Deer down!!! have some meat hanging questions

[pianoman9701]

 A Couple of things. If you're trying to rinse off or dunk meat in a river to cool it off, the parasites in the water can attaché to the meat and later infect you, just as if you'd drunk the water. Put the meat in a plastic bag to dunk in water for cooling. As soon as you take it out, get the plastic off the meat. Wet meat makes it easier for flies to lay eggs, creating maggots. Also if the meat becomes saturated and punky, it can spoil really fast. If you really feel the need to get rid of excess blood (and that takes moisture out of the meat and can make it dry when you cook it), spray it down with a citric acid solution, then pat it dry. That will kill bacteria and deter flies. The best thing to do is pat the meat with towels to rid it of excess blood without using water. I however, like the blood as I can make more sauce from drippings and deglazing the pan.

[BOWHUNTER45]

You summed it up Piano ...its on how you take care of it ...getting dirt and hair and leaving bloodshot meat on the carcass will definitely leave you with a bad experience ...that's why a lot of people will not game given to them unless they know where it came from !!!   

 Here is what meat looks like after I bone out a bear ... I bone them out on the spot using the hide for my cutting area ...You can not buy meat in the store this clean .......Lmao  And I hung it for 2 days ....hehehe

[Buzz2401]

I guess I didn't clarify that I only soak in water after I pull it out of freezer to eat. I agree I wouldn't soak any meat in any water before you process it.

[Bob33]

Guessing rigor mortis doesn't apply to wild game?  We hang our animals in the cooler for at least a week for deer and longer for Elk.  Imo they are more tender.  Never had an issue with flavor.
My wife shot a cow Elk on a late hunt a few years back.  It was negative 2 when we hung her in the barn. Never got a chance to age.  Just cooled down and was froze. That was the toughest meat we've ever had. I'll never not let meat age again if I have the choice.

Meat that freezes or is butchered within 24 hours of being killed is subject to "cold-shortening" because rigor mortis is not complete. Animals need to complete the rigor mortis process or the meat will be tough. After 24 hours, have at it or hang it as you wish.

[MacAttack]

Can anybody post a picture on how you hang it in your beer fridge?

[wildweeds]

I ain't got any pictures but what your looking for is an old style refridgerator that does NOT have the icebox above or the drawers below,actually some newer fridges have the removeable shelf and drawers.So what it is is head to hardware store get two threaded pipe flanges and a hunk of pipe to tie them together,mount high up in the fridge and wha la, you got a meat cooler.

Can anybody post a picture on how you hang it in your beer fridge?

[MacAttack]

I ain't got any pictures but what your looking for is an old style refridgerator that does NOT have the icebox above or the drawers below,actually some newer fridges have the removeable shelf and drawers.So what it is is head to hardware store get two threaded pipe flanges and a hunk of pipe to tie them together,mount high up in the fridge and wha la, you got a meat cooler.

Ok, I have a kegerator like that and a separate fridge with the freezer above. I guess I have to pull out the keg when I harvest a deer.

[scottcrb]

Call Double D meats in Mt Lake Terrace.  I think they process game

They do and they are great and quick. Just call ahead and see how they want it brought in .

[curlewkiller]

It is science as to why you should hang your meat in the field and at your house.

http://www.fieldandstream.com/articles/other/recipes/2006/01/deer-hang-time

[deltaops]

Looks like I need to find an old fridge. With 3 of us going out this year, I will need a big fridge.

[Jonathan_S]

Looks like I need to find an old fridge. With 3 of us going out this year, I will need a big fridge.

It is nice to age if you have it controlled in a fridge but it certainly isn't a necessity.  Too often, I haven't had the ability to age meat.  It turns out great.  Lots of guys bone out meat and it's in the freezer that night.

Last two years I did exactly what the author of that article says is the worst (butchering within 24 hrs) guess what?  Delicious meat.

[brew]

I ain't got any pictures but what your looking for is an old style refridgerator that does NOT have the icebox above or the drawers below,actually some newer fridges have the removeable shelf and drawers.So what it is is head to hardware store get two threaded pipe flanges and a hunk of pipe to tie them together,mount high up in the fridge and wha la, you got a meat cooler.

Can anybody post a picture on how you hang it in your beer fridge?

"wha la"  not trying to pick on you wildweeds but that made me giggle....i believe the actual french spelling is "viola' "...sorry just my OCD's kicking in....also not trying to argue with anyone's uncle/brother/grandpa/2nd cousin on my mom's sides step daughter/butcher but i've never hung them in my fridge...just stacked them in game bags and cranked the temp to coldest...done it for going on 25 years and still haven't died and have eaten great tasting venison....reading all the posts i guess it just matters what tastes best for you...

[RadSav]

i believe the actual french spelling is "viola' "...sorry just my OCD's kicking in

Actually it would be "Voila".  Viola would be a fiddle larger than a violin and smaller than a cello

Just figured if we are going to correct spelling on this site we might as well use the proper spelling in our correction.

[bobcat]

I have always used my chest freezer, rather than a refrigerator. It's going to be much better this year (if I get a deer.) I recently got a temperature control regulator for the freezer for about $50. It plugs into the wall, the freezer plugs into it, and then it has a copper wire with a thermostat on the end that goes into the freezer. There is a dial on the unit which is used to set the freezer for whatever temperature you want. I actually have it full of apples right now, keeping them at around 38 degrees. Best thing since sliced bread! I've always had to remember to unplug the freezer and then plug it back in at certain times, in order to keep my venison from freezing solid. Now I can keep it just above freezing until I have time to cut and wrap it.

[RadSav]

Where did you find that gadget Bobcat?