili dvi... I nek pada sniga! Uživajte...

[@radinajevdevic7491]

hvala puno, ziv bio..ti si mi najvise pomogao sa svojim videima i odgovorima...@@VelebitMountainMan

[@beyondcalled8925]

Question do you have to smoke the meat for it to be preserved. Also if you just salt the meat and hang it to dry how long will it last and how long will it last if you smoke it

[@VelebitMountainMan]

Good question, you don't need to smoke the meat to preserve it but some say that the smoke does help to preserve the meat. In my opinion the smoking is primarily for flavor. If you want to preserve the meat you'll need to vacuum seal it once you've lost 35% of the original weight. If you don't vacuum seal it, it will continue to dry and become unedible. I personally like to dry it to about 40%, then seal it in a bag and throw it in the freezer for later use. If you vacuum seal it and freeze it the meat could last for years. I'm doing a experiment now by leaving vacuum sealed meat out at room temperature to see how long it will last, my guess is a few years.

[@angelp3487]

I’m in Chicago and this is all new and I want to try doing this I bought the 25lbs of inside top round meat. Now I’m going to built this weekend a smoke house like yours. Can you help me with the measurements of the seasoning and how thick to cut the meat?

[@angelp3487]

I’m by Irving park and Narragansett.

[@VelebitMountainMan]

The smoke house measures 24" deep, 36" wide, 48" tall with out the roof. The roof is pitched 45 degrees and add about 36" over the smoke box. Take a look at these two videos kzbin.info/www/bejne/qH2Uc2Rqd7KtkKM kzbin.info/www/bejne/nWjaYYebjbeEeac Btw, I'm on Gladstone Park

[@sandilindemuth121]

How do you get the smoke to go thru the smoke house... And how do you keep the smokegoing long enough to smoke flavor the meat.. How long is the smoking progress. Thank You

[@VelebitMountainMan]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/nWjaYYebjbeEeac Take a look at this video I think this will answer a lot of your questions.

[@philrebekah4286]

Great information. Would this process is best done in the winter months, December to March? Cheers from Toronto Ontario

[@VelebitMountainMan]

Yes, you want to keep the meat at "fridge" temperature at least until the cure has equalized. The risk of spoilage drops significantly once you've finished the cure process. Also cold smoking works better when Temps are just above 0c outside.

[@nicpipkin3445]

Curing you want around 37° Fahrenheit for 7- 30 days, depending on what you are curing, pork belly, or bacon as we call it, I cure for 7 days, hams, because they are bigger, I cure for 31 days, then smoke for around 24 hours at 165°, then I age for 9 months at 72° Fahrenheit for 9 months for a salt, or country cured ham, or I don't age for a sugar cured, or city ham. I am going to follow this video, you have good ideas, seems like you are just adding too much work to achieve the same end product, not knocking you, just adding constructive criticism if that is ok!

[@VelebitMountainMan]

My wife says constructive criticism is good, as long as she's giving it to me... LoL I always appreciate any comments and criticism, its the best way to learn and grow. There are lots of ways to skin a cat, some better than others, but its good to know them all...

[@albertwolanski7688]

What do you do if weather does not cooperate? I like slonina!

[@VelebitMountainMan]

Yes, good question, you open a beer, drink it, then hope tomorrow is better weather. If it's not, repeat the process. In all seriousness, you can cure the meat in a refrigerator in a covered plastic container. You will need some colder weather to smoke, best to do it at night. Ideally to start the drying process the temp should be around 55F, but as the meat dries the temp can go up a bit.

[@unclev7075]

Awesome! Can you do a video on smoke house build?

[@VelebitMountainMan]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/nWjaYYebjbeEeac Here you go...

[@doylemarkham1010]

What is the best wood to use for smoke house?

[@VelebitMountainMan]

I used pine and put on a cedar roof. Really, anything you have available.

[@JohnSmith-tv5ep]

Saw this video on my feed! What is your smoke house made from? Ceder? Really thinking about making one. Nice set up!

