Elk Meat

[jdw12885]

To Hang or Not to hang before cutting up. What are you’re guys thoughts?

[Woodchuck]

I'll always hang if conditions permit. It does need to stay dry and skin over. Meat that hangs in the rain will bone sour quickly.

[jrebel]

We hang ours for 3-7 days usually. 

[Jpmiller]

I hung my Wyoming bull one day this year, usually we hang everything at least a couple days if we can. I don't notice a difference, but I'll still hang next time if I can.

[pickardjw]

If conditions don't allow hanging, I'd recommend wet aging in a cooler. I've done a muley and black bear that way and the meat turned out excellent. Just smoked up some muley tenderloins and backstraps last night, very mild and very tender.

[steeleywhopper]

Hang if we can and if not cool enough we process asap. I do let meat sit in the fridge vac-sealed for a week before eating if we were not able to hang it. Not sure if that is a sure fire trick or not, but it seems to work for my family.

[LDennis24]

Hang for 5-7 days if the temps permit, then cut it up. If not I have Steve Egger on Perry in Spokane hang it for several days and then process it for me.

[jdw12885]

Thanks for all the suggestions! I was trying to see if people have noticed a difference from cutting up right away or hanging.

[jason stevens]

I have found that butchering right away makes the meat more tender I've done it both ways an now prefer to do immediately.  Just my opinion

[LDennis24]

I have found that butchering right away makes the meat more tender I've done it both ways an now prefer to do immediately.  Just my opinion

I find it odd you say that because one of the main reasons for hanging meat is so the enzymes inside the muscle can take effect and make the meat more tender. 

[pashok23]

I always cut right away.

[LDennis24]

One question I have for you guys who say you cut right away. Do you enjoy lamb meat or goat meat? I find that the deer meat that is processed immediately is somewhat similar to lamb or goat and meat that is aged has more of its own venison flavor to it.

[Limhangerslayer]

I like to hang 7-10 days.  My spike this year was a 10 day hang.  Buddy has a cooler so temps aren’t an issue.  My buck this year is going to be pepperoni and sausage so it’sa short time hang.  Especially since it was cut up and packed out. 

[22shtur]

Cows, don't matter if they hang 1 day or longer. They taste great either way. Bulls (even spikes) have never been good for me unless hung for a min of 4 days.
My last spike only hung for 2 days, and then cut up. It was like any bull, not tender at all. That was a hard lesson. My wife is a phenomenal cook with any game meat, so it definitely had to do with lack of hanging time.

[WapitiTalk1]

More important than length hanging, is to get all the silver skin and fat off the meat before you process it and freeze it. That’ll do