bhensley

I've heard some of you on here talking about hanging your deer for up to days at a time before butchering them. I was wandering why you do this? The deer I have shot in the past I have always butchered and put in the freezer right after getting the deer back home. Any help or pointers to why you do this and the proper procedures would be great. Thank you.
Brandon

mossy33oak

my quarters leave the body and get washed off, then spend the night in the fridge. I debone the next day and let in the fridge another day to let the blood out. I vac seal my deboned meat usually on the 3rd day after harvest. This is just the way I do it, not that others dont find better ways.

DOUBLE-LUNG

There are many opinions why to hang a deer for several days. I personally have a largefrigerator I store my deer/elk in once quartered for several days. IMOthe basic idea behind not processing meat and freezing immediately has to do withtestosterone/hormones. Basically the meat goes through a curing period. The gamey taste of a deer can result from stress a deer goes through once shot. When a deer runs after being shot the adrenaline runs through the system and can affect the tase of the meat. It's believed that the curing period can dissolve the adrenaline from the meat. I enjoy doing my own processing, so the meat is stored for a couple days anyways before placed into the freezer.

buckmastr229

If its Cold enough out below freezing , like it usally is up here in the north. You can leave the deer out for as long as youd like. When it warms up though its time to get it in a real freezer. If it stays outside and its cold you will have a froze deer!!

NBDeerHunter

I agree with what double lung said. I try to leave my deer hanging (with the hide off) for at least 2-3 days and maybe longer if the weather permits.

trailer

I usually hang mine for a couples days in the garage with the hide on...

bhensley

Thank you all for the help. Where I live I really do not have the option to just hang the deer for a few days. I take it it will pretty much do the same thing if I clean it and put it in a refridgerator for a few days before freezing it? Thanks again fellas.
Brandon

skeeter 7MM

FYI, the rigor process which is whatDoublelung isrefering to (lactic acid turns to sugar) takes place within 24 hours post mortise. After this takes place the traditional term: Aging process place.

PersonallyI don't believe in aging venison as the process is more to do with the fat then the meat itself. Since venison is so lean I find aging pointless but believe in allowing the meat to relax and cool, so I let mine hang or fridge if to warm for a 1-2 days max now. If you want beef buy beef, personallyI like the flavor and texture of venison better than domestic.

Brandon in fact this meathod is actually better as it is controlled vs varying ambient temperatures of a garage or shed, like most of us use. I hang mine in the garage but only if I can maintain a temperature of 33- approx 40, if it is warmer I will let the carcass come to ambient temperature then I'll fridge it for 1day before cutting and wrapping.

lethalconnection

I do as double lung does for the simple fact to let the lactic acid dissolve cause the lactic acid is what makes the meat tuff and taste so gamey. I tend to let the fronts of a deer hang for 2 days then butcher it and let the hinds of a deer hang for about a week cause there is more muscle mass so it takes a bit longer for it to dissolve and become tender. As for moose and elk we let the fronts hang for about 1 week and the hinds hang for 2 weeks cause once again there is more muscle mass so it takes longer for the acid to dissolve and the meat to become tender. Only do this as long as the meat stays cold but if it starts to get too warm we butcher it once we think it may start to go bad but we have an addition to our garage with a/c unit attached to it so its kind of like a big fridge/freezer.

treestandstealth

I quarter mine the same day as the kill I then store the quarters for about three days.