Keeping deer cool
Moderator: Excalibur Marketing Dude
Keeping deer cool
I have always butchered my own deer in the past, but have always hunted later in the year when the temp is much cooler. I will be heading out this Friday and am just wondering about what everyone does about hanging them to keep them cool until butchering. I have a garage that is insulated and stays pretty cool, but don't want to risk it going bad. Not all of our local butchers are interested in doing deer, some are but charge a little to much. I want to continue to do this myself. Any ideas???
I have been told that if you put Ice in zip-lock bags and put them in the cavity along with connecting a few on the outside of the carcuss it will keep plenty cold. The main key is dressing and skinning them ASAP. As long as the are out of the sun and you make an effort to keep ice near them you will be fine.
I have a friend who quarters them and hangs them in a medium size homemade cooler. Its basicly a 4 ft by 5 ft wooden box with foam on the inside. I dont think it is really think it is necessary for the time you use it.
I have a friend who quarters them and hangs them in a medium size homemade cooler. Its basicly a 4 ft by 5 ft wooden box with foam on the inside. I dont think it is really think it is necessary for the time you use it.
-Richard-
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Fur & Feathers
- Posts: 268
- Joined: Tue Apr 20, 2004 3:35 pm
- Location: Central NY
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Guest
Use block ice instead of cubes/crushed. And make the blocks yourself if you have enough extra freezer space. $aves money. 
Ditto on keeping it out of the sun. As far as skinning em right away,...the only problem is that the exposed meat becomes dry and blackened. This makes for a lot more work, as you have to trim off all the dry hard meat while butchering.
PS. Inner tenderloins come out as soon as the deer is hung.
Ditto on keeping it out of the sun. As far as skinning em right away,...the only problem is that the exposed meat becomes dry and blackened. This makes for a lot more work, as you have to trim off all the dry hard meat while butchering.
PS. Inner tenderloins come out as soon as the deer is hung.
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Red Label
Hey Bill - If you can use it I have a couple small window A/C units...not sure how good they work but free for the asking. Maybe build a small partition in your shop and fire up the A/C like we talked about on the weekend.
Alternatively if you are stuck, I know a place you can take them to a cooler on short notice. It's a guy that cuts meat for us, & he may rent out cooler space for a small fee. A bit of a drive for you (1.5 hr) but worth it in a pinch.
I have an old fridge too, if you want it no charge!
You have my numbers, call if you need help.
Mikey Vee
Alternatively if you are stuck, I know a place you can take them to a cooler on short notice. It's a guy that cuts meat for us, & he may rent out cooler space for a small fee. A bit of a drive for you (1.5 hr) but worth it in a pinch.
I have an old fridge too, if you want it no charge!
You have my numbers, call if you need help.
Mikey Vee
Last edited by Red Label on Wed Sep 29, 2004 8:38 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Guest
bstout,
You're assuming that everyone has an extra refridge for quartered deer pieces. That would be nice in a perfect world.
And as far as red meat and water not mixing, I've hosed out every one of my deer before hanging them. I've never had ANY spoiled meat from washing the cavity out.
You think the beef slaughter houses don't wash down the quartered beef carcasses??!!
You're assuming that everyone has an extra refridge for quartered deer pieces. That would be nice in a perfect world.
And as far as red meat and water not mixing, I've hosed out every one of my deer before hanging them. I've never had ANY spoiled meat from washing the cavity out.
You think the beef slaughter houses don't wash down the quartered beef carcasses??!!
FWIW,
I've always cut up my own deer, and have done well over 100 by now. I grew up in PA but moved to SC after college. Down here in the south its a lot more important and also a lot harder to take proper care of the meat after the deer is harvested. When I read WAB's starting post, my first thought was, Boy you would shudder if you saw the way these native southerners parade around an unskinned deer in the back of a pickup for hours on a 85-90 degree afternoon. An then they eat the meat!
