Cooling meat in water

[AgSilver]

I'm going to experiment with cooling meat in water for the same reason I cook meat in water (i.e. sous vide).

My thought is basically that if I get an animal down and the air temps are high enough, the fastest way to cool that meat is to get the animal quartered (or boned out), get the meat into appropriately sized plastic bags (durable garbage bags or the like) and get the bags into water (in such a way as to have no water ingress), the meat will drop temp much more quickly than by hanging in a treat or similar until it can be put on ice. In fact, it may even be faster to get the temps down on the meat more quickly than they would before you put it on ice (so as to avoid melting as much ice and getting the meat cooled off even more quickly).

This is due to convection (i.e. air flow) being less efficient at heat transfer than conduction (which is the same reason that cooking via water bath is so effective of the age old trick of thawing meat in a sink full of water, etc).

I think the possible cons to this process are just to do with bacteria...both by keeping the meat in a bag too long (as it likely won't reach cool enough temperatures via this process to actually prevent bacterial growth...but the idea is more to shed the main heat so that it will get much colder more quickly once it's on ice) and or by having water that may have bacteria in it get into the bag. Those are both pretty preventable issues.

Any flaws in my logic?

[Bchunt]

Don't worry about the bags. Just throw the meat in the water, hide on. Have done it this way with many animals, some for days at a time. Never had a problem with the meat afterwards. Great way to store for long time and not worry about grizz or flies. Pull out, hang to drip dry, skin hide and trim leading edges and you will have perfect meat

[Bustercluck]

I try and rinse them out after gutting with whatever water is around. I've been told not to do this by other people but it cools the meat down pretty fast

[RackStar]

Sounds smart. Using simple physics I like it.

I would be concerned of the type of bag being used. Food safe bags can be hard to find. But that’s totally up to the person consuming the meat.

[warnniklz]

Don't worry about the bags. Just throw the meat in the water, hide on. Have done it this way with many animals, some for days at a time. Never had a problem with the meat afterwards. Great way to store for long time and not worry about grizz or flies. Pull out, hang to drip dry, skin hide and trim leading edges and you will have perfect meat

I had a goat stolen from the water within a 10 hour period...

[kootenaihunter]

You miss out on crust to trap in moisture, which will still come out of the meat in a bag, but otherwise it's a sound plan for running water. Not sure if it would be great for a still body of water, without convection you may get a mini insulating layer of warm water surrounding the bag and actually slow down the cooling process, but might not be an issue in a ice cold lake.

Dunno, try it and report back!

[Bchunt]

I had a goat stolen from the water within a 10 hour period...


That sucks. Probably would have been gone hanging in a tree too. I usually try to find a good cut bank with a deep hole and let them sink. Just a rope tied off to a tree. Load with boat when ready to go.

[AgSilver]

You miss out on crust to trap in moisture, which will still come out of the meat in a bag, but otherwise it's a sound plan for running water. Not sure if it would be great for a still body of water, without convection you may get a mini insulating layer of warm water surrounding the bag and actually slow down the cooling process, but might not be an issue in a ice cold lake.

Dunno, try it and report back!

Good point re still water - so best resolved if slight disturbance of the water is viable so as to prevent that mini layer that can happen. Doesn't take much so would have to be a super still pond/lake to be in that situation, I'd think.

[Ferenc]

Some of the jet boaters I know use 10 Liter buckets with lids placed in the water to cool , they say it works good.

[S.W.A.T.]

As long as the water is moving. Wouldn't attempt in standing water

[mGudmund]

I've done this with great success on numerous blacktails. I think the rapid cooling is really good for the meat. That said, I've never had to then store the meat in the field for prolonged periods. I was always able to get them to a hanging fridge within 48 hours. I know a lot of people say not to put them in water because of bacteria growth. Do you expect you'll be doing this on long trips?

I'm going on a backpack/canoe moose hunt later this month and I've been wondering what approach we'll take for meat care in the field. Part of me wants to rinse/cool it in a creek or cold lake and part of me worries that could introduce bacteria. If we get a moose, we probably won't have it on ice for about 48 hours. I guess it'll depend a bit on what water sources are available and what the air temps are. More research is required.

[warnniklz]

That sucks. Probably would have been gone hanging in a tree too. I usually try to find a good cut bank with a deep hole and let them sink. Just a rope tied off to a tree. Load with boat when ready to go.

Yeah, the only trees around were the ones we camped under... and they weren't exactly bear proof either.

[srupp]

Hmm still thinking this over..dont like the idea of no air...hmmm
I still would wash/wipe the meat off with 70 % vinegar..30 % bottled water..or citric acid to lower the ph level which keeps the meat from turning for ? 4 days ..which is tge reason for your water bath..keeping the meat from spoiling..
Steven

[NinVic]

About rinsing meat with creek water, to get any dirt/hair/etc.. off the quarters of moose or bullet hole area, we've always used a bit of white vinegar in a bucket of apparently clean running creek or lake water. Never hurt the meat, it would crust over once dry and butchers always complimented us on how clean the meat was. Figure the white vinegar would kill any bad bacteria in said water. Takes a lot of paper towels sometimes thou.

[CHEAM]

We have used Home Depot heavy duty contractor bags with the meat deboned and then placed them in a cold creek. It worked with sheep meat in August for 8 days plus two days drive home. I don’t think the bags are food grade but we are not heating it either. Works for me.

[boxhitch]

Have used plastic bags and also pack boxes in water to cool meat
but have also made it a practice to take the chunks out when the flys are down and let it air dry some
Not to the point of getting crusty , just to where it is dry and doesn't stick together or to the bags, and no pools of blood
Don't know where or why we started but has always been good eats and makes handling cleaner

[alpinetreker]

Make a swamp cooler..
Small radiator,hose,12vpump and fanand a tarp. Good battery and a solar panel.hang the meat tarp and set up fan behind rad. Keeps it cool enough as long as water is cold.

[boxhitch]

Sounds like a lot of effort for meat

but would make a great beer cooler )

[Bobfl]

I use airplane vcuum bags u put a vacuum on to suck air out with. I use a portable 12 volt vacuum. Hng overnight until the meat tightens up before u use the bags. I can put one elk quarter in large vacuum bag

[hunter1947]

I have done this in warm weather before works good just don't let the water get into your meat in the bags

[Petros65]

I guess if the pieces are in a bag and the water is flowing it would work well. But I would not put meat straight into the water as it will alter the microbe variety on the meat and could lead to issues when the meat matures.

[Bchunt]

I guess if the pieces are in a bag and the water is flowing it would work well. But I would not put meat straight into the water as it will alter the microbe variety on the meat and could lead to issues when the meat matures.


Have done the water soak many many time so. No issue with meat quality or flavour. Why does everyone thing that full immersion will automatically lead to more bacteria? Bacteria are everywhere. No more in the water than in the air.