Agree entirely. It's about the handling and care. Sadly, despite it no longer being 'Cool' to drive around for a week with the deer on the hood of the car, there are a LOT of people that are simply doing themselves a disservice, in the way that they choose to hang their venison.
Field Care Tips for First-Class Venison
- Thread starter IronNoggin
- Start date
Jonnyofalltrades
Regular
- Location
- North-central Saskatchewan
I generally try to hang deer for at least a week. There are a few areas that I have found that to be counterproductive. Tenderloins certainly don't improve with aging, and I hate losing any tenderloin to drying out!
I also pull the flank off immediately, as it isn't any good after hanging for a week.
It's not much good at any point, but hey, it's a few pounds of burger!
I also pull the flank off immediately, as it isn't any good after hanging for a week.
It's not much good at any point, but hey, it's a few pounds of burger!
I've eaten venison tenderloins same day and they squeaked under tooth - weird, like curd cheese. I cook all my deer steaks rare - butter and a cast iron pan, 30-40 seconds per side. That said, I have mixed opinions on aging. I'm lucky to have access to a cold room and we've aged deer as long as 20 days at 35 F. I've also eaten deer that was hung until convenient to process - 3 days. I think it depends on several variables - proper field handling is a given. Beyond that, ###, time of year/season, age of the animal, what it's been eating all play a role. I just don't get hung up on it - I process them when it's convenient. Anything but tenderloin and back straps get run through the jaccard tenderizer and I've never felt anything but grateful for the gift.
Edit: apparently s e x is a naughty word.
Also, when skinning, cleaning, and quartering/deboning...
Skin and clean as soon as possible to let heat out of meat. If you cannot debone and it's hot, cut to expose bone to let more heat out for quicker cooling.
The knife that touches hair should not touch inside the animal. Any urine, gland secretions, etc. on the hair will be transferred to the meat and taint it.
Do around /near glands last. If you nick or cut a gland, the knife must be washed or set aside and a new knife used. Otherwise you'll transfer that to the meat and taint it.
The knife that skins should not cut meat. Again, chance of nicking a gland and tainting the meat.
A knife used for cleaning that comes in contact with offal or other gastric fluids should also be washed or set aside so as to not transfer to meat when cutting muscle tissue.
Use of game bags will keep meat cleaner for packing and transport to a cooler.
Your game handling in the field has as big an influence in the quality of your table fare, as the hanging, if not more. (Honestly, I think more)
Skin and clean as soon as possible to let heat out of meat. If you cannot debone and it's hot, cut to expose bone to let more heat out for quicker cooling.
The knife that touches hair should not touch inside the animal. Any urine, gland secretions, etc. on the hair will be transferred to the meat and taint it.
Do around /near glands last. If you nick or cut a gland, the knife must be washed or set aside and a new knife used. Otherwise you'll transfer that to the meat and taint it.
The knife that skins should not cut meat. Again, chance of nicking a gland and tainting the meat.
A knife used for cleaning that comes in contact with offal or other gastric fluids should also be washed or set aside so as to not transfer to meat when cutting muscle tissue.
Use of game bags will keep meat cleaner for packing and transport to a cooler.
Your game handling in the field has as big an influence in the quality of your table fare, as the hanging, if not more. (Honestly, I think more)
I disagree. Knew far too many guys that carried extra knives in the field for cutting off the Tarsal Glands for example. All I ever did was slide the tip of the blade between the meat and skin, roll the hide away from the leg, and have never had a problem. The Tarsal is on the outside, as is the urine the buck dribbles down his own legs to carry that tarsal scent to his scrapes. The only real viable alternative to simple due care ad attention, is to hang the whole carcass and do a shampoo and rinse, IMO. I don't want to put that kind of time in, on something that is as easy as simply not making it a problem...
I have also had gut-shot deer, that nobody could tell, by dint of simply making sure to thoroughly wash out the body cavity with a hose, before drying it with paper towel. There are layers of membranes in the cavity, that separate what hits the table, from contact. Again, care in handling, not superstition. Of course, if you don't clean it out, hang it badly, it's gonna taste like arse!
Leavenworth
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Lowermainland B.C.
Always thought better to have rigour mortis to run its course but I see fellas on here have not let that stand in the way .
I do know that with domestic beef it is the sugars ( glycogen ) in the meat that turn to lactic acid and help with breaking down the tissue .This process is called glycolysis .
It then lowers the Ph of the meat .
I’m not positive but I would assume there is glycogen in wild game
I do know that with domestic beef it is the sugars ( glycogen ) in the meat that turn to lactic acid and help with breaking down the tissue .This process is called glycolysis .
It then lowers the Ph of the meat .
I’m not positive but I would assume there is glycogen in wild game
My understanding is that there are very different forces at work, and that the enzymes that break down beef as it hangs in a suitably cool environment, are absolutely lacking in deer. Not equal. I have limited experience with Moose, and none with Elk, so will not comment towards those sources of Venison, but neither Mule or White Tail deer have the enzymes that make the meat tender from longer hanging, as far as I have ever been able to ascertain.
IF you want to hang it, have a clean, climate controlled environment to do so, and you may not suffer too much loss. Hang it on the back porch, dealing with a 30 degree temperature spread through the day, maybe not so much...
A lot depends on time of year. Biggest mistakes I see out here in west central AB is fellas not prepared to handle meat in warm/hot conditions during the early season. Calling season for moose, elk and early bow for deer can be 25c or warmer and still 10c at night. Carcasses sour fast in those temps. It's frustrating to see all the game wasted in the early season by underprepared, often newer hunters. We're set up to do our own beef so end up helping guys out just to reduce the waste and do a little teaching. First thing I ask when I bump into fellas during the early season that want to hunt my land or access crown through it is how they're going to cool their meat when down? A lot of blank stares. They should have coolers with ice or a genset running a fridge on a truck. Once down quarter or debone in the field and get 'em on ice. Pack out and get to where they're going to butcher.
Leavenworth
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Lowermainland B.C.
With respect .
Here in B.C. Hunters start calling around the last 2 weeks of September and some times almost right up until the end of October . The peak rut is last 2 weeks of September first 2 weeks of October . Yes it can be warm during those times . If there is a cow moose that has not been bred she will come into estrus again
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Honestly, hunting starts in the last week of August, which in my area (BC 3-16) can still mean 30 degrees C temps during the day.
I'd rather cut and wrap it while it is still twitching, than have to find a 'cool' spot to hang it, in that part of the season. Having done so, I will report that the venison tasted and ate, just fine!
Later when the temperature can reliably find something resembling "cool", it's not such a deal, but that often gets you outside the proscribed season for draws and anything but Trophy Class deer, which hardly ever seem to be decent eating... Had a few experiences that put the lie to that too, though... A mulie buck that is as swole as a 'Roid Junkie, but has been on alfalfa the whole time, is NOT the same as his bro's that are eating sagebrush!
