Yep, I remember the "gamey" taste of Eastern Ontario deer, the reality is that it was not the taste of the animal but rather the taste of the rot.Originally Posted by FishHog
Above 4C is the danger zone for bacteria, between 0C and 4C is the temperature you can age game at, but good luck keeping your deer hanging with the hide on outside for 2 weeks at that temperature, we were eating rotting deer all those years.
Nothing will convince me hanging deer or moose makes a lick of difference. Poor taste often attributed to wild game is more often then not because of poor handling.
"That deer taste like turd. Should of hung it for a week".
"Oh really, what happened to it?"
"Bob shot it at dusk and we didnt find it until 11AM the next morning laying in a swamp. It was 14C that morning. But ya, not hanging was the problem".
Well I'm going to butcher it tomorrow the meat was just above 0 in the hams at 12 today before I went to work. Ribs had froze slightly over night but not worried about that to much. The high today was 5 and the shed could of been a bit warmer due to the early morning sun but hopefully the snow reflected most of heat.
Last edited by Candice_h; November 24th, 2021 at 03:57 PM.
Go where you feel most alive
Couldn't agree with you more
the amount of deer I've had dropped off with the esophagus still inside the deer is mind blowing. Hence why I don't accept random dropoffs anymore
I strongly disagree with the advice not to age the venison. I base this on my lifetime consumption of approximately 65 animals, all harvested in southern Ontario. I've tried all scenarios and this included both sexes and variable age (fawns, yearlings, adults). I have a well insulated shop that I can usually manage to keep at near optimum temperatures during most years. This year was great for hanging - managed to keep the carcass at 3 - 10 C air temps for a full 8 days. Even on the day with the 10C air temp, my electric thermometer still showed a carcass meat temp of 6 degrees.
Some years - out of necessity due to warm temps at harvest, and forcasted warm temps in days to come - immediate skinning, approximately 20 hour hang, then butcher. Steaks and roasts are noticeably tough (probably still affected by r. mortis and muscle fibers are still contracted). flavour totally lacking. I wouldn't say bland, rather more like a sharp metallic, "iron blood" taste. Same inferior taste even noted in the grind when used for things like shepherds pie, meatloaf. I'd compare the meat experience to that of commercial pork loin chops - the meat looks great then you cook it and you eat a bland, tough piece of meat with no taste
Fawns - I've had better results for texture (tenderness) on short hangs (1-2 days) when compared to adult deer.
Based on me and my family's and friends opinion - best tasting venison is by far from animals that have been hanging for at least 5 to 7 days. No "blood metallic" taste, definately more tender, esp. roasts and steaks. Very noticeable in cuts from sirloin tip, hind rounds, rolled shoulder and neck roasts. Loin cuts definately more tender.
I do not have a meat locker so I don't have the ability to hang longer . I would if I could ! The best venison I've had was from dry aged carcasses that hung 10-14 days. Problem is finding a butcher that will be willing to have it occupying a spot in their meat locker for that long. For a few years back in the 80s we used to get this done in Lindsay at DeKoker's.
https://www.fieldandstream.com/story...ang-your-deer/
Check this out. Seems like a pretty fair trial.
Re: skinning - I definately skin right away if temps are very warm at harvest or I can see excessive damage from the shot, Otherwise I prefer to leave the skin on until butcher day. It will insulate the meat and keep it cooler on the days when your shop temp goes above the optimum 4-5 degrees for the day. A skinned carcass has no thermal blanket and the meat temp will rise to match the air temp. I also don't like the meat waste and the extra time it takes to trim black rind off all the meat.
Last edited by Fenelon; November 25th, 2021 at 10:07 AM.
A lot of good advice there, Fenelon.
Most deer 2 1/2 years and younger don't need "aging" - but it shouldn't hurt if done right.
IMO:
- Needs to be hung indoors
- Needs to be kept dry - don't wash it out unless it is gut-shot
- Pelvis and sternum don't need to be split, but the body cavity should be braced open
- When field dressing, make sure you get all the blood and clots out of the body cavit
- Should not be skinned until ready to cut
Deer are not supposed to have the same problems with toughness that beef does.
I used to believe that until I cut up a big buck - shot friday am, cut saturday am.
Even the t-bones were inedibly tough. Unbelieveable, I thought.
That's why Old milking cows (same age as an old Buck ?) are sold a hamburger...ground meat.
someone advised me to leave the meat in a saltwater and vinegar solution over night.
I believe it helped pull all the blood out and made the meat more tender. but I am new so take it for what its worth.
I shot the deer last light almost. field dressed and moved it to the car.
hung it overnight and morning skinned it, and quartered the deer and took it home.
then left the quarters in the saltwater+vinegar overnight, in the backyard with alot of covers to prevent animals getting to it. it was 0-3c.
butchered it in the morning, and left it in fridge, wrapped in cheese cloth.
the day after i cut up smaller pieces and froze it all.
it was a youngish Doe ...
CCFR, OFAH Member
Its all about the Journey
The saltwater/vinegar is if you have one that's a bit ripe already.
No need for that on a good deer.
Some final thoughts on hanging: not many hunters can hang a deer or moose properly (constant perfect temperature) for 14 days. The carcass will either freeze (and tenderizing stops) or you run the risk of temperature swings that promote bacteria growth. Do the best you can in your situation without ruining the meat!
A true sportsman counts his achievements in proportion to the effort involved and the fairness of the sport. - S. Pope
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