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Hello got a question..............
I have a doe that I shot 13 days ago hanging in a good friends cooler (temperature at about 4 celsius). Unfortunately I have not checked in on it in a few days, and today noticed some what I believe to be mold that is white in colour.
Has this animal gone bad on me? The last thing I want to do is have and animal that I shot not fit to eat..............
trim it off and get it in the freezer
hanging wild game for half a month? :shock:
I agree, trim it off and get it cut up and put in the freezer. Should be fine.Quote:
Originally Posted by todbartell
13 days is a pretty long time to hang a deer.
Butcher is right away but before you do give at a wipe down wipe a weak viniger solution. Mould doesn't like low pH environments.
When youdo butcher it, skin off all the meat that's been exposed to air. A sharp fillet knife works well.
Had one deer do this to me .... cleaned up nice and tasted fine.
SSS
Like Tod says 13 days is out there. 4-7 days is more than enough. Trim and process pronto. Sounds like some moisture issues maybe, whats the ventilation like? Sounds like it's closed in.Quote:
Originally Posted by todbartell
WoW!! A guy can't take a moment to respond before someone beats you to it
Its out of the cooler and on the cutting table , thanks greatly for the advice ,
I got some bad advice on how long to hang deer for I guess .......
just wipe it off with a damp cloth, and cut and wrap it, when you hang beef for 21 day's that most people want, it get's mold on it, it's ageing, and all you do is wipe it off, it's ok,, if it's fat it can hang, don't get all worked up about it,,
no it's not bad avice, you will have a nice tender deer to eat,, all hanging is doing is breaking it down, the longer the more aged, i'm not saying to leave it there for ever,, if it's fat you can leave it for awail,, like i said don't get all worked up,, whipe it cut and wrap it, it will be ok,,,, when i hang cured meat to dry it get's all moldy, just wipe it off slice it thin and goes down good with a cold beer,,,,
Good advice ,
I am very happy that I can salvage the animal as deer is one of my fav meals .....
I did get so very lucky this past week end to shoot what was to me a very large buck and do not want to screw up the processing on two animals .... ;o)
The only thing I hang is wet clothes. The best Deer I've ever eaten was still warm and twitching when we put it in the pan. More importantly is to cool it down and put some air on it (moving air - as in a fan) and a couple days is enough. Strong or gamey meat won't improve with hanging imo. Hanging to thoroughly cool the meat makes butchering easier - it sort of solidifies. Cleanliness is also to be considered - avoid cross contamination.
One thing you will learn to pick up on if you do your own meat is the distinct smell of an animal starting to turn bad. As you walk into the room take a big sniff. You will detect a seemingly sweet smell, not that musty smell you had the day after you hung it, especially around the neck area. It always seems to go first. Even at this stage you can cut the affected area away until you notice the smell goes as well. I don't recall having this with a deer but I have with a moose. I've eaten it and I'm still here.
Like it was mentioned earlier sounds like a lack of ventalation issue, too much moisture most likely. Cut the top layer off with a sharp filet knife and cut and wrap it, I had this happen to a moose and a deer as well, they turned out to be the most tender animals I can remember. Smell the meat close to the bone most animals go bad inside out. If it looks good close to the bone ie: not green then you are good to go for some tender cuts.
"13 days is a pretty long time to hang a deer."
Not according to the Englishmen.
The deer smells great , aside form the mold which seams to be mostly on the hind legs it seams to be great shape .
Here is an interesting article I found you might find useful
And for all the debate around "Hide On, Hide Off" debates check out the highlighted text Link: http://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheets/hgic3516.htm
Safe Handling of Wild Game Meats
HGIC 3516
Printer Friendly Version
Abide by game regulations for hunting, transporting and storing game.
Care in the Field
Be Prepared for the Hunt: Remember to bring a sharp hunting knife, a small hatchet, a whetstone or steel, about 12 feet of light rope or nylon cord, plastic bags, and clean cloths or paper towels. Other essentials include proper clothing, binoculars, a canteen of fresh water, a compass, a mapand matches. In warm weather you may want to bring a can of ground pepper and some cheesecloth. The carcass may be sprinkled with pepper and covered with cheesecloth to repel flies.
