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curing your deer
12-10-2007, 06:08 PM
#21
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location:
Posts: 3
RE: curing your deer
I believe in always hanging your deer from hind legs with head facing down, never up
and always indoors in keeping meat a good temperature.
I like to clean the cavity twice...
[hr]http://www.wildhuntingservice.com/deerprocessing.php
and always indoors in keeping meat a good temperature.
I like to clean the cavity twice...
[hr]http://www.wildhuntingservice.com/deerprocessing.php
12-10-2007, 06:19 PM
#22
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Michigan
Posts: 3,476
RE: curing your deer
ORIGINAL: IAhuntr
Older dictionaries may refer to any large game along with elk as venison, but most folks today along with most modern dictionarysassociate venison primarily with deer.As do most hunters I know.
"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!
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, 09:43 PM
#23
Spike
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Des Moines,Ia
Posts: 28
RE: curing your deer
I have always gutted the deer on the spot and then let them hang for 5-7 days depending on the weather. The 2 deer I shot on the Dec. 2 did not get butchered until this past Saturday. I know most guys do not have the ability to let the deer hang but I have always done so and it works well for me. I also skin them out the same day I bucther. The reason for that is if you skin them on Sunday and don't butcher untill say Wednesday the exposed meat turns darker in color and dries out a bit and I find that all this does is makes more trimming work when you start to butcher the deer. But I guess I am lucky living here because it has been relativly cold during deer season for al long as I can remember so meat spoilage has not ever been a problem. And speaking of good backstraps how do these corn fed goodies look?
12-10-2007, 10:49 PM
#24
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Michigan
Posts: 3,476
RE: curing your deer
You sir are treading on thin ice by dangling those in front of us. I'll get the cast iron pan going with a little onion and garlic oil, then fish out the veggies and get it screechin hot ... you cut 'em about 1 1/4 thick .......SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS
I'll get the cast iron pan going with a little onion and garlic oil, then fish out the veggies and get it screechin hot ... you cut 'em about 1 1/4 thick .......SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS
12-11-2007, 12:41 AM
#25
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Saskatchewan Canada
Posts: 6,921
RE: curing your deer
Elk, moose, deer, antelope has always been venison by my dictionary and as such always been treated in the same manner. Get it cooled asap, clean, relax when possible (rigor process which I have always been led to believe lasts upto 24 hours), trimmed. packaged properly andfroze thoroughly. I grew up in afamily of butcherswe never let our venison hang inthe cooler for longer then 3 days.I have experimented with hang times on my own and found no difference beyond the rigor process taking place. Basically boils down to time and temperature for my personal harvests. I also cut for others and have cooler accesswhich boils down strictly to time. Being a sideline I somewhat limited in my turn around when things get busy,though strive for 3 days and out the door. A lot of the quality is shape of the deer before harvest and care after harvest. I have seen some prettynasty carcasses come in and it's aweful hard to turn a pigs snout into a silk purse..[
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12-11-2007, 04:32 AM
#26
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Michigan
Posts: 3,476
RE: curing your deer
ORIGINAL: skeeter 7MM
Elk, moose, deer, antelope has always been venison by my dictionary and as such always been treated in the same manner. Get it cooled asap, clean, relax when possible (rigor process which I have always been led to believe lasts upto 24 hours), trimmed. packaged properly andfroze thoroughly. I grew up in afamily of butcherswe never let our venison hang inthe cooler for longer then 3 days.I have experimented with hang times on my own and found no difference beyond the rigor process taking place. Basically boils down to time and temperature for my personal harvests. I also cut for others and have cooler accesswhich boils down strictly to time. Being a sideline I somewhat limited in my turn around when things get busy,though strive for 3 days and out the door. A lot of the quality is shape of the deer before harvest and care after harvest. I have seen some prettynasty carcasses come in and it's aweful hard to turn a pigs snout into a silk purse..[]
Elk, moose, deer, antelope has always been venison by my dictionary and as such always been treated in the same manner. Get it cooled asap, clean, relax when possible (rigor process which I have always been led to believe lasts upto 24 hours), trimmed. packaged properly andfroze thoroughly. I grew up in afamily of butcherswe never let our venison hang inthe cooler for longer then 3 days.I have experimented with hang times on my own and found no difference beyond the rigor process taking place. Basically boils down to time and temperature for my personal harvests. I also cut for others and have cooler accesswhich boils down strictly to time. Being a sideline I somewhat limited in my turn around when things get busy,though strive for 3 days and out the door. A lot of the quality is shape of the deer before harvest and care after harvest. I have seen some prettynasty carcasses come in and it's aweful hard to turn a pigs snout into a silk purse..[
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But the part about condition before and after the kill is key...
A quickly cooled and clean carcass handled with care and in clean conditions is priority one for sure.
12-11-2007, 09:27 AM
#27
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location:
Posts: 31
RE: curing your deer
I have taken alot of big game (Elk, Blacktail deer, Mule deer, and Whitetail deer ect.) I process them all the same. Soon as I harvest an animal I gut it which takes less than five minutes, rinse it out with water I carry, then i take it home and hang it, Then I take off the hide along with the lower sections of the legs, comes off in one peice.After doing this I split the Deer, Elk ect. all the way up to the throat and remove everything down to the anal cavity, then I rinse the inside really good and let drip while I'm trimming the excess fat off it, inside and out, also take care of any, if any blood shot. Then i cover my animal with a cloth like cheese cloth, reason for this if you don't your animal will get dark on the outer layer and it will need to be cut off, so I use the cloth. Works very well! Then last but not least I let it hang for 4 to 7 days depending on the weather, if it's under 35 degrees 7 days, over 35 but under 45 degrees 4 days. Then i quater it up and debone, rinse any hair off, partially freeze the meat and then vacum seal, turns out great!!!! Now a couple of key things nver and I mean never not wash your animal out if it has been shot to where any part of the gut has been punctured, it will give the meat a funny taste..Also the old mith thatan old deer will be to tough and won't be any good or if it was indeed killed in the rut it would be no good, Wrong! It all depends on how you process your meat. I have people compliment me on the way I do my deer meat. I evenprocessmeat for some of my hunting buddies and family members, only bad thing about this is by the end of season I'm wore out..LoL I also worked in a Meat processing plant about 15 years ago, soI learned some of what I know there and the rest over years of trying to perfect the processing process. Everyone Have ahappy holidays and enjoy all the game you've harvested this hunting season, (cause the best meat is the one you harvested yourself).
12-12-2007, 10:42 PM
#29
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Saskatchewan Canada
Posts: 6,921
RE: curing your deer
ORIGINAL: flatlander73
I have to say, the best venison tenderloin I've ever had has been aged and I'm talking about mold on the ribs aged. it was like heaven
I have to say, the best venison tenderloin I've ever had has been aged and I'm talking about mold on the ribs aged. it was like heaven
A muscle that does absolutely nothing and requires no hangtime IMHO/E. Unlike beef no marbling that requires aging, soonly skins over reducing the return. Mine are out asap and have never seen a freezer
!Aging is nothing more then a rot, though to be done correctly it must be in a controlled enviroment. Mold on the exterior of the carcass doesn't fit into my description of "controlled". I'dbehighly suspect of green rot which to meequates tocoyote bait.
