Does it make a difference >>>>=========>>

[hammer4reel]

Pretty good review on aging deer meat 

 

[flukebelly]

Aging properly definitely makes a huge difference, just like hanging a deer as soon as possible vs leaving it laying on it’s side makes a big difference. I know farmers that hang deer until the skin gets a black crust , then they start cutting it.

[archer36]

From now on, I'm going to write the amount of time the deer was at the butcher in addition to the day of butchering. I always date my venison packages to rotate properly. A deer can hang at the butcher anywhere from 5 days (usually) to a month during busy times. I can honestly say, I don't identify the meat IE: young doe, doe, young buck, buck, etc. I can never distinguish the tenderness of the meat based on age or hang time. 

When they speak of aging, it is done a specific way than just waiting to be butchered. The dry aging process works but you need specialized equipment for it. Obviously it requires drawing the moisture out of the meat to break down the enzymes and concentrate flavor. 

The carcass just hanging in a cooler can be considered "wet aging" but I don't know if that really works. If it did, every steak bought in the Supermarket would cut like butter. 

Edited February 20 by archer36

[Recurve hntr]

When I was young and me or my dad shot one during muzzle loader season. My dad would let it hang from our front tree or an old swing set we had in the back yard. Hung for a week or so. Then it went to the butcher. 

[FeniQuest217]

My buck this year was cutup in two days by the butcher. I have done swedish meatballs (mixed with pork) - a ground venison bowl (seasoned as a spanish dish) and last night i did steaks in browned butter w/ garlic rosemary and sage s/p. 

Barely any game taste at all. It tastes like i'm eating beef.

I dont have much to compare it too because i was always given meat before but i really just don't know what the answer is. Just my experience this year.

[Jcol6268]

People all the time tell me aging venison doesn’t work. I started doing it probably about 5-7 years ago. Here and there, then it was just the normal thing the last few years for me. I’ve turned many non-hunters and some anti-venison people into people who beg me for dry aged venison. I much prefer a dry aged piece of venison to any of the dry aged steaks I’ve had at Ruth’s Chris, Del Frisco’s, Peter Lugers or any other high end steakhouse. This year I moved and didn’t have the set up for dry aging, and I took my deer to the butcher for the first time in years. It was a noticeable difference in the quality of the meat. Luckily, I tried it, and those that don’t want to, don’t have to. Can’t convince me otherwise though. My only regret is that I didn’t start doing it earlier. My grandfather always told me to age my meat, I should've listened to the food connoisseur.   I’ve done 7,10,14,21 and 30 days. The 30 day steaks literally fall apart in your mouth. Not an exaggeration. 

[hammer4reel]

8 hours ago, archer36 said:

From now on, I'm going to write the amount of time the deer was at the butcher in addition to the day of butchering. I always date my venison packages to rotate properly. A deer can hang at the butcher anywhere from 5 days (usually) to a month during busy times. I can honestly say, I don't identify the meat IE: young doe, doe, young buck, buck, etc. I can never distinguish the tenderness of the meat based on age or hang time. 

When they speak of aging, it is done a specific way than just waiting to be butchered. The dry aging process works but you need specialized equipment for it. Obviously it requires drawing the moisture out of the meat to break down the enzymes and concentrate flavor. 

The carcass just hanging in a cooler can be considered "wet aging" but I don't know if that really works. If it did, every steak bought in the Supermarket would cut like butter. 

 

[hammer4reel]

3 hours ago, Jcol6268 said:

People all the time tell me aging venison doesn’t work. I started doing it probably about 5-7 years ago. Here and there, then it was just the normal thing the last few years for me. I’ve turned many non-hunters and some anti-venison people into people who beg me for dry aged venison. I much prefer a dry aged piece of venison to any of the dry aged steaks I’ve had at Ruth’s Chris, Del Frisco’s, Peter Lugers or any other high end steakhouse. This year I moved and didn’t have the set up for dry aging, and I took my deer to the butcher for the first time in years. It was a noticeable difference in the quality of the meat. Luckily, I tried it, and those that don’t want to, don’t have to. Can’t convince me otherwise though. My only regret is that I didn’t start doing it earlier. My grandfather always told me to age my meat, I should've listened to the food connoisseur.   I’ve done 7,10,14,21 and 30 days. The 30 day steaks literally fall apart in your mouth. Not an exaggeration. 

