Hello, just a quick one. Why should a deer carcass be hung before being consumed? Please can someone explain to me? Cheers
why should you hang a deer carcass?
- Thread starter hendrix's rifle
- Start date
IT tenderises the meat by allowing the actin and myosin fibres to relax in relation to each other.
Conversion of Muscle to Meat - Meat Science
Conversion of Muscle to Meat - Meat Science
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griffshrek
Well-Known Member
Great link SRVET , personally myself I think the meat tests less gamey when hung .
Longest I've hung a deer carcass was 26 days I found it very tender very tasty and not gamey . Rabbits hung for a week or more are fantastic.
Longest I've hung a deer carcass was 26 days I found it very tender very tasty and not gamey . Rabbits hung for a week or more are fantastic.
It is possible to eat meat right away. Knock bambi over and carve a chunk off his back side and fry it up. Depending on how old and how stressed it was when you shot it will dictate how chewy and tasty it is. In the interests of flavour and your jaw muscles it's good to allow the meat to relax by hanging.
If you haven't got room to hang a carcass then you can break it down into quarters and chill it in fridge. I've done it this way a few times. A hanging time of 3-5 days is plenty to allow the muscle fibres to relax, I left a young doe for 24 hours and she was delicious and the last roe Buck I shot I gave him 5 days because he'd been mooching around after a doe so I imagined his testosterone and cortisol levels would have been higher so I left him longer.
Hanging meat can intesify the gamey flavour but like everything a bit of trial and error and you'll soon work out what you like. Rabbits get skinned and frozen within 24 hours, pheasants within 4 days and deer at 5 days at the minute because I haven't got the space to leave it longer. Red meat can take being hung - just look at beef the expensive cow is hung for 28days, the cheap stuff is electro stimulated straight away and cut up once the carcass has set.
If you haven't got room to hang a carcass then you can break it down into quarters and chill it in fridge. I've done it this way a few times. A hanging time of 3-5 days is plenty to allow the muscle fibres to relax, I left a young doe for 24 hours and she was delicious and the last roe Buck I shot I gave him 5 days because he'd been mooching around after a doe so I imagined his testosterone and cortisol levels would have been higher so I left him longer.
Hanging meat can intesify the gamey flavour but like everything a bit of trial and error and you'll soon work out what you like. Rabbits get skinned and frozen within 24 hours, pheasants within 4 days and deer at 5 days at the minute because I haven't got the space to leave it longer. Red meat can take being hung - just look at beef the expensive cow is hung for 28days, the cheap stuff is electro stimulated straight away and cut up once the carcass has set.
You could send all your "Gamey" stuff down here?
I will typically butcher roe and muntjac within a few days of shooting them and hanging them in the chiller. Sometimes (e.g. when work dictates) I've even butchered them the next day - in fact I butchered a muntjac today that was shot yesterday. So long as they have hung for 24 hours I can't say I've noticed any significant difference, whether in taste or texture.
Having originally been introduced to (fallow) venison that left you with a veneer of tallow in your mouth, I'm no fan of aged venison.
Having originally been introduced to (fallow) venison that left you with a veneer of tallow in your mouth, I'm no fan of aged venison.
gigidygigidy
Well-Known Member
I'm new to stalking and recently got my first, a young fallow doe. I was wondering if there is anything wrong with keeping the meat in a plastic bag on a shelf in a fridge rather than hanging in a fridge.
Highlandsjohn
Well-Known Member
If you haven't a hanging chiller you could try this...IMHO,if the meat has been allowed to dry and put in plastic bags then it's ready for freezing. It can be 'aged' a bit when it comes out the freezer by being defrosted for a few days slowly in the fridge before cooking. I've left it as long as a week or more using this method..It really should be 'oven ready' when put in the plastic freezer bags..
gigidygigidy
Well-Known Member
I am doing that, Gotta get a dedicated fridge to give it the time and space it needs.
Thanks lads.
Thanks lads.
BearStalker
Well-Known Member
To remove the 'gamey' taste, sate it in buttermilk for twenty four hours. To enhance the taste, do the same in a fruity red wine mixed with spices. I enjoy the 'gamey' taste so I use the latter.
I picked this up in a wild meat processing book I bought in Germany, when I lived there.
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Vipa
Well-Known Member
venison needs a couple of days for the rigor to go away (unless you intend to butcher and cook it while it's still warm!) 3-5 days, to me, gives lovely, tasty, tender meat, longer and I think it gets too strong but may try the really long route next time. After all, the nicest cow steaks seem to come from 21+ day matured beef..
Jacket always on... meat dries out if it's hung undressed
Jacket always on... meat dries out if it's hung undressed
mereside
Well-Known Member
If you haven't room to hand and find yourself with an older beast try butchering into your cuts and before cooking place in a ziplock bag and cut up a kiwi fruit and place inside the bag. This works extremely well and has a lovely flavour.
You don't have to do it long and especially with roe as it breaks down to much exceptional with fallow and beef, we had a very old cow which you would have thought to be tough as old boots but ended up very tender indeed, Atb wayne
You don't have to do it long and especially with roe as it breaks down to much exceptional with fallow and beef, we had a very old cow which you would have thought to be tough as old boots but ended up very tender indeed, Atb wayne
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