Free: Contests & Raffles.
I usually hang my deer and elk for 4 to 6 days, NEVER aged Bear. I was told by a butcher once that bear will sour if left hanging. Something about them eating herbs and grasses as well as meats changes the enzymes in their system. They do not age well....they start to rot. I don't know for sure.....just what I've heard.....you butcher a bear as soon as possible.
I'm with Bobcat. Talk to any reputable butcher and he'll tell you the same thing. No benefit to aging game meat. Get the hide off asap, cool down as fast as possible and process. But to each his own. If you have a walk in fridge and can keep the humidity correct, it probably doesn't hurt.
Wow, that's a process they do at the Broken Arrow Ranch, but it makes a lot of sense.
Quote from: NRA4LIFE on May 25, 2010, 12:07:27 PMI'm with Bobcat. Talk to any reputable butcher and he'll tell you the same thing. No benefit to aging game meat. Get the hide off asap, cool down as fast as possible and process. But to each his own. If you have a walk in fridge and can keep the humidity correct, it probably doesn't hurt.Your butchers are full of bull if they tell you that....Sorry they dont want your meat in their locker that long...Used to do it at the packing company I worked for.But not our deer and elk we let them hang..all the facts are behind aging
Quote from: Austrian Hunter on May 25, 2010, 01:27:07 PMWow, that's a process they do at the Broken Arrow Ranch, but it makes a lot of sense. yes,they put their heart into it dont they...we hung all pork for 3 days where I worked,let it dry a little ..much better to work with...
mine hang in my garage here.of course the temps have to be right,but during most seasons,except early archery they are fine here,again I hang mine till they mold at the pelvic.I also put a fan pointed at the meat.heck eds bear was here from sat till monday evening then to MTView meats where it will hang a few more days.. runamuck deer are more gamie,the fat sickens me.but I do know a guy that likes it YUK...I never run a saw through bone,then through the meat, YUK, on deer there also.Ive eaten many Idaho muledeer and never had a gamie deer.Aging and not running the saw through the meat works..I bone my deer now. and go from there..
clean clean clean the most impotent part is CLEANLINESS
Gotta watch out for flies if you age them. I keep mine wrapped up and tape a plastic bag over the mouth and nostrils. Seen blowflies crawl in and out of the nostrils before.