Aging venison

[RockAndSage]

Get a big cooler. Build a PVC rack for said cooler. Fill with ice underneath and put meat on the rack.

Monitor it for 7 days. Drain water off and add ice as needed. Then debone and process. You won't do it another way after that.

You have some photos of this setup, by any chance? Very interested in it. Have always hung deer hide-off for a couple of weeks, but am looking at doing boneless/gutless field prep this year, and am at a loss for how to age just the meat itself. This looks pretty promising.

 

[SloppyJ]

You have some photos of this setup, by any chance? Very interested in it. Have always hung deer hide-off for a couple of weeks, but am looking at doing boneless/gutless field prep this year, and am at a loss for how to age just the meat itself. This looks pretty promising.

I don't have any on me and my meat cooler is packed up in the attic. However, here is a good visual. I ran more tees in mine to have more shelf area to lay meat and added vertical legs to keep it more off the bottom. I use an igloo 152qt cooler and can fit two deer in there if I want. I keep about 6"-8" of ice in the bottom. I try to keep the meat spread out so it can dry a bit.

So imagine this one with two more cross braces set up about 8" off the bottom.

 

[RockAndSage]

I don't have any on me and my meat cooler is packed up in the attic. However, here is a good visual. I ran more tees in mine to have more shelf area to lay meat and added vertical legs to keep it more off the bottom. I use an igloo 152qt cooler and can fit two deer in there if I want. I keep about 6"-8" of ice in the bottom. I try to keep the meat spread out so it can dry a bit.

So imagine this one with two more cross braces set up about 8" off the bottom.

View attachment 864117

That is awesome, and very helpful, thank you. This one looks like there are a lot of holes drilled in it, with a fitting and hose hooked up to the drain plug - it sounds like yours is set up exclusively as a platform?

 

[Poser]

The best setup I ever had was a spare refrigerar which I rigged with hanging hooks and a few cooling racks and a drip pan for blood. I'd set the temp to about 38 degree and installed a small fan to keep air circulating -this is what makes the most difference.
Sadly, I had to leave it behind during a move, but it was great.

 

[johnw3474]

I live in the south, so hanging for long term is almost always out of the question. I'll debone hind quarters and then vacuum seal roasts (that I don't want to grind), back straps, and tenderloins and leave them in my fridge for 14 days. This has really been a game changer. Friends and family that don't "like deer meat" think I am some expert cook. In reality it's just the aging process makes the meat much more tender. Personally I think people don't like the tougher texture of game meat not the gamey flavor and this helps a lot with that. I am sure if you can hang one like they do beef cattle that would be even better.

 

[SloppyJ]

That is awesome, and very helpful, thank you. This one looks like there are a lot of holes drilled in it, with a fitting and hose hooked up to the drain plug - it sounds like yours is set up exclusively as a platform?

Correct, I just use it as an elevated platform. I have tried aging in the fridge in vacuum sealed bags but I prefer how the meat dries out in the cooler. If I had an extra fridge to dedicate, I'd do that and hang it.