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curing your deer
12-10-2007, 06:25 AM
#11
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Michigan
Posts: 3,476
RE: curing your deer
ORIGINAL: maytom
Ditto!!!
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.
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.
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.
12-10-2007, 09:14 AM
#12
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Blissfield MI USA
Posts: 5,293
RE: curing your deer
I have found that curing my deer is utterly impossibly. Once I shoot them they are dead, and dead is dead. I just don't have the medical background to revive them, let alone cure them
.
All kidding aside, I just shoot them, gut them and take them to get them processed. I'm not really sure what they do with them once they get there. I do know they skin pretty quick. The people I know that do the work themselves don't cure the meat or leave it sit for any other reason than they just don't have time. If it is warm out they do it right away, if it is cold out it gives them the chance to wait until it is more convenient for them. I have never noticed a difference in the taste of the meat either way to be honest.
My grandpa used to butcher farm animals (cows/pigs) and we used to raise cows for slaughter. I don't ever remember seeing him or any butcher "cure" the meat like you guys are talking about. They killed it, cut it up and packaged it as far as I can remember.
I feel what affects the meat is how you went about field dressing the animal and what its diet consisted of.
Paul
.All kidding aside, I just shoot them, gut them and take them to get them processed. I'm not really sure what they do with them once they get there. I do know they skin pretty quick. The people I know that do the work themselves don't cure the meat or leave it sit for any other reason than they just don't have time. If it is warm out they do it right away, if it is cold out it gives them the chance to wait until it is more convenient for them. I have never noticed a difference in the taste of the meat either way to be honest.
My grandpa used to butcher farm animals (cows/pigs) and we used to raise cows for slaughter. I don't ever remember seeing him or any butcher "cure" the meat like you guys are talking about. They killed it, cut it up and packaged it as far as I can remember.
I feel what affects the meat is how you went about field dressing the animal and what its diet consisted of.
Paul
12-10-2007, 09:27 AM
#13
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Blissfield MI USA
Posts: 5,293
RE: curing your deer
Oh, and on a side note, most chefs will agree that freezing meat is about the worst thing you can do to it. So going through all those extra steps of letting it hang and age are really quite useless if you are just going to chuck it in the freezer anyway. Fresh meat always tastes better.
I get a bit upset when my girlfriend buys meat and puts it in the freezer. I can see the grocery store from where I live. If I want a steak I will walk over get one, take it out of the package and throw it on the grill.
I know you don't have much of a choice with a deer though, unless you are REALLY hungry. But there is nothing better than shooting a deer, cutting the back straps out then slicing them up and cooking them in some butter and garlic. It doesn't get much fresher than that.
Paul
I get a bit upset when my girlfriend buys meat and puts it in the freezer. I can see the grocery store from where I live. If I want a steak I will walk over get one, take it out of the package and throw it on the grill.
I know you don't have much of a choice with a deer though, unless you are REALLY hungry
. But there is nothing better than shooting a deer, cutting the back straps out then slicing them up and cooking them in some butter and garlic. It doesn't get much fresher than that.Paul
12-10-2007, 10:22 AM
#14
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Michigan
Posts: 3,476
RE: curing your deer
I have found that curing my deer is utterly impossibly. Once I shoot them they are dead, and dead is dead. I just don't have the medical background to revive them, let alone cure them.
There's no question that the curing process is for meat that is to go straight to the food preparer, but since freezing and thawing can produce some tenderizing also, it won't hurt the tenderness, but as far as retaining freshness and JUICINESS, you're absolutely correct. There is nothing, food-wise, better on this earth, (that i've found yet) than taking the straps or tenderoins (I prefer the straps) from a freshly killed deer, and placing them in a HOT fry pan to just barely sear, then under the broiler for a couple minutes....crap I'm having withdrawal right now.........and if the pan has oil that has been flavored with a little green onion and garlic....shoot, I'm getting dizzy just remembering the smell and flavor! Add a salad and some taters your favorite way, and maybe a cold Bass Ale.....
I gotta go lay down!
12-10-2007, 11:16 AM
#15
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Iredell Co. North Carolina
Posts: 236
RE: curing your deer
we always processed them right after we skined them and only field dressed them when they were to heavy to drag out.
Nobody ever explained why you should hang them out to me.
the meat always taste as good if not better than beef so i have no reason to complain.
Nobody ever explained why you should hang them out to me.
the meat always taste as good if not better than beef so i have no reason to complain.
12-10-2007, 11:54 AM
#16
Fork Horn
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Watertown, NY
Posts: 133
RE: curing your deer
I grew up eating venison and we always proccessed our own...I'm a very strong believer in letting a deer hang for atleast 4-5 days, weather providing...I had a butcher a couple of years ago proccess my deer in one day...I took it to him on a Monday, Tuesday he called me to let me know it was done...It was by far theeee worst venison I've ever had...It was tough, the flavor was off...Not what I was used to...Since then I have taken them to another butcher that lets them hang for a week before cutting them up...I've yet to get a bad piece of venison from him.