Video: To see video instructions, request White-Tail Deer: Field Care and Handling, Tape 7780 from PSA Publications, Clemson University at http://dprod4.clemson.edu/olos/asp/showCart.asp
Note: As of September 2006 there has been no evidence of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) in South Carolina white-tailed deer. For information on continued surveillance by the S.C. Department of Natural Resources see http://www.dnr.sc.gov/news/Yr2006/se...t11_waste.html.
Bleeding the Animal: Usually it is not necessary to bleed the animal, because the bullet or arrow has caused enough damage to the animal to bleed it sufficiently. However, if the animal is shot in the head it will need to be bled. If you think the deer needs additional bleeding, field dress the deer, then cut the main artery next to the backbone.
If the animal is a trophy buck that you plan to mount, do not sever its throat, because this will cause problems during mounting."
Field Dressing: There are three major rules to follow as soon as the animal is dead.
Remove the intestines, lungs, liver and heart as soon after the kill as possible.
Keep the carcass clean by getting it off the ground as quickly as possible and by using clean utensils during dressing.
Cool the carcass quickly and keep it cool during processing and transport.
When field dressing an animal, plastic surgical gloves are recommended. Clean your hunting knife often with clean water and a cloth to prevent contamination of the meat.
Place the animal on its back with the front-end elevated and spread the hind legs. Support the carcass in position by placing rocks or sticks on each side.
Cut along the midline of the belly from the breastbone to the anus. Avoid cutting into the paunch and intestines by using the handle of the knife and the heel of your hand to crowd the guts away. Cut around the anus, loosening the bung so it will come out with the guts.
Cut the diaphragm (the thin sheet of muscle and connective tissue between the chest and the abdomen) free from the rib cage by cutting through the white tissue near the rib cage.
Reach forward to cut the windpipe, gullet and blood vessels at the base of the throat.
Pull the lungs, heart and guts out of the animal. If you like variety meats, save
the heart and liver in a plastic bag and put on ice.
Hanging to Drain and Clean: Put the carcass on logs or rocks if it cannot be hung.
Remove all foreign particles and loose hair.
Wipe out excess blood in gutted cavity with a paper towel or clean cloth and clean water.
Use as little water as possible, because damp meat spoils faster than dry meat.
Dry with paper towels or clean rags. Prop the cavity open with sharpened sticks and hang the carcass in the shade until the cavity surface is thoroughly dry. Be sure there is good air circulation.
Do not use grass or snow to wipe out the carcass, because this may contaminate the carcass.
Chilling: Improper temperature is meat’s worst enemy. The surface of the carcass may be contaminated with bacteria that can spoil the meat unless chilling stops the growth. During warm hunting seasons special care should be taken to keep the carcass cool. It should be kept in the shade and allowed as much air circulation as possible.
Refrigerate the deer carcass as soon as possible for best quality. If the weather is over 40 °F, it is strongly recommended that the carcass be taken to a cooler the day of the kill. If the air temperature is above 50 °F as it often is in South Carolina, the deer carcass should be refrigerated within three to four hours after killing.
Cool the animal quickly. Cool the carcass by propping the chest open with a clean stick and allowing air to circulate. Filling the cavity with bags of ice will also enhance cooling.
To aid cooling in warm weather, the animal may be skinned if you have provisions to keep the carcass clean. Use ground pepper and cheesecloth or light cotton bags to protect the skinned carcass from contamination by flies. Do not use airtight game-bags or tarps that hold in heat and will cause meat to spoil rapidly.
In cool weather (28 to 35 °F), wrap the carcass or quarters in a sheet and hang to chill in a ventilated shed.
Do not allow the carcass to freeze. Freezing may toughen the meat.
Transporting:
Keep the carcass cool during transport.
Do not tie a deer carcass on the hood of the car or in the trunk when it is still warm.
