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Post by wintomatic on Nov 15, 2018 18:22:35 GMT -6
One thing that makes a huge improvement in the taste of the meat is getting the hide off right away. We usually make chops and steaks with does and younger bucks. Older bucks are ground up for sausage and hamburger.
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Post by batman on Nov 15, 2018 18:23:33 GMT -6
One thing that makes a huge improvement in the taste of the meat is getting the hide off right away. Why? How many deer have you aged both ways to make this statement? |
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Post by wintomatic on Nov 15, 2018 18:42:16 GMT -6
We have always processed our own deer. We found that getting the hide off right away makes the meat taste a lot less “gamey”. Before we had access to the butcher shop and meat cooler, when it was too warm we would bone them out and freeze the meat right away. We figured it out from that. That’s how butcher’s do it for all animals.
Personally I think the gamey flavor gets absorbed from the subcutaneous fat just under the hide. We always take off all of the fat we can from the deer because of that. We add in some beef/pork fat when we put it through the grinder.
Always double grind the meat...always. It makes a world of difference on the texture and mixes the meat and fat much more evenly.
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Post by batman on Nov 15, 2018 18:49:01 GMT -6
when it was too warm we would bone them out and freeze the meat right away. We figured it out from that. That’s how butcher’s do it for all animals. So how did you age the meat if you boned and froze it right away? |
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Post by wintomatic on Nov 15, 2018 18:55:20 GMT -6
I am not talking about aging the meat.
Fresh meat tastes better than meat that is green. Taking the hide off allows the meat to cool off faster as well.
Nothing makes meat taste worse than getting “funky”. We have helped process as trade for using the butcher shop for close to 10 years now.
If you are worried about your deer being too warm it is much better and safer to process it earlier, even if you just 1/4 it out and put it in garbage bags.
Hundreds of deer.
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Post by wintomatic on Nov 15, 2018 18:57:09 GMT -6
My point is to remove the hide right away, no matter if you leave it hang to age or not. It will taste better.
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Post by batman on Nov 15, 2018 19:01:00 GMT -6
The whole thread is about aging a buck-
My aged deer have never been green or funky. And I think it tastes better.
You claim a deer aged hide on will taste funky?
Have you ever aged a deer in the proper temps and tried it?
Your butcher may not age meat - but to deny the concept is head in the ground.
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Post by biglakebass on Nov 15, 2018 19:16:48 GMT -6
My friend is a butcher at Von Hansons in Monticello.... I asked him the aging venison question just last week. He said for the most part NO. He said way too many people dont properly shoot deer(gut shots) or gut deer properly(cutting stuff that shouldnt be cut and leaks bad stuff). He said aging most deer is not a good decision unless its shot "good", gutted properly, and cleaned properly after gutting. All you foster is things to go wrong unless you do it ALL perfectly. Makes sense to me. Not to mention, I have no means to properly age any deer. No aging for this guy. Never have and good point by my friend. He cuts meat for a living and I think his advice is solid after thinking about it. If I need aged venison I will try to find it at a gourmet restaurant. Otherwise marinade the shit out of it, or make sausage. Then all is ok.  |
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Post by batman on Nov 15, 2018 19:36:24 GMT -6
My friend is a butcher at Von Hansons in Monticello.... I asked him the aging venison question just last week. Ask him if the hide should be on or off when aging deer outside. And I need to stop in and let him know his sticks did very well in the competition at Ripley. I think the bear/elk took third. They were really good. |
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Post by wintomatic on Nov 15, 2018 19:36:48 GMT -6
Batman, we would 1/4 them and put them in garage bags and rotate them in and out of a chest freezer or outside if it was very cold sometimes to keep them as cool as possible without freezing.
I’m not sure how much difference actually hanging suspended would make in a deer as compared to a cow for tenderness.
But helping process deer that guys had just left hang in a tree for a week and then smelling the rank odor after taking the hide off and seeing what the meat looked like as you processed them changed my mind on keeping meat as fresh as possible vs tenderness gained from aging.
That being said, now we have our deer hanging in a walk-in cooler within hours of being harvested. We start processing them over the last few days of the season, because we like to let them hang for about a week.
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Post by wintomatic on Nov 15, 2018 19:41:03 GMT -6
No I didn’t mean that hanging them with the hide would make them funky. Hanging them for a week in too warm of an environment will.
