Do you need to hang deer?

Keith2828

Just looking for some advice and information my chiller unfortunately wont chill anymore its blowing warm air instead of cold i was wondering what venison is like when it hasn't been hung usually id hang them for 5 to 6 days but now that the chiller has stopped working im reluctant to hunt as i wouldn't want the meat to go to waste any suggestions please

cookimonster

At the moment this weather is up and down temp wise and there are still blue bottles and flys around so a secure chilled area is a must for the next few weeks or more.

Hanging and the length of time doing so is a personal choice and often debated here. Regardless of your preference time wise the carcass needs to cool down and go through rigor mortis. On cooler nights I will allow the carcass to cool naturally in the shed prior to refrigeration, especially if I have an animal in there already. On cold days the carcass will lose a considerable amount of heat before it's even put in the car. But it is unwise to put hot carcass imeaditly into refrigeration.

The solution to your problem is a complete contradiction to the above advice.... imeaditly on culling and gralloching butcher the carcass on site or if a short journey is involved do it at home, but ideally before rigor sets in. Butcher it into primal joints and using game sacks (I use cheep Ikea cotton pillow slips) hang the meat to cool. Small joints will obviously cool quicker. From here you can either process the joints further or freeze as you desire.
This is a common practice in the USA where venison is rarely if at all hung. I seem to remember Grizzly45 here say that the Germans don't hang their meat or something like that.
I have field butchered a few animals (reds that could not be extracted and a Sika hind found as road kill) and have honestly not seen any difference in eating quailty, but then again I would only hang for max 10 days and often more like 7/8 for adults and only past rigor for calves.

Keith2828

cookimonster wrote: »

At the moment this weather is up and down temp wise and there are still blue bottles and flys around so a secure chilled area is a must for the next few weeks or more.

Hanging and the length of time doing so is a personal choice and often debated here. Regardless of your preference time wise the carcass needs to cool down and go through rigor mortis. On cooler nights I will allow the carcass to cool naturally in the shed prior to refrigeration, especially if I have an animal in there already. On cold days the carcass will lose a considerable amount of heat before it's even put in the car. But it is unwise to put hot carcass imeaditly into refrigeration.

The solution to your problem is a complete contradiction to the above advice.... imeaditly on culling and gralloching butcher the carcass on site or if a short journey is involved do it at home, but ideally before rigor sets in. Butcher it into primal joints and using game sacks (I use cheep Ikea cotton pillow slips) hang the meat to cool. Small joints will obviously cool quicker. From here you can either process the joints further or freeze as you desire.
This is a common practice in the USA where venison is rarely if at all hung. I seem to remember Grizzly45 here say that the Germans don't hang their meat or something like that.
I have field butchered a few animals (reds that could not be extracted and a Sika hind found as road kill) and have honestly not seen any difference in eating quailty, but then again I would only hang for max 10 days and often more like 7/8 for adults and only past rigor for calves.

Thanks for the input things havent been going to well for me this week haha so its okay to cut down joints put them in a pillow slip an hang them in the shed?dose it matter what way the joints are hung hang from hock ect?

cookimonster

Just hang them until cool to touch and process them for the freezer. Can't think if any reason ad to be particular in the hanging. All animals can be hung from their hock tendon, I would assume not only is it confienient but also would add shape and drying.

Shot a 6 pointer this morning, gralloched and out to the path by 10.00hrs by 12.30hrs he was all ready going stiff in the cool mountain air...

Keith2828

cookimonster wrote: »

Just hang them until cool to touch and process them for the freezer. Can't think if any reason ad to be particular in the hanging. All animals can be hung from their hock tendon, I would assume not only is it confienient but also would add shape and drying.

Shot a 6 pointer this morning, gralloched and out to the path by 10.00hrs by 12.30hrs he was all ready going stiff in the cool mountain air...

Grand job fair play good to hear you picking up a few ill be out in the morning is the rut in full swing yet so you know waa their many around im on the mountains myself

cookimonster

The animals themselves are still very clean, no major staining or smell but the necks are well enlarged. There are plenty stags still milling around with each other but a few are chasing Hinds at the moment. An other location I shoot seems to have come alive, stag wise, in the last few days...

Keith2828

cookimonster wrote: »

The animals themselves are still very clean, no major staining or smell but the necks are well enlarged. There are plenty stags still milling around with each other but a few are chasing Hinds at the moment. An other location I shoot seems to have come alive, stag wise, in the last few days...

Thats good to know see how i get on in the morning hopefully a nice big lad

Uinseann_16

Once they get to room temperature or as cookimonster said above cool to the touch its ready for refrigeration,
If their shot in the morning they can be frozen that night

meathstevie

I definitely agree with what's being said. Guts out asap, skinning as warm as possible, leave the carcass hang over night until cool to the touch and butcher it. Straight to the freezer from there.

You can use the likes of and old cotton sheet as protection against flies etc etc. Just make sure you give it a 90° wash without detergent or fabric conditioner first. Flowery scent fabric conditioner does not taste nice....

cookimonster

A trick to remove blood from clothing etc is to soak it in cold water for a few hours prior to washing. This will draw out the blood into the water, otherwise you'll end up cooking the blood into the material during the wash.