No hang methods.

[Phil A.]

A couple of weeks ago I managed to get a lovely Roe buck that had been hanging in a chiller for a couple of days. Brought it back. Skinned it off my pull up bar out back, before breaking it down and popping it in the fridge.

I’m hoping to be getting out soon and get one myself but I don’t have anywhere to hang it.

Would it be ok to simply take it home, skin it, break it down and chill it?

I’ve seen American hunters just skin and butcher whitetail in the field and stick them in plastic game bags.

 

[Ade8mm]

Would it be ok to simply take it home, skin it, break it down and chill it?

Yes.

 

[slider]

Don't think it makes much difference with Roe, I sometime hang for a week or butcher them the same day they are shot. Just what ever fits in with my other commitments

 

[Apthorpe]

Yes. Absolutely fine. I would recommend seeing if you can get a vacuum packer at Lidl or similar for about £20. I was sceptical, but well worth it. The meat keeps fresh and freezes much better.

 

[Tim.243]

A couple of weeks ago I managed to get a lovely Roe buck that had been hanging in a chiller for a couple of days. Brought it back. Skinned it off my pull up bar out back, before breaking it down and popping it in the fridge.

I’m hoping to be getting out soon and get one myself but I don’t have anywhere to hang it.

Would it be ok to simply take it home, skin it, break it down and chill it?

I’ve seen American hunters just skin and butcher whitetail in the field and stick them in plastic game bags.

I do have a chiller, but these days the muntjac are only in for 1 day, as most times my stalking is in the early evening so they get done in the morning if it works out. With one day in the chiller they do firm up well, also no tick burden this way so something to consider with your Roe. I have 2 haunches in the fridge for people where I broke down x2 mj this afternoon.

 

[Phil A.]

Yes. Absolutely fine. I would recommend seeing if you can get a vacuum packer at Lidl or similar for about £20. I was sceptical, but well worth it. The meat keeps fresh and freezes much better.

It’s on the wish list. My last batch was a nightmare to separate in cling film!

I do have a chiller, but these days the muntjac are only in for 1 day, as most times my stalking is in the early evening so they get done in the morning if it works out. With one day in the chiller they do firm up well, also no tick burden this way so something to consider with your Roe. I have 2 haunches in the fridge for people where I broke down x2 mj this afternoon.

A chiller is definitely in the future. It’s just finding space for it. I may have to give up the workshop space and turn it into a larder.

 

[Heym SR20]

Yes, and indeed I frequently skin a beast in the field and break it down into quarters, and tenderloins. I live in a flat so my chiller is the domestic fridge.

I can and do bring carcasses in the skin and skin and butcher in the kitchen, but much much less tidying up if you do it in the field or back at the truck.

Provided you do it somewhere nice and clean - not a sheep field with lots of sheep poo meat will be nice and clean. A bit of grass never hurt anybody.

Here is how to do it without even having all the exposure to the guts.

 

[Border]

A couple of weeks ago I managed to get a lovely Roe buck that had been hanging in a chiller for a couple of days. Brought it back. Skinned it off my pull up bar out back, before breaking it down and popping it in the fridge.

I’m hoping to be getting out soon and get one myself but I don’t have anywhere to hang it.

Would it be ok to simply take it home, skin it, break it down and chill it?

I’ve seen American hunters just skin and butcher whitetail in the field and stick them in plastic game bags.

Plastic when warm is not a good idea. I think the americans/canadians use cotton/muslin bags. Clean pillow cases would probably work.

 

[Phil A.]

Yes, and indeed I frequently skin a beast in the field and break it down into quarters, and tenderloins. I live in a flat so my chiller is the domestic fridge.

I can and do bring carcasses in the skin and skin and butcher in the kitchen, but much much less tidying up if you do it in the field or back at the truck.

Provided you do it somewhere nice and clean - not a sheep field with lots of sheep poo meat will be nice and clean. A bit of grass never hurt anybody.

Here is how to do it without even having all the exposure to the guts.

Amazing thank you!

I can understand their logic as you don’t want to drag that monster back to the larder.

Plastic when warm is not a good idea. I think the americans/canadians use cotton/muslin bags. Clean pillow cases would probably work.

I’ve seen some that are vented and impregnated with other stuff but at £30 for a single use bag doesn’t seem worth it.

I’ve got plenty of large Muslim sheets from the babies. I’ll pack a few of those for transport.

 

[Jelen]

Yes. Absolutely fine. I would recommend seeing if you can get a vacuum packer at Lidl or similar for about £20. I was sceptical, but well worth it. The meat keeps fresh and freezes much better.

I second the Lidl vacuum packer. For light self consumption tasks it's ideal. Replacement tubes of bag easily got off Amazon.

 

[pob]

I agree with Heym about skinning in the field, and Apthorpe about a cheap vacuum sealer. Less mess in the fridge and prevents freezer burn.

Maybe try some of these? Alaska Game Bags for the trip home to the chiller and a bit of aging with less mess. (Shop around, often nearly half that price on evil-bay). Come in at a touch over £4 each. I've bought cheaper types, but these are better quality.

