Hanging a deer

[MrSenarighi]

I have heard from some that it is important to let a deer hang for at least three days before you butcher it. I have also heard from some that venison doesnt age, like beef and will taste the same if it is cut up right away. Anyone know for sure? Do you let the deer hang for other reasons then? I am curious because I cut up a buck the same day it was shot and made jerky and it was very gamey. Thanks in advance.

[roadkingclasic56]

I haven't let any of the deer I've shot hang for very long. Just long enough for me to have the time to cut them up. I hang them up and skin them as soon as I get them home. I let them hang this way until I have the time to cut them up and package them for the freezer. I get at this as soon as I can. I "filet" (No Bones) them up myself so it takes a little while. The only time I have ever had one taste "gamey" is if I haven't removed all of the tallow from the meat before cooking it. I take a lot of time to make sure there is nothing white on the meat before packaging it for the freezer. Even the meat that is going to be ground for burger, sausage, or whatever. ALL of the tallow, connective tissue, anything white, is carefully removed before it is table ready in my mind. This tallow will turn rancid over time, even in the freezer. Try removing all of the tallow before cooking. It makes a big difference.

[frozen toes]

I also usually hang mine just long enough to get time to cut it up. If it is warm, then I skin and quarter it right away. If cool, I skin and let hang for no more than overnight. Deer do not "age". The aging process only happens with animals that have marbling, such as cattle. Deer do not have marbling in the muscle like beef does. I don't go to the extremes of getting all the silver skin off the meat. I do make sure there is no fat or tendons in the meat. We have never had a problem with gamey meat from the silver skin. But, eveyone does things different and no one is wrong for doing things their way.

[lawdog]

There is a lot of disagreement over whether or not venison ages amongst people who are professionals. I think aging has to do with the breaking down of the tissue and the amino acids and such in there. I know many very knowledgeable people who say it simply makes no sense at all to say venison doesn't age, but they may agree it doesn't age as much as beef.

I really have no clue, I'm just telling you what people who are supposed to know have told me. I've heard both sides and I believe nobody knows the exact answer.

[The_Duckslayer]

Concur with Lawdog. Many different trains of thought on the value of hanging a deer to "age" it. My thought is when I harvested it, it quit getting older. Mine hang only for the amount of time that it takes for me to get out there and butcher it. I just wish that I was better at sharpening knives! Cleaning up a deer is vary hard on the ole buck knife, especially when I can't get it all that sharp in the first place. This year however I did not have to worry about that! (No deer at the Schmitt house!) Take care and N Joy the Hunt././Jimbo

[snowgoose]

I like to let it hang for at least one day with the hide off. It lets the body heat out. I just find it easier to cut the meat when it is firmed up. Warm meat and a dull knife make for some ugly cuts.

[MrSenarighi]

Thanks for all the great info. Hey Duckslayer, you could try using your fillet knife next time to cut up the deer, if you haven't already. Seems to work great.

[Rogue Hunter]

A couple years ago, public radio reported on a study done by U of MN. The study concluded venision doesn't age like beef; suggested you cool deer to air temp, then butcher.

Rogue

[Cooter]

Hey I'm gonna try to give the final word on aging venison. You certainly can age it and will notice improvements but the problem is the temp has to be consistent which doesn't happen when the deer is hanging outside. If you can put it in a cooler where the temp is roughly 34 to 38 degrees for a couple days, hey thats great - it will age and improve flavor. If its too hot its gonna rot, if its frozen it ain't gonna age. Bottom line, aging works on venison but most don't have the required conditions. Hey, if you drop your deer off at a processor ask them to let it hang in the cooler for a couple days before cutting it up.

[The_Duckslayer]

Quote:

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Thanks for all the great info. Hey Duckslayer, you could try using your fillet knife next time to cut up the deer, if you haven't already. Seems to work great.

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I had thought of that but my old filet knife is way to dull and the new one is electric. The electric fillet knife is the ticket for fish, but that is a whole nuther thread. Take care and N Joy the Hunt././Jimbo