Transporting venison in a cooler

[Teebs]

I could use some advice on how to package and transport bone-in quartered venison in a cooler.

In previous years, I've simply dropped my deer off at the processor on my way home from my buddy's house where I hunt. This year I would like to process them myself. I'm planning on hanging and quartering the deer at my friend's house then transporting bone-in quarters in a cooler back to my house (90 minutes away) where I'll finish trimming, grinding, vacuum sealing, etc.

My question is: What kind of bags (if any) should I put the meat in while they're in the cooler? Do cloth game bags make sense here? I know people use them for animals quartered in the field, but wouldn't they let the meat get waterlogged with ice-melt? Wouldn't plastic, waterproof bags make more sense. If so, what bags?

I've also heard people say that the meat needs to "breathe", but I'm not really sure what that means.

 

[Antares]

For a 90 min ride, I wouldn't even bother with a cooler unless it's over 70 degrees. If they're cold when you start, they're still gonna be cold when you get home. Just keep them out of direct sun.

But to answer your question, I'd put the quarters in trash bags, use block ice not cubes, and leave the drain open.

 

[ScreamingPotato]

No plastic, I want it to breathe. I've used game bags for a week or so and they fostered a strange smell, so now I'll remove the meat from the bags once they're protected in the cooler (though a few days have never been an issue). The Elk I just got done processing was in game bags in coolers for 11 days. I try to layer ice, then meat, then ice then meat, leaving the plug loose so it can drain, but eventually you'll end up with all the meat on the bottom as it melts out and you top off. It's not a big deal.

 

[Bugger]

Put the cooler in the walk-in where the deer is hanging overnight with the lid open. Throw the quarters in dry and you’ll be golden.

 

[Teebs]

No plastic, I want it to breathe. I've used game bags for a week or so and they fostered a strange smell, so now I'll remove the meat from the bags once they're protected in the cooler (though a few days have never been an issue). The Elk I just got done processing was in game bags in coolers for 11 days. I try to layer ice, then meat, then ice then meat, leaving the plug loose so it can drain, but eventually you'll end up with all the meat on the bottom as it melts out and you top off. It's not a big deal.

This seems simple enough. I was concerned about degradation from having the meat directly on ice. Maybe it's a non-factor. With the drain plug open, it shouldn't get soupy in the bottom.

 

[IdahoBeav]

The cooler and ice is not needed unless temps are high. It's about impossible to keep the meat from getting wet in a cooler if you are using H2O ice. For a 1.5 hr ride and with the hams + backstraps cold or frozen, you can just put them in a cooler dry, no ice. I have let whole deer hang overnight at camp (35°-40° low), put them in an old sleeping bag the following morning, and made an 8-hour drive without the meat spoiling. You just don't want the sun shining on them for the ride.

 

[Teebs]

For a 90 min ride, I wouldn't even bother with a cooler unless it's over 70 degrees. If they're cold when you start, they're still gonna be cold when you get home. Just keep them out of direct sun.

But to answer your question, I'd put the quarters in trash bags, use block ice not cubes, and leave the drain open.

My post was probably misleading by specifying a 90 minute ride. I'm preparing for a circumstance where I kill something on Friday, have it in the cooler by Friday night, hunt again on Saturday, then drive home on Sunday.

 

[Tmac]

I've also heard people say that the meat needs to "breathe", but I'm not really sure what that means.

I’d guess what they are referring to is air flow until it is cooled to the bone, which can take a surprising amount of time.

On hot antelope hunts, I’ve stacked ice, bone in quarter, ice to chill the meat. After 24 hours or so hang it bagged over night if cool enough to crust over. If not cool enough I’ll bag it in unscented garbage bags to keep it from sitting in water and pack it with ice, above and below each bagged quarter. Multiple days no problem. What you do not want to do is put meat in a plastic bag unless it is fully chilled to the bone. If in doubt, bone it, then bag and chill it. You can tell if it’s not fully chilled as you bone it, if so, smaller bags of meat, with ice packed around them will be in order.

For a short trip like you have, you can throw quarters in a cooler if you like, but I’d probably just lay them on a tarp and cover with an old sleeping bag. Once fully chilled, they have enough mass to stay cool for quite a while as long as not in direct sun.

 

[Tmac]

No plastic, I want it to breathe. I've used game bags for a week or so and they fostered a strange smell, so now I'll remove the meat from the bags once they're protected in the cooler (though a few days have never been an issue). The Elk I just got done processing was in game bags in coolers for 11 days. I try to layer ice, then meat, then ice then meat, leaving the plug loose so it can drain, but eventually you'll end up with all the meat on the bottom as it melts out and you top off. It's not a big deal.

There is a reason you don’t see fabric game bags used in commercial walk-in coolers. No worry about dirt and bugs there. Bags can hold moisture and give bacteria a foothold. They want cold low humidity air hitting the meat to have the meat crust over. I suspect it is more about some surface dehydration to form a crust than meat actual breathing in some way. Not certain, but that’s my guess.

