Does a deer have to hang before butchering?
10-08-2014, 06:54 PM
#21
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Michigan
Posts: 3,952
It needs to be hung for me, and not in a garage with uncontroled temps. I have my butcher hang mine for 7 days halved in his walkin. The difference in flavor and texture is apparent. Hanging allows the enzymes in the meat to break it down somewhat making it more tender and flavorful. I would not kill a beef steer and have it cut up the same day and I wouldn't do it to a deer either.
Good hunting this season!
10-09-2014, 02:55 AM
#23
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Audubon & Red Rock, Penna.
Posts: 4,472
Once a deer is dead, the heart stops pumping and you really don't bleed it by hanging and aging it. The aging allows enzymes to break down the muscle fibers and make the meat more tender. If you double-lung a deer, it should bleed out just fine. A head shot leaves all the blood where it was.
10-09-2014, 03:11 AM
#24
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 2,445
When you shoot a deer you'll notice that it is limber immediately after the kill. Then in a short while it will stiffen (rigor mortis). Processing while the deer is in rigor is a mistake, from what I've heard. I always hang until the rigor is out of the carcass. If it is too warm, I add ice.
When it's time to eat the venison, I take the meat out of the freezer a couple days ahead and let it thaw in the fridge. I put it in a colander with a bowl under it, so it will not sit in the blood that comes out as it thaws.
As long as I've butchered my own (about 27 years), this has worked for me.
When it's time to eat the venison, I take the meat out of the freezer a couple days ahead and let it thaw in the fridge. I put it in a colander with a bowl under it, so it will not sit in the blood that comes out as it thaws.
As long as I've butchered my own (about 27 years), this has worked for me.
10-09-2014, 04:10 AM
#25
Little Doe Peep
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Japan
Posts: 14,945
When you shoot a deer you'll notice that it is limber immediately after the kill. Then in a short while it will stiffen (rigor mortis). Processing while the deer is in rigor is a mistake, from what I've heard. I always hang until the rigor is out of the carcass. If it is too warm, I add ice.
When it's time to eat the venison, I take the meat out of the freezer a couple days ahead and let it thaw in the fridge. I put it in a colander with a bowl under it, so it will not sit in the blood that comes out as it thaws.
As long as I've butchered my own (about 27 years), this has worked for me.
When it's time to eat the venison, I take the meat out of the freezer a couple days ahead and let it thaw in the fridge. I put it in a colander with a bowl under it, so it will not sit in the blood that comes out as it thaws.
As long as I've butchered my own (about 27 years), this has worked for me.
10-09-2014, 07:22 AM
#26
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: south eastern PA
Posts: 15,428
Mickey Finn, you are wrong, hanging does benefit the flavor of venison and makes it more tender. Having a different grain than beef has nothing to do with it. Many people still hang their fowl to improve the flavor, I do not do that but many do.
10-09-2014, 08:58 AM
#27
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: North Idaho
Posts: 1,071
i still say that letting the blood pool in the deer's carcass isnt good. Thats why hanging helps. it lets most of the blood drain out. I try to gut and skin the animal as soon as possible and let it hang overnight as a minimum.
10-09-2014, 05:59 PM
#28
Spike
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Texas
Posts: 45
Aging meat does not cause the fat to be marbled nor does it break down the fat. Either a piece of meat is marbled with fat or it is not. Venison is not marbled at all, the fat in venison is on the outside and is not good tasting and should be removed before cooking. I cut meat for a number of years and I know what aging does for flavor. Some really expensive cuts of beef are aged untill they actually have mold on the outside, it is cut of before cooking. Meat molds do not hurt you. There are a lot of misconceptions about what aging meat does. Pork is not aged but beef and wildlife venison improve with aging. If some people don't like that flavor it is probably because they have never eaten properly aged meat. I can't even count the number f peole who swore they hated venison, t was too gamey. Then they ate mine and changed their minds. In my experience what people call gamey is caused by poor meat handling after the kill.
10-10-2014, 07:43 AM
#29
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Michigan
Posts: 3,952
ATB