[@VelebitMountainMan]

Check out the upgraded version, made a few improvements... kzbin.info/www/bejne/nWjaYYebjbeEeacsi=veBhyRItEmp0E2Tt

[@titechaintrappers2492]

So, none of these meats needs to be refrigeration or need to be frozen. But do you still need to cook them or can they be eaten as is. Because theyvare cured. Thanks

[@VelebitMountainMan]

No refrigerator no freezer eat as is because it's cured and delicious

[@titechaintrappers2492]

@VelebitMountainMan But I still need to cook it first, right? Before I eat it even if it's cured. Thanks

[@VelebitMountainMan]

No cooking, it will ruin the flavor

[@titechaintrappers2492]

@VelebitMountainMan Ok, but it can be warm up some. How do you store it. And keep it from drying out or losing more weight on meat. What's your favorite meat to hang and store without a refrigerator or freezer Thanks for your help.

[@VelebitMountainMan]

Yes once you lose 35% of the original weight through the curing and drying process the meat is essentially shelf stable. You can then store it at room temperature or you can also cook with it. Check out some of my other videos, they go into greater detail. My favorite? Man, I love pork shoulder, it's so good, I have a video coming out this fall for how to make pork shoulder. But the undisputed king is pork leg, or prosciutto. It takes about 14 months to finish but it's so good it's worth the wait.

[@IMOO1896]

When your flipping the meat everyday and draining off the moisture, doesn’t the moisture remove the salt from the surface? No need to result?

[@VelebitMountainMan]

A little but no need to resalt, 3% has it covered.

[@BUDYOND]

What do you do about flies when hanging the meat

[@VelebitMountainMan]

Too cold for flies in Chicago in the winter. If you're curing in a warmer area build a screen house.

[@theoriginalchefboyoboy6025]

a loooooonnnnngg time ago, as a pizza delivery driver, I went to a house that just reeked of bacon in a delicious way. I mean, people living in this old wood house. Turns out it was the smokehouse for the farm that used to be there! The smell is just embedded in the walls permanently...

[@VelebitMountainMan]

It's my favorite smell!

[@fordguyfordguy]

are the ribs tough to eat? Seems they would be? thank you.

[@VelebitMountainMan]

Yes, you use them to cook with. Add them to stew, soups, etc for flavor and they soften up enough to eat.

[@vlad4281]

I remember my father's smoked Pršut had mould on it, I can't remember how that process works - can you shed some light on the Mould process and what is a good mould vs unsafe mould please

[@VelebitMountainMan]

Good question, I could write a lot on this topic but I'm going to try and keep it brief and to the point. On whole muscle meats like pršut mold isn't dangerous, when serving the meat cut it off and throw it out. IF, and this is a big IF, the meat smells good when you cut into it it's ok to eat. If the meat smells rancid or bad throw it out. A little mold on whole muscle pork cuts like shoulders, loins and legs is normal. I recommend taking a little vinegar and a clean rag and wiping out off. Monitor your humidity and lower if necessary, you can also add a fan in the cure room to circulate the air. Now on fermented sausage, or any cured sausage for that matter it's a whole different story. Sausage are much more susceptible to spoilage than whole muscle meats. Because sausage meat is cut into small bits, then mixed and cased there is much more of a chance to get a infection. It's really a race to dry the sausage before the spoilage bacteria take hold and ruin your sausage. Modern sausage makers will inoculate sausage with "good" mold and bacteria to over take the bad mold. So the question is why did my grandfather's sausage always have mold over but it was delicious and never spoiled? Because after years and years, decades and in some cases centuries of curing meat in the same rooms the "good" bacteria have taken over and are embedded in the walls, floors, ceilings and will colonize any meat cured in those rooms. There is something to be said about tradition and longevity. Next year I'll do a video for a batch of "good" moldy fermented sausage. It's actually delicious, think of Slavonski Kulen. That is a moldy and fermented sausage. Check this video out: kzbin.info/www/bejne/m3LCkKCYr9-baJY I had a mold issue because the humidity was too high, a good wipe and the sausage turned out awesome.