 

[ResearchinStuff]

There are a lot of ways to do this right. Frozen water bottles are awesome, because they are cold, relatively dry, and you can put meat on top of them and still get good drainage. I use game bags in similar situations, and have kept meat on ice in coolers for 10+ days without issue

 

[johnw3474]

anytime I am able to get a deer back to a skinning rack I take straps, loins and any meat that is trimmed off the bone from the animal and toss into a cooler and do the same with the quarters. Ideally I am able to layer with ice, but usually add ice with in an hour or so. I leave the meet in the cooler on ice with the drain plug open for up to 3-4 days and top off with ice as needed. Never use plastic bags or game bags in the cooler. I have also packed an elk in a cooler with snow for the ride back home to Mississippi from Colorado. No issues.

 

[Jethro]

Your cooler with a few frozen water bottles. No bags needed for meat in cooler

 

[bergie]

I go with a layer of frozen milk jugs on the bottom of a big cooler, pile up the quarters in between two layers of garbage bags(idk why but I dont like to actually put in bags so the layering system makes me feel better, probably no benefit), then put crushed ice on top. This has worked for antelope in August for up to 4 days the each of the last 5 years with no meat spoilage. Drain the cooler once a day but other than that don't mess with it. Meat doesnt sit in water and once I get home I let it sit for a day in the walk in to get any excess moisture off that is bound to happen from lack of breathing and it is ready to process.

 

[EdP]

Worst case you are putting warm meat in a cooler for the trip. In that case you need the meat in plastic and covered with ice. You can buy food grade plastic bags on the internet. That's what I did. Garbage bags can and many do have scented anti-bacterial treatment. I don't want to eat any of that.

When I kill a deer here it is almost always too warm to let it hang. It gets field dressed immediately, skinned and broken down as you described ASAP, and put in food grade plastic bags with crushed ice in a cooler with the drain open. The cooler has a grate below the meat to let the melt water drain off and the plastic bags keep the meat dry. The meat is aged in the cooler at 32F for a few days and then processed.

Crushed ice has a lot more contact with the meat than block or frozen jugs so it will cool the meat much faster. Block or jugs are great at keeping meat cold once it has been chilled. If you are putting warm meat in a cooler with ice use crushed (cubes). Once cold, it won't take much ice to keep it cold for days.

 

[brancher147]

What do you want the bone for? If you don’t want it at all, debone the meat and put chunks into 2.5 gallon freezer bags then put on ice or frozen milk jugs or whatever. Don’t put meat directly in contact with a trash bag whatever you do.

 

[Teebs]

Worst case you are putting warm meat in a cooler for the trip. In that case you need the meat in plastic and covered with ice. You can buy food grade plastic bags on the internet. That's what I did. Garbage bags can and many do have scented anti-bacterial treatment. I don't want to eat any of that.

When I kill a deer here it is almost always too warm to let it hang. It gets field dressed immediately, skinned and broken down as you described ASAP, and put in food grade plastic bags with crushed ice in a cooler with the drain open. The cooler has a grate below the meat to let the melt water drain off and the plastic bags keep the meat dry. The meat is aged in the cooler at 32F for a few days and then processed.

Crushed ice has a lot more contact with the meat than block or frozen jugs so it will cool the meat much faster. Block or jugs are great at keeping meat cold once it has been chilled. If you are putting warm meat in a cooler with ice use crushed (cubes). Once cold, it won't take much ice to keep it cold for days.

Do you have a link or brand name on the bags you'd recommend?

 

[wyosam]

For that distance, assuming quarters are already cooled, I’d put some blocks in the coolers a day before or so to pre-chill, then remove the ice and wipe dry, throw the meat in and head home.


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[EdP]

Do you have a link or brand name on the bags you'd recommend?

I got mine from these folks: https://www.uline.com/Grp_3/Flat-Poly-Bags
Click on a thickness and one item in the description is "Meets FDA and USDA specifications for food contact." I had to buy a whole box but they will work just fine in the kitchen garbage can too.

 

[LongWayAround]

@Teebs

Don't put a warm quarter in a cooler. That will only encourage spoilage.

Let your quarters cool while hanging in fabric bags.

Pre-chill your cooler with ice or put it in a deep freeze.

When it's time to put the chilled quarters in a cooler, keep the fabric bags on and put them in contractor bags to prevent contact with moisture.

Warmth and moisture are the enemy.

@brancher147 I and many others keep bones for making stock or bone-in cooking. Also, to minimize exposed surface area.

 

[EdP]

Put a warm quarter in a plastic bag in a cooler and cover it with ice and it won't be warm for long enough for anything bad to happed. Have done it dozens of times. I would hang to cool if I could but it is not usually cool enough here to do that. When it is cool enough I hang to cool, maybe 10% of the time. I see no difference in meat quality.

Another good practice is to have ice bags in a cooler in your truck. When you kill a deer fill the body cavity with ice bags immediately after field dressing. The meat will cool down very quickly.