Ageing Venison in Ice Chest

[William Allis]

NYS has added crossbows to the bow hunting season this year. The season opens early, so I can forget hanging a deer outside. I plan to use an ice chest and dry age the good cuts. Loins and boned hind quarters. What is you experience, method, length of time and etc? I plan to put the unwrapped cuts on a rack and cover them with bagged ice and open the drain for blood to escape. Use a meat probe thermometer to keep track of the temp. Can I layer/stack the meat or should I keep it in one layer? I figure 10 days?

 

[BenAllgood]

I prefer to keep the meat dry by putting it in bags and have ice around the meat but not in contact. I'll freeze water in bottles or plastic tubs sometimes. Or, I've put ice inside dry bags and position them to where they don't leak as they melt. I did the ice on top of the meat leaving the drain plug open method for years, and much prefer dealing with the meat dry instead. I'll leave it in there for up to 7-10 days.

 

[victory]

The best way is to wrap the meat tight in plastic wrap. This keeps air off it and it can age a long time. As soon as it is cut wrap it up..

 

[yoderjac]

I now have a commercial reach-in cooler that can hold a couple deer at about 38 degrees for aging. I have a piece of galvanized pipe across the inside top and use meat hooks. I quarter my deer and hang the quarters.

Before I got the commercial reach-in cooler, I just used a side-by-side refrigerator. These are easy to find, often for free, or a few bucks when people remodel and discard perfectly good fridges. I simply took out all the shelves. I left the top two shelf brackets in place and cut a 1/2" threaded rod to size. I put 2 nuts on each side with the brackets sandwiched between the 2 nuts. Again, I used meat hooks. It was a tight squeeze, but I could get one deer in it.+

 

[Fishman]

I live in the south so no one is ever really able to hang a deer outside to age. Most soak the meat in an ice bath for a few days. Here is a video that compares soaking in ice verses just keeping it cool in an ice chest.

 

[Drycreek]

I know a lot of folks will disagree, because I’ve been hearing for years to not let your meat contact the ice. I live in Texas, where you ain’t gonna hang meat in November most of the time. I have been quartering deer and covering it with loose ice for decades and it hasn’t hurt the meat yet. I used to hunt antelope in Wyoming a lot, always hot. We quartered those goats immediately and put them on ice. Best meat I ever had ! I usually leave them on ice for three to four days, draining the blood and refreshing the ice. Never, ever had a problem ! Note the short sleeves and it was still hotter than the hinges of hell’s gate in that blind during bow season.

 

[victory]

Again wrap it in plastic rap, it's by far the easiest way, it keeps air off the meat and it can stay in refrigerator for weeks and age. There is no way I would let the meat by anywhere near water. Try it you'll never go back.

 

[BenAllgood]

It's not so much about the water harming the meat for me, as it is dealing with all the wet meat when processing. Like I said, for decades, I put the meat in an ice chest and kept it covered with ice with the drain plug open to let the water out. Then, I got a chance to hunt a couple places where there were walk in coolers. Processing the meat after was night and day difference. I didn't have those slippery meat pieces to deal with, a million paper towels to go through, or trying to get it dry enough to where I wasn't getting water in my ground meat. I don't have a walk in cooler, but I sort of mimic it by freezing buckets or dry bags and keeping the meat separated from it. There is still some condensation or blood letting, but nothing like when I kept it in ice.

 

[six7]

In Louisiana a lot of people do the ice chest with a plug out to drain off the water. I quarter mine up and let it sit in the fridge in the garage for a few days wrapped in a plastic tub. It is way easier to process when the meat is dry.

 

[Mennoniteman]

Aging meat is a totally different conversation from from butchering/ taking care of meat in the field. An ice chest and ice is great for bringing the meat home, but isn't a great option for a week long (or more) aging process. I'm in favor of no more than 10 days.
Cheap fridges are a dime a dozen, buy a cheap fridge off of marketplace for the garage, plug it in when only needed, and age in there, totally controlling the temps to whatever you want. Aging meat is definitely a thing, but is only one step away from spoiled meat, temperature control is extremely import for proper aging. Here's what the internet suggests (which I totally agree with):
Aging meat at 31°F (-0.5°C) is ideal for long-term dry aging because it is a temperature just above the freezing point of meat (around 28°F). This environment slows bacterial growth to a crawl while allowing the meat's natural enzymes to continue breaking down muscle fibers, which improves tenderness and concentrates flavor. Since enzymatic activity is slower at colder temperatures, you will likely need to age your meat for a longer duration at 31°F to achieve the same results as meat aged at 34–38°F.
Varying temperatures when aging meat can lead to inconsistent tenderness, flavor, and an increased risk of spoilage, which is why a stable temperature is crucial. In general, higher temperatures accelerate the aging process, while lower temperatures slow it down. For controlled and safe aging, particularly dry aging, temperatures should be kept within a narrow, cold range to allow beneficial enzymes to work while inhibiting spoilage bacteria.
Most dry-aging experts recommend the following timelines for beef, which can be extended for bolder flavor:

• For noticeable tenderness and mild flavor: 14 to 21 days
• For rich, nutty flavor: 28 to 45 days, which is considered the "sweet spot" by many connoisseurs
• For very strong, pungent flavor: 45 to 90 days or longer, which results in more intense, blue-cheese-like notes

 

[victory]

Menn I agree with aging meat but keep air off the meat is paramount. That's wear the plastic wrap shines. Wrap it tight and leave it. Cut up a quarter and its still golden. Try it you won't regret it.