Let's talk about AGING MEAT

[Terry Green]

Never dry aged any of my wild game....

BUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have found that COLD SMOKING for an HOUR is INSANE!!!!

Sorry I wasn't much help.(unless he learns how to cold smoke    :cool:   )

[TIM B]

Pete- I do the same thing with ducks!  Works great!
Terry - learn us how to cold smoke now
Tim B

[ranger 3]

I always thought it is bad to get water on the meat before freezing, is it true or not?

[katman]

A local processor opened up here a couple years ago. He ages the deer in a controlled walk in cooler for 7 days keeping the temperature and humidity at the proper level. The deer he has processed for me was way better for taste and texture than any aging method I have tried at home. Since it is usually hot here the deer is quartered placed in large trash bag then into a cooler adding ice around the bag and off to processor. The processor said keeping the meat wet while aging promotes bacterial growth, not good. It does cost a bit more but worth it to me.

[mec lineman]

I started wet aging my venison 5 years ago and I am convinced it is the way I will do it from here on out.  I listen to everyones  way and opinions. That being said, I do not process one or two deer a year, 6 -10 is more realistic.  Virginia has very liberal tags.  I put cut up deer on ice as soon as possible.  I cut up and clean meat,remove silver skin. Put in large Ziploc bags and roll up to remove air. You will have to pour out blood and rinse the first 3-5 days. I age at least 2 weeks in fridge 3 is even better.  If someone is willing to try this simple method, they will notice the meat is of fillet mignon consistency.

[ksbowman]

CRS, Very interesting article. Thanks for sharing.

[CRS]

Just for reference, I would conservatively say that this house has processed 10 animals a year for the last 15 years. From pronghorn to moose.

Have already processed two deer this year with  14 tags left between Dad, boys, and myself. Plus helping a friend with an elk tag/processing.

I have done the cooler/ice thing.  If you keep the water clean, you will be fine.

I like letting the quarters dry a bit to form a crust before placing them in game bags.  I have also washed quarters, patted dry with towels then let crust form before bagging and into the refrigerator.

I would love to have a walk in cooler so I could age complete carcasses.  But I slum the spare refrigerator and get by just fine.

[Doug Treat]

I aged 1 elk years ago-worst elk I ever et.  Now, my meat is frozen within 48 hours. I've had butchers tell me that wild game meat doesn't benefit from aging like domestic animals do. Now, maybe corn fed whitetails are similar to domestic animals in fat content and may benifit from aging them.

[mnbwhtr]

I have an old freezer I converted to a cooler by a external thermostat so I can control at whatever temp I choose. That said like KS Trapper I never noticed any difference in flavor or tenderness. Most my deer, like the doe I shot last week, get skinned quartered and put in the cooler within hours of being shot and usually cut up the next day. Waiting a week didn't make any difference, at least to me.

[CRS]

I would urge anyone who has never aged venison, to try it.

Here is a challenge for those that are skeptics. The next time you kill a critter, pick a cut of meat.  Make sure it is the same muscle bundle.

Cut one steak right away, season, coat lightly with some oil and cook on med high heat to your
Prefered doneness level. I suggest medium rare to medium.

Cook another piece the next day. Same method of preparation.

Take another piece and place in a cotton game bag. And another piece in salt water. Store in fridge.

If game bag get's bloody, change to clean bag.  Change the water bath every day.  Age deer for 5-7 days, Antelope 3 days, elk 7-10, moose 10-14.

After the aging period, cook with the same method as the fresh meat.

If you cannot discern any difference, carry on.

[Ray Hammond]

I have been a proponent of aging game for nearly 40 years.  I can tell a significant difference.  I'm in the South...I carry ice in my truck. If I am successful, that rib cage is opened, cavity is emptied, and ice goes in as quickly as I can manage it. 36 degrees minimum of five days, after skinning, quartering and wiping down. Yes, it gets a bark on it that you have to take off like a catfish skin...but you'll never go back once you try it.

[meathead]

I try to let my deer hang 7-10 days hide off. I am kind of lucky though in having a friend with a walk in cooler just 3 miles up the road. It makes a noticeable difference in taste and texture.

[MnFn]

Ok, thoroughly confused now.
I have shot a lot of game (mostly with guns) over 50 years.

I never really set out to age my game, but my deer usually were field dressed immediately and hung for 3-4 days until I returned home and could cut them up. All of this assuming it was cool enough outside.

My worst tasting deer was field dressed and taken to a locker plant within a few hours on a cold November day. It stunk up the house when I cooked up the first steak.

Geese field dressed then hung for up for a few days in cold storage.

[CRS]

You will occasionally get an animal that is not good, even if everything is done right.

But you get far more bad ones if everything is done wrong.   :D

[Skipmaster1]

Last year my buddy and I built an 8'x8'x8' walk in cooler. We keep it at 37 degrees and aged all of our deer 14-30 days. I think between him, another buddy and myself, we ran 18 deer through there last season. It has been by far a game changer. Every single deer had come out incredibly tender and had a mellow venison flavor. Every cut on every animal. Folks who don't usually care much for venison are have second and third helpings. I have always liked venison, but now I absolutely love it. I won't go back to non dry aged ever again if I can help it.

[TxSportsman]

After a lot of trial and error this is the method I prefer best.

1.) Shoot the deer

2.) Methodically gut/field dress and do not remove hide

3.) If you did 2 well enough you will not need to rinse the deer with water, if not rinse body cavity thoroughly. I really try to avoid any water/moisture if possible.

4.) Hang in cooler for 10-14 days

5.) Process accordingly

[RedRidge]

Enjoyed reading this thread. Sounds like I will have to try aging out.

Not meaning to hijack at all, but further the discussion: Whats everyone's reasoning for leaving hide on while it hangs versus gut/skin then hang?

[TxSportsman]

Originally posted by RedRidge:
Enjoyed reading this thread. Sounds like I will have to try aging out.

Not meaning to hijack at all, but further the discussion: Whats everyone's reasoning for leaving hide on while it hangs versus gut/skin then hang?

I don't like to remove the hide as it aids in keeping the meat from drying out during the process.

I also don't like doing any processing to the animal before aging as I want the carcass to rest. We have all been there - you shoot a deer - 20 minutes later or an hour later you begin cutting it up and it's still constricting. All that does is take away from the tenderness.

I was taught my process from a group of PH's from South Africa who take their biltong and aged meat pretty seriously. It's been excellent ever since and I've had the best bacon wrapped backstrap filets ever!

[Ron LaClair]

Cold weather let em hang for a week with the hide on.

   

Warm weather, put em in the frig.

 

[Doc Nock]

I've shared this here before so will try to keep it brief...

I peel the bark ASAP to get the meat cooled down. Period... Bow season in PA never was "cool" enough and given deer's hollow hair holds heat well, I skin em quick.

Don't like it dried out.  Rub the deer/critter inside and out with CRISCO..it's veggie shortening and doesn't turn rancid in the freezer in 30 days like some animal fats.

That meat will be as moist 5-7-10 days later in a cooler or fridge as it was the day it was skinned!

I scrape some off when I start butchering.  Indeed, it takes 36+ hrs for rigormortis to get back out of the flesh... Carve it up while rigor is in the meat and it will still be tough when you put it in the terlet!

Enough of that... To each his own.  

Have fun and it what you kill!