got this idea from a friend. if you don't have the place or time to age your venison before processing, try leaving it out,uncovered in the fridge for 5-7 days. basically them same process. what do you think?
Hunting & Fishing meat aging idea
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Re: meat aging idea
ive aged my meat 34 years, tastes all leathery and salty
ive aged my meat 34 years, tastes all leathery and salty
Re: meat aging idea
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: VJJPunisher</div><div class="ubbcode-body">ive aged my meat 34 years, tastes all leathery and salty </div></div> is that what she tells you?
After 34 years it may have turned
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: VJJPunisher</div><div class="ubbcode-body">ive aged my meat 34 years, tastes all leathery and salty </div></div> is that what she tells you?
After 34 years it may have turned
Re: meat aging idea
depends on the temperatures. in autumn we do that here, with temperatures around/below 10 deg C. field-dressed and with open cavity (using a stick or something to keep it open). we tend to let it hang for 4-6 days.
nice tender meat at the end.
depends on the temperatures. in autumn we do that here, with temperatures around/below 10 deg C. field-dressed and with open cavity (using a stick or something to keep it open). we tend to let it hang for 4-6 days.
nice tender meat at the end.
Re: meat aging idea
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: threetrees</div><div class="ubbcode-body">depends on the temperatures. in autumn we do that here, with temperatures around/below 10 deg C. field-dressed and with open cavity (using a stick or something to keep it open). we tend to let it hang for 4-6 days.
nice tender meat at the end.</div></div>
I think he knows this. I imagine he meant if you can't age it fresh, pull it out of the freezer 6 months later and age it 5 days in the fridge before cooking vs tossing on the BBQ same day.
To the OP, I've heard it works, both with game and even aging some meat you buy in the store. Can't say I've tested enough to have a valid opinion.
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: threetrees</div><div class="ubbcode-body">depends on the temperatures. in autumn we do that here, with temperatures around/below 10 deg C. field-dressed and with open cavity (using a stick or something to keep it open). we tend to let it hang for 4-6 days.
nice tender meat at the end.</div></div>
I think he knows this. I imagine he meant if you can't age it fresh, pull it out of the freezer 6 months later and age it 5 days in the fridge before cooking vs tossing on the BBQ same day.
To the OP, I've heard it works, both with game and even aging some meat you buy in the store. Can't say I've tested enough to have a valid opinion.
Re: meat aging idea
It takes 11 days before aging begins, then butchers often leave the beef hang for 20 to 30 days total. Remember to properly age you keep beef between 36 deg. F and freezing, the refrigerator has to be at 85% humidity to keep the meat from drying out. The goal is you want some water loss from the meat to concentrate the flavors. I love grilling, and I'd love to age beef but I just don't know enough about controlling the refrigerator and the smells to look for to do it properly. It's a lost art and hard to find a good butcher who properly can age beef.
It takes 11 days before aging begins, then butchers often leave the beef hang for 20 to 30 days total. Remember to properly age you keep beef between 36 deg. F and freezing, the refrigerator has to be at 85% humidity to keep the meat from drying out. The goal is you want some water loss from the meat to concentrate the flavors. I love grilling, and I'd love to age beef but I just don't know enough about controlling the refrigerator and the smells to look for to do it properly. It's a lost art and hard to find a good butcher who properly can age beef.
Re: meat aging idea
I routinely buy choice sirloin roasts at Costco and age them in my referigerator at home. Take it out of the wrapper and wash with cold water. Pat dry thoroughly and wrap with a clean, repeat clean cotton towel. I like the thin ones. Make sure your temp is 36 deg or so. I put mine on the bottom shelf and change the towel every day for up to 21 days. No stinky stuff in the fridge while you do this.
When I think it's ready, I cut it into steaks and cryovac. I would'nt do it on smaller pieces of meat.
