Deboning quarters - do it right away, or wait for rigor mortis to be done

[TheObserver]

I've never deboned quarters, i've heard alot about meat being tough if you debone it right away and you should wait, some say 24 hours, some say wait 48-72 hours until rigor is fully done doing its thing. They say the meat when it has no bone to contract back on if rigors not set it will end up tough with bigger cuts like off the hind quarter.

Im sure there are lots of guys on here who have done it or do it right away, big animals like Elk far back in September and wanting to get out asap, far back sheep hunts with limited time etc.

If I kill something and its cool at night I dont mind making a little camp and staying with it for 24 hrs then deboning but 72 hrs would be a no go for a lot of scenarios/trips.

Do you notice a difference deboning it right away, do you wait a day or a couple before deboning?

[KodiakHntr]

There is definitely a difference. However, getting meat cooled off is by far the more important aspect. Pretty tough to complain about your steaks being tough if you lost all your steaks to bone sour.

Personally, I much prefer a 12-18 day hang on the bone. Elk bones aren’t super heavy, and they make it pretty convenient to hang meat. If you are deboning right away you are pretty much committed to cutting and wrapping right off the bat otherwise your trim loss from dry out will be excessive.

[Arctic Lake]

Good points !
Arctic Lake

There is definitely a difference. However, getting meat cooled off is by far the more important aspect. Pretty tough to complain about your steaks being tough if you lost all your steaks to bone sour.

Personally, I much prefer a 12-18 day hang on the bone. Elk bones aren’t super heavy, and they make it pretty convenient to hang meat. If you are deboning right away you are pretty much committed to cutting and wrapping right off the bat otherwise your trim loss from dry out will be excessive.

[Gateholio]

100% it's best to let rigor do it's thing. If the bones are out when the meat contracts there is nothing to for the meat to "pull" itself back and stretch it out.

Entirely deboning an animal before rigor is one of those things you do when you really need to lighten the load and move the animal right away. And sometimes that's just the way it is. Or course the tenderloins and usually backstraps are taken out boneless but they are already pretty tender. Actually this makes me think I will try to take the whole backstrap saddle out and saw the ribs off next time. That's how farmed venison will come from the processor.

[MOOSE MILK]

I killed a YOUNG bison that froze before rigger set in and it was tough as old hell!
MM

[TheObserver]

There is definitely a difference. However, getting meat cooled off is by far the more important aspect. Pretty tough to complain about your steaks being tough if you lost all your steaks to bone sour.

Personally, I much prefer a 12-18 day hang on the bone. Elk bones aren’t super heavy, and they make it pretty convenient to hang meat. If you are deboning right away you are pretty much committed to cutting and wrapping right off the bat otherwise your trim loss from dry out will be excessive.

Okay, how much of a difference would you say? If its a healthy animal and cooled right away and cut when you get home is it still somewhat tender or generally pretty tough?

You actually reminded me of another thing might as well ask you, I haven't butchered but me and my Dad are going to start probably next season. I know with cuts of dry aged beef you need to remove the pelical that forms. When you butcher your game and have it hanging for a week or two (bone in of course) do you need to trim/remove the outside similar to dry aged beef pelical?

[TheObserver]

100% it's best to let rigor do it's thing. If the bones are out when the meat contracts there is nothing to for the meat to "pull" itself back and stretch it out.

Entirely deboning an animal before rigor is one of those things you do when you really need to lighten the load and move the animal right away. And sometimes that's just the way it is. Or course the tenderloins and usually backstraps are taken out boneless but they are already pretty tender. Actually this makes me think I will try to take the whole backstrap saddle out and saw the ribs off next time. That's how farmed venison will come from the processor.

Yeah forsure I would only do it it I need to, the Deer I have packed out I just cut in half behind 3rd from last rib, or gutless bone in (the straps have been fine) and leap frog it. Some areas though so steep to do that especially blacktail. I get paranoid about leaving meat and coming back for it.

[TheObserver]

I killed a YOUNG bison that froze before rigger set in and it was tough as old hell!
MM

Ive heard that makes it really tough

[HarryToolips]

I've personally only deboned quarters after rigor mortise was complete.. I could only see myself deboning them right away for 2 reasons:

1. It's very warm and I need to avoid bone sour
2. Pack weight reduction.

I've packed some loads of meat quite far, but still never deboned until after rigor mortis was done..

[Livewire322]

I rarely ever hang long enough to allow riger mortis. I don’t have a walk-in and most of my animals are shot when temps are high enough that I’d be concerned about spoilage if I hung animals for more than a half or full day.

Bear in the spring are shot, skinned, quartered, and put straight into a cooler. Early fall season game is treated the same. Later season, when overnight temps are <10C, I hang animals outside on my patio overnight and normally butcher them the next day, or break down to quarters and put the quarters into the freezer for later processing.

Never had an issue with tough meat going this route.