Do you hang your birds?

Enfield Mike,

Don't get caught up with the term "rotting".

If something is dead (no blood flowing) it is rotting (for lack of a better term), but with controlled temperatures (-1 to +1) the breakdown of the meat is controlled which results in more tender meat. Same goes for the innards, controlled breakdown = no rot.

Rotted (uncontrolled and left) meat is not edible.

By letting animals "hang" you are giving the meat a good strech to soften it up.(as my grandfather in NewGlasgow use to say).

I read a story one time about a native who use to hang his fish by the tail off a meat pole. When the fish broke off the tail and hit the ground it was ready to eat.

just my $.02
 
I suppose it does, but fish has barely any blood in it.

I thought the blood is what rots first followed by the meat. :?:

Buddy of mine is in Iqualuit (sp) and he said they put whale fat in a pouch and put in the groud for a month or so and then come back to eat it. Says its like candy up there. A real treat.

Probably make us #### through the eye of a needle :wink:
 
I thought I was the only one who'd heard of the rotten whale blubber 'delicacy'. Supposedly a blue cheese kinda smell.

Imagine the hardship that forced the first guy to try that. "I'm so hungry I'd even eat that rotten, mouldy piece of what blubber buried in the dirt."
 
I've heard of the whale blubber treat too. I know, hanging meat is a good thing. Beef, pork and deer are hung in right conditions for days if not weeks. It makes the meat better, i know, i've done that with deer...but it just seems like a leap of logic for me to try it with birds or bunnies. But hey...i trust you guys so...I'll give it go this year and let ya know if i puke or not.
 
EnfieldMike said:
I've heard of the whale blubber treat too. I know, hanging meat is a good thing. Beef, pork and deer are hung in right conditions for days if not weeks. It makes the meat better, i know, i've done that with deer...but it just seems like a leap of logic for me to try it with birds or bunnies. But hey...i trust you guys so...I'll give it go this year and let ya know if i puke or not.
Bunnies I wouldnt do unless they were paunched, all grazing animals need cleaning before hanging, here in the UK we pay a premium for hung matured beef up to 21 days now available in the supermarkets, thanks to a few TV foodies who are pushing for the old traditional methods of food prep to be revived!
 
Ha,ha,ha

You should have seen my three boys last night. They are 4, 7 and 10 and love going to the bush.

We went out chasing bush chickens and managed to get two ruffies with the .410.

When I mentioned hanging the birds (figured I'd try it after reading this thread) my boys said "Dad the best part of the hunt is the step and pull".

No way they would let it hang. :D

Guess what's on the menu tonight? :wink:

Too funny. :lol:
 
Well aged meat is the best. I know a guy that sells super high quality meat to fancy resturants. It is aged for at least 21 days and it is the best dam beef you will ever eat (it better be at $70+ a plate). I have heard of hanging a bird untill something falls off then it is ready. I should try it with a few grouse this year. In other countys (that are hot) they leave meat out all day and it tases fine. The beef, duck, chicken, dog and pork I ate in Vietnam was dam good.








Just kidding about the dog....... kind of :wink:
 
The old method probably preserved the food better. If there is no source of contamination, and the animal was healthy, the meat may last longer sealed in the carcas.

Remember, this was likely done out of necessity, not culinary versitility...
 
Rotting vs Aged- 2 different things.

Rotting is meat that is left to die, aging is tenderizing meat via enzymes at controlled temperatures.

Shoot a grouse, breast it, and throughit on the grill within 30 minutes. I've done it- I've been HUNGRY alot of times.

it's okay flavour wise, but it is probbaly a bit tough.

Clean that goruse, and let it sit for 24-48 hours in a cooler, or out at coo temps. It wil still be tasty, but it will be much more tender.

Same goes for deer por moose or beef. Good beef is aged at least 21 days, and GREAT beef is DRY aged for about 28 days. It shrinks in weight, but is it ever tender....

In the very od days, they often shot birds, and hung them from the neck until it dropped- then they woud eat it. It was probbabkly tender, and very "flavourful" but it was probably rotted.

Depending on the meat and theconditons, you should let it age a bit. I am a firm beliver in getting the guts OUT, though...
 
Glad I found this old post! I have been cleaning the geese I have taken in September and early October almost immediately, but know that it is almost November I will try hanging them head down in the shed for two or three days.
 
I'm a big fan of aging. The best beef I've ever had was dry-aged for 65 days !

With smaller birds like woodcock, huns, chukars & quail, 2 or 3 days. Pheasant, grouse 3 or 4 days.
Ducks & geese a week. If the weather is constantly cool ... above freezing but 40 F. or cooler, I'll hang the birds, by the head
still feathered but dressed. Otherwise, dressed, plucked or skinned in the fridge. If breasts only, dry and in the fridge for a couple
of days for ducks, 3 or 4 days for geese. Uncovered (tented with a paper towel and drained of any "juices" at least twice daily.
Try to keep them dry. Definitely not wrapped in plastic or in a freezer bag.

Deer & moose gets hung in the cool for a week then dry-aged for at least 2 more weeks after being cut.
 
Started aging my pheasants last year. A real old feller gave me the directions to do it and he recommended by the head, guts in. It definitely makes the meat more tender and have less wild flavour. I also have some older buddies that age their fully intact birds by placing them on a cool concrete floor for a few days before processing.
 
Back
Top Bottom