Rauchfleisch ( whole muscle smoked beef )

[Jan Ooms]

Hi Members,
I intend on using the Drybags for making smoked Beef. Northern Europeans will remember this style of thinly sliced smoked meat, usually eaten, either on a sandwich or cracker.
What I intend to do is cure a whole or partial muscle of beef (whatever fits the bag), cure it, smoke it and dry age it in the bag, in the fridge
It will be a bit of trial and error to determine when it is ready.
Do any members have information that could be helpful to produce something that I wanted to do for many years.
Maureen from UMAi customer support suggested that I should make certain that the meat after smoking is relatively moist to facilitate
a good bond with dry bag.
I intend to fit it in elastic mesh netting on the outside and even wrap it with some string as well for a good bond
Can you see some pitfalls? just let me know.
Thank you,
Jan.

[Alan Lierz]

How did it work? I’m a beginner also, do you place the meat inside the bag before smoking or after? The question for me is what about sausage, when do you smoke it? After the short fermentation and before dry aging? Or before you place in dry bag.

[Jan Ooms]

Hi Al,
I have everything ready to cure and smoke a nice beef piece and cure it in a UMAi bag.
Spare time has not allowed me to do it yet. I will make a start on the 12th of March when I will return permanently for 7 to 8 weeks.
I intent to cure and smoke the beef first, bag and vacuum it, cover it in stretch-netting, note the weight and keep it refrigerated until a 30% weightloss is achieved.
Doing sausage the same way is impossible, if you like smoked sausage, add some liquid smoke to the meat mix before you stuff it in the narrow UMAi bags.
Lots of smoked sausages are now either dipped in a smoke flavour or have liquid smoke added, just to shut up a certain section of a jaw flapping minority in our society. Have a look at the latest EU rules on smoked sausages and other charcuterie, enough said!!!!!
Good Luck Mate,
Jan.

[Alan Lierz]

Jan,
Of course you are using a cold smoke, which I am capable also. I have asked the old timers in our community and it seems to old smoke house recipes for smoking meat have expired a generation ago, at least in my circle of people. So if I hang a whole muscle of meat in the cold smoker, how many hours would you say to smoke. Yes, I know a range will be better as we can do it to taste, but I thought since you are so helpful you would offer your ideas on range. Thanks Big Al

[Jan Ooms]

Al,
The smoking time depends on your taste and the colour you like best. I remember that all the Smoked beef pieces looked a dark mahogany colour.
Going through the Dutch commercial recipe, after the 8 day dry curing is finished, ripen the meat for about 14 days at 10-14 C. at 80% RH or place in a plain vacuum bag for a further 6-7 days under refrigeration..
After that is finished soak in cold running water for 3-4 hrs, then place the meat in 50C water for 5 minutes to improve outer rim colour.
Cold smoke to your liking.
Now!!! I am planning to use the UMAi bag at this point and dry the meat in the fridge for 8 weeks. This could be shorter but it all depends on the feel of the meat, Just make sure the smoked meat is moist on the outside for the plastic to adhere to properly.
I am going to enclose it in some stretch netting to help the plastic along
The finished product should be red (but cured) on the inside and changing to dark brown on the outside.
This is the first time I will do it this way as I am new to this procedure as well.
The meat obviously can be cured in plain vacuum bags as well as wet cured and injected with brine in the thickest parts.
Good Luck,
Jan

[Alan Lierz]

Jan
Thanks for all the extra tips. I would not have known to ask. Got some Mortadella to make this weekend. I’m curing some capicola also. Lots of fun stuff

Big Al

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