How long to hang/age venison?

[BowDad]

Let’s assume that the hot weather is gone and the mean temp is between 30 and 50 deg. How long do you age your deer before taking it to the processor? I’ve heard varying opinions on this subject, some say as long as two weeks and some say to get it in within a day or two. I usually get a little nervous after three or four days and end up taking it in to the butcher. Am I right to do so, or will letting it age a little longer give me better tasting/more tender meat?

------------------
"We shall never achieve harmony with land, any more than we shall achieve absolute justice or liberty for people. In these higher aspirations the important thing is not to achieve, but to strive." Aldo Leopold 1887-1948

[Salmonsmoker]

Bowdad,

The ideal is 10 days at 38 degrees. So, given the conditions that you describe, I would go a minimum of 4 days, preferrable 8 days.

HOWEVER!!!! There are a couple variables here that need to be checked out before you make a decision:

1. How long will it be between the time that you drop off the deer and when the butcher actually gets to cuting it for you? (I visited one shop where, at the end of their work day, there were still 15 to 20 deer laying on a loading dock waiting to be skinned and butchered - not my idea of prime conditions.)

2. At what temperature will it be during that time?

Given that the answer to these two are respectively, immediately, and not more than 45 degrees, I would go with the longer aging before taking it in. If the answers are anything else, I would either find another meat processor or adjust my aging time accoring to the conditions at the processing plant.

Hope this helps.

ss

[BowDad]

Thanks ss, your point about the processor and his workload is well taken. I'll ask next time. Given the correct temps. I'll be a little more patient this time. Thanks again!!!

------------------
"We shall never achieve harmony with land, any more than we shall achieve absolute justice or liberty for people. In these higher aspirations the important thing is not to achieve, but to strive." Aldo Leopold 1887-1948

[bonasabuster]

first let me say taste is an individual thing what is strong to me is delicious to the next guy the thing i try to remember about aging any wild game is it is another term for rotting.you are allowing the bacteria from inside and out to start to break down the individual cells in the meat.the outside can be determined by a whole lists of things i.e did the animal get wet from going down in a swamp,did the hunter wash the carcass with water to remove entrails and or hair.what was the source of this water and its mineral containments. the inside from digestive to glandular aging we can do little about.care of the carcasss and the area it is hung in will also determine taste a garage may be a good place tempature wise but if your wife or you warm your truck up in the morning meat can be affected.if tenderization is the main purpose for aging then we must remember that the freezing process does some of that work for us by expanding and breaking down the individual cells in the meat i use to make a habit of and i wince at saying this because everyone has different tastes and when i contridict your granddad i know im wrong automaticlly but 5 days for deer or antelope.but in the last 5 years due to inclimate weather i have butchered deer within hours of the kill and have not been able to tell any difference.in fact i no longer hang any antelope deer or bear at all for the reason of tenderization or taste but only the convenience of time to butcher and pack in the freezer.now elk buffalo and moose i would go up to 14 days as long as the conditions the meat were stored in remained constant.my rule of thumb for all game is better a little tougher then spoiled

[Salmonsmoker]

bonasabuster,

Thats a good rule of thumb. Spoiled meat is a waste of the food and the life taken to provide the food.

ss

[Salmonsmoker]

Making current

Salmonsmoker

[DANIEL MARK ZAPOLSKI]

As Far As Hang Time Goes I'll Let The Deer Hang Anywhere From 1 Day To As Many As 7 Days As Long As The Temperature Of The Meat After Cooling Stays At 39 Degrees Down To 34. The Reason Being At 40 Degrees And Higher You'll Get Some Serious Bacteria Working On The Meat And The Quicker The Meat Starts To Turn As The Saying Goes. And As It Turns The Chances Of Rotten Unedible Meat Becomes Greater, Purple/blue Color In The Meat And Then The Smell I've Seen This Happen To Deer Hung Outdoors In The Rain And Then Sun And Heat What A Waste Of An Animal!

[whitetiptales]

I'm not as conservative as you all, I learned aging from the guy who ran the Golden Mushroom in Detroit. He was European and actually published videos on the topic, maybe some of you have seen or own copies.
In my experience temp. and air circulation are key. In this respect I have let deer hang 3~4 weeks, with wonderful results. However, duly noted on the comment above that if you dont have weather, you need to process within hours of the kill. Worst thing is allowing wide swings in conditions, rain, then heat, then cold to contact the carcass, there's no control over this and the outcome is never good.
Small game (rabbits, ducks, etc) I have had excellent results hanging for 2~3 weeks with the entales in tact. Key is looking for ruptured intestine prior to aging, then you must process quickly, otherwise let the enzymes do their work.
As stated, everyone has their own threshold, taste, and facilities for this it just depends on the individual, condition/treatment of the game from the field, and temp. + air circulation.

