ORIGINAL: 8mm/06
ORIGINAL: maytom
ORIGINAL: IAhuntr
Venison is completely lean meat, not marbled with fat deposits like some other game animals. 'Aging', or letting it hang longer has little to no effect on how it will taste, unlike elk or beef. Skinning is much easier if done right away while the carcass is still warm.
Ditto!!!
Elk is venison, as is moose....all animals characterized as "venison' have no intra-muscular marbling, yet do have fat deposits (tallow) on the OUTSIDE of the muscles. Obviously none of us want to eat that stuff, as it's taste is anything but good.
I want to say that I have changed my mind over the years after talking to many chefs and biologists as well as medical examiners. I used to be one who ascribed to getting the animal into the freezer (or pan!) as fast as possible. And while I still do that sometimes, it is only when I cannot get the weather to cooperate with me, as I do not have the proper facilities to age my venison correctly.
All animals possessing flesh will undergo a period of rigor mortis but within 36 hours the muscles (flesh) begins to relax as it undergoes an "aging process". If it occurs within certain parameters it will not hurt the meat's flavor or tenderness, and most agree that it improves it.
Whether or not you have been able to discern the difference in taste or tenderness depends a lot on how you butcher your venison or cook your harvest.
Regardless of whether you butcher immediately, or skin right away, or let it hang in the proper conditions, getting the meat cooled and clean and dry right away is the biggest step towards enjoying your venison.
For the record, the few times I have been able to perform the task of "proper aging" as it is explained, I have noticed little difference in flavor, but a marked difference in tenderness. But this is only noticable if you cook the venison so it appears medium rare as compared to beef. Anything beyond that and you might as well give it to the dogs, in my opinion, as you have ruined what could have been.