Hangin game meat

[Bunner]

Just wondering if anybody knows of a good tempature to hang meat at.
i am going to attempt to do it my self this year, as I am finding it harder and harder to find some one to
Let me know your thoughts
thanks

[elkhunterette]

The same temperature that's in a fridge.

[Steeleco]

I hang mine in a converted freezer at between 32F and 35F. I only hand as long as it takes me to cut and wrap the whole animal factoring in work and kids!!

[Jim Prawn]

2 or 3 degrees above freezing. Humidity can also be a factor, too much moisture isn't good. Years ago we built a portable using the cooling unit from a corner store pop cooler. Just 2x2 frame with 1/4" and 3/8" ply with 1-1/2" Styrofoam in between. Served us well for many years, on trips and at home.
JP

[M.Dean]

I built a walk in cooler a few years ago, and have no idea how I got along with out it for all them there years! I keep it at 2 to 4 degree's C, just above freezing like everyone has said. The reefer has a fan that run's 24-7, but I still keep a 8 inch fan blowing at the same time, helps with the mold, and you will get mold if the animals not real dry when you put it in the cooler. I have a remote indoor, outdoor thermometer thing, when I'm using the cooler I put the sensor part in the cold room and I have the base part here on my desk, that way, at a glance I can tell just how cold my little moosie steaks and deer roasts are! Some old fellow wanted to start his own sausage and meat cutting business up here quite a while back, so he built this cooler and bought the cooling unit new, "Then" he phoned the meat inspector folks to see what else he needed to open his new business, he never had a scrap of meat in this cooler! I bought it for 500 bucks, best 500 bucks I ever spent! Good luck with your project!

[Bunner]

Thanks. I just need to locate a cooling unit or rig something up. So you use a fan to regulate the humidity?

[aggiehunter]

38 degrees....

[Steeleco]

Thanks. I just need to locate a cooling unit or rig something up. So you use a fan to regulate the humidity?

Where's home? If in the LML, I can show you my setup. For under $100 you could be on your way.

[Whonnock Boy]

I don't believe this is true. Mold is caused by humidity, and humidity in a cooler is lowered the longer the cooling unit is actually running. The moisture in the air condenses on the evaporator essentially removing moisture from the air. This is the ice you see forming on the actual evaporator. If the cooling unit is too large for the cooler, it will not run long enough for this to take place. Too small, and it has to run forever to bring the cooler down to operating temperature, which includes the animal/s hanging in there. It is a fine line. My cooling unit is too large, and this is what happens, however, I can cool 1500 pounds of freshly killed ungulates down to hanging temperature in about 6 hours. I counteract this by directing the evaporator fans towards the game, and rotating the pieces around the unit when it is on the fuller side.

Prior to having my own cooler, I had use of my friends. He had an old unit that was almost constantly running. The meat would dry nicely, and we could age it for longer periods of time without having to worry about any mold. 18 days for a bison if I remember correctly. I get roughly 12 days for a moose or elk before mold becomes an issue. Depends on ambient air temperature, and humidity outside cooler.

I keep it at 2 to 4 degree's C, just above freezing like everyone has said. The reefer has a fan that run's 24-7, but I still keep a 8 inch fan blowing at the same time, helps with the mold, and you will get mold if the animals not real dry when you put it in the cooler.

[Brambles]

I don't believe this is true. Mold is caused by humidity, and humidity in a cooler is lowered the longer the cooling unit is actually running. The moisture in the air condenses on the evaporator essentially removing moisture from the air. This is the ice you see forming on the actual evaporator. If the cooling unit is too large for the cooler, it will not run long enough for this to take place. Too small, and it has to run forever to bring the cooler down to operating temperature, which includes the animal/s hanging in there. It is a fine line. My cooling unit is too large, and this is what happens, however, I can cool 1500 pounds of freshly killed ungulates down to hanging temperature in about 6 hours. I counteract this by directing the evaporator fans towards the game, and rotating the pieces around the unit when it is on the fuller side.

Prior to having my own cooler, I had use of my friends. He had an old unit that was almost constantly running. The meat would dry nicely, and we could age it for longer periods of time without having to worry about any mold. 18 days for a bison if I remember correctly. I get roughly 12 days for a moose or elk before mold becomes an issue. Depends on ambient air temperature, and humidity outside cooler.

My my reefer unit is also oversized and I run into the same issues with a little more humidity than I'd like. Keeps the shrinkage and drying out down to a minimum but you just can't hang it as long