YMMV
I routinely buy choice sirloin roasts at Costco and age them in my referigerator at home. Take it out of the wrapper and wash with cold water. Pat dry thoroughly and wrap with a clean, repeat clean cotton towel. I like the thin ones. Make sure your temp is 36 deg or so. I put mine on the bottom shelf and change the towel every day for up to 21 days. No stinky stuff in the fridge while you do this.
When I think it's ready, I cut it into steaks and cryovac. I would'nt do it on smaller pieces of meat.
YMMV
Re: meat aging idea
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Wireman</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I routinely buy choice sirloin roasts at Costco and age them in my referigerator at home. Take it out of the wrapper and wash with cold water. Pat dry thoroughly and wrap with a clean, repeat clean cotton towel. I like the thin ones. Make sure your temp is 36 deg or so. I put mine on the bottom shelf and change the towel every day for up to 21 days. No stinky stuff in the fridge while you do this.
When I think it's ready, I cut it into steaks and cryovac. I would'nt do it on smaller pieces of meat.
YMMV </div></div>
Do you trim anything off of the outside of the meat before you cut them into steaks?
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Wireman</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I routinely buy choice sirloin roasts at Costco and age them in my referigerator at home. Take it out of the wrapper and wash with cold water. Pat dry thoroughly and wrap with a clean, repeat clean cotton towel. I like the thin ones. Make sure your temp is 36 deg or so. I put mine on the bottom shelf and change the towel every day for up to 21 days. No stinky stuff in the fridge while you do this.
When I think it's ready, I cut it into steaks and cryovac. I would'nt do it on smaller pieces of meat.
YMMV </div></div>
Do you trim anything off of the outside of the meat before you cut them into steaks?
Re: meat aging idea
Well of course.
Cut off everything you would'nt want to eat.
I really like the way it turns out. Most of the moisture is gone and the meat is firm yet tender. Flavor is very intense.
Plan on doing a whole elk this fall.
Well of course.
Cut off everything you would'nt want to eat.
I really like the way it turns out. Most of the moisture is gone and the meat is firm yet tender. Flavor is very intense.
Plan on doing a whole elk this fall.
Re: meat aging idea
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: mike f</div><div class="ubbcode-body">got this idea from a friend. if you don't have the place or time to age your venison before processing, try leaving it out,uncovered in the fridge for 5-7 days. basically them same process. what do you think? </div></div>
The short and sweet of it is yes, you can do this if it is a large cut. As others have said it will dry it out a bit and concentrate flavors. I buy whole ribeyes either standing or boneless, and age them for several days before I slow roast them over charcoal. As a general rule they will lose elss and less water weight as the outside dries. I do not trim after I age a piece this way. As some have said be damn careful about what you put in your CLEAN fridge while you perform this task. No canteloupe, onions, pineapple, funky fruit, there is a pile of stuff that I fail to remember right now.
In the future you may want to keep this tip in mind. If the weather is uncooperative or you live in a place you simply can't hang meat like coastal plains of NC,SC,GA or FL really anywhere in the southeast, or you don't have time to process, here is what you can do.
Take a 50 quart cooler that has a drain, you will be leaving the drain open. Put a couple layers of cheesecloth over the drain or put a smallpiece of cotton ball in the hole. You do not want the meat to set submerged in water. If you have some bread cooling racks to fit in the bottom of the cooler even better but it isn't imperative, a little water on the bottom won't hurt. Quarter the animal and put the shoulders in the bottom as these will likely be burger anyway. Then the hams and next the loins and smaller cuts on the top. Pack it down with ice. Sit the cooler in as cool a spot as you can find where animals won't get to it and it can drain. I just left mine in the yard with duct tape to "lock" the lid from critters. Nothing can lock the lid from a bear so keep that in mind. Keep a check on the ice every couple days depending on the weather and keep the ice topped off.
I have left deer to age in this way for as much as 2 weeks and my family and friends have enjoyed many thousands of pounds of deer meat aged in this manner.
