Hanging greatly improves the texture and tenderness of the meat due to the biochemical processes that happen after the animal dies. Specifically, a deer carcass stiffens up in the 12-24 hours after death in a process called
The deer stiffens during rigor mortis in the 24 hours after being killed. If it is processed during this time, the muscles shorten and contract causing the meat to become tough. You should let your deer hang for 2 to 4 days at minimum before processing to avoid this.
Just be sure to hang it high and keep the chest cavity protected from the elements (and critters). During warmer weather, you'll want to get the skin off as quickly as possible to assist with the meat-cooling process.
Rigor Mortis: The Importance of Hanging Deer.
When a carcass is stored in a controlled environment, enzymes in the muscles make the fibres softer and more elastic. This tenderises the meat without letting it spoil. Aging also lets the meat dry slightly, reducing the water content within the muscle. This further enhances the texture and brings out the flavour.
Using a dry-aging chamber, butchers and steakhouses can keep the beef free of harmful bacteria with cold, dry air circulation. Hanging the beef within the chamber, the entire surface of the meat is exposed to dry air that forms a protective crust. The lack of moisture makes it difficult for the beef to spoil.
Meat hanging is a culinary process, commonly used in beef aging, that improves the flavor of meats by allowing the natural enzymes in the meat to break down the tissue through dry aging. The process also allows the water in the meat to evaporate, thus concentrating the flavor.
Beef should be aged a few days before cutting. The amount of aging will depend on the amount of fat covering, desired flavor and temperature. Carcasses that have only a thin fat covering should be aged three to five days; those with more fat, five to seven days.
Above 40℉, bacterial growth can happen too fast, which can lead to meat spoilage. Temperatures warmer than 40℉ are possible but far from ideal. As a general rule, you shouldn't hang deer at temperatures over 50℉ at, while hanging at 40–50℉ should be limited to a few hours, overnight at most.
The length of time that a lamb has been hung for will also determine how flavoursome and tender it is, about 8 days is best.
A spare refrigerator is excellent for aging venison. Remove its racks and hang the meat so it doesn't touch a contaminated surface. That precaution reduces the chances of bacteria growth. Refrigerators provide a controlled environment, so you can age your meat much longer than what's possible in open air.
First, you need to consider how tree stand height can help you stay out of sight of approaching deer. The higher you are in the tree, the more likely you are to be out of a deer's normal line of sight. This clear benefit leads some hunters to hang stands 25 feet or higher.
The head of the deer serves as proof of sex and must accompany the carcass until it reaches a final destination and is finally processed,” King explained.
There have been many deer, elk, and antelope that I did not hang for several days before butchering, and I could never detect any difference in taste or tenderness. It is important to cut the windpipe out so that the blood drains and the neck cools and doesn't sour.
Deer Skinning FAQ
Skinning a deer usually doesn't take that long, only 20-30 minutes. If you're totally new to the process, it may take a little longer, and, of course, experienced hunters may go even faster.
It's okay to hang a field-dressed deer overnight with the skin on if the air temperature is below 50 degrees. But, if the temperature, day or night, will remain 50 degrees or higher, the deer must be skinned and butchered immediately.
Conclusion. Given the right conditions – 36 to 40 F in a dry and clean environment – aging your venison for three to four days will improve the quality of the meat markedly. You can age a deer longer than that, but don't let the meat dry out or you will lose tenderness and flavor.
Fresh meat is actually inedible. Immediately after slaughter, biochemical processes are released in the meat. The lack of oxygen leads to anaerobic glycolysis, in which glycogen and glucose are degraded.
Basically the moisture expands during cooking and leaches out through the stretched fibres of the meat. Oddly this means that 'wet meat' actually ends up drier after cooking. Nicely hung-meat is tastier and more tender than unhung meat, it is that simple.
For raw ground meats, poultry, seafood and variety meats (liver, tongue, chitterlings, etc.), refrigerate them only 1 to 2 days before either cooking or freezing. Beef, veal, lamb and pork roasts, steaks and chops may be kept 3 to 5 days.
Dry-aged beef does not spoil because of the amount of environmental control it is put under. Moisture levels and bacteria are carefully watched, ensuring that only “good” bacteria is growing and helping the beef to dry age.
So, let's get into the many benefits of hanging meat and answer the question of Why do butchers hang meat. The simple answer is, that enzymes in the meat make the muscle fibres softer and more elastic. Which, ultimately, leads to a more tender cut that is easier to chew and generally more palatable than harder meat.
Hang It to Dry
The basic idea is to keep the meat in a tidy shape that'll be easy to cut, while ensuring that air can circulate around the entire piece. So, as soon as you have everything neatly tied, hang it in the fridge until it's done.
Frozen deer meat will likely be safe to eat if it has a uniform, dark red color, no offensive smell, a firm, smooth texture, and no sign of freezer-burn. Dark or metallic colors, a foul smell, and a water-logged look are all red flags that indicate spoilage.