Dried beef is made from the defatted round separated into the top
round, bottom round with eye muscle, and sirloin tip. For each 100
pounds of meat use 8 pounds of salt, 3 pounds of sugar, and 4 ounces
of saltpeter.
The curing process is the same as that for corned beef. After curing
remove meat from the brine, wash, and hang up to dry for 24 hours.
After drying, smoke at 130° to 140°F for 70 to 80 hours or until the
meat is very dry. The meat should then be stored in a dry,
well-ventilated room that is protected from insects and rodents.
Smoking gives the meat a more desirable color and flavor and probably
aids in its preservation. The wood used to generate the smoke should
be non-resinous, such as hickory, apple, plum, oak, beech, or ash. The
same smoke-house procedures used for curing pork work well for beef.[7]
[7] For further information on smoking see Farmers Bulletin No. 2138,
“Pork Slaughtering, Cutting, Preserving, and Cooking on the Farm.”