But seriously, over the years this is the system that has turned out the best meat for me down here in the south. As stated above, get the deer skinned and in the shade as quick as possible. For the tenderest meat, any good butcher will tell you the meat must 'rigor' on the bone. That means don't cut the meat off the bone until rigormortis has set in (it keeps the fibers stretched so the meat doesn't become dense and tough). I let my skinned deer hang in the shade overnite and then cut it off the bone and but it in the refrigerator until the blood is finished draining off (usually 2 days) Then I finish the processing and put it in the freezer. No meat is ruined, and none has to be cut away. Coming from northern PA, it took me a while to be convinced that meat wouldn't spoil unless it was below 40 or so. But by Oct 1, when our season opens, the nights cool down to lower 60's and sometimes into the 50's, and that's proven to be cool enough. I've never had any spoilt meat, and I'm extremely picky about my meat.
Tim
I've always cut up my own deer, and have done well over 100 by now. I grew up in PA but moved to SC after college. Down here in the south its a lot more important and also a lot harder to take proper care of the meat after the deer is harvested. When I read WAB's starting post, my first thought was, Boy you would shudder if you saw the way these native southerners parade around an unskinned deer in the back of a pickup for hours on a 85-90 degree afternoon. An then they eat the meat!
But seriously, over the years this is the system that has turned out the best meat for me down here in the south. As stated above, get the deer skinned and in the shade as quick as possible. For the tenderest meat, any good butcher will tell you the meat must 'rigor' on the bone. That means don't cut the meat off the bone until rigormortis has set in (it keeps the fibers stretched so the meat doesn't become dense and tough). I let my skinned deer hang in the shade overnite and then cut it off the bone and but it in the refrigerator until the blood is finished draining off (usually 2 days) Then I finish the processing and put it in the freezer. No meat is ruined, and none has to be cut away. Coming from northern PA, it took me a while to be convinced that meat wouldn't spoil unless it was below 40 or so. But by Oct 1, when our season opens, the nights cool down to lower 60's and sometimes into the 50's, and that's proven to be cool enough. I've never had any spoilt meat, and I'm extremely picky about my meat.
Tim
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Dniele nli
keeping deer cool
I butcher my own, the few times i have had it done by so called professionals i have enjoyed it less and wasted more.
I skin my deer as soon as it gets home, have done it in the field a couple of times, seems to get rather messy by the time it gets home.
with 18-20 degrees F it can get pretty warm in a garage on a sunny day, however i have found that hosing down afetr dressing and skinning keeps it pretty healthy , keep cavity open and use fans if u can to circulate air; i like to bone completely a.s.a.p and leave it in conainers in refrigerator for about 4-5 days ( i am lucky to have a full size beer fridge in the basement) , then i pack it in large freezer bags and store in freezer till time to eat it.
Daniele.
I skin my deer as soon as it gets home, have done it in the field a couple of times, seems to get rather messy by the time it gets home.
with 18-20 degrees F it can get pretty warm in a garage on a sunny day, however i have found that hosing down afetr dressing and skinning keeps it pretty healthy , keep cavity open and use fans if u can to circulate air; i like to bone completely a.s.a.p and leave it in conainers in refrigerator for about 4-5 days ( i am lucky to have a full size beer fridge in the basement) , then i pack it in large freezer bags and store in freezer till time to eat it.
Daniele.
Seems I'm the odd man out here.........I NEVER skin my deer the day it is shot!
A huge deer in these parts will go 200 field dressed, and most are in the 80 to 120 pound range.......as soon as possible after field dressing, I stuff the cavity full of ice and keep it that way.......the deer cools out quickly and the hide acts as an insulator to keep the cold IN.........I usually skin the next day and the meat under the hide is so cold that is is uncomfortable to handle it! I have butchered many deer myself, but now I prefer to use a commercial processor that does a fantastic job (while I continue hunting
)........just before I take it to have it processed, I skin the deer and wrap it with an old sheet .......doing so keeps the meat from drying out and keeps the dirt/bugs off of it! This system works for us, but I'm sure it would be different if we were killing 300 pound deer!
