hanging deer

[Kyle]

I've never hung my deer before, but this year I want to. With the forecasted lows being in the high 20's and low 30's at night with a few days of mid 40's, will my deer be alright? I plan to hang them in my garage with the skin on. After last night they are very cold, and I think keeping the skin on will help keep the meat cold if it warms up to the mid 40's during the day.

I've heard aged venison is way better, so I really want to do this right.

[leechlake]

in a perfect world it would be best if you butchered it and could put it in a fridge at the exact temperature that "dry aging" calls for. I believe that's 36-40 just look it up. The enzymes break down etc.

I assume you may not have an empty fridge sitting around so letting it hang if the temps are right is second best option. Look up the dry aging process.

[reddog]

I'd get the hide off of it as soon as possible, irregardless of whether you age it or not. That ismy opinion.. Wrap it in an old sheet if you must, but the hides gotta go..

[Alagnak]

Yep- get the hide off. Perfect temps for it to hang this week. As mentioned, take an old bed sheet, get it wet, ring it out and wrap it around the deer so it doesn't get too dried out on the outside.

[CANOPY SAM]

+1 It may already be too late, but if you wait too long to skin the animal the cape will be pretty tough to remove. It's much, MUCH easier while the animal is still a tad soft and warm.

That being said, it's gonna take some time and patience to get the cape off now, but once off you should be able to safely hang your animal, in the garage, for the next few days with no problem at all.

If it gets too cold, and starts to freeze up, quarter up the deer, and start the butchering process. You don't want it to freeze.

I typically let mine hang for 4-5 days or until I can pinch a sliver of meat in my fingers and it squishes fairly easily. If it doesn't squish it still needs a little time hanging.

[DonBo]

From all reports from "experts" I have heard or read recently, venison is not beef. Aging more than overnight has no benefits. If you want to let them hang because you don't have time to butcher them right away, then the advice above is sound. But to let them hang to age and break down to get more tender, flavorfull meat, don't bother.

[triggertrav]

Why rush to get the hide off? just for being easier?

I always skin it when i butcher, typically a few days after kill (weather permitting).

[sportfish]

Don is right

I prefer to cut them up right away , the bone and hide can give the meat a gamey smell and taste , that's what I think

[Walleyehooker]

Ageing meat in a controlled environment is one thing. Hanging in the garage is another. I skin mine and quarter it up as soon as possible and refridgerate and cut up as soon as possible. In warmer weather I take a 20 pound bag of ice and put in the chest cavity to cool the meat down. If you plan on grinding up the meat it isn't going to do anything anyway. Ill take fresh cut meat over the backyard butcher ageing process anytime.

[efgh]

Where ever you hang your deer, make sure there are no odd smells, like oil, exhaust from car paint ,gas oil ect. They will tint your meat.

[Cheetah]

I agree with DonBo.

[CANOPY SAM]

There are always those who say this is a waste of time, and it doesn't do anything to change the meat. That's fine. Each to their own.

I wouldn't post anything here, or anywhere that isn't true, and hasn't been learned and experienced from years of practice.

Aging deer meat does make a significant difference in tenderness and taste. The enzymes in deer meat definitely do break down just as beef does over time, and allowing this process to occur, even for grinding meat, makes a huge difference in overall meat quality.

Yes, I take the cape off quickly as it is SO much easier when the deer is still not in rigor. That is likely the only gain in taking off the cape quickly. It also likely helps to cool down the meat quickly.

I'm not going to waste time arguing for, or against this any longer. I've done this for many years, and I know that it works very well. If your experience tells you otherwise, then by all means, cut up and package that nice, tough venison.

[eyeguy 54]

skin and butcher for me. tough meat means cooked wrong or long. Depends on the cut of meat of course. just my .02 Made some beef stew (with only venny from a bow kill) saturday all day in the crock pot for supper. (long is good in a crock pot) Had to call it beef stew cuz my friends gal pal hates venny. She loved it and so did her daughter! lol She will be told in about a week to get the reaction.

[DonBo]

There are always those who say this is a waste of time, and it doesn't do anything to change the meat. That's fine. Each to their own.

I wouldn't post anything here, or anywhere that isn't true, and hasn't been learned and experienced from years of practice.

True that. I also won't argue this any more. Been hunting since 1971, skin and butcher, usually next day, and never had a tough deer.

[pikestabber]

Aging deer meat does make a significant difference in tenderness and taste. The enzymes in deer meat definitely do break down just as beef does over time, and allowing this process to occur, even for grinding meat, makes a huge difference in overall meat quality.

