how long can I leave meat unfrozen for

[heronblu]

Ill be hunting elk this season about seven hours from where I live. My question is: If I de-bone the meat and pack it in coolers with ice will it be ok sitting overnight and then on the ride back home? Should I buy some dry ice? Whats the best course of action here? Many thanks for the advice.

[bowhunterwa87]

Itll b fine on ice deboned over night

[Bean Counter]

Yes if you Debone, put it in an ice filled cooler you'll be more than fine.

A few tips:
* layer ice, meat, ice, meat, ice. Make sure a layer of ice is on the top and bottom. Don't let all the ice clump on one side and have a glob of meat on the other
* take some masking or duct tape and wrap around the edge of the lid. This will keep warmer air from whipping inside and melting the ice for the drive.
* drain the water at least once a day. Cold and wet is ok but cold and dry is better.

Oh yeah and re tighten that plug real good if it's going to sit on a carpeted floor.... Don't ask me how I know that! 

[zike]

Put salt on the ice and it will be lots colder.

[Camo Queen]

My deer this year was on ice for 5 days before I could start processing it, then spent the next 4 days processing... So the last of it was thawed out for 9 total. I've eaten plenty already so it definitely wasn't bad   

[birddogdad]

google aging meat...

totally temp dependent, if its cool (maybe 40F and below) you don't need to get crazy with ice/dry ice ect.... just get it opened up and cooling!

I did have a buddy make a plywood box with a wall AC unit for aging too.. worked pretty well..

[heronblu]

Thanks everyone. I figured I'd be OK. This is just the first time I'll be hunting so far from my freezer. Usually its as simple as a shot off the porch and then into the deep freeze. 

[cooltimber]

Leave the ice in the BAG

[h2ofowlr]

Throw some wool blankets over the cooler and the ice will last longer. 
Or throw chest freezer in the back of your bed and hook it up to the Honda EU2000 and fire it up when you get something.  If you have an extra fuel tank connected to the generator your good to go.   

[Remnar]

 Large heavy duty PVC (i think that is what they are made of ) work great to put meat in, inside a cooler of ice . Way better than garbage bags or others .And they are food grade 

[villageidiot]

Elk, deer, buffalo and beef can be kept for months at just above freezing.  It will grow a mold on the surface which will have to be cut off but actually the meat is more tender the longer it sits.  Aged beef is just beef that sits in the cooler for months.  Problem is you will,lose quite a bit of meat when removing the moldy layer.  Do not let bear or hog sit longer than 7 days in a cooler or it will get a rancid taste.  All commercial meat cutters cut up hogs in less than a week.  Cattle are seldom ever cut up until it's at least two weeks old.  To prevent mold growing a mixture of vinegar water misted on a the carcass will keep the mold away for another ten days or so.  I'm speaking of kept in a cooler at around 35-38 degrees.  Any warmer the flies will survive and maggots will appear. Not good!

[Bean Counter]

Elk, deer, buffalo and beef can be kept for months at just above freezing.  It will grow a mold on the surface which will have to be cut off but actually the meat is more tender the longer it sits.  Aged beef is just beef that sits in the cooler for months.  Problem is you will,lose quite a bit of meat when removing the moldy layer.  Do not let bear or hog sit longer than 7 days in a cooler or it will get a rancid taste.  All commercial meat cutters cut up hogs in less than a week.  Cattle are seldom ever cut up until it's at least two weeks old.  To prevent mold growing a mixture of vinegar water misted on a the carcass will keep the mold away for another ten days or so.  I'm speaking of kept in a cooler at around 35-38 degrees.  Any warmer the flies will survive and maggots will appear. Not good!

Don't those coolers have specifically designed dehumidifiers to keep it extra dry in there to also retard mold growth?

[Crunchy]

With cool November temps I bet it will be fine after 6 or more days.  I wouldnt worry about deboning unless that is your norm.  I would also take it out of the cooler at nite and hang them if its plenty cold at nite. 
 

[Karl Blanchard]

With cool November temps I bet it will be fine after 6 or more days.  I wouldnt worry about deboning unless that is your norm.  I would also take it out of the cooler at nite and hang them if its plenty cold at nite. 
 

     you guys are way over thinking this.  Once the meat has initially cooled (most important step) it's pretty hard to ruin it.  Don't leave it in the sun, ice if the temps are gonna break 50, and it will last just fine.  I've kept meat in a garbage bag, submerged in a mountain stream for 6 days in September and it was just fine and dandy.  Once the heat is gone (initial cooling) it's very easy to maintain a cool temp.

[Jonathan_S]

   just get it cooled once and then keep the sun off it for a few days.

No need for dry ice, not in September and definitely not in November.

[Smoke]

"aged beef" is hung for over a week in temps 40-45 deg... (I've hung it for as many as 2 weeks) and it's just fine... actually the longer it hangs the more tender the meat...   Game meat will do the same thing.. as long as the meat is cooled the drive home won't hurt it at all... it will in fact help it..