Aging Deer

[MC37493]

How important is it to age your deer? I don't want to have to pay a butcher and would like to process my own game. I have been thinking about quartering and then putting them in a refrigerator for a couple days? would this work?

[Alan K]

Some guys swear by aging the meat, others (like me) don't worry about it.  It's up to you really. Generally if I can see that I'll have time to butcher it within 3-4 days, I'll keep it cool and butcher it.  Otherwise, I debone it and freeze it until the end of the season, when the hunting party gets together and butchers all the animals assembly line style.

[bobcat]

I never age my deer. Sometimes I may let it hang for 3 or 4 days if the weather is cool enough. But only until I have time to cut and wrap it. If I have time the day I kill it, I will do it then. Or the next day if possible. Pretty much depends on my work schedule. The meat is almost always tender, no matter what I do.

[Axle]

Process the meat asap. Do not age it. There is no advantage to aging wild ungulates.

[ICEMAN]

We age for a week usually, always kept cool/cold and clean.

[JLS]

Process the meat asap. Do not age it. There is no advantage to aging wild ungulates.

Actually, studies have shown that it does in fact make the meat more tender.

[fastdam]

I prefer fresh meat as opposed to partialy decomposed meat so it hangs only long enough to let the back fat become solid.

[whtelk]

Normally I don't need to hang the deer to be tender....I don't seem to kill many that are too old...Dang near veal some years. LOL

[ICEMAN]

What is the average time for beef or pork to hang?

[jackmaster]

are family has always cut are own meat, we will always try to hang it for 4 to 5 days, i know one guy that hangs his until he get a slight mold grow and then wipes it down with a water vinegar solution, i mhave ate some of it and it was pretty dang good, but it doesnt taste so differant to where i would take the chance of ruining my meat so i stick to the 4 to 5 day thing, obviously if its warm out then that can change things, good luck

[Southpole]

What is the average time for beef or pork to hang?

beef usually hangs 2 weeks in an average butcher shop.

[Old Man Yager]

I've heard that same thing Brandon, some people let it get that slight mold on it, then scrape it off. Heard that it lets the toxins out of the meat??  I don't want no mold on my meat though !! Anyways, I got a old fridge in my garage, so I just take the shelves out and put the quarters in to chill for a couple of days. Then I can butcher it 1 piece at a time or all at once if I feel like it.

[seth30]

I dont age it, I get the animal to my garage and process it regardless of how tired I feel. 

[Pigfuz]

Beef in high end steak houses hangs usually for a minimum of 21 days.  They literally wash green mold off the outside with vinegar.  I have a friend that was able to hang an elk for 20 days and it made a huge difference.  The trick is to keep it cool and very dry.  Usually the weather does not cooperate for me and we butcher within a week.

[Southpole]

Some guys swear by aging the meat, others (like me) don't worry about it.  It's up to you really. Generally if I can see that I'll have time to butcher it within 3-4 days, I'll keep it cool and butcher it.  Otherwise, I debone it and freeze it until the end of the season, when the hunting party gets together and butchers all the animals assembly line style.

That's exactly what we do. If we can help it, it get's deboned, wrapped up good and put in the freezer within a day or so, and when we have more time we'll get it back out and start processing it in what ever fashion we feel like for the year (cut up, ground up, canned, etc.)