Best way to age/tenderize venison

[Robert Honaker]

Best that I have found is to let hang outside for about 5 or 6 days if temps stay around 40 deg. or so.
Problem is that seldom happens around here.
I have quartered and put on ice for several days and that seemed to make it very tough. I think that would work if I had a way to keep it from touching the ice though. Seems that if the meat freezes tendrizing never occurs.
I know, a meat cooler would do the trick, but that aint an option.
I'd like to hear what you guys do.
Thanks

[Squirrelbane]

I freeze it and use "adolphs meat tenderizer"  -just sprinkle some on the meat, then use a fork to make a bunch of little holes in the meat.

[NORCO55]

Just cut the same day you'll not regrete it. Wild animals don't need to age. Indians never did it. Its just a beef thing

[frank bullitt]

Robert, I have in the past used an old fridge with the racks out, quarter, and stand up in a drip pan or plastic to catch blood.

  Do you skin before hanging? I try, if weather permitting, to leave on. Be suprised how well it helps to keep it cool, even in warm temps.

 Have also placed bags of ice in rib cage.

 I have lso skinned right away and cut up, depending on the circumstances. Sometimes, no choice
 When you say tough, what parts? Good shootin, Steve

[hunt it]

Once you have done all above marinate it in red wine for a couple of days if you want real tender. Good red wine - cheap stuff's no good.

[Benha]

I like stirfry and marinate the venison in pineapple juice. Acid in the juice will tenderize.

[NorthernCaliforniaHunter]

I've never understood the "aging" thing with deer or wild pig. I skin, let glaze over (an hour or two) then chop and freeze. Never had anyone think it too tough - just don't overcook it.

[George D. Stout]

You can tell the difference here when you age the deer.  Aging is a controlled decomposition, no matter whether it's beef or deer, etc.  And it's as important, actually moreso, with deer than with domesticated game.

Deer meat is not marbled so it is inherently tougher than marbled meat.  Aging for a few days, under 40 degrees is the key to good aging.
Best deer I have ever eaten hung for five days in the hide at about 35 degrees.  The rule for temperature is to avoid the danger zone where bacteria can grow; that is between 40 and 140 degrees.

[Pat B]

I have extra frig in my basement and I take the deconstructed deer and age it is there. I generally take both shoulders, both hams and the back divided into two pieces, place them on the shelves being sure they don't touch each other and allow them to age for 7 to 10 days, checking periodically to be sure everything is OK.  The meat will skin over with dry meat but after a close trimming the meat underneath is bright red and very tender. The flavor is enhanced by aging also.

[Tioga]

You can tell the difference here when you age the deer. Aging is a controlled decomposition, no matter whether it's beef or deer, etc. And it's as important, actually moreso, with deer than with domesticated game.
 

I agree 100%. Deer that I take in late November and early December hang for 2 weeks with the skin on temperature permitting. They are a bugger to skin, but well worth it when it comes to great meat as compared to the deer that we take in October when we have to process them right away.

[lpcjon2]

Hang it outside for a few days,If it get's hot I put a body bag (I work for the medical examiner,you could get one from them)or a large tarp with an opening at the top around the deer and dry ice in the bottom works well.

[SlowBowke]

I've literally had hundreds of customers from when I butchered deer for others tell me they had never had properly aged venison before, and would never NOT do it again.

Some traveled an hour or more one way to bring deer in.

Without a proper cooler, an old frig or even a big ol junk freezer it's difficult unless weather is flat cold out.

Rule one (for me) is get the body heat out. That hide WILL hold the heat a LONG time if ice isnt applied.

In a freezer/ packed in ice whatever for 24 hours then kept in whatever you have that is below 40, 35-36 is better, HIDE ON, no drafts, no sunlight.

If you remove the hide the meat WILL dry out and toughen it.

A week is good for most, 10-14 days is better. Ive hung 200plus lb bucks 21 days solid in a cooler.

Aging is an enzyme breakdown of protein and since, as accurately described, deer have no inter-muscular fat, its a superior thing for deer or elk meat.

At one time BEEF was aged much longer too but the cost of doing so commercially, plus the slight loss of body weight (sold by the lb) now results in 7 days being normal.

High class restraunts that serve WELL aged, super tender and juicy beef charge much much more for this quality of meat.

Keep in mind that once the heat is out and the carcass temp is below 35, it will not warm up fast at all.

Without a cooler in just a closed garage, 45 degree days and low 30s at night on average, I can hang 2 weeks, no problem, even if one or two days hit 60 degrees.

Nothing WRONG with fresh killed venison, but it don't hold a candle to properly aged venison, neither in taste nor tenderness. Even the burger tastes quite different to me.

