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Inn my preparations for making some cured and cold smoked venison at the weekend I also lightly cured some Fallow Fillets, and tried them as a Carpaccio. The result was simply the best carpaccio I have ever eaten.

The fillets were about 10" long and 1.5" in diameter. They were trimmed of all sinew and connective tissue. They had been hung with the beast for 12 days. They weighted near bang on 250g each and I had two. This is a lot of cure for two fillets but I had a 1kg peice of sirlooin too, that went in.

The Cure:

225g Francos salt, (no AC agents)
115g Dark Sugar with molases
110g Soft light Demarera sugar
10 Juniper Berries crushed
1 Tbsp whole black pepper corns
10 bay leavves
4/5 whole cloves
3 whole bruised cloves of garlic.
Half a cup of Sloe Gin

I mixed the whole lot up in a bowl. and added the meat. It was left in the fridge for 24hrs. The Sirloin is still in for an additional 24hrs.

After 24hrs I sliced the fillets diagnaly in thin 3" slices and placed onto a layer of cling film. I then covered in another layer of cling film and rolled it until it was very thin with a wooden rolling pin.

It was put into a plate and drizzeled with olive oil, lots of lemon, black pepper and fresh parmasan shavings.

I can't wait to try the smoked version!!

Rgds,
FB

Sounds lovely.
No nitrate/nitrite FB?

Hey Spuddy,

I didn't use nitrate/nitrite this time round as it was more an experiment in smoking. With the Carpaccio fillets being a side project. I think there is about 1/3rd of a fillet left in the fridge at themoment sso they don't last long when the missus gets involved!!

To be honest I don't think I will add any nitrate/ite when I next do it although I might change the cure to 250g salt, and 200g mixed sugars. The mollasses really come through.

The sirloin also came out on Friday and I hung it over night in the chiller. It formed the nice shiny coating to it and then I gave it half a bag of dusts worth of cold smoke (5-6hrs I should think). The result was excellent and I cant wait to get going on the salmon.

The venison carves quite easily by hand although I will be trying it on the bacon slicer tonight to see if I can get it thinner.

Rgds,
FB

Hi FB

Ref the fillets, was that the loin fillet or the real fillet from under the rib cage?

I only ask, no to be pedantic (if that is how you spell it), but I would really like to give this a go as it sounds delish..............

Ref Salmon, cold smoked, try smeering the fillet once cured with honey after it has come out of the salt solution - broody luvly

Cheers WW

Hi Wiz,

The fillets I referenced are the "underneath" fillets. (Tenderloin?) I cold smoked the sirloin and it is excellent. It needs 2-3 days though of hanging after it is smoked to mellow a little. However the sirloing would make excellent carpaccio too I should think although it needs that little extra in the brine.

Do you have a recipe for the smoked salmon brine? I was going to use the same one as I used here with more Juniper & bay infused, (by boiling it first then cooling), but would like to hear any ideas of the more eperienced. Also how much smooke do you give the salmon? I'll be looking at full sides of 5lb-6lb salmon.

Rgds,
FB

we cold smoke salmon sides for 2-5 nights depending on variables, judged by eye generally

JPJ,

Do you know where I can buy some of the boards that the salmon is put on before it is vac packed? I think they are carboard coated in a waterproof foil .

Rgds,
FB

HI FB

I use the one hobbit feet posted, but I unfortunatly cant find it. I will keep on trying and let you know.

Cheers WW.

try here good luck

http://www.scobiesdirect.com/default.asp

like here?

http://www.scobiesdirect.com/Products.a ... dCat=46800

yep
the ones from scobies are great for the job, and one of the best prices out there

They're the kiddies but as always there is the scobies bulk buy issue!!

I wish I could buy them by the hundred rather than having to buy a thousand.

I might try the smokehouse when I am next in Ireland to see if they will sell be a couple of dozen boards..

Rgds,
FB

My apologies for resurrecting this thread, but a friend has asked me to smoke some venison to make venison carpaccio.

He wanted me just to cold-smoke the raw venison for slicing, but I have issues with this, as the times he was talking about for smoking would not give any protection to the meat through weight loss/reduced AW .

Likewise, I'm not happy with the times quoted by many for smoking similar items - like beef fillet for 5-8 days, according to Keith Erlandson in his book. I just don't have the stamina, time, or inclination for that!

FB's cure above seems like a good compromise and if I add cure #1 will give protection to the meat. But how long should I smoke a fillet, and also the eye of the loin (whatever you call that on deer)? I can cold smoke at anything from a trickle of smoke, to clouds of the stuff like in a Bradley. I normally smoke back bacon for about 18-24 hours for a good result, so I'm thinking that around the same time will be OK? Or does the density of Venison meat need longer?

Any advice or alternative suggestions appreciated.

Phil

As I understand, Carpaccio is supposed to be essentially raw, fresh and uncured.

I have seen it done by Mike Robinson and he rubbed in obscene amounts of salt and pink salt left it for an hour and then blasted it with smoke for an hour or so.

I'm not sure if you should do that, but a safe version of it may be the way to go...

Yes, I've eaten it made from (unsmoked) beef fillet, the dressing sort of 'cooks' it... and if he wanted to do venison like that then I have no problem with it, other than that personally I would want to know the provenance of the venison.

I guess that banging (very cold) venison in the cold smoker for a couple of hours is probably safe? But do you think that this will give a smoky taste to the product?

What would you do Dave, short of telling him to *** off? Cure overnight with a 'safe cure' then smoke? Just stuff it in raw for 12 hours or so, tell him the possible consequences and let him get on with it? I'm at a loss what to do.

added 20:41
What I initially suggested to him was to cure it (like braseola/lonzino/lomo), dry for a couple of days, smoke it, then finish air drying it as a smoked venison braesola sort of thing, but he seems to particularly want it to retain a raw meat (ish) texture.