[@vlad4281]

Velebit Mountain Man Thanks for that, very much appreciated - I think I know what you mean about the walls and everything filled with the good bacteria - kind of explains why our konoba in the selo after all these years still smells so good :-) hvala

[@miroslavbeno8584]

@@VelebitMountainMan Keď dáte do klobás čierne mleté korenie ,soľ papriku štiplavú, cesnak, v správnom pomere a zaúdite, nemôže sa pokaziť na slnku keď budete pracovať na poli .! Iba pustí masť, ale nič sa nepokazí! Pozdravujem zo Slovenska.

[@itslowtide4690]

I wonder, is there a way to capture and recycle the smoke that vents out to minimize the multiple smoke sessions?

[@VelebitMountainMan]

I contimplated your question for a while, the only feasible solution would be to build a second smoke box above the existing so the smoke wouldn't wash away into wind but rather begin the smoke process on a second batch. Think of a daisy chain, or a thumper on a still. At some point the smoke will cool to much and lose its flavoring compounds and ability to draft your fire box.

[@stephenakaka6936]

How long do you allow the meat to rest between smoking sessions?

[@VelebitMountainMan]

Maybe 12 to 24 hours, ideally I start the smoker again in the morning or the next day. It's good for the meat to completely cool off again before you smoke the next time.

[@ventsyv]

What cut of beef do you use? Brisket?

[@VelebitMountainMan]

My favorite is eye of round

[@jamesalanstephensmith7930]

Very thorough!

[@GLBScruffy66]

What is the best temperature to keep you meat at?

[@VelebitMountainMan]

38F - 42F during the curing process, after its cured and reached equilibrium, you can raise the temp to 55F during the drying stage.

[@pyrojimmr2]

Great video! I’ve been searching for a way to do these ribs forever! I can usually get them from the deli, but would rather give it a try. I have a couple of questions - why dry cure the meat instead of brine? Do you use just salt, or do you also add some pink salt?

[@VelebitMountainMan]

We dry cure meat, or ribs, because we want the meat to be microbially stable and preserved. Water in the meat causes microbial instability so when you're dry curing & smoking meat you want to remove water from the meat and slowly "dry" or cure the meat. Brine will add water to the meat and should only be done when cooking the meat to 165 F like in BBQ or grilling. This year I changed my recipe and I only use salt. For most cuts of meat or ribs I use 3% salt and apply it at 1.5% the first day and an additional 1.5% salt the second day. The product comes out more firm and a little saltier but better in my opinion. I've used pink salt in the past but have't in the last two years. I'd also suggest using 75% Hickory and 25% cherry wood on your ribs. It makes for a really nice deep smokey flavor and the cherry adds a deep color and a bit of sweetness.

[@pyrojimmr2]

Thanks for your answer. Looking forward to giving this a try.

[@allentruitt8632]

I had a friend give me a sausage that I believe was done this way. I sliced it and tried to cook it but too hard. Is it supposed to be eaten like jersey? Just wondering.

[@VelebitMountainMan]

Yes, sliced thin eaten with bread, cheese, and either whiskey or brandy... makes for a really good night

[@allentruitt8632]

@@VelebitMountainMan thank you

[@thedebbieadams]

Do you ever wash the salt off

[@gregglasgow9432]

Thanks a lot. How does one store the finished product?

[@VelebitMountainMan]

I usually vacuum pack it, check out this video towards the end... kzbin.info/www/bejne/haCtn3iwe994a7M

[@tube4knowledge76]

great information, thank you!

[@Brian-ob9ck]

What does really really cold mean?

[@VelebitMountainMan]

I had to re watch the video, wasn't sure what I had said. So really really cold is below 32F typically. I try not to cold smoke below freezing any more but sometimes it's necessary, if you have a better insulated smoke house you won't need a space heater. Also if it's below freezing don't leave the meat in the smoke house and let it freeze it will ruin the meat if it freezes solid. Also use 3% salt, 2% is not enough, I've actually gone to 3.5% on my whole muscle cure recipe.

[@peterpetrusa3131]

Odlicno! How do you control the humidity in the garage? Also, how / where do you store your meat in the summer?

