Cooling deer in early season

[DEC]

Before I had a walk in cooler, I would field dress it as quick as possible, get it checked, get it home, skin it, and butcher it immediately. Many times I would de-bone meat and put it in meat tubs in the refrigerator. Makes for a long day when you take one from the hoof to packaged in the freezer, but you have to do what you have to do when the weather turns warm.

Walk in cooler is the cat's azz. The best $500 Craig's List find that I ever made.

 

[TheBigTim]

what happens if you dont let them hang/age before processing?

I am from Michigan where the weather usually allows for hanging a deer for a few days. The first buck I shot in Indiana I took right to the processor because it was a warm day. I noticed that the meat was much gamier than the Michigan deer I was used to. I am convinced that it’s due to not aging it. It’s funny because when I moved here all my buddies said the deer would taste more like beef because of the corn.

No real solution to warm weather. Might be worth a look at the Trophy Bag Kooler.

 

[buckstopshere]

I'm planning on doing some early season deer processing provided I can get some deer on the ground (never want to take that for granted).

My plan is to gut, drag back to the barn, skin it, de-bone and use a mix of ice, water and salt. The salt should draw out the blood which will make the meat taste better. I plan on changing out the water and ice a couple times a day for the first 3 days then maybe once a day for a few more.

Hopefully that will work.

 

[HICKMAN]

Before I had a walk in cooler, I would field dress it as quick as possible, get it checked, get it home, skin it, and butcher it immediately. Many times I would de-bone meat and put it in meat tubs in the refrigerator. Makes for a long day when you take one from the hoof to packaged in the freezer, but you have to do what you have to do when the weather turns warm.

Walk in cooler is the cat's azz. The best $500 Craig's List find that I ever made.

gonna have to do a vid on it someday

 

[Llamaguy]

Checked out our old fridge today to make sure it was working. Now just another month or so before our (AR) early doe season.

 

[vwarren]

I just keep water away from it and try to process it as fast as possible if it is over 50 degrees. If it's cooler than 50 I'll let it hang with the hide off. I have some friends who have window a/c units in there barns hanging area too.

 

[langb29]

Never used the Trophy Bag Kooler, but bags of ice in the chest cavity and the whole thing wrapped in a tarp works well for us (skin on). I would wait at least 24 hours to allow the meat to age, and you can always monitor the temp by watching the ice melt or even a thermometer to keep track.

 

[trapperDave]

no need to rot..er..age a deer before processing unless its a tough old buck

 

[Whitey]

get the meat cooled as soon as possible. I clean the dear and process it as soon as possible. Yes ageing the meat is good. but early kills, I just process it as soon as i can.

 

[HICKMAN]

no need to rot..er..age a deer before processing unless its a tough old buck

it's not rotting if there is no bacteria.

Venison workshop very helpful

 

[vwarren]

it's not rotting if there is no bacteria.

Venison workshop very helpful

however when you add water or melting ice bacteria will grow.

 

[HICKMAN]

however when you add water or melting ice bacteria will grow.

yup, that was covered as well.

 

[HICKMAN]

good article on aging the meat

How To Age Wild Game Meat

 

[toad]

My uncle made a 8 ft sq box, lined it with 4in of blue board and put a window air conditioner in it, worked great. Most years in MI you dont need cooling, it also works to age the meet without letting it freeze, and keeps the bugs off it. I also would say to keep the water off the meat, it could affect it when it comes time to put it in the freezer.