[Dedicated Sportsman]

We always cut the deer up as soon as we get it out of the field. Dont have to worry about it spoiling at all. Tastes really great too.

[hypox]

:yeahthat:

[Mickey Finn]

I have been told time and again, not to hang your deer, take it to the Butcher. Or better still, butcher it yourself. Venison and some similiar meats will age in the freezer. It has something to do with the texture of the meat. Venison, antelope, and some others have a fine texture. As opposed to the course texture of say beef. So, the slow decompasition that takes place with hanging, is not benefical. The deciding factor is how it's butchered. And of course that it is not allowed to spoil.

[sullyxlh]

STAY AWAY FROM THE BUTCHERS,if it's posssible,you should learn to butcher your own deer,it's not hard at all,with a butcher who knows who's meat your getting back,you'll get x amount of lbs back but do you know for sure that its even your deer?most WILL "butcher" it up and sure it's fast cause the cut it up,bone and all,soon as they cut the meat and cut thru the bone and all the bone marrow is in the meat,and then it's screwed,not counting all the sineu(sp)and fat that does'nt get trimmed before cutting,i'm not cappin on all the meat processor people,there are many good ones out there,but when deer season hits,it's all about production,not quality,there's also a better sense of satisfaction when you do it yourself,it seperates the armchair hunters from the real ones!

[alex-v]

If everyone is so opposed to aging venison then why is it the recommended way to go with all of the high end restraunts that serve it??

I have not had a deer go bad while aging it for 4 to 6 days.

But, as "sullyxlh" recommends, stay away from butchers unless you know positively that he or she will not rush the deer through the processing. Butchering is fairly easy.

[2PawsRiver]

Most importantly.......process your own deer. As for aging, I like a minimum of 5 days, but depends on weather.

Speaking of aging.......this thread has aged for just short of 6 years and should be real tender.:)

[alex-v]

In the "rec.hunting" newsgroup (which is something most ISPs do not carry) the question regarding aging deer comes up every year. It is a topic that can lead to a very spirited discussion for days on end.

[jstfish48162]

when i drop my deer off to my processor, the blood isn't dry yet. i don't hang my deer to age, except for overnight if i get home too late to drop it off. never more than 24 hours for me. just my preferrance. i kill 99% of my deer during bow season, and my processor isn't hammered by gun season business, so i have that advantage of not having to wait for an opening.

[LabsRock]

I can not say that I have ever noticed a difference in how venison tastes whether it has hung for one day or five days. For myself the most important thing that I think I can do with a deer after leaving the field is to get the skin off of it ASAP and make sure that the chest cavity has been wiped out with some very hot water. I think this really insures that bacteria does not get much of a chance to grow. It makes my stomach turn when I drive by a deer in someones front yard for 5 days and it is still hanging in its skin. No wonder some people will say "I don't like venison it tastes gamey."

I have been told that aging venison is not the same as beef because beef has the body fat marbled through the meat, whereas a deer has the fat outside of the meat. Thus the reason you hardly see any fat cooking out of a venison steak. I am definitely not saying to not age the venison, but I am just unconvinced that it makes a better piece of meat.

As far as a deer processor goes, it can get pricey if you have 3 or 4 deer that youa re processing and there are precious few high volume processors that really care about getting you back your actual animal. I have seen "deer chops" with more bone grit and splinter in it than I could imagine. When we process we take great care to get the fat and sinew trimmed off of the meat. It is always great tasting and we have converted more than one "venison is icky" person over to some delicious table fare.

Andrew

[Backwoods-Savage]

We've let venison age and we've cut it up immediately after the kill. If anything, we think it is better to cut it up immediately, especially if the weather is above 35-38 degrees. If the weather is cold and you let the thing age.....wow, is that ever hard on the hands when that meat is cold! As for me, I'll keep cutting them up immediately.

