Hang to Cure or cut them immediately?

[Packfitter.com]

Just talked with a buddy of mine yesterday and may have learned something totally new to me. He said that new research shows that it is better to NOT hang/cure big game anymore because of the bacteria that starts to grow immediately on the animal. He said that he no longer hangs his deer and elk, but cuts them as quickly as possible to allow for the best taste. I grew up hanging our animals in a cold dark place with the hide still on. I know back east may be a different story. What do you all do?

[cj5280]

I hang, but only to chill and keep the quarters clean. I de-bone shortly thereafter. I am not a proponent of hanging for long periods of time.

During Archery, it's straight to the cooler.

[elkmule123]

We use the gutless method and hang the pieces in a fridge for a week before we process the meat. Last year my BIL got a deer that we quartered on the mountain, and his cousin got a deer (younger that my BIL's) close enough to a road we drug it out and hung the whole think up with the hide on. Both of them stated that the deer that was aged with the hide on was more gamy than the one that was quartered and aged in the fridge.

[cnelk]

Get the hide off and cool down for me.
Cut meat when time allows, typically within a week.

Define aging?

Is aging 2 days? or a week? Month?

[Jaquomo]

I'd like to learn more about this "research". It's proven fact that aging will break down the fibers within the muscle tissue and make it more tender. As for any bacteria, why would it be any different than grass-fed beef? But I'm always open to new research.

I always age everything for 10-14 days, which is usually big mature bucks and bulls taken during the rut, and it's always great. This year's giant old bull is eating as good as anything we've ever had, and he was recovered the morning after the shot . Took him to a cooler in Meeker that afternoon, aged the quarters for 11 days, and yum!!!

[WapitiTalk1]

Found a very good article on this very subject (please see below). The authors provide some information/opinions worthy of consideration. My family and friends have always hung/seasoned our big game for up to a week or longer (either in cool weather climates/time of year, i.e., NW MT in OCT/NOV, or in a meat processor's cooler for warmer climates/time of year) with good success. The article link below offers some opinions/considerations I had never thought of.

http://www.theoutdoorlodge.com/features ... _game.html

[Triplebhunters]

I'm from pa. Everyone does their venison different here. I like mine in a fridge the day of the harvest, cut up and freeze the next day. Then if meat needs to age I will put in fridge a couple days before I plan to eat it. In my experience the people that do not care for venison have had it where it was hung to long. Also from harvesting an Illinois deer I can tell you that every area is going to be different. And with the elk(first one), the meat is much redder than any deer I have butchered. Unable to guess age of elk, but venison seems to darken with age to me.
Dave

[twinkieman]

I always age in refrigeration at least seven days, ten days is preferable to me. I also would like to see more on this research.

[ferris bugler]

I think that aging meat is important. If it is frozen right away you end up having rigor mortis set in and end up with tough meat. Therefor I let mine age for two to three weeks.

There are two types of aging that I am familiar with, dry aging and wet aging. I've done both with good results. I always dry age mine with the hide off. I don't like the gamey taste that some people do. Recently I have started to use the wet aging process more and find it much easier to deal with the animal. This involves boning out and processing the meat. I then vacuum seal it and let it age in a walk in cooler for a couple of weeks. This allows the breakdown of muscle tissue and makes for some very tender meat. I prefer it because I process the whole thing before the meat hardens and I feel like I get a lot less waste. Good luck. Hopefully you are asking because you are getting ready to cut up some meat.

[Packfitter.com]

Great advice. I ended doing the elk after aging it for a a few days. Ground some, and vacuum sealed the rest. Tastes great so far. I just finished cutting a buck this last weekend and I did not let it age but cut it immediately and then marinated it for 30 hours or so. I then vacuum sealed it. Both have been great so far. The marinated deer has been very tender and juicy.

[Jaquomo]

Excellent link - thank you!!

[Swede]

I have never had a problem with big game that was cured for two weeks, but I can't say it improves after 3-4 days either. I usually let it cure a few days.

[Lefty]

Under ideal conditions.

Shot in temperatures under 30 degrees
Dead animal, no mess gutting.
close the cleaned gut cavity.
In a cooler within an hour or 2
cooled and kept cooled at 33 degrees for a week
Hide peeled and butchered

But thats not the way it happens.
Cool the meat best possible , gets home , cut it up and get in the freezer as fast as possible

I do like to age birds if there is no shot to the body

[Indian Summer]

I've never been lucky enough to have the time or proper conditions to age elk. I don't eat deer because I always have elk. It's my understanding that the gamey taste is mainly a result of not trimming ALL of the fat from meat. They're not cattle!

A long time ago I worked with a guy who was a very accomplished master chef. When someone would come to work and say "I got a deer over the weekend and it's a done deal.. all cut wrapped and in the freezer" he would shake his head and say you guys have no idea what you're talking about.

He said they don't call it prime aged beef and charge top dollar for nothing. Aged meat is the finest you can have he'd say. Of course they have optimal conditions but prime aged beef is hung for 30 days. It grows (if I remember right) mold on the surface and they trim all of that off and what's inside is the finest table fare there is.

I never forgot his words and wish I had the opportunity to age some meat to see what I think. If I understand correctly it's not so much the taste difference but the tenderness due to the fact that the connective tissues break down with time.

But.... no doubt I'll take Jaquomo's word for it. I always do.

Now I think I'll have a look at that link......

[Indian Summer]

Wow great article. Thanks. I saved that one.

My next animal is getting aged!

[Trophyhill]

I typically age mine up to a week in the fridge before butchering and freezing. meat has always been great.

[elkmtngear]

Very thorough article at the link, thanks RJ !

I'm out to collect as many antigens as I can in life, so I'll go out of my way to consume a little bacteria now and then

I like to hang all my big game animals for at least a week if possible. I'm not going to try to re-invent the wheel