How long to let deer meat age?

[Tom Leemans]

I'm with Roger. If it's cold enough, hang them for a few days to break down the fibers. If not cold enough, get to processing them.

[DesertDude]

I have a walkin cooler at the ranch, 7 to 10 days here.........

[Plumber]

when weather permitts.I like to leave it hang atleast 3-4 days its not often I get to do that but I see a big difference in the texture in the meat.It also taste better

[DEATHMASTER]

I am with the 3+ day group if temps are good. Keep it cool and the texture and taste is better.

[Hill Hunter]

usually cut up with some in the skillet the same day.

[Cory Mattson]

For you guys who do not have access to a Walk In cooler. We use regular 48 and 80 quart plastic coolers and ice all the time. Super easy and don't worry about the meat getting wet since this will not hurt the meat at all. Some old hunting literature warns against this but it doesn't hold. We wash moose, elk, deer and pigs all the time in creeks and streams. Most important is clean and cool.

Now to the ice: I put a brick under one end so the cooler will drain leave the plug open. Next I put a few bricks inside and on the bottom of the cooler to hold the meat up off the bottom and facilitate draining. Put the bricks inside a ziploc or wrap in foil since these are porous you want to keep them clean. Then Ice and meat. In an 80 qt I use 40# ice and need to add 10# a day while aging. For the initial pack go meat to ice not meat to meat. For you guys who are not liking meat to ice you can put quarters in plastic bags but we have found this to be unnecessary. 4 quarters and the backbone trimmed for a good fit. I leave the tenders and straps on the bone for aging.

Our game meals have zero game taste  - many folks will not believe it is wild and our steaks are better than $50 meals in high profile steak houses.

When we hunt plantations - large clubs - and ranches we use walk in coolers since they are so easy.
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[LookMomNoSights]

Not sure if anyone has brought up this point.....but....now I dont age meat myself....was told a little while back by a few old timers,  that hanging a deer in an atempt to "age" the meat does nothing if the hide is not removed!  Cold or cold temps,  no hide!  The old fellows in their day harvested more big bucks than I most likely ever could if I hunted full time.  Their families relied on the meat many years ago!    Is it true what they say about aging without the hide on?

[Will Cocke 2]

I age mine for 1-3 weeks in a wallk in cooler with the hide on the animal.  After that period remove the hide no dried outer layer of meat and have NEVER had a bad deer.  There is no comparison in the quality of meat I have never had a tough backstrap from an aged animal.

Dry aged Beef is aged for 28 days.

[Jeff Strubberg]

Beef and venison are not the same, though.  Beef ages well because of the marbling of the fat content inside the meat.  Venison is very, very lean and just doesn't age the same.

[Will Cocke 2]

Aging also breaks down muscle tissue not just the marbling matters. If you are fortunate enough to have access to a walk in cooler use it.  It is well worth it.

[tuscarawasbowman]

More than you have ever wanted to know about aging meat. They used beef but I would believe results would be similar.
 http://www.beefresearch.org/CMDocs/BeefResearch/Industry%20Guide%20for%20Beef%20Aging.pdf

[wapitirod]

I used to let mine hang and I tried it in coolers or just in dark cool rooms but the last few I've butchered the following day and the meat has been better than any previous animals with the meat much milder and very little to no strong taste.  I have an uncle in Georgia that started out cutting meat when he was 12 in his families grocery store and kept going until he was almost 70 and he had been telling me for years not to mess with hanging my deer and elk but because it was what everyone else did I kept doing it.  I should have listened to him years ago, go figure my elder knew what he was talking about!

[Trumpkin the Dwarf]

We have let them age up to a month(in cool temperatures). 1-2 weeks is a good amount of time.

[mscampbell75]

iced down for 7days in cooler with drain plug open, place on incline to allow water/blood to drain out, quartered up w/ backstraps,never had any issues for the past 20years,

no wild game taste, and t-e-n-d-e-r!!!

[Aunty]

Tenderness isnt just about "hanging" deer. The younger the animal the more tender it will be provided the animal is in good condition. Like the difference between eating lamb and a old ewe. If it is a mature buck or doe it needs to be hanged for a while. If the deer is hanging outside under a tree leave skin ON!!! or black crusty cra! will form on the outside and its a bugger to cut off.

[Knawbone]

Dave Bulla has it right, I like to age my venison in a refridge for at least 3 days then debone it if I haven't already. I like to also semi freeze the hind quarters if I plan to cut steaks, as it makes it much easier to cut evenly thick steaks.I believe PROPERLY aged venison is of higher quality.

[guspup]

In my humble opinion, the most important thing is to kill the deer while it is in a relaxed state. Skin and de-bone the meat immediately, slice out the fat and silver skin and tendons and process it as soon as possible. To me, this adds to the best eating deer.

[Montanawidower]

I'm in the age it camp.  I keep a second old refrigerator around that I only plug in and us for aging meat.   I age my whole boned elk,pheasants, antelope, and deer in the same fridge.  

If you half to cut it ASAP, you can still dry age it.  When thawing it , place on a rack  with slits in the plastic and a pan to catch the blood/moisture.   Leave the meat in the fridge for 5-7 days to thaw before eating.   Try it for yourself and decide it you can tell the difference in flavor and texture.  

Aged/high heat/medium rare = delicious protein .

[ChristopherO]

I used to own a 6'x6' walk in cooler box.  Do you fellas know how much electric one of those consumes in just a day?  My penny pinching wife would remind me that it was in the neighborhood of $25.00 per day. Of the times I've aged deer and the times I have not we could never tell the difference.  I butcher as soon as I can schedule it in, now.

[Roughrider]

I eat them both fresh and aged.  I try to age older deer or bucks taken close to or during the rut.  Aging is a process that permits the meat to begin to break down, changing the texture and taste.  It is time and weather dependent.  If you can maintain 32 - 36 degrees, a month isn't too long.  Warmer temps require less time.  Hanging in an unheated building, in the shade with good air flow, 20 degree nights and 50 degree days could let a deer age for 3 weeks - jsut watch it very carefully.  I prefer to age them skinned, though you do lose some meat to drying out.  

It seems if there's good air flow they keep better.  Wrapping in a game bag, old pillow case or bed sheet helps.  

The color and texture of the meat, as well as the flavor, will change as the meat ages.  

Try smaller pieces - a loin or ham, and see what happens.

A good young fawn or yearling gains little from aging.