[@VelebitMountainMan]

I measure it daily with a hygrometer that I bought from Amazon, if the humidity is low I put up some painters plastic sheathing around the meat and add a small heater. Warm air retains moisture, the colder the air the less humid it is. Try to keep the temp around 40F, that usually keeps the humidity at about 65-70%. The Hygrometer also gives me high and low temps so I can see if its getting too cold at night and adjust the heat up. Once the meat has thoroughly dried and is firm when you squeeze it I vacuum pack it and leave it in my basement fridge or put it in the freezer for later use. Check out this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/jp-uiaKFo7KshJo Apologize up front, little too much vino and my camera was broken on my phone so it came out blurry. Another tip, measure you basement humidity and temp, you may be better off storing your meat in the basement once its done smoking. I don't have a "cold" room in my basement so the temp is to warm initially to hang the meat but once it dries out about half way I could probably transfer it to the basement and hang it. Here is the link for my Hygrometer: www.amazon.com/AcuRite-Humidity-Thermometer-Hygrometer-Indicator/dp/B0013BKDO8/ref=asc_df_B0013BKDO8/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=216551439599&hvpos=1o1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=14741472239718977872&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9021437&hvtargid=pla-350117545360&psc=1

[@peterpetrusa3131]

Thanks Mountain Man. Great advice. I really appreciate it and will adapt your methods. Cheers! Save

[@fruityval]

Hi, so I want to make dry smoked beef, can you please tell me the process how to do it? And also if I am using a regular smoker will it do the job?

[@VelebitMountainMan]

OK, so the process is exactly the same as with a pork loin but it is a different cut of meat. I use the eye of round cut of beef and cut it in half, it comes out perfect. I am working on a video now, it will be ready in spring but here is my process: Use any beef round cut from the hind quarter. Clean the silver skin and trim fat, weigh the meat and multiply by 3%. That is the amount of salt you will need to apply. Salt the meat and let it sit over night, in the morning pour off any excess water that the meat released. Let the meat absorb the salt, 1 day per pound of meat. Once absorbed COLD smoke for 12 to 24 hours. Let meat age to it loses 35-40% of the weight. Then eat it and drink, and be happy.

[@VelebitMountainMan]

Do not use a hot smoker it will ruin the meat. Working on a cold smoker video now...

[@fruityval]

Thank you so much for your answer, just one more question:) so after I cold smoke meat I put it to air dry? I just didn’t get what does let it aged means. Sorry

[@VelebitMountainMan]

@@fruityval watch this: kzbin.info/www/bejne/haCtn3iwe994a7M It's exactly the same process just beef instead of pork. You'll need to hang the meat and slowly air dry it. Start the humidity at around 80% then every week reduce it till you hit about 65% humidity. Your goal is to lose 35-40% of the original weight of the meat.

[@Patshes]

I consider a 6 hour cold smoke for any meat enough. And 30% loss of weight enough also.

[@johnhodak5414]

Prvo, pozdrav prijatelj..im in Australia, i have a question, how do you control the bumidity in your garage when drying?

[@VelebitMountainMan]

What's up brother, Australia is definitely on my bucket list of countries to visit, God willing sooner rather than later. In terms of humidity control in your garage it can be really simple to set up, or, if your like me you can over complicate the heck out of it. Humidity and temperature go hand in hand, the higher the temp the more moisture the air can hold. If you're curing meat you want the humidity between 70-90% depending on what you're doing and what stage you're in the process. If it's cold out, close to freezing you may need to add some heat to the garage to warm up the air so it will be easier to retain humidity. The easiest way to control humidity is by setting up a containment, which is just plastic sheathing, think of the roll of plastic you buy at the contractor store for use as a drop cloth. Not sure if you guys have zip poles down under but they are awesome to set up containments, add a sticky zipper and you've got a door, super simple and quick. Then just add a small humidifier, fan and a heater if it's cold. You'll need to adjust the humidifier and heat as necessary until you dial it in. There are also gauges you can buy which you can plug your humidifier and fan into which will help maintain the your set point and automate the process. Going to buy one of those this year, I did a terrible job of maintaining my humidity this year and it shown in the quality of my meso...