[rabbott]

A deer is not a cow dont age dont cut thru bones, cut against the grain never tough not strong tasting. But its up to whoever is going to eat it. Me personally I will not eat venison that has been to a processor. I cut my own up as soon as I can. Tenderloins and heart for lunch or dinner that day:D

[duckman#1]

Whitetiptale:I think the chief your talking about is Milo ? I have a couple of his videos. I really like to video where he shows in great detail how to completely cut-up a deer. Now I think about it, I need to get that converted to a dvd since I don't have a vcr anymore.

[up520]

I have seen and heard of folks throw out perfect meat. Since I started hunting I have done the following and have never had a bad incident.
- I wash the internal cavity out very well with cold water prior to hanging.
- I hang the deer/bear etc.. whole with the hide on (keeps from drying out to much meat)
- Depending on the temp is how long it hangs- but the evenings get cool during the season so the deep meat temp stays perfect, even in warm day temps if it is kept out of the sun. I average about 10 - 14 days
- I check it every day and butcher it when I see the following:
a) The internal cavity (ribs etc..) have a slight coating of mold beginning - this is wipped off with viniger (I use quality cider viniger)
b) The odor in this cavity has a hint of sour.
- I know this sounds bad but ask anybody from the deep woods or depression times. None of the meat is spoiled. No you won't make jerky from the rib meat, and will lose a thin covering from the rear (exposed meat) from drying. When I butcher it the internal meat is still very cool. The meat melts (even old bucks) and is cut with a fork. Yet nothing is spoiled. The only waste I have is bone and hide. My dog takes most of the cut scraps. Try it and ENJOY.:corkysm55

[updeerhunter08]

I am new to this idea. Why do you leave your deer hanging, does it change the taste a lot? We have always butchered right away and not noticed a problem.

[alex-v]

I am new to this idea. Why do you leave your deer hanging, does it change the taste a lot? We have always butchered right away and not noticed a problem.
You are new to the idea of aging meat?

Yes, aging will change the taste of the meat. It is also how meat is naturally tenderized. All fine cuts of meat are aged to some extent. A good steakhouse or a good wild game meat chef will make it mandatory that the beef or venison that will be cooked be aged.

The method described by "up520" is pretty much the traditional method used by the classic wild game chefs around the world.

In today's urbanized world, though, people are becoming afraid of aging because they do not understand the principles at work. A close second to hanging beef or venison is to do what is called wet-aging. A search should turn up more information on that aging method.

[Dead Bird]

Whitetiptale:I think the chief your talking about is Milo ? I have a couple of his videos. I really like to video where he shows in great detail how to completely cut-up a deer. Now I think about it, I need to get that converted to a dvd since I don't have a vcr anymore.

yes Milo would be the Chef.... but the big thing that I read is that there are two schools of thought... those that butcher there own deer and those that use a service....

if you use a service... this thread has no bearing on what you get... for those that butcher there own... we keep all meats hanging... several weeks... this goes back to the days when Milo and my Dad worked at the Roostertail together... so for the past 50 plus years it has been working... the how you butcher is as important as the hanging process.... mainatining moisture during the freezing process is key to good fresh tasting food..

for those that have the Milo tapes.... the "Mother-In-Law" jokes are priceless... especially if you understand his sense of humour...

[bluefin75]

I like to age my deer about 1.5 years.:) I then cut it up myself immediately after shooting it and it's the best tasting meat you can have. I have'nt had great results with the older deer hanging for a week or two but not sure if it was not as good tasting because it was older or if it was due to the fluctuating temps.

[zimmzala]

Does aging prevent or create a more gamey taste?

[alex-v]

Does aging prevent or create a more gamey taste?
What is a "gamey taste"??

The answer is neither. It does not create it nor does it prevent it. That gamey taste is almost always caused by improperly prepping the animal as soon as it is shot and/or improperly storing it before final processing.

Just like that "fishey" taste in fish is almost always caused by keeping the fish on a stringer in warm water while trying to catch a few more fish for dinner.

Does that beef you eat have a "gamey taste"?? It has been aged before it gets to the meat market or supermarket.

[WeimsRus]

OK the ageing of meat I don't care if it is beef, venison, or goat, and how long it hangs is dependant on the conditions you have to leave it hanging. Meat should age at a tempature of between 35 and 40 degrees. If the meat freezes, it's not ageing. If the meat goes above 40 degrees it is a bacteria farm. The proper hanging time is 10-14 days, depending on what you like. I perfer 10 days for my farm animals. Because I don't have a walkin freezer, my wild game hangs long enough to let the rigor mortus release. I have seen people let a deer hang for 10 days in their yard at 50 degrees and the only thing they have after is the head mount.