Dry "Leather" on Hanging Quarters

[screedler]

Why does it need to breathe?

Thanks!

Keeping the meat in a breathable bag will allow excess moisture to evaporate and/or wick away from the meat; otherwise it can pool up and become more slimey.

The muley I killed this year after butchering we put each quarter in a cotton game bag and put those cotton wrapped quarters/pieces into the fridge in tubs, going on to debone a quarter a day for the next 4 days. We got very good results from this. I even used a clean cotton t shirt to wrap up the whole neck roast to store in the cooler then fridge and that stayed in great shape that way.

 

[Olympics777]

Personally I don’t age elk meat, I cut it up by the next day. It will always get a little leathery when exposed to circulating air, but if it’s gonna be burger or pepperoni or something then I just grind that into it and I’ve never noticed it in the finished product.

 

[western406]

Why does it need to breathe?

Thanks!

Bacteria, air flow/ ventilation around the meat helps control bacteria growth

 

[treillw]

Bacteria, air flow/ ventilation around the meat helps control bacteria growth

Is there sufficient air flow around the meat when you put it in a cooler or fridge?

 

[Wrench]

Next time you hang an elk, cut a steak out, "leather" or rind on....and cook it. You will be surprised at how little difference it makes. Think about how the silver can be exposed and cooked into a tender morsel, but you're nervous about a 1/32" jerky skin.

And.....hearing fear of mold is blasphemous.

 

[nwdan]

Living in western Washington, we've always skinned our game as quickly as possibe to promote coolong and processed within a day or two if temps are above 40 degrees. Hunting late season in Montana, we noticed many locals do not skin until they are ready to process, thereby avoiding drying out that outer layer and having to "reskin ". It has to be freezing temps to avoid spoilage using that method. Whatever you do keep it clean and dry when hanging and let the air to it.