[@johnhodak5414]

@@VelebitMountainMan..you will love Australia, not as cold as your part of the world, i have built a curing chamber, but i know in Sydney and Melbourne, people cure in their garages, i tried in my shed last winter but humidity was all over the place, product dried abit quick i think but tasted good still..im still learning and came across your channel, must say braco it is one of the best and your explaining of the process is excellent..i will be trying some of the things ive watched you make this winter. Im from Lika (Saborsko) many good doms around Australia for when you come to visit, thanks for replying, ill have more questions in the future im sure..stay safe

[@timothychung4811]

How are you lowering the humidity in that garage?

[@patrixhush9626]

What type of wood did you use for the smoke house...??

[@VelebitMountainMan]

Pine

[@gwenwheeler1248]

How hot should the smoker fire be, for how long each smoke sessions

[@VelebitMountainMan]

Depends on how smokey you like the meat. I always say about 24 hours on the smoke but that includes time from when it starts smoking till the fire is completely out. I bought a bigger smoke box this year and it will run about 6 hours per fire. I usually do 3 to 4 fires per batch of meat. If you like just a hint of smoke do one fire. I also started using a filter, it helps keep some of the tar off the meat but requires a few more fires to get the aroma I like. Check this video out it should help describe my set up. kzbin.info/www/bejne/nWjaYYebjbeEeac

[@MichaelArgenta-p4i]

Where did u get the smokie joe??

[@VelebitMountainMan]

amzn.to/4abEyAg Amazon

[@riobabic8960]

Velebitsko is the best beer !

[@ismaelsoto2833]

Where do you store the meat after it's been cured?

[@VelebitMountainMan]

I vacuum seal it and either freeze it or refrigerate it. You can vacuum seal it and keep it at room temperature but it runs the risk of botulism infection.

[@no3ruben]

Where do you buy your sea salt from? What kind? ( granulated, fine, corse)....

[@VelebitMountainMan]

I use fine sea salt, I try to use Mediterranean sea salt, just make sure its 100% pure salt, no additives.

[@no3ruben]

@@VelebitMountainMan awesome.. love the slanina.. looking amazing.

[@summerforever6736]

Regular salt is fine no need fancy sea salt!!!!

[@dh8677]

Ja nemam puno prostora i načina da kontrolišem vlagu i temperaturu ali želila bi da osušim dva/tri komada teletine. Mislim, po tvom savjetu, ako spremim meso sa soli i sačekam za hladnu sedmicu, dali misliš da bi se moglo osušiti u takvoj klimi ako zakačim meso u utility shed? I šta je tvoj savjet ako temperatura se digne? Dali trebam upaliti fan ili klimu da zadržim ispod 40f?

[@VelebitMountainMan]

Može bez problema. Kad se meso soli i ostane u refrigerator za jedan dan po panu, ili dva dana po kili, meso će bit stabilno za sušenje. Kad staviš meso vani ili u utility shed, ako je temperatura između 32-55F meso će se lipo i polagano sušit. Ako je malo hlađe na početku to bi bilo bolje ali ako temperatura se digne dan dva nema veze, meso je stabilno i nebi smilo se pokvariti. Nemoj upalit fan, to će osušit meso od vana ali ostaviti meso siravo u sredini. Vlaga je bitna ali kad se meso suši može i bez, ako sušiš kobasice i nema vlage kobasice ostanu tvrde i sirave. Jedino bi rekao kad obisiš meso stavi u naj manju prostoriju što imaš, meso kad se suši će otpustiti vlage samo odsebe i bit će dosta vlage ako je u malu sobicu. Ako imaš priliku daj malo dima za ukus.

[@dh8677]

@@VelebitMountainMan super. Planiram završiti s smoker’om. Hvala za savjet.

[@trinitybees133]

How could preserving meat in Mississippi work,I don't even know if our weather would permit us to cure meat like this

[@VelebitMountainMan]

I don't know, my uncle in Arizona does this same process in winter but he only has a month or two to get it done. You can cure it in the fridge in a covered container but it has to be cold out when you smoke it. Once it's cured and smoked you can keep it around 55F till it dries.

[@MikeM-qy9zz]

This is a cold smoke method. Mississippi Texas etc use hot smoke at 250-350 degrees. Sausages and Jerky is another way of preserving meats in the south.

[@bobbyD2848]

What wood is smoke house made of?

