Wet age then dry age

[stx.dead.I]

I've read a bunch on dry aging lately and would like to do that to my harvests this year. Question is:

If I clean the elk or muley in the field and it sits on ice in a cooler for a couple days can I still benefit from dry aging after being in the cooler?

I'm pretty sure I will but want confirmation on those who've tried it successfully

 

[steelheadmike]

Are you intending to dry age after having it in the cooler for a couple days? Or using a few days in the cooler as a replacement for dry aging?

The reason I ask is that leaving an animal in a cooler (or hanging some place cold) is done for different reasons. Letting the meat rest for a couple days allows rigor to subside and the meat will be more tender than if you immediately butchered. True dry aging (and wet aging) is a much slower process where the tissue begins to break down and the flavor/tenderness can increase.

Also you can dry/wet age after the meat has been frozen. Let the meat hang out in a cooler, butcher, then freeze it. After that, the meat can be aged. I was skeptical but after I let some vac-sealed meat hang out in the back of a fridge for 10-14 days, I was a believer.

 

[stx.dead.I]

Are you intending to dry age after having it in the cooler for a couple days? Or using a few days in the cooler as a replacement for dry aging?

The reason I ask is that leaving an animal in a cooler (or hanging some place cold) is done for different reasons. Letting the meat rest for a couple days allows rigor to subside and the meat will be more tender than if you immediately butchered. True dry aging (and wet aging) is a much slower process where the tissue begins to break down and the flavor/tenderness can increase.

Also you can dry/wet age after the meat has been frozen. Let the meat hang out in a cooler, butcher, then freeze it. After that, the meat can be aged. I was skeptical but after I let some vac-sealed meat hang out in the back of a fridge for 10-14 days, I was a believer.

Im planning on doing

Ice chest (on ice) for a couple days while we get back home, then go into a fridge for 20 days at 35 degrees or whatever temp with a small fan inside it.

 

[steelheadmike]

Im planning on doing

Ice chest (on ice) for a couple days while we get back home, then go into a fridge for 20 days at 35 degrees or whatever temp with a small fan inside it.

Should work perfectly.

 

[Poser]

If you are going to go from cooler to hanging, I would recommend that you try to keep the meat dry while in the cooler. This could be as simple placing a contractor bag on top of the ice to keep the meat dry. If you want to get more fancy, you can build a rack in your cooler so the meat gets cool air flowing underneath the meat without direct exposure to water. Regardless, introducing moisture to meat makes it ripe for bacterial growth so hanging it after being wet isn't the ideal combination (though probably fine in most situations).