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: mike f</div><div class="ubbcode-body">got this idea from a friend. if you don't have the place or time to age your venison before processing, try leaving it out,uncovered in the fridge for 5-7 days. basically them same process. what do you think? </div></div>
The short and sweet of it is yes, you can do this if it is a large cut. As others have said it will dry it out a bit and concentrate flavors. I buy whole ribeyes either standing or boneless, and age them for several days before I slow roast them over charcoal. As a general rule they will lose elss and less water weight as the outside dries. I do not trim after I age a piece this way. As some have said be damn careful about what you put in your CLEAN fridge while you perform this task. No canteloupe, onions, pineapple, funky fruit, there is a pile of stuff that I fail to remember right now.
In the future you may want to keep this tip in mind. If the weather is uncooperative or you live in a place you simply can't hang meat like coastal plains of NC,SC,GA or FL really anywhere in the southeast, or you don't have time to process, here is what you can do.
Take a 50 quart cooler that has a drain, you will be leaving the drain open. Put a couple layers of cheesecloth over the drain or put a smallpiece of cotton ball in the hole. You do not want the meat to set submerged in water. If you have some bread cooling racks to fit in the bottom of the cooler even better but it isn't imperative, a little water on the bottom won't hurt. Quarter the animal and put the shoulders in the bottom as these will likely be burger anyway. Then the hams and next the loins and smaller cuts on the top. Pack it down with ice. Sit the cooler in as cool a spot as you can find where animals won't get to it and it can drain. I just left mine in the yard with duct tape to "lock" the lid from critters. Nothing can lock the lid from a bear so keep that in mind. Keep a check on the ice every couple days depending on the weather and keep the ice topped off.
I have left deer to age in this way for as much as 2 weeks and my family and friends have enjoyed many thousands of pounds of deer meat aged in this manner.
Re: meat aging idea
Grand pappy told me, and seems logical but I don't have scientific evidence I can provide, but meat ages/cures, it is fat that rots and taints. YMMV
Grand pappy told me, and seems logical but I don't have scientific evidence I can provide, but meat ages/cures, it is fat that rots and taints. YMMV
Re: meat aging idea
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: jasonk</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: threetrees</div><div class="ubbcode-body">depends on the temperatures. in autumn we do that here, with temperatures around/below 10 deg C. field-dressed and with open cavity (using a stick or something to keep it open). we tend to let it hang for 4-6 days.
nice tender meat at the end.</div></div>
I think he knows this. I imagine he meant if you can't age it fresh, pull it out of the freezer 6 months later and age it 5 days in the fridge before cooking vs tossing on the BBQ same day.
To the OP, I've heard it works, both with game and even aging some meat you buy in the store. Can't say I've tested enough to have a valid opinion. </div></div>
^ I have done this. It does work.
I tried it after seeing it on the food network.
What worked for me best on steaks is to thaw in the fridge a day then dry rub then back in the fridge for 3-4.
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: jasonk</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: threetrees</div><div class="ubbcode-body">depends on the temperatures. in autumn we do that here, with temperatures around/below 10 deg C. field-dressed and with open cavity (using a stick or something to keep it open). we tend to let it hang for 4-6 days.
nice tender meat at the end.</div></div>
I think he knows this. I imagine he meant if you can't age it fresh, pull it out of the freezer 6 months later and age it 5 days in the fridge before cooking vs tossing on the BBQ same day.
To the OP, I've heard it works, both with game and even aging some meat you buy in the store. Can't say I've tested enough to have a valid opinion. </div></div>
^ I have done this. It does work.
I tried it after seeing it on the food network.
What worked for me best on steaks is to thaw in the fridge a day then dry rub then back in the fridge for 3-4.
