Smokinbenelli
Member
I'm just curious how long you guys hang your deer after skinning? Usually I go for 2- 3 days in the cooler if time permits.
How long do you guys hang your deer
- Thread starter Smokinbenelli
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Gravel Road
Well-Known Member
I will usually cut them up the same day or the next, depending on weather. I don't like having to trim off and waste any meat that turns. Although letting the connective tissue break down is a good thing, it isn't truly necessary if the meat is cared for properly. Caring for the meat in the field is very important and we heavily trim all the meat for connective tissues, and do not use any bone-in cuts. We use double Saran wrap and freezer paper and can keep meat for many, many years. Also, we do not add any fat to our meat, and that helps with storage longevity.
MarkDarvin
Well-Known Member
I hang mine for the remainder of time in camp and then de-bone the whole deer the last night before I leave. Of course that plan changes if it's 60 degrees or -10. I can all of my venison.
W33kender
Active Member
Here in hotweatherville, we skin and debone right away, letting the deboned meat bleed out under copious amounts of ice in a cooler. We leave it in the cooler, replacing ice, for 7 to 10 days. Then we clean it free of silver skin and other connective tissues before vacuum sealing and freezing.
Sometimes we take the entire animal to the processor, but that's happening less and less often. Maybe every other deer.
Sometimes we take the entire animal to the processor, but that's happening less and less often. Maybe every other deer.
jerseyguy
New Member
wow, seems the norm here is to hang a week or more. in warm weather, we typically shoot, skin, and bone the same day. then trim and vacuum the same day if possible, maybe the next. may I ask why everyone hangs so long? do you really notice a big difference?
we process all our deer ourselves. and haven't received any complaints for toughness or being gamey. But I'm open to change if I'm really missing something
we process all our deer ourselves. and haven't received any complaints for toughness or being gamey. But I'm open to change if I'm really missing something
Islandguy85
New Member
7-10 and if I recall have gone as long as 14 in our walk in cooler at 38. I dont have a certain number I go by, more like when I have time in that window. I know the processor I use does it quicker than that and freezes it and it tastes fine to me. I will also freeze most of mine and work on it slowly after processing at home.
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With no cooler and the hot temps we have this fall its going to hang about 20 minutes ...
Smokinbenelli
Member
Decent amount of responses. As stated, I usually go for 2-3 days. Have cut them up as soon as they were skinned already. Didn't know if somebody had specific reasons on why they hang them longer. I was just curious if there was something better that I didn't know about
DocHolladay
Well-Known Member
Skin and debone the day it is killed. Put it in a cooler with ice. Check it every couple of days to drain water and add more ice. Stays this way for 2 weeks. Cut it into steaks, roasts or grind after that.
