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Aging the meat question... #4896372 01/08/14 04:33 PM
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lubbockdave Online Content OP
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Ok, I things go as planed I will have a doe on the ground by Sunday. I plan to skin/quarter it and process it myself this time. If I understand correctly all I need to do is keep it on ice 7-14 days. Plan to wrap it in a trash bag and keep the ice water off the meat. Is this correct procedure?

Re: Aging the meat question... [Re: lubbockdave] #4896379 01/08/14 04:35 PM
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If your going to keep it on ice I would not wrap it as long as the ice/ice chest is clean, you want the fluids to be able to drain away from the meat not be held next to it.

In my opinion this is not aging though, its bleeding it out. We don't do it.


It's hell eatin em live
Re: Aging the meat question... [Re: lubbockdave] #4896396 01/08/14 04:39 PM
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14 days is a long time. I only feel comfortable with 7-8 days on ice as long as its kept full of ice and constantly drained with the plug open. I'm sure others do theirs longer. I also don't think its a good idea to put it in plastic bags. When someone says don't keep it wet they mean don't let it sit in water. Good layer of ice on the bottom and on top with the drain plug open and cooler tilted towards the plug side (put something under one end of the cooler) and you'll be fine.


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Re: Aging the meat question... [Re: lubbockdave] #4896404 01/08/14 04:43 PM
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I put my deer meat in a clean cooler and just dump ice on it, don't wrap the meat. I keep it in there 4-5 days and drain the water and add fresh ice everyday. Thats all you need to do. 14 days seems way too long. Shoot that doe in the neck if you can. I also get steak fat trimmings from kroger to mix in with the ground. I usually add about 15% fat to the ground. Also vacuum seal the meat.

Re: Aging the meat question... [Re: lubbockdave] #4896440 01/08/14 04:55 PM
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Ok so 14 days is too long, and unwrapped. Makes sense to leave drain plug open so it doesn't sit in water. What if I use a yeti? Will it keep cold enough so ice doesn't melt?

Re: Aging the meat question... [Re: redchevy] #4896446 01/08/14 04:57 PM
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Originally Posted By: redchevy
If your going to keep it on ice I would not wrap it as long as the ice/ice chest is clean, you want the fluids to be able to drain away from the meat not be held next to it.

In my opinion this is not aging though, its bleeding it out. We don't do it.


How do you do yours?

Re: Aging the meat question... [Re: lubbockdave] #4896479 01/08/14 05:07 PM
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If im going to age something I do it dry and in a cooler/fridge.

90% of our meat get ground so aging is of little/no use, we gut skin rinse down debone and freeze. Only thing I age is large muscle cuts im gonna cut steaks out of.


It's hell eatin em live
Re: Aging the meat question... [Re: BuckRage] #4896555 01/08/14 05:33 PM
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Originally Posted By: BuckRage
14 days is a long time. I only feel comfortable with 7-8 days on ice as long as its kept full of ice and constantly drained with the plug open. I'm sure others do theirs longer. I also don't think its a good idea to put it in plastic bags. When someone says don't keep it wet they mean don't let it sit in water. Good layer of ice on the bottom and on top with the drain plug open and cooler tilted towards the plug side (put something under one end of the cooler) and you'll be fine.


^^^^This^^^^


James

"That which does not kill us makes us stronger"
Friedrich Nietzsche
Re: Aging the meat question... [Re: lubbockdave] #4896663 01/08/14 06:14 PM
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I quarter them out and put in a cooler with bagged ice (not opened) and drain the water/blood every day for a few days.
I generally will do this for 3-5 days dependent on my schedule and then bag and put in fridge for up to two weeks for aging. Meat is always delicious, tender and with no gamey taste.

Right now, on my deck is the quartered out deer my son shot last Monday.
With it being so cold the ice has barely melted, I drain the blood out every few days.
I need to debone and then will have it turned into sausage.
I will probably just freeze it and defrost when I am ready to take to processor.

Re: Aging the meat question... [Re: ccoker] #4896702 01/08/14 06:28 PM
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Originally Posted By: ccoker
I quarter them out and put in a cooler with bagged ice (not opened) and drain the water/blood every day for a few days.
I generally will do this for 3-5 days dependent on my schedule and then bag and put in fridge for up to two weeks for aging. Meat is always delicious, tender and with no gamey taste.

Right now, on my deck is the quartered out deer my son shot last Monday.
With it being so cold the ice has barely melted, I drain the blood out every few days.
I need to debone and then will have it turned into sausage.
I will probably just freeze it and defrost when I am ready to take to processor.




