Aging the meat

[RoJo]

This is something I've not tried. Is the outcome very different from dry aging in flavor or tenderness? I've only dry aged or (for many years) butchered without aging at all. Occasionally it would be nice to get the cutting done straight away, though the vast majority of the time it is a relief to hang the critter and take a break!

I can't say it made much difference in flavor, but it made a definite difference in tenderness. And I believe longer would be even better. Here is an article I found helpful: https://www.themeateater.com/cook/butchering-and-processing/the-why-and-how-of-wet-aging-big-game

 

[Headwatermike]

I can't say it made much difference in flavor, but it made a definite difference in tenderness. And I believe longer would be even better. Here is an article I found helpful: https://www.themeateater.com/cook/butchering-and-processing/the-why-and-how-of-wet-aging-big-game

Thanks. I noticed she used already-frozen meat to test--I had heard freezing would impair the ability to age meat. So I looked it up and found that in fact meat will age before or after freezing just about the same according to a study done on beef. I'll be generally sticking with dry-aging but it is great to have options.

 

[lif]

I can't say it made much difference in flavor, but it made a definite difference in tenderness. And I believe longer would be even better. Here is an article I found helpful: https://www.themeateater.com/cook/butchering-and-processing/the-why-and-how-of-wet-aging-big-game. Funny. I did this on accident last year with a deer heart. Took it out of the freezer vacuum packed and put in fridge. Didn’t get around to cooking it for a week. Most tender delicious heart I’ve ever had. Now this year I do it with most my game meats I dry age my hams for at least 10 days and prefer 14. Back straps for only couple days. Tenders get eaten right away. Shoulders and scraps 3 days max.

 

[HairyScandinavian]

I'm late to the party but absolutely age everything. Down here in Texas we can't really hang them but I'll age in a cooler on top of ice with the drain plug open for 7-10 days before deboning and packaging. It, always, makes a huge difference.

 

[journeyman713]

Another 'age the meat' member here.
I always do when possible, easier when hunting deer at home, elk of of town is another story.
Lucky to be in a colder climate (Wisconsin) during whitetail hunting season.

Last Friday I got a nice archery Buck! He is still hanging from the rafters in the barn, I won't begin cutting him up til this weekend (a full week). Temps outside have been 20s -40s. Perfect.

 

[Larry Bartlett]

Does aging help the taste and tenderness of wild game? Yes. But not not every harvest will benefit from aging because field storage conditions and timeline weren't optimal.

Glycolysis is responsible for kick starting the aging process. At time of death at the molecular level glycogen in the muscles convert to lactic acid, which takes about 72 hours. After rigor has relaxed, lactic acid is continually "aging" the muscles until it autolysis and rots or freezes. Meat stored at 58-65 degrees F will "age" quicker than meat stored at 34-45 degrees F. A rule of thumb for reaching peak "aging" is:

58-65 degrees F = 3-4 days
48-55 degrees F = 5 days
34-45 degrees F = 7-10 days

Conversely, meat that was allowed to freeze within the first 3 days will NOT "age" because of cold shortening.

If you split hairs on this one, consider your time in the field as part of your "aging" strategy, and trust science not folk lore about how long or IF to continue to age that meat and at what point you're fine to store in in the freezer.

LB