Carcass Drying out in Chiller
- Thread starter Andy L
- Start date
2428 miles
Well-Known Member
Just been reading everyone’s posts with interest.
I am on the hunt for a fridge to convert into a game chillier.
You chaps are all in the know with your respective home modified fridges so was wandering if anyone could please advise me as to what sort of fridge too look for.
Are internal fans to circulate the air a plus, or do they dry the meat as Andy L was finding?
Also was planning on following the advice of building an external frame to hold the weight and drilling holes through the sides. Can anybody advise which fridges don’t seem to be effected by this and those to avoid. I imagine there must be lots out there with filaments and the like in the walls.
Thanks for the help
Miles
I am on the hunt for a fridge to convert into a game chillier.
You chaps are all in the know with your respective home modified fridges so was wandering if anyone could please advise me as to what sort of fridge too look for.
Are internal fans to circulate the air a plus, or do they dry the meat as Andy L was finding?
Also was planning on following the advice of building an external frame to hold the weight and drilling holes through the sides. Can anybody advise which fridges don’t seem to be effected by this and those to avoid. I imagine there must be lots out there with filaments and the like in the walls.
Thanks for the help
Miles
By the sounds of it Miles, the fans are a must as I believe that they keep the mould off to a large degree and I think that the drying out is a small price to pay as long as you keep the skin on. Besides, my dog loves chewing the dried bits!
When I bought my chiller, I assumed that any walk in freezer would be good enough and all you needed to do was alter the temperature to 3 deg. This is not actually the case as the compressers are set up a bit different. That said, I believe they can be converted quite cheaply.
As far as drilling through the fridge, this is fine as long as there is nothing in the walls to do with the workings of the fridge. Most small walk in chillers have a self contained compresser/condenser and so no extra workings in the walls or roof (I believe there are some coke fridges that have working in the walls or roof). It is also very advisable to make sure that anything you put through the wall of the fridge is not a good temperature conductor. A metal bolt will take the cold from inside the fridge and lead it outside! If you use plastic rods or something similar then it should be fine.
Cheers
Andy
When I bought my chiller, I assumed that any walk in freezer would be good enough and all you needed to do was alter the temperature to 3 deg. This is not actually the case as the compressers are set up a bit different. That said, I believe they can be converted quite cheaply.
As far as drilling through the fridge, this is fine as long as there is nothing in the walls to do with the workings of the fridge. Most small walk in chillers have a self contained compresser/condenser and so no extra workings in the walls or roof (I believe there are some coke fridges that have working in the walls or roof). It is also very advisable to make sure that anything you put through the wall of the fridge is not a good temperature conductor. A metal bolt will take the cold from inside the fridge and lead it outside! If you use plastic rods or something similar then it should be fine.
Cheers
Andy
andy out of interest what make of chiller do you have interesting replys from other members
2428 miles
Well-Known Member
Thank you all very much for your kind words of advice. there are a few drinks chillers on ebay that look like they will suite perfectly, so i will let you know how i get on.
Valid point regarding putting metal bar through the wall as it will conduct the cold out of the fridge. Any suggestions of an alternative bar or a way round the problem as the pole needs to be quite strong to hold the weight of the beasts.
Thanks
Miles
Valid point regarding putting metal bar through the wall as it will conduct the cold out of the fridge. Any suggestions of an alternative bar or a way round the problem as the pole needs to be quite strong to hold the weight of the beasts.
Thanks
Miles
Carcase Drying out in Chiller
2428,
I have been using a double door drinks chiller with good success for a couple of years. At first I was going to make a frame from Dexion but shot two does the first weekend I had it and looked at the plastic shelves that came with the unit. There are two metal bars going across them to strengthen them. I cut away squares of the plastic around each bar, made hooks to hang from them and put the tray on the highest holes possible. This proved successful and I have not bothered making a frame. At one time this winter I had four roe does and two muntjac in there with no collapse of the trays. It was a really tight squeeze getting them in but the little catches took the weight.
2428,
I have been using a double door drinks chiller with good success for a couple of years. At first I was going to make a frame from Dexion but shot two does the first weekend I had it and looked at the plastic shelves that came with the unit. There are two metal bars going across them to strengthen them. I cut away squares of the plastic around each bar, made hooks to hang from them and put the tray on the highest holes possible. This proved successful and I have not bothered making a frame. At one time this winter I had four roe does and two muntjac in there with no collapse of the trays. It was a really tight squeeze getting them in but the little catches took the weight.
fridges with fans and don't forget there are fridges without, will condense any moisture and will have a drip tray to remove that moisture within the cabinet which is then piped outside.
Most have an evaporative heater externally this then evaporates the excess moisture into the atmospere.
The legal requirement varies as to which part of the country you are in
here in Scotland the requiremnet is 7deg.
the simplest way to avoid drying out is to do minimum cutting ie: don't split the haunch or the chest cavity.
If you intend to hang the carcass for any length of time (in excess of ten days) then rinse out the carcass prior to hanging with a diluted solution of vinegar, this will prevent mould growth..
regards
griff
Most have an evaporative heater externally this then evaporates the excess moisture into the atmospere.
The legal requirement varies as to which part of the country you are in
here in Scotland the requiremnet is 7deg.
the simplest way to avoid drying out is to do minimum cutting ie: don't split the haunch or the chest cavity.
If you intend to hang the carcass for any length of time (in excess of ten days) then rinse out the carcass prior to hanging with a diluted solution of vinegar, this will prevent mould growth..
regards
griff
Andy,
50-1. make sure its vinegar and not vinegar substitute .
Its usually the remains of blood or gut that induces the mould so a good wash out with water(clean) leave to dry and then wash out with the solution will inhibit most mould growth.. If your really concerned about the exposed cuts drying out then coat them in olive oil that will eliminate any drying out during the maturation process..
regards
griff
50-1. make sure its vinegar and not vinegar substitute .
Its usually the remains of blood or gut that induces the mould so a good wash out with water(clean) leave to dry and then wash out with the solution will inhibit most mould growth.. If your really concerned about the exposed cuts drying out then coat them in olive oil that will eliminate any drying out during the maturation process..
regards
griff
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