[@VelebitMountainMan]

Pine

[@fivecrosses9040]

Are you rubbing the salt on every time you turn the meat? So, salting 5 times?

[@VelebitMountainMan]

No, just the first time

[@boksmukete1979]

How the heck can I do this in Texas with all this heat and flies 😢?

[@leejennifercorlewayres9193]

Screen.

[@MrFrankwizzal]

Hey! Whagood my chicago neighbor!!

[@ajcates9136]

Thanks 🙏

[@ajcates9136]

You are going to save lives with this knowledge these younger people need this information but I feel it’s going to be like drinking from a firehose

[@VelebitMountainMan]

I think most of them are oblivious to the threat, if there not prepping and learning today, tomorrow is going to be a bad day for them.

[@sentimentalbloke7586]

If your sausage gets too dry, just place them in a vac bag, and leave them. They will even out soon enough.

[@tube4knowledge76]

Important question: how you control the humidity?

[@honestreviews2321]

A dehumidifier

[@GlobusFunsters]

Looks like you live on 47th and Kolin, south

[@VelebitMountainMan]

North side

[@hughezzell10000]

That was pretty good

[@trevscott93]

How do you cook with this meat? Or am I missing something….

[@VelebitMountainMan]

This is cold smoke cured meat, it's not cooked, it's cured. Big difference in texture and taste.

[@trevscott93]

@@VelebitMountainMan yes sir. I understand that. But I thought you mentioned cooking WITH this meat following curing.

[@VelebitMountainMan]

Ahhh my mistake, so interesting question. I like to use it in a variety of ways. My favorite is bean stew with smoked ribs and sauerkraut or collard greens with hocks and ribs. If you want something a little fancy I do a linguini carbonera with fresh peas and cut up small pieces of cured pork loin. Typically it's used as a accent to add smoke flavor. Just a note, commercially cured meats that use #2 cure should never be cooked, the heat transforms the cure to a carcinogen. That's the primary reason I cure with only sea salt. No toxic chemicals.

[@VelebitMountainMan]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/j4a1ammLbr2Zp6c This will make you strong like bull

[@trevscott93]

@@VelebitMountainMan thank you! I appreciate your insight. Cheers!

[@747tbar]

What the heck is Sehu Maisole or whatever you said.

[@VelebitMountainMan]

Translates to dry cured meat 🍖

[@747tbar]

@@VelebitMountainMan Oh Croatian... Cool... I'm going to try this technique.

[@sshumkaer]

Are you doing cold smoking?

[@VelebitMountainMan]

Yes sir, only cold smoke

[@1983CRO]

How are you controlling the humidity in your garage?

[@VelebitMountainMan]

I monitor it more than control it. There is a lot of fancy equipment you can buy that will keep your meat at temp and control the humidity but I just monitor it and make sure its within range. If I need to increase the humidity I increase the temperature in my garage. Humidity is most influenced by temperature, high temp high humidity, low temp low humidity. A really easy way to increase your humidity is to make a small room with zip poles and plastic then add a space heater. Should keep you right where you need to be.

[@Ntajneeb74]

Great video!!! Thanks for sharing

[@harrisonofthenorth]

But you didn't show how to salt it!

[@VelebitMountainMan]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/haCtn3iwe994a7M This will show you the complete process

[@aminapajazitovic7111]

Where are you from I’m Macedonian and bosnian🇲🇰🇲🇰

[@VelebitMountainMan]

Chicago, Illinois America, to je moj dom!

[@ML-ks2lj]

How's that weed take the humidity fluctuation lol?

[@VelebitMountainMan]

🤣🤣🤣

[@tube4knowledge76]

slanina is in romanian language for slab bacon

[@aldomoro5736]

Sure, except it is in fact Serbian word

[@michalhavrila4025]

@@aldomoro5736 Slanina is used in Slovakia as well, meaning salty meat. Its probably a common word in Slavic languages.

[@jamesfiveash3414]

You offer any of this for sale?

