Whitetail Deer HuntingGain a better understanding of the World's most popular big game animal and the techniques that will help you become a better deer hunter.
I know this has been asked in the past, but I'm just going to ask again anyway. Is it absolutely necessary to age venison before you butcher it? Or can you cut up the deer after a day or so? I'm just asking because I'm hunting out of state this weekend, and would rather just bring it back with me now than make another trip back to the in-laws!
Aging is not absolutely necessary. If it is very inconvenient to age the meat, I think that answers your question.
Aging may be desirable. If you skin your game, quarter your game, and put it on ice, the meat will actually age desirably while on the ice -- because it is not actually frozen but just cold (maybe 35 degrees?).
I disagree,You mean let the meat start to ROT .That is exactly what happens.The bacteria starts to break down the meat. If I kill a animal it is in the freezer the same day.If you are concerned about tender roast or steaks.Before making the meat marinate in olive oil and vinegar with your choice of spices put it in a freezer bag in the fridge for a day.Then grille
This is a topic near and dear to my heart. About 3 hours After death the muscles start the process of rigor mortis. If you freeze the meat during this process you're goint to get tough meat because you've effectively prevented the enzymes from unlocking the muscle fibers. As an example, check out the mouth of the deer after the kill; you can open it( those awful tongue shots). Three hours later you can't budge the jaw.. The process is over about 24 hours after it begins and then the enzymes take over to break down the muscle fibers. It is essential to keep the meat cool ( best under 40 degrees) during this time. The carcass can hang for up to 2 weeks with the skin on so long as it is kept cool. If you can't count on 24 hour coolness outdoors, skin and quarter your deer and place in plastic bags inside an iced cooler. Let the melted water drain and add ice; keep a thermometer in to check the temp. Mid to higher 30s is best. The warmer the temp, the shorter the aging time. Aging isn't necessary for venisonburger or the backstraps, but for the steaks and roasts sake,DON'T FREEZE FOR THE FIRST 24 HOURS. And as long as you can maintain a low temp, don't worry about rot ; with the skin on, there are no entry point for the germs, except at the shot site.
I apsolutely like to let the rigamortis go away before butching. I like to hang for 2 days and let it bleed for a while. this is not always and maybe rarely possible for bowhunters and even in some days of gun hunting. If the temp goes over 50 in midday, I start butchering.
Properly hung meat will taste IMO, much better than one that has just been butchered after the kill. Thats if you don't like the strong taste.
I've always gone on the notion that hanging and aging will yield better, more tender meat if it is allowed to hang with the hide off. That's hard for most people though I realize. I know that expensive cuts of beef in fancy restaurants are darn near rotten.
If the temps stay below 50 during the day and get down into the 30's at night I will let a deer hang for several days. If the temps are to warm I will skin and quarter the deer, placing the meat in a large cooler full of ice. I keep the drain plug open and tilt the cooler to make sure all the water drains. The first "batch" of ice will melt quickly if the meat is still warm, so I add more Ice latter and it will keep in the cooler at least a week so long as you keep ice on the meat. This allows the meat to "age" some and also allows me the option to finish butchering when I am ready. I have also found that the meat from deer done this way tend to be a bit more tender, and flavorful than those that are butcherd more quickly.
I normally let my deer hang a couple of days but one year I did butcher my deer as soon as I had brought it home and I really didn"™t find much difference in the taste of the meat.
Aging venison
