Question on ageing meat
- Thread starter daver36
- Start date
saskgunowner101
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- near Prince Albert
Could be a few reasons. Natural oils or rutted up or even what it's been laying in or travelling through. I'm not sure the exact weather in Ontario deer season for example, but I'd imagine a deer will be just as full of stank as a dog in a slough if it happened to splash through a stagnant pond.
bearkilr
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Nowhere, ......just past the middle
I have actually only killed one for myself, as I don't like the meat and don't need more than one rug, but I've shot dozens of wounded ones from clients over the years.
In regard to the meat, I consider bear meat a close cousin to pork, and therefore I would strongly suggest minimal "ambient air temp" aging and very quick cooling, as we all know pork spoils quickly. If someone doesn't have a walk in cooler,etc, it should go in the freezer quickly.
I've cut up a lot of bear meat for others. It's always in the freezer within 24 hours, so immediately after skinning, but this is done because they take the meat with them.
madtrapper143
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Steep Rock Lake NWO
That sounds like good advice. Thanks for the reply to my question.
Darryl
Darryl
I am a hide off and quartered as quick as possible, if not the day of the kill, the next day it gets quartered and hung in my spare fridge until i have the chance to cut/prepare for the freezer. I do wrap my quarters in plastic wrap during this hanging period so no meat gets wasted (dries out). Usually it all gets done and in the freezer within a week.
bearkilr
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Nowhere, ......just past the middle
Say what you want but aging does something useful. It seems wrong to package and freeze it during rigor mortis. While venison is leaner than beef it still has enzymes. If the meat is frozen while your hanging it it does nothing. If your hanging it somewhere in the open put it in a game bag to keep it clean and keep the flies off. That said use a game bag all the time. Don't hang it in a barn. Who wants that taste on the meat. The meat needs to be kept cool enough so that it doesn't rot and around 4 degrees C /40 F is good for that. If your meat is rotting or growing something you did something wrong. If you don't have a place to hang it use coolers and ice but keep the meat out of the water. The humidity is good for not drying out as much. Do it at least until the rigor is gone.
I can still recall my uncles hanging it in a grainery frozen and then cooking it until it's grey and hard. Might as well chew a mouthful of sawdust.
If I can I prefer to hang the animal and then skin it followed by gutting it. Cleanliness or the lack of can affect the taste. One of my friends swears by putting the meat in a pail with salt to clean it up. Apparently it can help with the gamy taste.
Also check freezing temperature vs time charts for killing parasites if you are going to be cooking less than well done.
I can still recall my uncles hanging it in a grainery frozen and then cooking it until it's grey and hard. Might as well chew a mouthful of sawdust.
If I can I prefer to hang the animal and then skin it followed by gutting it. Cleanliness or the lack of can affect the taste. One of my friends swears by putting the meat in a pail with salt to clean it up. Apparently it can help with the gamy taste.
Also check freezing temperature vs time charts for killing parasites if you are going to be cooking less than well done.