[@VelebitMountainMan]

Sorry buddy, no

[@marpip01]

Could you actually loose 40% on a pork belly as it is at least 1/2 fat . We smoke cold with oak in a smokehouse alot like yours

[@VelebitMountainMan]

Yes but it takes a long time and I'm not that patient, I always eat it early, it is my favorite

[@oneilluminatus]

Hmm sladina. Dobrotka

[@426superbee4]

I got on board to late, looking for a 3x3 shed > Every one making smoke house out of them. MADE THE PRICE JUMPER TO OVER 100 dollar. But i found the 3x5 sheds are cheaper. under 100 dollars so i got one coming That would give me even more room, to hang my hogs, and put rack and counter tops in there, for smaller things / Like cheese, Jerky, ect.

[@VelebitMountainMan]

That's s great price considering how much I spent on mine when material was hard to find during the vid.

[@426superbee4]

@@VelebitMountainMan I thinks so too 👍👍 These shed are built for > CHINAMEN. WAY LOW FOR DOORS SO > Plain A is? Add a layer of concert blocks on 3 side on the wall. where you can walk threw it. WITH OUT RUNING INTO IT 🙄🙄 and just make the door longer > Plain B is? put a lay of block all the way around sides and just step over into, the smoke house That way can keep the door the same size > I don't like hitting my head on a stupid door frame 😡😡 THAT IS THE ONLY BAD THING ABOUT THEM 🙄🙄 Cheers buddy

[@stephenembrey883]

Why sea salt?

[@VelebitMountainMan]

Good question, because historically there are only two sources when it comes to salt, sea salt and mined salt. My family comes from Croatia, close to the sea, I'm sure they used natural sea salt for hundreds of years with no issues. I figure if it was good enough for them it's good enough for me so I use Croatian sea salt from the island of Pag which is readily available in Chicago. Some people will say that sea salt has impurities and minerals that could be detrimental to the cure, and they may be right but I've never experienced that and assume the odds of a bad reaction due to sea salt is so minimal that it's inconsequential. I would like to try mined salt next year and see if there is any difference in the cure or taste, my guess is they will be the same or so similar it will be undetectable. I think the key with salt, especially sea salt or mined salt is to find one you like and stick with it. It consistently comes from the same area and probably varies slightly batch to batch. The Adriatic Sea, where the salt I use comes from is one of the cleanest bodies of water in the world.

[@johnfolk1448]

I'd smoke it in my living room s9 I get the aroma while watching reruns of the man show... lol

[@VelebitMountainMan]

🤣🤣🤣

[@alecsandru8588]

Ai zis slanina am auzit eu :))

[@tymaldo]

Здравствуйте! Извините что пишу не по английски. У вас правильно всё впринципе. Мы на севере Сибири так делаем мясо которое осталось с зимы. То есть не самое свежее. В сушке и копчении мяса не так уж и важна свежесть мяса, а вот когда мясо долго полежит на морозе то обрабатывается термически от паразитов и прочих опасных для здоровья человека организмов. Это важно.

[@VelebitMountainMan]

Спасибо за сообщение! Да, обычно все мясо, которое у меня осталось с зимы, перемалываю на колбасу... оленину, свинину, говядину, чеснок, соль и перец. Хорошо для гриля!

[@tymaldo]

@@VelebitMountainMan Делаю так же, здоровья вам!

[@lastchancefarm5913]

Do you have any trouble with rodents munching on these?

[@VelebitMountainMan]

No, just my kids trying to eat them before they are ready

[@daniele.f.2963]

North Carolina, USA

[@josipcro]

If you over salt is there way to fixit😳

[@VelebitMountainMan]

Not really, you can soak it in water to pull some salt out but it's unknown how much you'll pull out. Really no good way that I know of. 😕 sorry man

[@josipcro]

@@VelebitMountainMan Nema problema puno hvala obozavam vas kanal❤🙏

[@miroslavbeno8584]

@@VelebitMountainMan Čerstvé mäso obsypať soľou a keď pustí šťavu, tou istou šťavou denne polievať 14 dní , potom zaúdiť na miernom dyme!

[@Beuwen_The_Dragon]

Salt curing and smoke curing is a way of preserving meat to prevent spoilage. If your meat tastes too salty to just chew on, toss it in a pot of boiling water and make yourself a stew.

[@glenmaise8184]

You need to do a little better job on the silver skin on the pork loins