My family consumes an average of 4 deer each year, of all the meat we eat, 85% or more is venison........and all of it is handled this way.
A huge deer in these parts will go 200 field dressed, and most are in the 80 to 120 pound range.......as soon as possible after field dressing, I stuff the cavity full of ice and keep it that way.......the deer cools out quickly and the hide acts as an insulator to keep the cold IN.........I usually skin the next day and the meat under the hide is so cold that is is uncomfortable to handle it! I have butchered many deer myself, but now I prefer to use a commercial processor that does a fantastic job (while I continue hunting
)........just before I take it to have it processed, I skin the deer and wrap it with an old sheet .......doing so keeps the meat from drying out and keeps the dirt/bugs off of it! This system works for us, but I'm sure it would be different if we were killing 300 pound deer!My family consumes an average of 4 deer each year, of all the meat we eat, 85% or more is venison........and all of it is handled this way.
to skin or not to skin
1- Gut deer as soon as possible
2- Make sure inside is clean or free of any debris
3- Hang in a cool place out of the sun
(The chess cavity should be propped open to allow cooling)
My deer hunting practices include hanging deer by the neck and keeping the hide on till I am ready to butcher. (Butchering done by me.... hide kept on between 4 and 7 days sometimes).
Hide protects the meat from flies, birds & the elements(rain, snow, pines needles, leafs)
Have not experienced any dissastisfaction, foul or tainted taste or any waste from following these steps ...therefore why would I plan on changing?
If weather is unseasonnaly warm.......I hang deer in "walk-in deer cooler" especially made for it or butcher ASAP.
With no other options available, I would pack with ice like recommended here earlier.
I leave you with this:
"If you believe that venison should be drowned and steeped in a witch's brew; given a prolonged bath in hot marinade; and prepared with a battery of spices, herbs, and sauces, you then forbid yourself from appreciating the remarkable qualities of this excellent meat. Unfortunately, some people still rely on killing the deer twice... First in the deer woods then in the spam. You'll never learn just how good it can taste."
xboman
2- Make sure inside is clean or free of any debris
3- Hang in a cool place out of the sun
(The chess cavity should be propped open to allow cooling)
My deer hunting practices include hanging deer by the neck and keeping the hide on till I am ready to butcher. (Butchering done by me.... hide kept on between 4 and 7 days sometimes).
Hide protects the meat from flies, birds & the elements(rain, snow, pines needles, leafs)
Have not experienced any dissastisfaction, foul or tainted taste or any waste from following these steps ...therefore why would I plan on changing?
If weather is unseasonnaly warm.......I hang deer in "walk-in deer cooler" especially made for it or butcher ASAP.
With no other options available, I would pack with ice like recommended here earlier.
I leave you with this:
"If you believe that venison should be drowned and steeped in a witch's brew; given a prolonged bath in hot marinade; and prepared with a battery of spices, herbs, and sauces, you then forbid yourself from appreciating the remarkable qualities of this excellent meat. Unfortunately, some people still rely on killing the deer twice... First in the deer woods then in the spam. You'll never learn just how good it can taste."
xboman
I have always washed the deer out with water. I thought that if there was any contamination from the stomach contents, bowels or bladder, that this would be more sanitary. Is there anymore info on the hazards of washing a deer cavity out with water, Could someone please post it? I also keep the hide on and have never had any problems with meat being too tough gamey or unpleasant. I think there is more than one way to skin a cat . Preparing the meat in the spam is also in my oppinion a personal thing. I don't think there is one set way to do it. I like venison without marinade and I also like it with marinade. I just received a fridge from my parents cottage and have been storing it in my shed wondering what to do with it... well, I think she is going to be a meat fridge Thanks guys
Camper
. Preparing the meat in the spam is also in my oppinion a personal thing. I don't think there is one set way to do it. I like venison without marinade and I also like it with marinade. I just received a fridge from my parents cottage and have been storing it in my shed wondering what to do with it... well, I think she is going to be a meat fridge Thanks guysCamper
Time and Patience the best advice my Grandfather gave me.
Camper
Camper