Cleaning Deer
12-16-2004, 12:24 AM
#3
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Queens,NY
Posts: 17
RE: Cleaning Deer
Check out the name Joe Defalco n the web he has a bunch of videos and books on this subject. I usually hang my deer for a couple of hours before bringing him to the butcher if I shoot it on opening day and going home that day. If I am staying a couple of days I will hang it as long as possible and then drop it off on the way home. Matt
12-16-2004, 09:21 AM
#4
Fork Horn
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Ft Rucker, AL
Posts: 428
RE: Cleaning Deer
if it is already field dressed you can let it hang with the skin on for a week and a half if you want to. It is aging the meat and making it more tender. Make sure the temp is below 40, otherwise you will spoil the meat. When you say cleaning the deer do you mean field dress or skinning?
12-16-2004, 11:00 AM
#5
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Saskatchewan Canada
Posts: 6,921
RE: Cleaning Deer
Here is a link the canuck2 site it has a section Field Dressing game:
[link]http://www.angelfire.com/bc/canuck2/index.html[/link]
When done field dressing I like to wash out the inside cavity with clean/cool water.
As far as hanging I personally believe and found that aging is really not required in wild game. While I believe in relaxing the meat (which is the removal of rigor after expiry - takes place within 24 hrs) the long term hangs aren't required for excellent meat quality...that comes at the butcher table! I have had to hot bone b/c of weather,etc and even with no relax time you still end up with good meat, just more blood when it thaws. As mentioned it should be kept 32 - 38 degrees as stayed temperature to age or hang for longer periods. While keeping the hide on will prevent skin it is essential to cool the entire carcass as quickly as possible, therefore I skin all my game immediately. I have wrapped the carcass in cheesecloth before so it will breath but stay somewhat protected. I assume you'll be taking it to a processor, therefore I would either take directly to them, as they will be able to ensure the meat is kept at the right temperature. If your doing the butchering yourself then you should take into consideration the weather, hanging area and time required to determine the best practice...what you don't want is huge variances in temp so when outside make sure it is shielded from the direct sunlight and if the highs and lows are going to be a problem you can either quarter/fridge age or debone. BTW, if the meat freezes the aging you are triing to accomplish is stopped, so much better to debone than let it freeze. If it gets to warm you will get rot or green rot (bone out), so again debone it vs worry about aging.
Best of luck.
[link]http://www.angelfire.com/bc/canuck2/index.html[/link]
When done field dressing I like to wash out the inside cavity with clean/cool water.
As far as hanging I personally believe and found that aging is really not required in wild game. While I believe in relaxing the meat (which is the removal of rigor after expiry - takes place within 24 hrs) the long term hangs aren't required for excellent meat quality...that comes at the butcher table! I have had to hot bone b/c of weather,etc and even with no relax time you still end up with good meat, just more blood when it thaws. As mentioned it should be kept 32 - 38 degrees as stayed temperature to age or hang for longer periods. While keeping the hide on will prevent skin it is essential to cool the entire carcass as quickly as possible, therefore I skin all my game immediately. I have wrapped the carcass in cheesecloth before so it will breath but stay somewhat protected. I assume you'll be taking it to a processor, therefore I would either take directly to them, as they will be able to ensure the meat is kept at the right temperature. If your doing the butchering yourself then you should take into consideration the weather, hanging area and time required to determine the best practice...what you don't want is huge variances in temp so when outside make sure it is shielded from the direct sunlight and if the highs and lows are going to be a problem you can either quarter/fridge age or debone. BTW, if the meat freezes the aging you are triing to accomplish is stopped, so much better to debone than let it freeze. If it gets to warm you will get rot or green rot (bone out), so again debone it vs worry about aging.
Best of luck.
12-16-2004, 08:08 PM
#6
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Montana
Posts: 586
RE: Cleaning Deer
Yes, a very good video by the Idaho Fish and game called "Field Dressing Big game". Go to www.huntereducation.com. $17.00 plus shipping.
Of course, by the time you get it, your deer may be pretty stinky, but you'll be ready for next time!
Of course, by the time you get it, your deer may be pretty stinky, but you'll be ready for next time!
12-18-2004, 12:17 AM
#10
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Central KY
Posts: 49
RE: Cleaning Deer
I have this book that has some pics with captions, Dressing and Cooking Wild Game.
We hang ours 10-14 days before we process them, with that being much shorter the warmer it is. We skin ours as soon as we get them up in the barn. I have seen some people that hang the deer and do not skin it, until later, before they cut up the meat. We have found that to be very ineffective. Maybe it could work, but the people that we have seen do that, have some funky smelling stuff. I wouldn't eat it.
If you are in a pinch, just start cutting. (Wash out with hose if possible.)Sure, you may waste some, but if you had no one to show you and a dead deer laying, its better than losing the whole thing. If it stinks and doesn't look like meat, it goes. That's similar to what I did with my first turkey.
We hang ours 10-14 days before we process them, with that being much shorter the warmer it is. We skin ours as soon as we get them up in the barn. I have seen some people that hang the deer and do not skin it, until later, before they cut up the meat. We have found that to be very ineffective. Maybe it could work, but the people that we have seen do that, have some funky smelling stuff. I wouldn't eat it.
If you are in a pinch, just start cutting. (Wash out with hose if possible.)Sure, you may waste some, but if you had no one to show you and a dead deer laying, its better than losing the whole thing. If it stinks and doesn't look like meat, it goes. That's similar to what I did with my first turkey.