Elk Meat

[AKBowman]

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.

I kinda just had an “ah ha!” Moment. Every bull elk we’ve gotten early archery we’ve found a local cooler to hang the meat so we can keep hunting. I would say on average the meat is hanging in a local cooler for 4-5 days before we get it home and processed. This elk meat has always been fantastic.

I shot a younger rag horn bull early archery a few years ago. It was raining and local so I just processed it right away. It was surprisingly gamey. I could not figure out why but now im convinced it’s due to hanging the other bulls in a walk in cooler for 4-5 days.

[bearpaw]

I've deboned lots of elk and deer on the spot, then into coolers asap, then finished cutting, grinding, wrapping, and frozen pretty quickly. In most cases the meat has been very good, the biggest down side I've noticed, the meat is bloodier and that comes out when cooking. Meat that hangs for days seems to bleed out a lot better, but I cannot specifically say it tastes better or worse, I would need to cut up half and hang half off the same animal to be able to accurately answer the question on taste or tenderness?

[hunter399]

I wish I could eat some elk meat.
Thought I had them pegged down.
Seen them,heard them buggle ,the whole nine yards.
Friday deer Hunting before the opening.
They slipped out of there ,been three days waiting there return,walking elk trails,looking at week old tracks.
Nothing, pretty sure I will see them right after it close .
Freaking true ghost of NE Washington.

[b23]

I've done it both ways and found it is not only easier and less work but you get less waste when I cut them up ASAP.  We used to let them hand and "age" but all that seem to do was make for a lot more work because you had to trim all that outer layer off.  Getting the hide off soon as I can, especially with mule deer, and cutting them up right away works best for me.

[Rutnbuxnbulls]

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.

Steve Eggar is my go to butcher also!  Early archery elk is usually in the 80's by the afternoon, as it was this September.  I quarter up elk, cut off straps, loins, and some trim before the heat and flies get me moving.  I'll take meat home and clean it a bit before heading straight to Eggars, same day.  We mostly use ground meat for many different recipes and it always tastes great to me, not bloody or watery.  I'll keep straps and loins and cut into steaks myself.  With deer, usually Steve is slammed with Turkeys and Hams so I'll process myself, hang meat for a few days and cut off chunks to grind or just wrap whole for roasts/steak.  Late archery hunts are typically very cold so no worries with bugs/sour just freezing.  I don't age or hang meat on purpose, it might just be that I kill one on a Sunday before a busy work week and hang it until I can start breaking it all down. 

[buglebuster]

3 day hang. Have to get it cut up so we can continue hunting. Minimal waste for trim, out of the rigor stage, and these sirloin tips will be amazing


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[jdw12885]

I've deboned lots of elk and deer on the spot, then into coolers asap, then finished cutting, grinding, wrapping, and frozen pretty quickly. In most cases the meat has been very good, the biggest down side I've noticed, the meat is bloodier and that comes out when cooking. Meat that hangs for days seems to bleed out a lot better, but I cannot specifically say it tastes better or worse, I would need to cut up half and hang half off the same animal to be able to accurately answer the question on taste or tenderness?

Good point here bearpaw! Anyone ever done this??

[dilleytech]

My hunting buddies grandpa who used to be a butcher in Dayton WA many years ago did tons of beef and wild game.  He always told us 14-21 days for beef, 7 days for elk, and no days for deer.  Now that I do the gutless method to process my animals and de-bone them in the field, I don't hang meat at all any more. I can't tell all that much between an elk that was hung or an elk that was de-boned and processed quickly myself.

That’s because in neither case were those animals aged. If you’re not aging the animal for 2 plus weeks there’s no point.

[iRem]

I’m all for deboning and placing in the cooler. No other options for the type of hunting and time of year I hunt, early season both deer and elk. I believe it’s about the timing and hunting conditions each are presented with. I love cutting up and packing it on ice and once we get home I have a day or so to process. Not much game taste in either species. But, when I have meat that’s going into the grinder tenderness doesn’t matter at that point!

[birddogdad]

I always try to hang for at least a couple weeks, but hang conditions can be problematic year to year... How you process makes big difference, cooldown ect... my cuts mostly to roasts and grind. Crockpot takes starch out of toughness for sure. choice steaks is my focus area. 4th Gen hunter and this was passed to me, mostly east coast deer, grandpa would hang in weather until the under arm pit started stinking (3 weeks or more with right weather). Never any complaints. Its your call but do your research, hanging for short periods really doesnt accomplish anything.  Now liver is a different story, fridge crisper for 5 days before eating for sure to neutralize negative flavors.

[hoytxl2009]

I hang till it molds then wipe with Vinegar then follow with butchering. We dont make any of our burger grind until late January. Stuff ziplock bags full and stack up in freezer until burger day. Only do this because wife/family always have late cow tags and id rather grind 3 elk at once then one 3 seperate times. I'm only able to do this as we have our own walk in cooler and can regulate Temps exactly where we want them. Fortunately I have a wife and mom that butcher if we are headed to another state, and not around during butcher time. I owe them big time most every year.