Elk packed out and home in game bags, then what?

[Coach529]

OK, random newbie question.

Elk is quartered and home in game bags. Next step assuming I do not want to DIY process immediately?

I have a stand up freezer, but no way to hang and age meet.

Thanks guys.....learning as I go.

 

[Graymumpower]

As long as the meat has air on all sides, you are safe. In my experience, as long as the meat is 'cold to the touch' it will not ruin in any amount of lag getting processed. We have had whole elk in a cooler with a couple of bags of ice for up to 2 weeks before getting back east and processing.

 

[spike camp]

I’m not sure aging is all that important, if it’s already been a few days...

Start cutting and wrapping the steaks and roasts and chunk up all that’ll be turned into burger(approximately 2”x2” cubes max).
I like to use a vacuum sealer for steaks and roasts, some guys like plastic wrap and butcher paper.

For grind, it’s best to have the chunks half frozen.
Freeze all the grinder parts over night too.
Get burger chubs and a tape sealer or a crimping staple gun(metal crimps are better imo).

 

[cnelk]

After I killed a few critters in the fall, I dont have the time to process.
I put cut the meat into more manageable pieces then place meat in plastic garbage bags and put in freezer.

Then come December, take out what meat I can process, let it thaw > process > package and refreeze

If I still dont have time to mess with it, I take the frozen pieces to my processor and let them do it.

 

[87TT]

That's what I do. Freeze it and thaw and process as needed. I bone it out before freezing if space is a problem.

 

[realunlucky]

If your just going to be waiting a few days I'd just pull the drain plug on cooler so it'll drain and keep adding ice. Or this works really well

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[WannabeHunter]

Or this works really well

Is this a freezer or a refrigerator? If freezer, do you put it on a warmest setting?

 

[realunlucky]

Is this a freezer or a refrigerator? If freezer, do you put it on a warmest setting?

It's a refrigerator that has had the freezer divider removed and both doors connected together. The top was reenforce to hold the eye bolts.

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[Tufrthnails]

I am really digging this. i have an old combo that i was getting ready to take to the dump, but this is giving me ideas. Florida is not easy to age game in. i still do it with some pans, grates, and fan in my other fridge, but that is the cat's meow right there.

 

[beardedbowhunter]

I kept my deer in the cooler for about 2 weeks before I even got to it. Turned out amazing and not gamey at all.

 

[UtahJimmy]

I am really digging this. i have an old combo that i was getting ready to take to the dump, but this is giving me ideas. Florida is not easy to age game in. i still do it with some pans, grates, and fan in my other fridge, but that is the cat's meow right there.

Make sure the divider doesn't have coils running through it before you go hacking a fridge in half... If it does, drain the coolant first! You'll need to reconnect the inlet and outlet so that the coolant can still flow.

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[Mighty Mouse]

Toss the quarters in a freezer and work on them later as you find time. When I’m ready to process the meat, I hang one frozen quarter at a time from an A-frame step ladder with a bucket underneath to catch blood. 8-12 hours at room temperature is usually sufficient to thaw a deep-frozen quarter.

 

[Marble]

I kept my deer in the cooler for about 2 weeks before I even got to it. Turned out amazing and not gamey at all.

That's what we like to do also. I have someone process my elk quarters, but I do the backstrap and tenders myself. They normally get near 15 days in fridgeration before I cut and vaccum seal.

When I get to the butcher, he asks how long each has hung for and at what temps and then marks them. He then butchers between the 15 and 20 day mark.

When i pull my meat out of the freezer. I thaw and dry age 1 to 2 weeks depending. I want the outside dark and somewhat dry since they are wrapped in cheese clothe. The steaks rival any beef I've had in a restaurant. And people who eat it are amazed.

Aging helps and makes the meat much more tender.

 

[spike camp]

I kept my deer in the cooler for about 2 weeks before I even got to it. Turned out amazing and not gamey at all.

Wow, never would have thought, that amount of time would be ok in coolers.

How did you have the ice?

 

[Tufrthnails]

thanks for the head's up. it's a pretty old fridge. it has been on the back of my shop for quite some time using for fish bait and deer skulls waiting to be cleaned. i guess i'll need to pull the back to see how it's plumbed.

 

[beardedbowhunter]

That's what we like to do also. I have someone process my elk quarters, but I do the backstrap and tenders myself. They normally get near 15 days in fridgeration before I cut and vaccum seal.

When I get to the butcher, he asks how long each has hung for and at what temps and then marks them. He then butchers between the 15 and 20 day mark.

When i pull my meat out of the freezer. I thaw and dry age 1 to 2 weeks depending. I want the outside dark and somewhat dry since they are wrapped in cheese clothe. The steaks rival any beef I've had in a restaurant. And people who eat it are amazed.

Aging helps and makes the meat much more tender.

Definitely agree. Aging the meat was key in the way the meat turned out.

 

[beardedbowhunter]

Wow, never would have thought, that amount of time would be ok in coolers.

How did you have the ice?

It's just simple refridgeration basically. I kept the meat on top of the ice. I checked it daily to make sure the meat was still cold and ice was still there. I kept my cooler outside and this was in Oct so I never had to add ice.

 

[RockyMountainThunder]

I have definitely hung meat in my garage for a week but only if it is cold enough. I like to age meat in the low 40 degree range, but have hung it around 50 degrees before. I would definitely keep air flow around it, keeping a fan blowing on it helps. Also if it's not really cool in your garage I would separate muscle groups to get to the bone to cool it down and prevent bone spoilage.

 

[RafterH]

I live in Texas and age my meat in large coolers. Prop up one end and pull the drain plug. Add ice as needed. I have left deer and pronghorn on ice for three weeks due to time contraints. Never lost any meat and it is oh so tender. However, I try to not let the meat sit in water.

 

[juan trueno]

I like to cut it up and vacuum pack it and put it in the freezer. I don’t grind much at the start. Maybe 10 lbs. I pull 2lb packs and grind them as needed.