paul k
Well-Known Member
If you look at the way that the best beef is handled there are a couple of critical points. Firstly, the animals are treated in such a way as to avoid any stress and consequent adrenalin in the meat. Secondly, for beef the absolute minimum hanging time is 3 weeks and much better 4 to 5 weeks in a chilled storeroom.
Hanging tenderises meat by allowing enzymes to help break down the muscle tissue, it also helps to develop flavour, and serves no other purpose
With venison any animals involved in rutting or being hunted are going to have a level of stress which must impact on the quality and although hanging aids the tenderising of the meat it also increases the gamey flavour. Also, hanging should not be at room or ambient temperature it should be in a chiller.
The length of time that a deer carcass should be hung depends on the animal. The younger the animal the shorter the hanging time and the less gamey the result will be as basically what is happening during hanging is slow and controlled decomposition of the meat.
Having the carcass in the back of a hot vehicle, and worse in a bin liner will not help the quality of the meat either, the transit from dressing out to being in the chiller needs to be as short as possible.
Hanging tenderises meat by allowing enzymes to help break down the muscle tissue, it also helps to develop flavour, and serves no other purpose
With venison any animals involved in rutting or being hunted are going to have a level of stress which must impact on the quality and although hanging aids the tenderising of the meat it also increases the gamey flavour. Also, hanging should not be at room or ambient temperature it should be in a chiller.
The length of time that a deer carcass should be hung depends on the animal. The younger the animal the shorter the hanging time and the less gamey the result will be as basically what is happening during hanging is slow and controlled decomposition of the meat.
Having the carcass in the back of a hot vehicle, and worse in a bin liner will not help the quality of the meat either, the transit from dressing out to being in the chiller needs to be as short as possible.