Hey fellas,
Trying to gather a few opinions out of curiosity on how long y'all hang your meat. I've been hanging mine until it's dark with occasional mold spots on it (lately 8-10 days). Of course the later and colder it gets the more the 'growth' slows down but it is tender. It hasn't been hitting more than 45' during the day in the garage and about 35' at night....seems perfect.
Shoot straight,
EH
I let it hang about 1 week. That's enough for me, or for it. :deadhorse:
I leave hide on and hang for up to two weeks in cooler. The meat is fantastic.
I skin and butcher mine within a few hours of killing it if possible. Am I the only one? :dunno:
If I can I will leave it hang for up to a week if it is cool.
Got one hangin in the garage now and it's plenty cool for sure may cut it tomarrow or next weekend if the weather is gonna hold. He's only been hangin since last night.
Stiks
Providing the weather is 40 degrees or higher, I butcher mine ASAP like WPAtrapper does. Otherwise, I'll let the deer hang for a few (5) days. Aging can also be done in an ice filled cooler... Put the ice in the bottom and put the meat on top of a wooden shelf with legs (this prevents the meat coming in contact with the melted ice water). Check and replenish ice as needed for the aging period. Make sure you drain the water off daily so that it does not touch the meat!
I cut 'em up and freeze right away and then age in the fridge for 10 days.
Totally depends on the temp.
Cut up and freeze, as soon as possible. Don
Your talking after the week of riding around on the hood of my truck? Skinned while still warm. Cut and wrapped asap.
1 week with it halved and wrapped in muslin or cheee cloth hung head down of course. Been doin it this way since my father showed me and I am 65.
None of that funny taste. Check out how the high grade beef guys do it.
I've been reading about some of the dry aged beef and lamb...impressive. Very climate controlled and the meat loses a considerable amount of moisture but it intensifies the flavor.
I can't wait until I build a walk in cooler someday.
The sooner it's in the freezer the better! It's not beef.
If the weather is cold enough, I'll hang it overnight. Butcher the next day. Otherwise I cut it up and freeze. I like it well enough like that. The locker hangs them in the cooler about 3 days before butchering. I honestly don't seem to be able to taste a difference in overnight or 3 days or so. If I butcher right away, I can taste a gamey taste.
sam
QuoteOriginally posted by WPAtrapper:
I skin and butcher mine within a few hours of killing it if possible. Am I the only one? :dunno:
Nope, do the same thing.
If weatehr allows, 7 - 10 days is the best. At least 24 hours as that is about how long it takes to get disapate rigormortise. i fit is warma dn I gotta get at it NOW, then I can it.
Bob.
From one day to two weeks, realy depends on the situation, like temperature etc!
I get mine dehided and in cooler as fast as possible. Never had any complaints about bad meat.
I was taught 3-5 days. I had and uncle who would quarter it up and put it in iced water then salt like you would small game. He would change the water out a couple of times in a 24 hour period. I have wanted to try letting it hang until you get the mold but never brave enough.
When I got too Texas, I saw that most here get it cleaned, skinned, boned and in an ice slurry ASAP. It looked interesting and I've never had better venison. I drain off the water and add ice once a day for 4 days. Then dry and cut and wrap.
Mike
QuoteOriginally posted by Cottonwood:
QuoteOriginally posted by WPAtrapper:
I skin and butcher mine within a few hours of killing it if possible. Am I the only one? :dunno:
Nope, do the same thing. [/b]
Me too... the sooner, the quicker! :D
same as wingnut i usually quarter it and get in in ice water for a few days, I drain off the blood/water after a day then let it sit another couple days or so in icewater .. always have great meat, untill late nov/dec our temps arent cool enough to hang unless in a walk in cooler
i age mine around 7-10 days. here's an article on aging:
http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:8leOx8uOa10J:www.beefresearch.org/CMDocs/BeefResearch/Dry%2520Aging%2520of%2520Beef.pdf+benefits+of+aging+beef&cd=2&hl=en&ct=cl nk&gl=us (http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:8leOx8uOa10J:www.beefresearch.org/CMDocs/BeefResearch/Dry%2520Aging%2520of%2520Beef.pdf+benefits+of+aging+beef&cd=2&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us)
I skin and butcher mine within a few hours of killing it if possible. Then back straps go on the grill and maybe fry the heart if I didn't mangle it.
Beef and venison have little in common.
Try to do it the same day - never more then a couplke. Never had any hint of gaminess or whatever.
I have read that aging is more effective with fatty meat like beef than with lean meat like venison, but I have found that aging a week or so does improve the taste. Down south, unless you have access to a walk-in cooler it's rare to have cool enough temps for hanging outside. A few years back I shot a late-season buck in January that was worn out from the rut, with almost no fat. I hung him for about two weeks in the hide under a cedar tree for shade, and it was better than average, with a distinctly different flavor. When I shoot one in warmer weather, I skin it and cool the meat ASAP, then quarter it, remove the backstraps, and put it in a cooler on top of ice. I tilt the cooler and leave it outside with the drain open so that no water accumulates. I judge when to process the meat by the odor.
Quarter within a few hours, then ice water or fridge for a few day, final trim and freeze. Always taste good to us.
QuoteOriginally posted by SS Snuffer:
The sooner it's in the freezer the better! It's not beef.
No kidding!
As I understand it venison (if thats what we are talking about) does not have the same enzymes beef has and "hanging it" will not appreciably change anything about it other than make you feel good.
I do wonder if there are other factors besides the meat itself breaking down. Such as a buck/bull losing its rut taste. If so, hanging would certainly be worth it for that alone.
Joshua
Joshua, I've also read that venison doesn't benefit from aging, but my personal experience has been that it does. Maybe not as much as beef, but I still prefer the aged flavor in both. It definitely helps with a mature rutting buck, which can be pretty gamey.
I agree. Although the meat may not "tenderize" with hanging -its as tender as its ever going to get, the flavor is improved. 2/3rds the enjoyment of anything is mental anyway... if hanging game helps stoke that mental fire, all the better.
From 10 to 15 days in a pro fridge around 32-35°.otherwise depends from the external temperature but above 40° it can stay longer than a couple of days.SAbove 50° ASAP is freezed the better it is.
i skin it out when i get it home or sometimes the next morning if i arrive home late.quarter it and put the halves in a refrigerator for a day or two and then debone and cut it up.but the tenderloins and backstraps are usually cut out the same night and cooked for dinner.