Aging birds

[Blktail16]

How long do you age your birds for before butchering, talked to some old timers that would hang their birds for over a week.

 

[LongWayAround]

Clean them and throw them in the freezer.

If I'm "aging" them i.e: left them on garage floor, it's because I'm tired and it's cold.

They're so much easier to work with when the body is still warm.

 

[Tod osier]

I'm not aging to improve flavor or texture, as said above, I'm just doing it to put it off or accumulate more. I keep them on their backs on the garage floor (moving closer or farther from the door to keep temp about 40) or in fridge in a meat tote.

I try to get to them within a week, but even 10 days is fine. I've never had a problem with spoilage or gut contamination with ducks or pheasants. Grouse (mountain and especially sage grouse) seem to get gut contaminated really easily, so I try to get to them asap. I think for sage grouse gutting them in the field is the way to go to ensure quality.

 

[KurtR]

Clean them right when i get home

 

[Fetty Wapiti]

Been shooting birds for most of my life and have tried about everything. We have ended up treating specific birds in different ways. All upland birds now get gutted and rinsed in the field. While you can leave the guts in, you never really know if they are ruptured internally. Due to having to toss birds we aged and later discovered popped guts, we always field dress. This seems to help with overall flavor and gets em cooled down quick.

Chukar, hang in beer fridge head up from hooks 1-3 days (depending on age of bird).

Pheasant, 1-7 days in the fridge (gotta hang em) young birds need little to no aging. Big roosters can stay in there for over a week and it only helps.

Huns, no aging. de bone all meat (legs included) and freeze. We grind them at the end of the year for meatballs and sausage.

Sage grouse, same as pheasants. Epic chicken fried steaks from thighs and breasts.

Quail, they get 24 hours in a buttermilk brine as soon as they get home. We fry em the next day.

Hanging can help with tenderizing the meat. It is also extremely helpful in plucking. As for plucking, I only pluck chukar whole. Pheasants get the half back plucked. The thighs and legs with skin on braise into something magical. Never roasted one whole that was worth a damn. Boneless breast meat gets turned into schnitzels and added to casseroles.

Save all the bones. Roast and make some of the finest stock on the planet.

I am hungry now.

 

[Irish Miner]

I always clean and butcher on the day they were killed. Never have considered aging any of them.