Wet aging venison

[Krex1010]

Okay I have a question for the home deer processors here. Typically I hang deer in my garage for Anywhere from 3 to 10 days before processing, the aging time definitely improved the quality of the venison. However the limiting factor is always temperature. I have heard that some people vacuum seal their venison and age it in the fridge for some time before freezing. Anyone here using this method? If so I'd love to hear the details.

[KyStickbow]

I age mine in the fridge 2-3 days before I process. But after that I like to get it in the freezer after packaged. Always interested in how others do it though. Sounds interesting

[Knawbone]

I have aged venison in the fridge many times. I have never owned a vacuum sealer but instead just bag it and then turn the bags once or twice a day. I also drain the blood that collects in the bags which I think is important. The fridge needs to be 35 to 37 degrees. I never leave it more than 3 days if I can help it. Keep as much air out of the bags as possible however. Next year I will have a fridge in my barn specifically for this purpose. I keep the hind quarters and shoulders whole with bone in. Works for me just fine.

[fujimo]

i like to age the meat , min 7 days up to max 14 days- usually around the 10 day mark as your self- all depending on temps.
when i shoot deer in the summer, i hang overnight, process and vac bag the next day- then put them in my "meat" fridge for 10 days to 2 weeks, then freeze them- i figure if i was gonna hang it for 10 days, then being in the fridge 10 days is about the same!!!

really make a difference to the quality of the meat!!

[Krex1010]

From what I understand the vacuum sealer is the key to wet aging, when dry aging wet meat spoils fast so the goal is to have air flow, keep the meat dry and cool. But apparently the absence of oxygen keeps the moist environment inside the vacuum bag from spoiling the meat. If it gives good results it sounds like a great option for when temps aren't ideal.

Temps down here in TX where I live are almost never low enough to dry age without a walkin cooler.

I age mine in an ice chest. I layer ice and the meat and leave the drain plug open. I leave my deer on ice for around 7 days, adding ice as needed.

Pulling the plug is important to keep the meat from sitting in water.

Bisch

[**DONOTDELETE**]

That's a great idea Bisch....

[TxAg]

Originally posted by Bisch:
Temps down here in TX where I live are almost never low enough to dry age without a walkin cooler.

I age mine in an ice chest. I layer ice and the meat and leave the drain plug open. I leave my deer on ice for around 7 days, adding ice as needed.

Pulling the plug is important to keep the meat from sitting in water.

Bisch

I do the same. Works great!

[oldgoat]

Bisch I've done it the same but once after 5 days I saw magits in the meat. Had to come from the open drain plug.

I've heard guys say to put a screen over the plug hole to keep flys out, but I have never had that happen, so I have not done it. I may just get a little piece of screen after hearing this from someone I know!

Bisch

[Kevin Dill]

Wet aging is typically describing how meat is vacuum sealed, refrigerated, and allowed to age in its own juice. The length of time may vary. I have aged briskets for almost 3 weeks in a cryovac wrapper. They smell like rotten eggs when opened but it's common and not an indicator of bad or rotten meat. Trim and rinse the meat and it smells perfectly fine.

[Jim Wright]

"Aging" is simply controlled decomposition (un-controlled, some call it rotting). While living in Montana, I hung field dressed deer whole in an un-heated shed when outside temperatures ranged from 20s at night to around 50 or so during the day. After a week or so, yellow spots of mold would show up on the meat in the body cavity. Sponged off with some vinegar/water, the hide was then removed and the meat processed. I've never had better venison. I would think it's hard to find a refrigerator big enough to accommodate bagged venison from an entire deer and far harder to find that understanding of a wife. I would also suspect that vacuum sealing the meat inhibits bacteria's ability to "age" it.

[Doc Nock]

Originally posted by Jim Wright:
"Aging" is simply controlled decomposition (un-controlled, some call it rotting). I would also suspect that vacuum sealing the meat inhibits bacteria's ability to "age" it.

Rotting? Really Jim?  Different than any information I've gleaned over a few years of checking on aging issues.

When meat is fresh, there is an enzyme in it that upon death, starts to break down connective tissue. That is what I've been told ages meat.  As soon as meat is frozen, that fresh enzyme is killed and upon thawing, your supposition of "rotting" takes place...albeit, when done at lower temperatures, at a slower rate.

Fresh meat will also spoil (rot)if the temp isn't right.

I knew lots of old timers when I lived in MT, who let their elk hang even in commercial coolers, for 14 days with green mold on the outside.  They "claimed" once it was cut off, it's no problemo!

Science says that the roots of mold, called rhizomes, go DEEP into the meat and some can be carcinogenic.  I prefer to avoid mold.

I've had young of the year, shot, butchered, wrapped and frozen all in 12 hours or less and while it was a very young deer, was tougher than boot leather on eating.

Again, just from science research, the claim (?) is that if rigor isn't out of the meat before it's cut up and frozen, the meat will be tough all the way thru your digestive system...regardless of preparation.  I've had 2 occasions where I didn't age and both were TOUGH!

I once took all my food out of the fridge in VA and put it in coolers, took out the shelves and put 2 dead deer in to "age"...worked.      

I tend to coat my skinned animal (I always peel the bark as soon as possible to get the heat out of the meat)with Crisco to retain internal moisture...stays pink...Crisco doesn't turn rancid in the freezer and avoids that ugly dark hard crust on the meat!  Just me...

Fun thing is that we can all go with our own experience, read as much as we want, but if what you do works and you don't get sick, it becomes FACT and... to each his own.  

   

[katman]

Originally posted by Bisch:
Temps down here in TX where I live are almost never low enough to dry age without a walkin cooler.

I age mine in an ice chest. I layer ice and the meat and leave the drain plug open. I leave my deer on ice for around 7 days, adding ice as needed.

Pulling the plug is important to keep the meat from sitting in water.

Bisch

x2 do the same in SC

[Riverrat43]

^^^^
Same here in Alabama

[Krex1010]

Jim I typically do it like you, hang it in my garage for preferably a week to ten days if weather permits. I did some research and found that the majority of the beef sold in his country is wet aged, not dry aged. Wet aging is more profitable since the meat doesn't lose moisture weight, so dry aging is less common and the buyer pays a premium. In my experience meat (any meat) sours quickly when sitting in its own juices and exposed to air, apparently that's where the vacuum sealer comes in, it allows meat to age somewhat without the oxygen present that let's undesirable bacteria grow and sour the meat.

 http://m.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2010/04/dry-vs-wet-a-butchers-guide-to-aging-meat/38505/
Short but interesting read on the subject

[Jim Wright]

Dave, I'm not quite sure what you understood me to write but I believe that keeping meat in a controlled temperature/time frame such as the one I described "ages" it. Had I had left the deer outside the shed in high temperatures and direct sunlight (uncontrolled), I would expect it to rot! As for my understanding of the process, it was a butcher in Billings who suggested the skin be left on, the approximate time frame and to skin and butcher the deer when the mold spots showed up. Jim

[Krex1010]

When the temps are cold I leave the hide on while I age my venison, it's tougher to get off but it helps keep the carcass from freezing and actually helps keep the meat temp from swinging up and down so much.

[Kevin Dill]

Going back to wet aging of meat: This doesn't have to be done at the time of butchering. Meat can be vacuum packed and frozen, then thawed later for consumption. Leave it in the vacuum pack in your refrigerator (below 36F) for up to 2 weeks and then you can open & prepare it. I have done this many times.

[longrifle]

I always hang my deer skin on and for a long time 2 weeks or so when it's cool enough here in Wester NY. Sometimes they get mold on inside of cavity and when I process I just cut it off much like mold on cheese, never had a taste problem.