How long do you ice age?

[Stalker69]

You mean meat tofu, nasty. But if you like it , soak it, the longer the better.

Yea, soaking meat in ice water, turns to a grey nasty “ tofo” looking piece of goo. There’s no reason to soak meat in water, I know it’s a thing in the southern states, I have friends that some still do it because thats the way they were brought up. But I have proven to them there is no reason to soak a perfectly cared for piece of meat in ice water. If your having problems with gamey taste, that your trying to rinse out, then your not not taking care of the animal in the field properly. Do you know any butcher, meat processing place that soaks any kinda meat in ice water ?I hope not, there’s a reason, they know what there doing. We used to process beef, pork, chickens, and game of all kinds for people, my dad ran a smoke house for a butcher shop. And we still know many that do it commercially, and not a one soaks any kind of meat in ice water ( unless to marinate it, for cooking). But if that’s the way you like it, that’s fine, but if cared for properly, there is no need. In turn water breeds bacteria, yes even cold water. Keep meat dry and cold. Off my soap box.

 

[Jimbee]

My elk from last season was tasty, but a bit tough. I put 3 roasts that were vacuum sealed and frozen into my fridge in the shop to thaw and wet age. I ate one after a week, 2 weeks and 3 weeks. Definitely made a difference. The roast that was thawed for around 21 days was noticeably more tender.

 

[Laramie]

Freeze 20 ounce, 1 litre, and 2 litre bottles prior to the hunt. Pack them tight in a cooler with loose ice to fill the gaps. They will hold frozen like this for about a week in my cooler. Cool meat prior to placing in cooler. Later bottom of empty cooler with frozen 2 litre bottles. Add quarters and boned meat while arranging smaller ice bottles where they fit and between thick sections of meat. Will keep for a long time. I do refreeze accessible bottles as needed. 7 days has worked good for me in the past but using this method can keep meat cold for 10-12 days in 70 degree weather in my coolers. I use this method because my meat never gets wet which makes a difference to me.

 

[butcherboy]

7-10 days would be fine. Just be sure and drain the water off. Water in itself doesn’t breed bacteria. The bacteria is already on the carcass from field handling and even in your cooler. The water just helps in spreading it around. The best method for aging in an ice chest is to freeze some kind of container with water in it. Block ice stays frozen a lot longer than loose ice does. Use thicker bottles like juice bottles or 1/2 gallon milk jugs not actual water bottles because the ice will break the bottle. I actually make 2” or 3” sticks out of pvc cut to fit certain coolers. You can cap both ends or just one end with a screw in cap on one end if you want to drain the water after they thaw and then you can store them anywhere until you need them. Initial cost is in the pvc and this will end up saving you a lot of money in the long run. Here’s a few I made about 8 years ago.

 

[billday]

When remote, I put boned out meat in gallon ziplocs and then ice them in the cooler(s) for the trip home. When I hunt somewhere with access to a deep freeze, I freeze the meat off the bone in gallon ziplocs. Either way, once I transport it home, I thaw it in coolers for 4 or 5 days (or longer if it needs more time to thaw out enough to work it up) then process it. I’ve gone longer if needed because of work or other conflicts, as long as it’s cool enough in the garage (ie cool weather outside). Doing this for many years, five or six deer and other big game animals per year on average, it’s always worked well, looked and tasted great, with very little trim required and no spoilage loss.

 

[Average Dave]

I do cooler aging. Usually with frozen jugs instead of ice. Easy to add more and not have to drain. I keep a thermometer inside as well.

Usually 3-5 days. It's more about when I see a window of time to do it rather then a set number.

What temp are you looking for with the thermometer?

 

[TSAMP]

What temp are you looking for with the thermometer?

Usually around low 40s. If I see it start to raise I'll toss more frozen bottles in, or swap them out.

 

[mkelemen]

I start with wire racks in bottom of ice chest to keep meat out of ice., then a layer of boned meat cover with ice, meat, ice , meat ice, until chest is full. Last layer is ice. I keep drain open with chest slightly elevated at opposite end of drain. Check it every day to keep meat covered with ice, this is a must. Make sure chest is draining good, if not clear drain. You don't want meat sitting in water. I let it got between 7 and 10 days. I have done several Elk this way, they came out great.

