Re:First try= succes

[sailom boualaphanh]

My first try and and a link to the photos:

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.2620194464512.148094.1244678553&type=1&l=9002b0bb73

Notes:
-I did my best to use the foodsaver method, but the bag came loose after a day or 2, but I just kept the drying going.
-When I first put the meat in, the refrig temp at the meat was at 32F and I tried to adjust but it didn’t raise the temp to 35F and then I noticed the freezer crisper vent was open which kept that part of the fridge really cold. I closed it and didn’t re-adj the temp knob. I went out of town for 3 days and when I came back notice the temp was at 40F. I adj the temp to 35F from then on.
-There was dime size brown spots (3-4) on the meat at about the 5th day that looked like rotting. it was where there was air pockets on the bag. I called Thea about it, and she made it seem normal, so I kept drying.
– I dried for 15 days.
– during trimming, I was worried the brown spots were rotting meat so I trimmed it all off until I saw red meat. I had to go quite deep on some spots (about .5-1 inch). It smelled a little like spoiled meat to me at those spots. after the trimming, the meat smelled fine.
– I used the LARGE bags, I should have used the stardard bags for the 11lb, costco USDA prime ribeye loin. They large bag required the diaganol seals, that was difficult to do with a food saver.