Do you bag it in a regular zip lock bag when in fridge?

Re: Aging the meat question... [Re: lubbockdave] #4896960 01/08/14 08:20 PM
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Layer in ice, make sure it stays covered in ice, drain daily for 5 days or so. Vacuum seal and freeze anything that isn't going to be consumed immediately.

Re: Aging the meat question... [Re: lubbockdave] #4897068 01/08/14 09:04 PM
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Originally Posted By: lubbockdave
Originally Posted By: ccoker
I quarter them out and put in a cooler with bagged ice (not opened) and drain the water/blood every day for a few days.
I generally will do this for 3-5 days dependent on my schedule and then bag and put in fridge for up to two weeks for aging. Meat is always delicious, tender and with no gamey taste.

Right now, on my deck is the quartered out deer my son shot last Monday.
With it being so cold the ice has barely melted, I drain the blood out every few days.
I need to debone and then will have it turned into sausage.
I will probably just freeze it and defrost when I am ready to take to processor.




Do you bag it in a regular zip lock bag when in fridge?


yeah, the big ones, in a big pan in case there is any seepage to avoid the wrath of Mrs. Coker smile

Re: Aging the meat question... [Re: lubbockdave] #4897172 01/08/14 09:46 PM
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Ok. I appreciate the education everyone. Hopefully the does cooperate tomorrow or this weekend!!

One more question...would you do wild hogs same way?

Re: Aging the meat question... [Re: lubbockdave] #4897204 01/08/14 09:58 PM
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If. You wait 24-48 hrs before freezing you should be fine. While water won't hurt the meat, it does let the bacteria grow better. Still no big deal if it's not gut-shot. If it's gut-shot, was everything off thoroughly, then keep it as dry as possible until you freeze it.

Re: Aging the meat question... [Re: lubbockdave] #4897208 01/08/14 10:00 PM
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Do hogs the same. If you haven't done it, I think you'll find that hog is a much cleaner meat. Just butcher it, freeze and eat it. Wild hogs can be the best eating known to man. The only down side is that it will not quench your hunger for red meat. I ate hog for 3 months in college and my first bite of deer was heaven. It had nothing to do with flavor and everything to do with a need for red meat.

Re: Aging the meat question... [Re: lubbockdave] #4897213 01/08/14 10:01 PM
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We have a cleaning station with fresh water, I always clean them very well before putting in a cooler.


With hogs, I was told by a chef and avid hog hunter that you have 5 days to eat or freeze as they rot from the bone out.
I have followed that and never had an issue.

Re: Aging the meat question... [Re: lubbockdave] #4897331 01/08/14 10:50 PM
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i have kept it on ice for up to 12 days. draining every day making sure there is enough ice.

Really helps bleed it out and In my opinion gets a lot of the gameiness out.

Re: Aging the meat question... [Re: lubbockdave] #4897358 01/08/14 11:14 PM
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^^^ bleeding out with water definitely helps minimize gamey flavors. I usually only do it if the meat smells strongly of deer. If you shot the lungs and bleed them as they hang, most of the time you don't need it.

Any meat will rot from the bone out if you don't get I to near freezing. Deboning the meat massively increases the time that meat can rest above freezing.

Re: Aging the meat question... [Re: lubbockdave] #4897652 01/09/14 01:15 AM
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my mother hung in a potato sack on the poarch until greem mold formed and then sliced trimed and fried. could cut with a fork. keep in shade. Will keep for weeks.

Last edited by tigger; 01/09/14 01:16 AM.

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Re: Aging the meat question... [Re: lubbockdave] #4897705 01/09/14 01:37 AM
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After I quarter mine, I will leave it on ice for 2-3 days, then start processing. A week at the max and mine are done


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I'd ask him if he's pregnant. He missed a s__tload of periods.

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I'll take "things that look like a uterus" for $200 Alex.
Re: Aging the meat question... [Re: tigger] #4898346 01/09/14 12:10 PM
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Originally Posted By: tigger
my mother hung in a potato sack on the poarch until greem mold formed and then sliced trimed and fried. could cut with a fork. keep in shade. Will keep for weeks.


Why would your mom want to hang in a potato sack on the porch till mold grew on her? Are you guys cannibals? Don't know if i could eat my mom? Is it me or is that just silly? confused2


James

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Re: Aging the meat question... [Re: lubbockdave] #4900790 01/10/14 05:22 AM
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+1 on the keep it in ice for about 4 days method. That's what I've always done, and have had good success. Not that there aren't other methods that can produce good results, too...

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