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Post by batman on Nov 15, 2018 19:42:53 GMT -6
Batman, we would 1/4 them and put them in garage bags and rotate them in and out of a chest freezer or outside if it was very cold sometimes to keep them as cool as possible without freezing. I’m not sure how much difference actually hanging suspended would make in a deer as compared to a cow for tenderness. But helping process deer that guys had just left hang in a tree for a week and then smelling the rank odor after taking the hide off and seeing what the meat looked like as you processed them changed my mind on keeping meat as fresh as possible vs tenderness gained from aging. That being said, now we have our deer hanging in a walk-in cooler within hours of being harvested. We start processing them over the last few days of the season, because we like to let them hang for about a week. I'd throw the whole damn thing away if any part was green or rank. Just posted I have only had 3 chances to age a buck 5 days hide on outside where it was not to cold/warm. Tough nut to crack for guys who only get 2 days a year to hunt for sure- Deer is really a shit protein IMO. Fat tastes like ass and that makes it a pain to process. Backstraps and hinds are pretty easy but from there it goes downhill time wise pretty quick. Maybe somebody can change my mind. |
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Post by Reagan on Nov 15, 2018 20:02:41 GMT -6
Batman you need to try this with a front shoulder. honest-food.net/barbacoa-recipe-venison/After you see how good that is you can then look up his shank recipes. No chance I’m trimming the front shoulders up for burger. Too much work for me. I think leaving a hide on a clean deer in proper temps is fine. The hide isn’t the problem, it’s improper cooling and lack of cleanliness. If it’s a little warm, I’ll skin it. If I can get the meat chilled down into the 30s and keep it shaded during the day, I’m not opposed to letting it hang in slightly warm temps. I’ve done it in elk camp but it always gets cold at night. Saturday’s buck hung that night with the skin. Temp were 40s down to 30s. I skun it the next day. Quartered it up and let it sit in a fridge until Monday afternoon. Processed Monday night. I have a back strap that I won’t freeze but will let sit in my fridge until Sunday or Monday. I’ll sometimes thaw a a piece for 2-3 weeks before I cook it. Aging can take place before or after freezing. |
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Post by biglakebass on Nov 15, 2018 20:19:58 GMT -6
Batman, we would 1/4 them and put them in garage bags and rotate them in and out of a chest freezer or outside if it was very cold sometimes to keep them as cool as possible without freezing. I’m not sure how much difference actually hanging suspended would make in a deer as compared to a cow for tenderness. But helping process deer that guys had just left hang in a tree for a week and then smelling the rank odor after taking the hide off and seeing what the meat looked like as you processed them changed my mind on keeping meat as fresh as possible vs tenderness gained from aging. That being said, now we have our deer hanging in a walk-in cooler within hours of being harvested. We start processing them over the last few days of the season, because we like to let them hang for about a week. I'd throw the whole damn thing away if any part was green or rank. Just posted I have only had 3 chances to age a buck 5 days hide on outside where it was not to cold/warm. Tough nut to crack for guys who only get 2 days a year to hunt for sure-
Deer is really a shit protein IMO. Fat tastes like ass and that makes it a pain to process. Backstraps and hinds are pretty easy but from there it goes downhill time wise pretty quick. Maybe somebody can change my mind.Cant fuck up sausage. |
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Post by Satchmo on Nov 15, 2018 21:25:07 GMT -6
Batman, we would 1/4 them and put them in garage bags and rotate them in and out of a chest freezer or outside if it was very cold sometimes to keep them as cool as possible without freezing. I’m not sure how much difference actually hanging suspended would make in a deer as compared to a cow for tenderness. But helping process deer that guys had just left hang in a tree for a week and then smelling the rank odor after taking the hide off and seeing what the meat looked like as you processed them changed my mind on keeping meat as fresh as possible vs tenderness gained from aging. That being said, now we have our deer hanging in a walk-in cooler within hours of being harvested. We start processing them over the last few days of the season, because we like to let them hang for about a week. Be careful about the garbage bags if you choose to use them. Many are treated with chemicals that add scent, while others are treated with insecticide. Either will taint your meat with shit you don’t want to be eating. We wrap ours in clear stretch wrap if we need to to keep them from drying out. |
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