ageing/hanging deer and temps?

[bromide]

I took a doe over the Christmas holliday and hung it in my garage which has two small windows at the top but basically now sunlight reaches the inside. I hung that one for 5 days, the temps outside never got above 40-45 maybe! smoked the whole deer for new years eve and it was awsome! I took a doe last night and have it hanging as we speek but my question is with the outside temps being a little warmer this week will it still be ok? monday and wednesday are supose to be low 50's nights will be in the 20's! My plans are to smoke it for the football games on sat?

[halfbakedi420]

just need to let it hang til the rigor mortis is gone and the limbs move freely. put some foil on those windows in the garage to keep the sun out..should be about 5 degree's cooler or more. you should be ok, got an a/c unit fer the window?

Longer you hang it, the better. Ideally, its good to hang a deer for up to 2 weeks at 35-37degrees. This will help the toughness of the meat and break down the meat protiens.

I sure wouldn't hang it if it gets above 42 in that garage. And you sure don't want it to be below freezing either.

I pay a meat locker these days to hang a deer up to 2 weeks depending on the age and if its male or female.

A young 1-2 year deer, I will only hang for 2 days or so.

You can hang a deer up to 3 weeks in ideal conditions. Just remember do not cut into the meat. If you debone the meat, you can only keep it up to 3-4 days before molding.

[Charlie P]

Hang it at night drop it down during the day cover it in some old blankets or tarps and put some ice in the body cavity. Just use some old soda or gallon jugs, you'll have no problem. If you have a meat them. just stick into the hind qtr. so you know the temps ok.

[kickin_buck]

Just remember that life begins at 40 degrees. So anything over 40 degrees and bacteria will start forming.

[bromide]

thanks, think i'll go buy a bag of ice just in case and put in cavity!

[KCbuckeye22]

Originally Posted by bigcountry

Longer you hang it, the better. Ideally, its good to hang a deer for up to 2 weeks at 35-37degrees. This will help the toughness of the meat and break down the meat protiens.

I sure wouldn't hang it if it gets above 42 in that garage. And you sure don't want it to be below freezing either.

I pay a meat locker these days to hang a deer up to 2 weeks depending on the age and if its male or female.

A young 1-2 year deer, I will only hang for 2 days or so.

You can hang a deer up to 3 weeks in ideal conditions. Just remember do not cut into the meat. If you debone the meat, you can only keep it up to 3-4 days before molding.

This is the way to do it. Read up on this, and Youtube it. In a perfect world you want to age deer like cattle. I've done this and the meat is absoultly wonderful.

[Rhody Hunter]

you shouldn't have it hanging above 38- 40 degrees other wise you are rotting not aging. My buddy has the oppisite problem right now. With temps in the 20's he has a deercicle. and i don't see a let up in the cold this week . I don't know what he is going to do to get it back so he can cut it up ?

[va bowbender]

Originally Posted by Rhody Hunter

you shouldn't have it hanging above 38- 40 degrees other wise you are rotting not aging. My buddy has the opposite problem right now. With temps in the 20's he has a deercicle. and i don't see a let up in the cold this week . I don't know what he is going to do to get it back so he can cut it up ?

I get such a kick out of postings like this one. I've been a butcher/meat cutter for almost 40 years. Rhody Hunter is the closest to being right, 34-36 degrees is proper. Aging should be done in a atmosphere controlled environment. Fluctuation in temperature and humidity will cause bacteria and spoilage.
You can't and will never convince those that believe hanging game in a garage or under a deck, etc is doing the aging just fine. They're just letting it get old and taking chances. A day or two, packed with ice in temps up to 36-38 degrees is okay. It's best to get the deer home, wash it out thoroughly with the garden hose when possible and cut it up ASAP.

[uncle matt]

I was going to point out that the humidity is just as important as the constant temperature. And as the winter temps are so typically dry I see no sense in it hanging more a than a day or 2 either if the temps are right. I am a more or a "let's get cutting kinda guy".