[Predator]

I am curious. does anyone age the venison? how long? and why?
do you feel there is a benefit in the aging process?

 

[BruceBruce1959]

I posted the following in another thread a long while back...
I think it covers your questions also.


If the Deer is going to the local butcher for processing then there's no need to hang it at all, unless the butcher is closed.
In that case just hang it till morning and take right in, if it's extremely warm out be sure to pack the cavity with ice over-night.

The butcher will most likely be busy during hunting season but in most cases a deer will hang in his walk-in cooler long enough
to complete the rigor mortise process (a 72 hour process) (3 days)
If he isn't busy just ask him to let the deer hang for at least 72 hours
(3 days) before butchering.

I've heard so many stories on why hunters hang their deer and the reasons why you should hang them that long but the real fact is,
The only reason a deer should be hung is for the rigor mortis process,
Rigor mortis is very important in meat technology. The onset of rigor mortis and its resolution partially determines the tenderness of meat.

So to keep your meat safe for consumption and help it reach it's best meat quality, (tenderness, taste & vitamin/nutrient capacity)
let it hang in the butchers cooler.

 

[stairman]

Thats good info if you use a butcher, I dont. I dont bother aging backstraps or tenderloin in fact the tenderloins are washed and put in ilalian dressing in the fridge right away. When the hams are removed I put them in an ice chest and keep them iced for about a week, draining the water daily. I have kept them this way for 2 weeks on occation keeping them iced and drained. Very important to not forget about em! As stated its best for the rigor process to be complete before hard freezing. And they will bleed out somewhat as well. Then I cut em up into mealsize portions, date and label them and in the deep freeze with em. I jerk all shoulders so dont bother ageing them.

 

[BruceBruce1959]

Whether you use a butcher or not the most important factor is Keeping the Carcass cooled.

 

[Body Bag]

Whether you use a butcher or not the most important factor is Keeping the Carcass cooled.

I agree!!! And Clean

 

[Predator]

I figured someone would have posted something somewhere down the road, I just haven't had time to go through all the past topics. I probably should have done a search. I am not too concerned with the 72 hour time period. at the rate of speed I get deer taken care of, I easily cover that window. The car hit deer I got Sunday night just got its tenderloinectomy and a backstrapectomy last night.
It really seems like the aging process ends up wasting a lot of venison after you trim it out.

 

[Body Bag]

Don't really have any backup for this but I wouldn't age a deer that is struck by a car.

 

[Predator]

I am merely attempting to get everyone take on aging, I myself am not an advocate with the exception of allowing the deer to hang for 72 hours or so. it is generally a week or more before I have time to butcher and freeze the entire deer