One of the best deer I've ever eaten was a buck I killed in the Adirondacks...I killed him in November, hung him in the shed and didn't get back to him until February...He was froze solid and a real pain to deal with but my god was it tender and flavorful!!!
One of the best deer I've ever eaten was a buck I killed in the Adirondacks...I killed him in November, hung him in the shed and didn't get back to him until February...He was froze solid and a real pain to deal with but my god was it tender and flavorful!!!
12-10-2007, 02:30 PM
#17
Typical Buck
Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 721
RE: curing your deer
ORIGINAL: 8mm/06
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.
ORIGINAL: maytom
Ditto!!!
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.
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.
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.
"Aging", or lettingelk hang before butcheringhas a marked effect on its taste, unlike deer. But if you feel you can taste a difference in deer, then let 'em hang!
12-10-2007, 03:20 PM
#18
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: vermont
Posts: 91
RE: curing your deer
I let my deer hang overnight with the skin on when we come in for lunch the next day three of us will process it in a couple of hours. We put the tenderloins or back straps in a pan on the wood stove and eat it for lunch while taking care of the rest of the deer.
12-10-2007, 03:35 PM
#19
Fork Horn
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Upstate NY
Posts: 174
RE: curing your deer
As other have said here aging deer has very little if any discernable difference. You may if you age it like some top end steak sellers but some of thosewill hangfor weeks at perfect air and temperature conditions with constant moisture testing...... I am sure 99% of us regular guys do not have the gear for that. Most just end up making the meat get contaminated or ranging into unsafe temperatures.
Things you need to do: gut the animal quickly and do a very good job. No stomach contents or bladder contents or any contents for that matter should spill onto the body cavity. If it does rinse it out well and pat dry.
If you live anywhere where the temp is not cold I would skin it. Up here in NY we do not unless it is unseasonable warm. I may let one hang for a day or three but that is just making time to get to it. Also do not let it freeze!! After skinning it we quarter, bone out, cut up and package. Make sure you keep any hair, fat, silverskin or any bloodshot out of your eats. Also do not cut bones, bone it out. Bone meal tastes like crap and will ruin good meat.
Besides that just do not overcook it, worse thing you can do to a peice of venison!
Things you need to do: gut the animal quickly and do a very good job. No stomach contents or bladder contents or any contents for that matter should spill onto the body cavity. If it does rinse it out well and pat dry.
If you live anywhere where the temp is not cold I would skin it. Up here in NY we do not unless it is unseasonable warm. I may let one hang for a day or three but that is just making time to get to it. Also do not let it freeze!! After skinning it we quarter, bone out, cut up and package. Make sure you keep any hair, fat, silverskin or any bloodshot out of your eats. Also do not cut bones, bone it out. Bone meal tastes like crap and will ruin good meat.
Besides that just do not overcook it, worse thing you can do to a peice of venison!
12-10-2007, 05:43 PM
#20
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 1,083
RE: curing your deer
I field dress my deer as soon as I kill it. I'lll hose out the cavity real good with cold water.
Then I'll hang it a few days to cool.
If it's really cold out I will skin it right away. Frozen skin can really turn into some extra work (I've been there).
If it's pretty warm first season I try to quarter it that night or next day and get it in the fridge or cooler. I don't "soak", ad salt, water, or loose ice. If I put it a cooler a put the ice in in the bags. You don't want to soak your venison in water, it leeches too much blood out and also makes the meat less appetizing.
I also NEVER salt any venison before or during cooking. It really dries it out and can actually ruin it in my opinion. Spices, Onion, Fresh Garlic, etc arebetter for cooking with. I add sany salt right at the end of cooking or after it's served. It makes a big difference... This all just my opinion of course, and how I do it. People have there own ways of doing things. But I would avoid the salt, the water, or any combination.
chris
Then I'll hang it a few days to cool.
If it's really cold out I will skin it right away. Frozen skin can really turn into some extra work (I've been there).
If it's pretty warm first season I try to quarter it that night or next day and get it in the fridge or cooler. I don't "soak", ad salt, water, or loose ice. If I put it a cooler a put the ice in in the bags. You don't want to soak your venison in water, it leeches too much blood out and also makes the meat less appetizing.
I also NEVER salt any venison before or during cooking. It really dries it out and can actually ruin it in my opinion. Spices, Onion, Fresh Garlic, etc arebetter for cooking with. I add sany salt right at the end of cooking or after it's served. It makes a big difference... This all just my opinion of course, and how I do it. People have there own ways of doing things. But I would avoid the salt, the water, or any combination.
chris