Hunting Washington Forum

Community => Butchering, Cooking, Recipes => Topic started by: Brushcrawler on October 04, 2018, 03:27:14 PM

Title: Aged meat
Post by: Brushcrawler on October 04, 2018, 03:27:14 PM: I have never aged my game meat in Washington due to living on the wet side of the state. Well, a small fridge in the garage + a caribou rear quarter (boned) + 26 days at 37 degrees and my wife might actually encourage my next trip. A little loss on the outside due to the ‘rind’ trimmed away, but those were the best steaks ever. Worth a try if you never have.
Title: Re: Aged meat
Post by: pianoman9701 on October 05, 2018, 07:08:56 AM: I've always wanted to age my venison and elk meat. I don't have the fridge for it and the butchers all have to much game to do it. If you'd like a second opinion on the flavor, I'd be willing to help you with that!
Title: Re: Aged meat
Post by: birddogdad on October 05, 2018, 07:22:48 AM: Quote from: pianoman9701 on October 05, 2018, 07:08:56 AM
I've always wanted to age my venison and elk meat. I don't have the fridge for it and the butchers all have to much game to do it. If you'd like a second opinion on the flavor, I'd be willing to help you with that!

old fridge in garage can work , also have used tarps and cooler with dry ice if while aging the weather gets too warm for a good aging process.... agree, there is no comparison in flavor... and tenderness
Title: Re: Aged meat
Post by: pianoman9701 on October 05, 2018, 07:40:31 AM: Quote from: birddogdad on October 05, 2018, 07:22:48 AM
Quote from: pianoman9701 on October 05, 2018, 07:08:56 AM
I've always wanted to age my venison and elk meat. I don't have the fridge for it and the butchers all have too much game to do it. If you'd like a second opinion on the flavor, I'd be willing to help you with that!

old fridge in garage can work , also have used tarps and cooler with dry ice if while aging the weather gets too warm for a good aging process.... agree, there is no comparison in flavor... and tenderness

My garage is an overflowing and unsuccessful Etsy storage area for the wife.
Title: Re: Aged meat
Post by: wapiti hunter2 on October 05, 2018, 08:26:16 AM: I live in Yelm, west side. Depends on the weather. I don't have a fridge. In the late fall though, evening temps are low enough. I hang it on the north (shady) side of my shed for at least a week. I watch it every day but have not lost anything yet. Had to cut it up at the 5 day mark once.
Title: Re: Aged meat
Post by: Whitpirate on October 05, 2018, 08:59:52 AM: Wet aging works for me. Rinella even jumped on the bandwagon about it recently. Use a good vacuum seal and I've aged elk and deer for 35 days plus. It makes a difference on tenderness but you won't get that dry age umami..... I'd like to try this on an older bull to see if I can discern a difference.
Title: Re: Aged meat
Post by: Buckmark on October 05, 2018, 09:19:18 AM: Quote from: Whitpirate on October 05, 2018, 08:59:52 AM
Wet aging works for me. Rinella even jumped on the bandwagon about it recently. Use a good vacuum seal and I've aged elk and deer for 35 days plus. It makes a difference on tenderness but you won't get that dry age umami..... I'd like to try this on an older bull to see if I can discern a difference.
Humm, and if you only knew people who kill big old bulls... :chuckle:
Title: Re: Aged meat
Post by: CoryTDF on October 05, 2018, 12:41:15 PM: Built a 10X10 walk in a few years back. Best decision I ever made. I usually hang my deer for 7-10 days minimum before i touch them. I always get compliments on how good the deer and elk taste.
Title: Re: Aged meat
Post by: Magnum_Willys on October 05, 2018, 12:58:31 PM: Quote from: CoryTDF on October 05, 2018, 12:41:15 PM
Built a 10X10 walk in a few years back. Best decision I ever made. I usually hang my deer for 7-10 days minimum before i touch them. I always get compliments on how good the deer and elk taste.

Whats your cooling mechanism ?
Title: Re: Aged meat
Post by: Whitpirate on October 05, 2018, 01:09:18 PM: Quote from: Buckmark on October 05, 2018, 09:19:18 AM
Quote from: Whitpirate on October 05, 2018, 08:59:52 AM
Wet aging works for me. Rinella even jumped on the bandwagon about it recently. Use a good vacuum seal and I've aged elk and deer for 35 days plus. It makes a difference on tenderness but you won't get that dry age umami..... I'd like to try this on an older bull to see if I can discern a difference.
Humm, and if you only knew people who kill big old bulls... :chuckle:

Lol. test is already in progress.
Title: Re: Aged meat
Post by: CoryTDF on October 07, 2018, 07:44:46 PM: Quote from: Magnum_Willys on October 05, 2018, 12:58:31 PM
Quote from: CoryTDF on October 05, 2018, 12:41:15 PM
Built a 10X10 walk in a few years back. Best decision I ever made. I usually hang my deer for 7-10 days minimum before i touch them. I always get compliments on how good the deer and elk taste.

Whats your cooling mechanism ?

An A/C unit and a CoolBot
Title: Re: Aged meat
Post by: skidynastar33 on October 07, 2018, 08:46:02 PM: @brushcrawler

Did you have the meat sitting on racks or hanging. Doesn't points of contact with anything cause bacteria? Trying to figure this out so I can do this this year!
Title: Re: Aged meat
Post by: Brushcrawler on October 07, 2018, 09:16:33 PM: We put the meat on baking racks and sitting on cookie sheets to catch the drips. There was a pretty good skin on them after a few days. Also did not open the fridge to check except two or three times. Really hope I am lucky enough to try this on deer quarters in the next few weeks!