processing deer question?

It should be an ok temp

Get that ****ed deer skinned, gutted, and on ice if you can't get it into a meat locker. For Pete's sake, man. You can't store meat at 55 degrees. Check the temp inside your refrigerator. I'll bet it's between 34 and 38 degrees. Would you want your fridge at 55 degrees?

You said you have a garage, so get something under the deer and get it gutted. Quarter it up and pack it in a cooler or two of ice.

You know, if you're going to be a hunter, think these things out ahead of time. Being a hunter doesn't end when you have something dead on the ground. You have to follow through. It died by your hand and you should respect it enough to take care of it rather than let it spoil.

I'll step off my soap box now.

If that's the coolest temperature you can hang it in, that will do. The Deer should hang regardless and never be left to lie on the ground. I can honestly say I've never heard of a meat processing business that would leave a Deer on the ground all night. That doesn't make a whole lot of sense. It's always best to field dress your Deer and hang it in a walk in or large cooler for at least 48 hours if available. The faster you get the carcass cooled down to a lower temperature, the less likely that it will spoil and will taste better.. Hanging it will let any leftover blood or fluid drain out of the body cavity.......

My grandfather would hang a deer 2 or 3 days in a cool room like the basement or garage covered in plastic or cheese cloth. I normally let mine hang for 12-24 hours.

Its basically what a meat packer will do. Let it hang to season and to let the blood drain. Large meat houses and chef's alike have know for years that aging meat makes it more tender and flavorful. In fact my favorite steak house hangs their beef at 33 degrees for almost a month before cooking it.

I have used meat processors before with mostly good results. The only thing I don't like is that they mix all of the deer sausage meat together with other peoples meat and process it out as a large load. I'd prefer to eat my own deer.

Miketyson26

Are we forgetting the basics here?

The reason we hang meat in the first place is not to season it but to allow the Rigor Mortis to breakup. It is important to let the meat hang for 24 or so hours and go through the RM stage so that it will soften up, drain, and be ready for processing.

If you process it quicker than 24 hours, the meat will be tough as nails due to RM. If you let it hang in warm temps you are asking for it. If you freeze it prior to letting it hang for 24 hours you will get tough meat as well.

Wrap it in a bag, let it hang in the coolest place you have, and for petes sake stay away from any meat processing place that wants to leave your deer on the ground.

The deer should be tremendous. at the same time as I by no skill placed a deer contained in the freezer, I used to seek in Eagle River, WI. many years I hunted, it become properly below 0. I hung the deer on the "meat pole" after shooting them for some days till the search become over. obviously, the deer become frozen sturdy by technique of then. except the butcher being PO'ed about having to attend 2 days for the deer to unthaw, there become no issues (my butcher become from So. WI and by no skill had such issues) the beef tasted a twin of the different deer I shot. the in basic terms element you should situation about is freezer burn. this would happen straight away with any unwrapped meat. even if that is in basic terms some days, you mustn't have any issues. you'll in basic terms opt for to watch for the deer to unthaw back, which may take some days. strong luck!!

better hanging then on the ground, but around here any more you hardly ever get your own deer back. we even have some where they weigh your deer and give you bags of meat right then. i remember a corner store that would hang your deer in the cooler, tag it with your info, process how you wanted and you got what you shot.

55 degrees is better than nothing. first of all I hope you got the guts out and skinned it. Would you be able to get it cool in a fridge or freezer. Its has to cool fairly quickly. In 24 hours it will be ruined. It won't freeze in the freezer over night or even long enough to get it cool. You may have to bone it out asap if you have no other options.

I have allways processed mine right away after I get home from the hunt, I know alot of people let them hang , some 4 days.....But, from what I have learned and done 4 the past 25+yrs is that it don't matter ..as long as rigamortise hasn't set in ,your fine......I was taught to do this becouse this way you don't have to worry about it spoiling, getting ecoli or salaminela,exc....In my opinion I would get it cut up and put in the freezer as soon as possible....Good luck

Start butchering it yourself immediately and put the meat in a big cooler full of ice water. Leave it there 2 days, wash it again, and put it in the freezer. Dump the bloody water in your garden. It's good for your plants. That's how I do it and I always have extra steaks for my friends...

usually you dont listen to a twelve year old but... trust me on this one... the three things should watch out for is warm temperatures, moisture, AND dirt. so if you can put it at a cool temperature but not freezing cool... 40 -45 degrees fareinheit should do it.