I skin and separate the legs , loins and remaining carcass.

put each leg and loins in an individual scent free bag .

Put them into a refrigerator for 5-7 days at 34 degrees so in essence wet aging .

The difference between day 1 and 5 is huge as far as tenderness of the deer .

Going to have to try a dry age to see the flavor difference .

.

[archer36]

1 hour ago, hammer4reel said:

 

Thanks for this. It was applied to beef which is different than venison which has no or very little intramuscular fat. I don't doubt that aging improves the flavor and tenderness of meat in general, but venison doesn't benefit as much as beef. One thing for sure, you have to let your carcass hang for at least a few days  (in the proper conditions) before you butcher it. I have eaten (fresh) venison tenderloins that were tough as hell because they were taken the day the deer was harvested. 

I am not as interested in the "aging" of meat for the tenderness, but for the flavor. There are other ways to make a piece of meat tender without aging. 

[smittty]

1 hour ago, hammer4reel said:

I skin and separate the legs , loins and remaining carcass.

put each leg and loins in an individual scent free bag .

Put them into a refrigerator for 5-7 days at 34 degrees so in essence wet aging .

The difference between day 1 and 5 is huge as far as tenderness of the deer .

Going to have to try a dry age to see the flavor difference .

.

Get yourself a used fridge install two fans for plentiful air circulation wrap each ham and loin separately in cheese cloth after three days change out the cheese cloth go another week change again then leave it for 30-60 days I like 50 with beef.  You gonna lose 40% probably when finished trimming and make sure you have sharp knives. I’ve only done venison once only because I always have beef drying. But next season I’ll be drying venison only because doctor said stay away from beef he said venison is fine because of the Omegas. I did the for a total of 40 day. Whole different taste but again your gonna lose a lot of meat 

[JFC1]

13 hours ago, archer36 said:

The dry aging process works but you need specialized equipment for it. 

Dry aging is cheap and easy if you follow @Roon 's advice and use a small fan like a computer fan and a second fridge w shelves removed. Hang your meat and rotate it once in a while. 

I'm sorry I didn't start this earlier. And, yes, you can grind sand make burgers out of the dry tip layer you slice off carefully when it's ready

Edited February 20 by JFC1

[archer36]

6 minutes ago, JFC1 said:

Dry aging is cheap and easy if you follow @Roon 's advice and use a small fan like a computer fan and a second fridge w shelves removed. Hang your meat and rotate it once in a while. 

I'm sorry I didn't start this earlier. And, yes, you can grind sand make burgers out of the dry tip layer you slice off carefully when it's ready

I can't afford to lose 40% of the meat. I'll only be left with 20 lbs. 

[smittty]

8 minutes ago, JFC1 said:

Dry aging is cheap and easy if you follow @Roon 's advice and use a small fan like a computer fan and a second fridge w shelves removed. Hang your meat and rotate it once in a while. 

I'm sorry I didn't start this earlier. And, yes, you can grind sand make burgers out of the dry tip layer you slice off carefully when it's ready

Next time remove the shank. How many days way that 

[JFC1]

55 minutes ago, smittty said:

Next time remove the shank. How many days way that 

You're right. Wasted meat on the shank.

That's about 20 days

[JFC1]

1 hour ago, archer36 said:

I can't afford to lose 40% of the meat. I'll only be left with 20 lbs. 

You lose only a very thin layer up top  of your use a sharp knife. 

And what you take off can be ground for excellent burgers. I mix.w some moister meat too. So there's really very little loss but Smitty's right about the shank