mtair

if it is rock hard frozen , you could always use a band saw ,if one is available , it makes really nice steaks , just watch for bone chips .ouch!

skeeter 7MM

Hey everybody has their reasons/preferences on what hang time should be used and I have processed my own deer(and many others) for only about 15 years so I ain't a expert by no means. My dad who was a butcher use to believe a deer should hang between 1-2 days, however letting it hang in a cool (not cold) enviroment didn't hurt it also never did anything to the quality of meat. Aging as I have been told is more to due with the fat than the meat itself, domestic animals have larger amounts of fat in the meat slowing down the relax time, where as wild meat has very little fat thus the aging process is different and really not required in the true sense. Wild meat should be adequately cooled and rigor should be set in to accomplish the best quality of meat again this is info I have learned from trade workers(butchers). I was taught rigor on wild meat sets in around 6 hours and once this and the cooling has taken place the meat should be GTG. However I can honestly say I have beboned animals in the field "hot" and the quality is still very good. I usually hang mine for a day or so and take care in cutting the meat to ensure to remove the amount of fat, silver skin and cut is going to provide the choice meat. I will not hang an animal that will freeze or where the temperature is to warm, to me it is better to "hot" butcher than deal with a frozen or skinned over animal. Again it is all what we know but I haven't had a complaint or problems with my methods and as such really don't believe the "aging" process is required for wild game....I will agree it don't hurt if the enviroment is cool (40-50%)

the jerseyhunter

I usually hang mine for about a week depending on the temp. Then I quarter and debone the meat. The next step is if I want steaks or chops I partialy freeze the meat before slicing. Makes a nicer looking finished product. So it seems to me your half way there, Just don't let the meat completely thaw out., It should be partially frozen.

Buckstopshere

I wound up putting a kettle of hot water under the hanging deer wrapped in a cone of blankets. The meat was borderline frozen, but cuttable. It took me 2 hours to remove the hide and another hour to quarter the 175 pound deer. I kept my rubber gloved fingers from freezing by having another kettle of hot water to dip in to. I'm sure the meat was below 32 degrees but the sugars or something in the meat kept it from going solid. Spent the rest of the day on cutting and packaging and finished off with a fresh couple of butterfly backstraps. ABSOLUTELY WORTH THE WHOLE ORDEAL!
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the jerseyhunter

Sound like you made out ok. Congradulations. Now go fry one of those bad boys up and e-mail me a taste.