Re: meat aging idea
The best tasting venison I've ever had was from a mule deer shot last September. It was 70s when he died and we were a few miles from camp so we deboned him right there and layed the chunks out on a tyvek sheet in the shade to cool down. We then stuffed them into pillow cases and when we got back to camp we hung them from a tree in the shade. It was getting into the low 40s/upper 30s at night so we left the bags hang for a few days before making an ice run. The outside developed a good crust on the meat in the bags, but the centers remained pretty cool.
I don't know how much "aging" was accomplished with all that, but it was damn good eating.
The best tasting venison I've ever had was from a mule deer shot last September. It was 70s when he died and we were a few miles from camp so we deboned him right there and layed the chunks out on a tyvek sheet in the shade to cool down. We then stuffed them into pillow cases and when we got back to camp we hung them from a tree in the shade. It was getting into the low 40s/upper 30s at night so we left the bags hang for a few days before making an ice run. The outside developed a good crust on the meat in the bags, but the centers remained pretty cool.
I don't know how much "aging" was accomplished with all that, but it was damn good eating.
Re: meat aging idea
thanks. much "food" for thought. i asked because i am in the south and hunt there,so regular hanging is just not possible.
thanks. much "food" for thought. i asked because i am in the south and hunt there,so regular hanging is just not possible.
Re: meat aging idea
I have quartered an elk and aged it in big coolers, 2 quarters to a cooler. Kept it well iced and drained the bloody water off every day. Outside temp was 35-45. Did this for a 5 days, an older bull elk, post rut turned out fantastic.
I had read about this method before I tried it.
Seeker
I have quartered an elk and aged it in big coolers, 2 quarters to a cooler. Kept it well iced and drained the bloody water off every day. Outside temp was 35-45. Did this for a 5 days, an older bull elk, post rut turned out fantastic.
I had read about this method before I tried it.
Seeker
Re: meat aging idea
This year my girl took a buck that we hung outside for 12 days in a manor that many have posted.
I took two doe a week or so later but knew warmer weather was coming so I quartered them and left them in a dedicated beer/meat fridge. (Beer in off season, deer in season). I left them in the fridge, uncovered, in tupperware boxes for 15-18 days. I normally only let them go 10 days but my schedule was getting crazy. I butchered them like normal, just had to do a bit of extra 'carving' to get the dried out pieces off. The meat is good and tender. Although it isn't my preferred method, it worked beautifully for me this year.
Now that there is snow on the ground though I am hoping to go out for muzzleloader and take another doe and let that sucker hang outside for 15-20 days, or as long as the snow stays around!
This year my girl took a buck that we hung outside for 12 days in a manor that many have posted.
I took two doe a week or so later but knew warmer weather was coming so I quartered them and left them in a dedicated beer/meat fridge. (Beer in off season, deer in season). I left them in the fridge, uncovered, in tupperware boxes for 15-18 days. I normally only let them go 10 days but my schedule was getting crazy. I butchered them like normal, just had to do a bit of extra 'carving' to get the dried out pieces off. The meat is good and tender. Although it isn't my preferred method, it worked beautifully for me this year.
Now that there is snow on the ground though I am hoping to go out for muzzleloader and take another doe and let that sucker hang outside for 15-20 days, or as long as the snow stays around!
Re: meat aging idea
There is a difference between aging and just dehydrating the meat a little.
If doing a standing rib roast (fairly expensive cut of meat), I will leave in fridge for 4-5 days on a wire rack and covered witha towel. Change towel if it gets damp.
The goal is to reduce the overal weight of the meat by 10% by removing moisture from the meat. This concentrates the flavor.
(You can thank Alton Brown of "Good Eats" for this idea.)
There is a difference between aging and just dehydrating the meat a little.
If doing a standing rib roast (fairly expensive cut of meat), I will leave in fridge for 4-5 days on a wire rack and covered witha towel. Change towel if it gets damp.
The goal is to reduce the overal weight of the meat by 10% by removing moisture from the meat. This concentrates the flavor.
(You can thank Alton Brown of "Good Eats" for this idea.)