Be sure to keep the carcass cool until it reaches the locker plant. Keep the carcass out of direct sunlight and allow for adequate air circulation.
Aging Meat: Aging meat is the practice of holding carcasses or cuts of meat at temperatures of 34 to 37 °F for 7 to 14 days to allow the enzymes in the meat to break down some of the complex proteins in the carcass. Aged meat is often more tender and flavorful. Do not age any game carcass if it was shot during warm weather and not chilled rapidly, if the animal was severely stressed prior to the kill, if gunshot areas are extensive, or if the animal was under 1 year of age. Aging is not recommended for carcasses with little or no fat covering because they may dry out during aging, and are more susceptible to deterioration through microbial growth. If the meat will be ground into sausage, aging is unnecessary.
Leave the hide on and maintain the proper temperature when aging a carcass. Aging game that has been skinned often results in drying and high weight loss. For this reason, properly chilled game should be aged with the hide on unless it is to be aged in a cooler where humidity is high. If you do not have the proper cooler space, spoilage or dehydration may result.
Do not trim fat from game meat before it is aged because the fat protects the meat. However, fat should be trimmed after aging to avoid undesirable flavors associated with the fat.
Limit aging to a maximum of two weeks at 34 to 37 °F. At this point tenderization slows down, and bacterial slime develops which then must be trimmed.
Cold shortening, which causes meat to be tough, occurs if the internal muscle temperature drops to 32 °F within 12 hours after the kill, such as if carcasses under 100 pounds are slaughtered when the temperature is below freezing. Frozen carcasses should be thawed and aged at 34 °F for 14 days.
Cutting: Many freezer locker stores have power saws and capable meat cutters who cut and wrap meat. Some hunters cut their own roasts and have steaks or chops cut by an expert meat cutter. Cutting is not a haphazard operation. For easy cutting, hang the carcass by the hocks or hock tendons. Split lengthwise along the backbone from tail to neck, saw with a meat or carpenter ’s saw, or chop with a cleaver or hand ax. Keep halves well spread while splitting. Cut between the last two ribs and through the backbone to divide halves into quarters.
The simplest way to cut meat is to remove all flesh from bones following along natural seams of muscles. Loins are removed from the back as they lie between the upright vertebra and down-turned ribs. The long, sausage-shaped piece can then be trimmed of loose tissue and cut into steak-sized pieces (similar to cutting a loaf of bread). On smaller animals, a cut twice the desired size is made, then cut almost in two again, leaving connective tissue enough to fold out the cuts to resemble a butterfly.
Ive had deer hang for 20 days at the butchers with no problems at all, some guys/gals cut theres up when they get home from hunting. Like someone said it sounds like maybe a moisture problem?
Another good post
This is the answer to a problem, for sure. Have seen this but didn't know why.Quote:
Cold shortening, which causes meat to be tough, occurs if the internal muscle temperature drops to 32 °F within 12 hours after the kill, such as if carcasses under 100 pounds are slaughtered when the temperature is below freezing. Frozen carcasses should be thawed and aged at 34 °F for 14 days.
Thanks
I wonder how hard it is to skin a deer that has aged for a week with the hide on?Any one done it ?I might give it a try on the next one,it would avoid the dark,dried out skin on the meat that I always have to trim off.It`s getting pretty cold here(-3 at night to +3/4 in the day) so I can hang in my unheated shop.
Some friends have switched to hanging their deer with the hides on for a longer period of time.
They seem pretty happy with the change.
Hmmmmmm.......I guess our Sask whities from last year never stood a chance. Frozen "cork-stiff" in a couple of hours. Turned out pretty damn good:?. No tougher than any of the other deer that hit the dirt last year.
SSS
sawmill, it is more difficult for sure, but I like the idea of having less air-dried trim.
I almost always hang my game "Hide On". Skinning is a little harder but in the long run you don't have to deal with the second skin that forms otherwise. The worst part is your hands get cold skinning, but a pair of tight fitting gloves takes care of that. Nice to hear a few guys giving it some thought because it is not the norm from previous threads around here. You won't be sorry.
