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Dry Aging

I'd be interested in a mini version. If I had the space a walk-in cooler like Red and others have built would do the whole deer - just as well, guys???

Probably wouldn't cost much more than $250 if I could put it right on my concrete slab in the garage. But that ain't happening unless my wife leaves me and takes all of my stuff.


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Probably wouldn't cost much more than $250 if I could put it right on my concrete slab in the garage. But that ain't happening unless my wife leaves me and takes all of my stuff.

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It's not not happening because she's still with you right? It's not happening because you NEED her to take all of your stuff to make room for more stuff? LOL:D
 
It's not not happening because she's still with you right? It's not happening because you NEED her to take all of your stuff to make room for more stuff? LOL:D

Yeah, mainly the space thing...

We laugh... But I just called for a Special trash pick up to come tomorrow. And based on the quantity I plan to throw away, I had to schedule them to come twice. Guys, it's bad. Really, really bad. My man cave which also has THREE separate storage spaces literally got to the point where I couldn't sleep on the couch AND have a path to walk to the bathroom.

I knew I had to do something before the late duck season comes in. Because I sleep on the couch when I plan to set my alarm for when the clock still says 4:xx. if it wasn't for that reason, you may have seen me on hoarders.
 
Yeah, mainly the space thing...

We laugh... But I just called for a Special trash pick up to come tomorrow. And based on the quantity I plan to throw away, I had to schedule them to come twice. Guys, it's bad. Really, really bad. My man cave which also has THREE separate storage spaces literally got to the point where I couldn't sleep on the couch AND have a path to walk to the bathroom.

I knew I had to do something before the late duck season comes in. Because I sleep on the couch when I plan to set my alarm for when the clock still says 4:xx. if it wasn't for that reason, you may have seen me on hoarders.

Oh boy lol.
 
I was watching MeatEater and he just does it in his fridge, he will pull a big chuck out of the freezer and leave it in the fridge for a week or so. I didn't think you needed anything else to do that, also there's no way I'm fitting that thing in my fridge, lol.
 
In a past era, folks that lived in frigid places simply let their gutted deer carcass hang with skin on up to 7 days. Texas A&M published a study years back that tested various killed deer by sex, age, death. They reported that a young doe killed quickly and aged 5-7 days in refrigerator temps was judged as the best eating. I use contractor plastic bags with quartered deer, tied shut, in fridge for the same time frame. It works well!
 
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In a past era, folks that lived in frigid places simply let their gutted deer carcass hang with skin on up to 7 days. Texas A&M published a study years back that tested various killed deer by sex, age, death. They reported that a young doe killed quickly and aged 5-7 days in refrigerator temps was judged as the best eating. I use contractor plastic bags with quartered deer, tied shut, in fridge for the same time frame. It works well!

I know a lot of folks around me that do the same, I leave all my deer meat on top of ice, separated by a plastic liner in a cooler with the drain open for 5-7 days before I process it up. In Alaska, we would hang quarters up in a cool garage and then have a moose butchering party, drink beers, cut meat, share stories, package and can, drink many more beers and watch the northern lights while cooking a select piece over the fire...good times.
 
I know a lot of folks around me that do the same, I leave all my deer meat on top of ice, separated by a plastic liner in a cooler with the drain open for 5-7 days before I process it up. In Alaska, we would hang quarters up in a cool garage and then have a moose butchering party, drink beers, cut meat, share stories, package and can, drink many more beers and watch the northern lights while cooking a select piece over the fire...good times.

Alaska, butchering moose drinking beers, how do I sign up for that, I'll bring a knife?

I have a pretty big cooler, and I just froze a few gallon jugs full of water, would that do the trick? I'm guessing the point of putting the deer above the layer with the ice below and the drain plug open is to keep the meat from getting wet. I also wasn't all that sure how long I could leave it like that, only left it for a day until I had time to finish butchering.
 
Alaska, butchering moose drinking beers, how do I sign up for that, I'll bring a knife?

I have a pretty big cooler, and I just froze a few gallon jugs full of water, would that do the trick? I'm guessing the point of putting the deer above the layer with the ice below and the drain plug open is to keep the meat from getting wet. I also wasn't all that sure how long I could leave it like that, only left it for a day until I had time to finish butchering.

Yeah that would work, in fact I just started saving two liters to do the same thing. Yeah its just to keep the meat dry. I don't know how long you could leave it that way but some folks in AK did it over 7 days, it gets a little crusty on the outside they'd cut that off feed it to the dogs and butcher the rest. I don't go that long, but as long as the cooler temp stays low its not a problem.
 
The plan was always to get it into the freezer as quickly as I can, but processing it all myself, I need to be able to come back in a day or so, because sometimes life gets in the way!

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I wait as long as it takes to get the dry aging process positives without getting to the point where I'm losing meat or think I will if I wait longer. It does seem to make the meat more tender and more flavorful and less gamey, though I have never cooked a side by side comparison of aged and not aged venison.
 
I wait as long as it takes to get the dry aging process positives without getting to the point where I'm losing meat or think I will if I wait longer. It does seem to make the meat more tender and more flavorful and less gamey, though I have never cooked a side by side comparison of aged and not aged venison.
interesting, how long do you typically age? I was under the impression, that good handling of the meat was the biggest part, ie quick kill, quickly dressed, cooled quickly, etc. Also I've read that removing fat and silver skin can make a big difference.

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This article by field and stream is pretty much how I do it execpt in a cooler, and patting the meat dry before leaving for work and when I come home. It also affords me the time to make sure I have everything in order for processing.

This process changes the favor in a way my wife and I prefer, you still need to get the meat cool relitively quickly from field to cooler.

I leave the meat quartered mostly, and cut the fat off and silver skin off before packaging.

https://www.fieldandstream.com/blogs/the-wild-chef/how-to-dry-age-a-venison-steak-in-your-fridge



http://www.seriouseats.com/2013/03/the-food-lab-complete-guide-to-dry-aging-beef-at-home.html


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Here is another article that compares dry aging vs wet aging. I have basically wet aged my venison for several decades and find it a simpler method with the same end results, tasty venison. For those who enjoy trying various recipes may I recommend a cook book entitled "The Complete Venison Cookbook" by Webster. It has over 700 deer recipes & is also a great read.

https://www.realtree.com/brow-tines-and-backstrap/the-great-debate-aging-venison
 
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