 

[Heym SR20]

I agree with Heym about skinning in the field, and Apthorpe about a cheap vacuum sealer. Less mess in the fridge and prevents freezer burn.

Maybe try some of these? Alaska Game Bags for the trip home to the chiller and a bit of aging with less mess. (Shop around, often nearly half that price on evil-bay). Come in at a touch over £4 each. I've bought cheaper types, but these are better quality.

Go to your local builders merchants. They probably have some woven nylon type rubble bags size of potatoe sack. Ideal for a haunch or two. Keeps the mess off. Hose off or stick in washing machine.

Alternatively an old pillow case works well. Nowt wrong with cotton, and it does soak up blood, but if left gets very smelly. But hot wash and they are clean. Cotton sheets are used in hospitals as they easy to clean and sterile.

 

[snoozlecracker]

From what I’ve read and experienced, you’ll get a better end product if hung. And by that I mean left unmolested for rigor mortis to present and pass. If it’s not possible for you to leave the carcass complete then broke down into primal cuts is the next best thing. You’re trying to avoid cutting muscle groups and associated sinews and connective tissues as if broke down “warm” the muscles will all contract and leave you with a tougher end product. Also during rigor with the contraction of the muscle groups, enzymes/proteins are released I can’t remember which, that help to give you a tender piece of meat.
This is all from memory so sorry if any of it is massively off!

Kind regards
T.

 

[devon deer stalker]

Take a IKEA bag in the field, you can get a roe in one, or if I get a red in a difficult extraction place I carve up the 4 quarters and back strap, leave skin on to protect meat, drag back to car.
Skin at home and chuck in the fridge.
If skinning in the field I'm not far from home, plastic bags or muslin, get it out of plastic within 30 mins and you will be fine.

 

[Phil A.]

I agree with Heym about skinning in the field, and Apthorpe about a cheap vacuum sealer. Less mess in the fridge and prevents freezer burn.

Maybe try some of these? Alaska Game Bags for the trip home to the chiller and a bit of aging with less mess. (Shop around, often nearly half that price on evil-bay). Come in at a touch over £4 each. I've bought cheaper types, but these are better quality.

They look canny! Would one fit a whole roe in it?

Ordered my vacuum sealer off Amazon. Similar one to the silver crest lidl was selling.

From what I’ve read and experienced, you’ll get a better end product if hung. And by that I mean left unmolested for rigor mortis to present and pass. If it’s not possible for you to leave the carcass complete then broke down into primal cuts is the next best thing. You’re trying to avoid cutting muscle groups and associated sinews and connective tissues as if broke down “warm” the muscles will all contract and leave you with a tougher end product. Also during rigor with the contraction of the muscle groups, enzymes/proteins are released I can’t remember which, that help to give you a tender piece of meat.
This is all from memory so sorry if any of it is massively off!

Kind regards
T.

Cutting into primals is my plan. This is what I was hoping to hear. I wasn’t sure if breaking it down might cause the muscles to shrink but as long as they’re still fixed to bone or tendon I guess they’ll retain shape.

Thanks for the help everyone.

 

[Cyres]

vacuum packers in Lidl now. They are excellent.
D

 

[pob]

They look canny! Would one fit a whole roe in it?

Ordered my vacuum sealer off Amazon. Similar one to the silver crest lidl was selling.


Cutting into primals is my plan. This is what I was hoping to hear. I wasn’t sure if breaking it down might cause the muscles to shrink but as long as they’re still fixed to bone or tendon I guess they’ll retain shape.

Thanks for the help everyone.

I think you might want the larger size for a whole row. These small ones would fit a deer broken in two at the haunch, for aging in the fridge. Before I had a chiller I would stack three of these in the domestic fridge: haunch, shoulders and the rest.
Take the tenderloins out immediately. They don't benefit from aging, in my view, and you deserve a little treat straight away.

 

[pjm099]

A couple of weeks ago I managed to get a lovely Roe buck that had been hanging in a chiller for a couple of days. Brought it back. Skinned it off my pull up bar out back, before breaking it down and popping it in the fridge.

I’m hoping to be getting out soon and get one myself but I don’t have anywhere to hang it.

Would it be ok to simply take it home, skin it, break it down and chill it?

I’ve seen American hunters just skin and butcher whitetail in the field and stick them in plastic game bags.

Absolutely fine. A cheap vacuum packer from Amazon or Lidl is also a good shout. Take a couple of 5l plastic soft drink bottles, filled with water and frozen in a cheap cool box when you head out. I stick these inside the carcass for the drive home to help cooling if you don’t have a chiller. Works well in Summer months.

 

[Ade8mm]

A thing to bear in mind, people were killing Deer long before we had electricity. Indeed, even now there are Estates in Scotland that have none, accessed by boat with lamp oil for lighting in the evening.
Sure as **** doesn't prevent putting Venison on the table.
Never has, never will.
Ade

 

[Overlay]

Try a mesh roe hangjng bag, I think bushwear do one it will give a bit of hanging time, it doesn't touch the deer so flies can't deposit, give the deer a little time to settle before cutting it into primaries