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??? about sinew

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Boro:
Ok. I am about to get some fresh cow legs tendons. I will need to dry them and I have never done it before. My question is about temperature, light, time involved, odours possibly and stuff I can't think of now.
I will appriciate any information on how to dry and prepare them properly.
Thank You

Boro

DanaM:
Never done cow sinew, I would clean all meat and fat off them put them somewhere dry and where animals can't reach them.
You will know when they are dry as they will be stiff, then you can just store them in a zip lock. I've also used a electric dehydrator.
The wife don't know about it though :)

Pat B:
I have heard mixed reviews about cow leg sinews. The negatives are they are hard to separate and they are quite greasy. I have never used them. You might experiment with drying like Dana said and also try stripping the fibers while they are fresh before drying.
   You will have to remove the sheath that covers the tendon before you can strip out the individual fibers(tendons).  Keep us posted.      Pat

Papa Matt:
I'm sure cow legs are the same as deer, and I've done a lot of deer. I'd keep them out of direct sunlight, and away from direct heat when they start to turn hard, which is a matter of about 12-24 hours depending on size, air flow, etc.

When they are fresh cut they are white, wet, flimsy, and feel slimy to the touch. Clean them well like Dana just said, then lay them out on a cookie sheet or tablecloth (something they won't stick to, NOT newspaper or iluminum foil) seperate them with a small space between each one so that air can get through. Lay them out in the form that you want them in when they are dry (if you want them straight, lay straight, if you want them coiled for easier storage, lay them coiled). Then just put them up somewhere dry, and away from flies, dogs, children, etc. As they dry and harden they will shrink and get crooked somewhat. If you want to hurry the process a little, you can expose them to warm airflow, ONLY UNTIL they start to turn from white to tan colored and the surface feels dry and begins to harden. Exposing thrm to warm or hot air at this point will make them sweat their natural oils and lose strength. It's easiest to just lay them up, go to sleep and forget about them until the next day. When wet they may have a very slight odor, but as they dry will completely lose it and when hard will not smell at all.

Let me know if I didn't explain something or if you have more questions.

~~Papa Matt  

madcrow:
In warm weather, I use one of the little five inch fans from the dollar store to keep the air moving and keep flies away.  As sson as they are dry, bag them up.  I left some out too long and dermastid beetles got on them and and had one heck of a picnic.  That reminds me, I need to go see mr. butcher about some cow leg bones.

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