RE: Venison-longer in the freezer=less gamey?
 

How do you hang your deer up heads down or heads ups?I hang my deer head down and hose the heck out of it with water and get it cooled down asap! It makes a huge difference!!! A buddy of mine gave me a doe he shot a couple of years ago that was a perfect double lunger. He hung the deer heads up and never rinsed her down at all and she tasted and smelled exactly what you are describing! Just trying to figure this out for you,let me know-Jason

RE: Venison-longer in the freezer=less gamey?
 

Just my 2 cents. I have been shooting, hanging, butchering, and eating my own deer for almost 30 years. Right up front, I'll tell you that I am so used to venison, that beef smells funny to me.
(1) Kill the deer quickly, heart/lung shot. If they run a while with amarginal shot, the flavor doesNOT improve.
(2)Field dress them correctly, ASAP, without breaking the bladder, or leaving stuff inside that shouldn't be left, and get them in a place or posistion thatwill allow maximum cooling.
(3) Allow them to hang in a "controled" cooling enviroment. In my case, in the north, my garage will stay about 30-35 degrees, I let them hang for about a week before I touch them. If you can't do this because of temps, or whatever, go on line to any site, and check out meat processing, they will guide you through your own circumstances.
(4) I double wrap everything in freezer paper, and keep it in a non-defrosting feezer, the meat will stay good about twice as long as it will in a self-defrosting freezer. Hope this is of some help to someone.

RE: Venison-longer in the freezer=less gamey?
 

I hate to put water in deer together, just not my way. I hang mine upside down as well. The thing I saw when i was younger makes me want to hang it that way. I saw a dog eat the hind quarters almost off a deer my grandfather had once. That dog was shot for that mistake. But it can happen at anytime when you least expect it. If it is to warm out I will put a block of ice in it while hanging though. As well as black pepper any place the meat is expossed or eye openings ect.. This will keep the blow flies away while it hangs. The block of ice normally will last over night which will give it time to cool down in a more natural way.. Deer will always taste better after you get the heat out of them..

RE: Venison-longer in the freezer=less gamey?
 

Venison is like beer. The first time you take a sip it is horrible but the more you drink it the more you get use to it!!

RE: Venison-longer in the freezer=less gamey?
 

I agree with jecole360, eating venison is like beer , the more you eat the more you want.:)

RE: Venison-longer in the freezer=less gamey?
 

They say with all meat your supposed to keep in the freezer for at least 30 days to kill all bacteria

RE: Venison-longer in the freezer=less gamey?
 

I can't wait, I'm frying and eating while I'm butchering.

RE: Venison-longer in the freezer=less gamey?
 

We butcher our own and it always tastes good. We grind our deer burger with nothing added. It is our favorite and we just use salt and pepper on the meat.

Here's what I do for great tasting venison.

1.A quick clean kill is mandatory.
2. Get the deer field dressed right away.
3. Get the heat out pronto. Spread the chest cavity, keep it open as wide as possibleand if it's cold enough letitair cool. If not, put ice in the cavity. Use game bags to keep flies off.
4.Clean the deer throughly. I use a hose to wash mine off.
5.When butchering don't let the meat get to warm.
6. Always wash the blood off while butchering. Some say water starts to deterioratethe meat, some don't. You make the choice. I don't believe it does.

As far as freezing meat killing bacteria, I know it does in pork.


Spudrow from Mo

RE: Venison-longer in the freezer=less gamey?
 

Freezing doesn't kill many bacteria it just stops or slows down their reproduction. The best way is to keep your meat clean and get it cooled ASAP.
Freezing pork at -10 for 30 days results in "Certified pork" this is done to kill a parasite that could be in the meat thus enabling you to use the pork in a recipe that is not cooked such as a dried sausage. If you were tocook the meat the parasite would be killed

RE: Venison-longer in the freezer=less gamey?
 

I make burgers for me and my buddies all the time. My processor I use mixes beef fat with the ground meat. A couple of them claim to not like venison, so I don't tell them it is. They never can tell the difference and always enjoy them.