"life starts at 40"...bacteria growth aka ROT life that is."

my 2 cents to the pile guys.

God Bless.

PS.......washing out the carcass with water from the well isnt a real great idea if aging a long time. Distilled water if you must, I dont, period.

These rules were used for over 3000 whitetail. None "lost" never a complaint, hundreds of compliments.

[koger]

Well me and the missus eat about 6 deer a year, dont buy beef. Here is a little tip. I either poke holes in  the top for cut slits across of roast/loin/ steak, sprinkle genereously with Kroger brand seasoned meat tenderizer, then cover with Italian salad dressing and some soy sauce or terryiakki, cover and let sit 8-24 hours.I like to getem skinned and cooled down as quick as possible, key to good tasting venison for me. I often put my quartered deer in the bottom of a big coooler, ice down, drain water off every day and reice with a new bag. Deer meat is much more blood rich than beef and this helps the taste, smell overall for the new venison eater. Another thing I NEVER DO IS SAW THE BONE. I bone out all my roasts. Bone marrow can make beef, especially deer taste strong and gritty. A lot of people who said they dont like deer meat have set down at camp with me and eat 2 plates full and asked for recipes. Pm me for more easy to cook recipes, hope this helps. Sam.

[Al Dean]

Aging makes the meat much easier to cut up and grind or whatever.  I use the bagged ice in the chest cavity if weather is holding below 50.  Actually, I don't like the bugs and extreme foliage when I hunt, so I usually wait until it is cold enough that I can let carcass hang in my garage a week or so.

[coaster500]

Out here on the west coast a 40 degree day is considered a blizzard. Here we have to cut it quick or it will go off. I have a walk-in box on my place in northern California and I can hang a buck there but here in San Luis Obispo County cool um and cut um quick.
With our little blacktails tenderness and flavor is more an issue of the animal’s age. Our little blacktails here on the central coast are very tasty  

[Bonebuster]

I ALWAYS age venisen, either through the use of coolers and ice or the proper outdoor temps.

The first thing I do is flood the body cavity with cold, well water. (I know Slobowke does not recommend this) I can cool the entire carcass in a short time this way. I then hang it by the head to drip dry, and use paper towels to get as much moisture off as I can.

If it`s too warm to hang, then out come the knives and pre-made blocks of ice, and in the coolers the quartered chunks go. I wrap the meat in plastic wrap, so the water from the melted ice is not in contact with the meat.

I have heard many butchers say, Venisen does NOT need to hang, but I`m gonna stick to my methods.

I believe, Venisen is much better if aged properly.

There have been many nights, I was up late caring for meat, because it was too warm.

If the temps are correct, the hide stays on, and I allow about five days before it gets frozen.

There are always lots of kids at my house, and NOBODY ever wants to leave before dinner time.
When Ven` is in the freezer, dinner is rarely centered around anything else.

[nonamesleft47]

Not much to add here except that I use 100 qt coolers with a grate made from PVC and egg crating to keep the meat and ice seperate.  This helps when it's too hot to hang them.

[Robert Honaker]

Thanks for all the responses.
I do know that an aged deer smokes a deer that is not aged in the flavor and tenderness category.
Like I said, weather here is rarely good for hangin.
Also if meat is kept below freezing it won
t allow the enzymes to break the meat down.
Just trying to figure a way to put it on ice without it actually touching the ice.
A grate or shelf of somekind with ice under it seems to be a good idea.

[Dave Bulla]

I gotta second pretty much everything slowebowke said except maybe the need to leave the hide on.  I've aged deer for 14 days with the hide off and had no problems.  The membrane between the hide and the muscles forms an almost cellophane like  barrier when it dries.  Sure, I might loose SOME moisture but not enough that I can tell.

I think the very best option for a do it yourself processor is to buy an old refrigerator and rig either some simple racks or even better racks AND hooks to hang quarters from with a drip pan underneath.

As for the line about not needing to age deer meat at all, I've heard it many times from many people.  Most of whom heard it from deer processors who only wanted to get your deer cut up, wrapped and the h&!! out of their cooler so the next one could be brought in.  At the price they get nowadays to cut up a deer, you'd think the least they'd do would be to give correct advice on care of the meat.

[Yolla Bolly]

Bow season temps around here often top 100 degrees.  The hide has to come off quick---One day hanging in the garage is about all the aging one can risk with a whole skinned carcasss.  I usually bone the beast out at the kill site, hang the meat in the shade to film over.  Pack it out asap--put in in a cooler-take it and cut and wrap within 2 days.