Aging in a meat plant is done under controlled conditions of 35 to 40F. In aging venisons at
[/align]home, hunters are at the mercy of the prevailing outside temperatures. The following guidelines
[/align]can be offered for aging venison[/b].
[/align]1. If the temperature is between 32 and 40F, deer should be able to be easily aged for 1 week.
[/align]2. If the temperature is between 40 and 50F, aging should be shorted to 3 to 5 days. Since aging
[/align]involves chemical reactions which go at a faster rate as the temperature gets higher, 4 days of
[/align]aging at 45F might be comparable to 7 days at 35F. If the meat is frozen for a period of time,
[/align]little aging takes place at this low temperature. Remember, it is the temperature within the
[/align]muscle which determines how rapidly aging proceeds, not the changing outside air temperature.
[/align]3. From a food safety standpoint, lower temperatures are always preferred. Environmental
[/align]temperatures above 50F are getting into a higher risk zone. If daytime temperatures get above
[/align]50F for most of the day, and there are not good prospects for cooler weather coming, the deer
[/align]should probably be processed as soon as possible, or taken to a plant where it can be stored under
[/align]refrigerated conditions.
[/align]4. Unfortunately the storage temperatures this time of year can vary from day to day, and cause
[/align]a person to wonder how long they should hang the deer. The above advice should help in that
[/align]decision. Remember that bacteria growth and spoilage are a function of time and temperature.
[/align]A chilled carcass can withstand a few hours of temperatures around 50F but maybe not several
[/align]days of it. Carcasses held as a desireable temperature of under 40F may develop signs of
[/align]spoilage if held there too long. Use good common sense, and keep an eye on the carcass for
[/align]signs of spoilage, and the changing weather conditions.
[/align]
Here are a few other things to keep in mind:
[/align]• undisturbed carcass muscles are virtually sterile, and bacteria growth occurs on the
[/align]outside of the carcass where contamination has occurred through handling. Careful
[/align]removal of the viscera and clean-up of the abdominal cavity are important. If the hide
[/align]remains on the deer, bacteria growth can only occur in the interior of the carcass and
[/align]other exposed areas. Bacteria need moisture to grow, so as the carcass surface dries out,
[/align]bacteria growth slows down.
[/align]• deer will usually get well chilled during the cool nights, and this will carry over and
[/align]provide some measure of temperature control during the warmer days. To help prolong
[/align]the low temperature in the carcass during daytime hours, store the deer on the north side
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