I tried this once with an early season whitetail. The meat turned a tan color after a few hours or so on the surface so I pulled it and cut that part off. Does the color and flavor end up normal when the meat turns this way? I'd imagine this gets much worse after 7 days.

 

[DangerRanger]

The color change has never bothered me taste wise, but I avoid it sitting in water if I can. Just drain it every day. I go about a week

 

[mkelemen]

The color change has never bothered me taste wise, but I avoid it sitting in water if I can. Just drain it every day. I go about a week

Thanks, Danger. I kept it drained, but it didn't look like it was heading in the direction of something I wanted to eat. Usually I hang them if it's cold enough, but I'll stick with the cooler on my next early season deer and see what happens.

 

[GSPHUNTER]

The color change has never bothered me taste wise, but I avoid it sitting in water if I can. Just drain it every day. I go about a week

Thanks, Danger. I kept it drained, but it didn't look like it was heading in the direction of something I wanted to eat. Usually I hang them if it's cold enough, but I'll stick with the cooler on my next early season deer and see what happens.

Keep meat off bottom of cooler with wire rack, leave the drain open with the chest tilted toward the drain. You could also put plastic bag over the layered meat before covering with ice. If cooler stops draining, clear drain. You need to check every day and keep completely covered with ice, this is must.

 

[Tl15]

I tried this once with an early season whitetail. The meat turned a tan color after a few hours or so on the surface so I pulled it and cut that part off. Does the color and flavor end up normal when the meat turns this way? I'd imagine this gets much worse after 7 days.

It takes on that color as the water leaches out the hemoglobin in the meat. It’s harmless and I’ve never noticed a flavor change. Most of what we process goes to ground anyway, so there’s no sense in wasting it.

 

[Brendan]

Been using coolers with ice for years for aging, but also mostly until I can just get the buck / bull processed. I've been good up to two weeks. I don't have access to refrigerator / cooler / hanging space unless the weather's cold.

I leave the drain open so there's no soaking in water. And, I put the meat inside (unscented!) trash bags or contractor bags and force out all the air I can. I'll also periodically drain the blood out of those bags. I will completely submerge the bags in ice so the meat gets down to ~32 deg.

Not quite as good as dry aging, but works great, no discoloration. I've even broken down an elk and put it on ice like this pretty much warm, and packaged it up over the next two weeks and had it be great.

 

[Stalker69]

Forgot about this.

https://www.wyoextension.org/agpubs/pubs/B-513R.pdf

 

[Swamp Fox]

Ice age? Up to 104,000 years, give or take, if I did my math right. That's been my experience. ; )

Slush age? Only as long as it takes to clean the counter off, get the boards and the knives out and get to work ... I think the longest I've gone is five days (hot weather).

The quality of the meat is determined well before it gets in the cooler, though.

 

[Ucsdryder]

@butcherboy or anybody else…

Is there anything you can rub on a quarter prior to cutting and packaging to kill any potential bacteria that might be on there? Is there a way to get rid of the bacteria without cutting off the outside layer?

 

[butcherboy]

Walton’s sells a carcass wash you can spray on that is tasteless. Another option is a combo of vinegar and water. It takes very little vinegar. Problem with using vinegar is the meat will taste like vinegar unless you trim off the outside. I just always go with the option of not spraying it with anything and trim the outside. Trimmings can be used for dog food or even trapping bait if you are a trapper. I can trim the outside off pretty dang fast though.

 

[Ucsdryder]

Walton’s sells a carcass wash you can spray on that is tasteless. Another option is a combo of vinegar and water. It takes very little vinegar. Problem with using vinegar is the meat will taste like vinegar unless you trim off the outside. I just always go with the option of not spraying it with anything and trim the outside. Trimmings can be used for dog food or even trapping bait if you are a trapper. I can trim the outside off pretty dang fast though.

As always, you’re a wealth of knowledge. Thank you.

 

[Maverick1]

I keep the meat in the cooler on ice as little as possible. I drive home and then cut and wrap it myself - or take it to the meat processor/butcher - as soon as possible.

 

[SloppyJ]

About 7 days for me. I built a PVC rack for the bottom of my cooler to keep the meat off the ice. I drain it at least twice a day depending on the ambient temp. I swear by this method. If it were cold enough here I would hang it but that's not the case.

I say 7 days because I normally hunt on weekends and then wait until the next Friday or Saturday to start breaking it down.