Couldn't agree more. I am assuming those opposed to hanging deer haven't done so before? I don't know who the "experts" are that say it doesn't help to age venison, but I can assure you it makes all the difference in the world. It absolutely leads to better tasting and more tender meat. We hang deer a week or more if temps allow. When I remove the back straps, they literally fall out along the spine after the first cut...can't say that about a deer hung overnight. The rest of the meat is similarly "broken down" and more tender. It also makes it much easier to remove silver-skin, tendons, etc. As others have said, I can't stress enough to get the hide off quickly though...hanging with the hide on will impart a strong, gamey flavor to the meat as the fat under the skin breaks down and taints the meat. To each their own, but I strongly stand by this post for my deer. As others have said, they stand by their method. As long as you are happy with your own final product, this is all hogwash

[rockman]

I have done it both ways. Skinning, and quartering is easier when the deer is still warm, no doubt about it. I usually decide based on how warm the air temperature is going to be in the next day, or two as to whether I am going to skin, and quarter right away. I hunt on a relatives farm, and it is sometimes easier to take the deer home, and then take care of it there. The deer is hung, usually with the skin on, until skinning time. This may be days later. I've never seen a difference in 'toughness' of the meat by leaving the skin on for awhile. No difference in flavor, either. I think keeping the deer cool, by hanging, or by icepacks in the chest cavity, is the most important thing. To each his own as to how you take care of your deer.

[highlife4me]

I know a group of hunters that insist on "aging" there venison religiously and then go grind the whole works into sausage. Weird!

[mntatonka]

We usually hang ours for most of the week and skin and usually cut them up the morning of the last day of the season. This year we plan to skin them the day we hang them and cut them up that last day. Something about having way too many beers to be cutting up deer after each day is done means we have to wait.

[Scott K]

I hang mine for a minimum of one day, then after that I just keep it cold until I get a chance to clean it. I leave the hide on it, to keep stuff off of it, dirt, bugs, etc..

Typically I will shoot it, then clean it the next day, or as soon as I have a chance. If it is warm out, I clean it as soon as possible. If it is cold, or cool out, a day-4 days at most.

[Alagnak]

Couldn't agree more either. It's makes a big difference. I'm not a butcher by trade. But I did work for years for a life long butcher who took a month off of work and rented a semi trailer to hang deer in and we cut up 15-20 after work each night for weeks around gun season and many a night during bow and learned to do it the right way from an industry pro. This is what he did with his personal deer and the way I've done it since then. If it wasn't worth the little bit of extra work (a few days time is all) I certainly wouldn't do it. I also think bleeding fish makes a big difference and farm raised chickens and eggs taste better than store bought. I understand many would argue me on that too. ;-)

There are always those who say this is a waste of time, and it doesn't do anything to change the meat. That's fine. Each to their own.

I wouldn't post anything here, or anywhere that isn't true, and hasn't been learned and experienced from years of practice.

Aging deer meat does make a significant difference in tenderness and taste. The enzymes in deer meat definitely do break down just as beef does over time, and allowing this process to occur, even for grinding meat, makes a huge difference in overall meat quality.

Yes, I take the cape off quickly as it is SO much easier when the deer is still not in rigor. That is likely the only gain in taking off the cape quickly. It also likely helps to cool down the meat quickly.

I'm not going to waste time arguing for, or against this any longer. I've done this for many years, and I know that it works very well. If your experience tells you otherwise, then by all means, cut up and package that nice, tough venison.

[Wanderer]

I've heard aged venison is way better, so I really want to do this right.

I've heard the same BUT when I researched "Proper" aging and found out how close it needs to be monitored in a controlled environment and how close to spoiled it gets to be truly aged, I just reverted to processing at my earliest convenience.

From what I remember, proper aging requires the meat to wiped of moisture as it breaks down and isn't ready to cut until the first signs of mold start showing. Something like a month's time frame.

Fresh, clean venison cooked no further than medium rare is as good as I've tasted and I'm completely happy with it so no sense on even attempting the other route in my world.

[Uncle Bill]

I used to hang deer with hide attached. Skin and butcher days later.

This year I shot deer #1 around 7:15 Saturday morning.

Gut, register, and dropped off at the local processor by 9:15.

Sunday, shot deer #2 deer at 10:00.

Gut, register, and when I dropped it off at the processor around noon, he had just finished packaging up deer #1.

My wife and I have been eating deer #1 since I brought it home.

It's absolutely fabulous.

IMHO, I don't believe hanging the deer more than overnight makes any difference.

[ozzie]

the thing I have read about freshly shot and cut up deer and then frozen within 48 hours the meat hasn't broke down the enzymes so the meat wont be as tender as it could be and flavor may not be the same. Of course fresh butchered and cooked meat will taste great but it is after it freezes when things matter most. The prime temp to age a deer is 40 degrees for about a week. Bacteria starts to grow at 46 degrees I believe.

[ozzie]

by the way I have done it both ways and this year with the temps I thought it is perfect to try to let it hang for a couple extra days and am waiting till thursday. Then I hope I will need my hoist free again for the next deer!!

[deerminator]

+1 for DonBo's thoughts. A very reputable, large scale butcher in WC Minnesota I take my deer to has an actual brochure on proper handling and it says to get them the deer ASAP. Same story. Aging does not do anything for venison, the brochure says. It also offers tips like not to bring them quarters or trimmings in garbage bags because the bags leave nasty oils on the meat.