On a side note that has also been debated lots of times. I also leave the hide on when it is warm out. As long as it is cooling down over night, the day time temps are not to much of a worry. The bugs are a bigger issue.
Here's my theory. The body temp of a fresh kill is higher than the outside temp. It's going to take at least 12-18 hours to cool off. Therefore the outside temp will have no effect in the cooling, other than slowing it down. Get the animal hung in the shade if possible, chest open. The next morning the body temp will be lower than the temp outside. The hide will now do exactly the opposite of what it was meant to, It will now insulate the animal from the heat rather than the cold. During the day when it's too hot and you're in camp anyways, I like to have a little smudge fire under the hanging animal to help keep the flies off. Sun goes down, the bugs leave, and you go out for an evening hunt. I've done this upwards of 7 days with a moose. 22c during the day and -1 or -2 over night. It can be a little nerve racking trying to convince your hunting buddies, but once they see it works, they come around. If it's not cooling down close to freezing over night like our elk hunt this year I wouldn't do it but there was even one elk I was seriously considering it on our last day, only because the sun was about to go down in a couple hours and there was a very good breeze while we were hanging it
Also to note, when it's cold out it also helps keeping the hanging meat from freezing solid up to a point of course depending on the temperature.
We always leave the hide on our deer until just before they get butchered. It is not that tough to skin and the meat is nice and clean with no dried out second skin. The only time we skin out is if the shot destroyed a shoulder, then we will skin it out to get to destroyed meat off the animal, as this will spoil fast. Just make sure that the whole cavity is open and we always use two fans that circulate the air around in the shop.Quote:
Originally Posted by sawmill
For Moose, we always skin as soon as we get it hung as the hide is just to thick and the meat to thick to try and cool fast.
SS
Excellent,I will definatly try it out on the next deer.
You have left it too long..Your Cooler should be below 4c more like o or 1c. And you should have cut the dear up 5 days ago.Quote:
Originally Posted by okanagan
My dad hung venison until you had to trim the mold off on purpose. As Allen 50 stated it is breaking down the muscle and connective tissue through enzymatic breakdown. A friend of mine is a Swiss trained Chef. He had the wife and me over one evening for dinner. There was special steak on the menu. (beef)
When he broke open the box to show me I almost wolffed my cookies the smell was so bad. I asked him if he was serious about serving spoiled meat? He sort of chuckled and said, trust me. Well boys he threw em on the barbie and I got to tell you that was the best steak I ever ate in my life. It was cut it with a fork tender, the flavor was out of this world. If I had not of tried it I would not have believed it. I do not remember how long he said the steak had been aged but it was far in excess that the average person can buy at the supermarket. This meat was custom special order stuff that only a pro chef would probably know where to purchase it.
X2, but make sure you get to cutting it up right after applying the vinigar. My butcher tells me that it actually speeds up the spoiling processQuote:
Originally Posted by Stone Sheep Steve
Everyone talks about how long you should or should not hang meat.Well when you hear of 14days or 21 days thats beef that has been killed in Inspected kill house that has no dirt or crap in the amimal. Yes they mould and yes we have to trim like crazy to get rid of it. Yes your cost per pound goes up because you have more waste. Beef marbles and game does not! Yes you want to hang and cool your game out but after 7-10 days all that it does is get sticky and moldy..mmm More waste and your pound price increses and you get hunters who weight there game at home and say the meat cutters have ripped us off!..
when you have been in the industry as long as I have you hear it all. I just wish those guys teaching core would teach how to take care of your animal after you pull the trigger!
I have shot , butchered , wrapped and put in the freezer a deer all in a matter of several hours . Couldn't tell any different in taste... not sure if you really have to age deer meat at all .
X 3 I have had the same thing happen spoke to a Highly trained chef he said do the vinegar thing. Worked fine for us no problems.Quote:
Originally Posted by Stone Sheep Steve