Hang Time

[858king]

About hanging game: how long? Getting different ideas as eventually it fills in the blanks.

Personally: Hide off, nine days, 4-ish degrees.

Major con, as expected, would be drying, but it's not bad on fatter animals and can be controlled via humidifying (more animals/buckets of water) and keeping it out of wind. Usually a couple lbs in the flanks.

I've only once adjusted for hang time with a tiny yearling blacktail that I could lift un-gutted with one hand. Otherwise, I find it has a decent tenderizing effect but makes a massive difference in flavour as it takes the metal out of it and gets rid of the gamy flavour. I would say it has far more savour than un-aged meat, which can taste like pennies.

Note that there's a difference between ageing (enzymatic) and rot (bacterial).

[mulecrazy]

For deer, if possible I will hang for a couple days but normally cut it up within a day or two. I find it hilarious when guys hang deer that is going for sausage and jerky. What is the point of that??? Its going to be processed. I used to hang for a week but after I stopped hanging I have noticed that my roasts are still the same flavour and tenderness. Wild game lacks the enzymes that beef have. Therefore, the aging process is much less effective.

[858king]

I'm starting to think that it would make sense to cut up the front quarters promptly because they're ground anyways, and the flank, and leave the backstraps and hind legs to hang for the full time. The backstraps always have enough fat to stay moist.

[HunterDave]

For me it depends on the weather. This year, in this area the weather was just perfect for hanging so my deer hung for a week and a day before butchering them. That's about as long as I'll hang a deer or moose. BTW, the meat is super tender on my deer this year.

If it's plus or -20 degrees then I'll butcher my animals right away. They might be a little tougher than when hung in ideal conditions but the difference is not enough for me to worry too much about.........it's all good! :)

[Lefty-Canuck]

This is a post I previously made on another thread....this is how we handle our game.

If you are hanging them in a controlled temperature @ ~34-38 degrees F (ie. in a cooler)

IMHO for hanging the "key" is controlled environment. You don't want the meat to go through several freeze thaw cycles, or heat and cool cycles. As someone mentioned the "why hang" has different opinions. For us we see it as a way to age and tenderize the meat.

Also if you hang it in open air (ie. in a garage) things will dry out fairly quickly (like someone mentioned). You can help slow the drying process by wiping the animal down with some clean warm water to get hairs and dirt off and then wrap it in old cotton sheets as a shroud. It seems minor but it will limit the drying out.

Because we have the luxury of a cooler depending on the age of the animal and size depends on the length we hang it.

A deer gets a week, young moose or elk 7-10 days, an older animal gets 15 days.

LC

[bruceba]

Hide off quick as reasonable time and environment will allow, pressure wash and to the butcher's. Worst case time frame to arrive at the butcher next morning. Cut and wrap, done for another year.

[BigRackLover]

I'm starting to think that it would make sense to cut up the front quarters promptly because they're ground anyways, and the flank, and leave the backstraps and hind legs to hang for the full time. The backstraps always have enough fat to stay moist.

That's what I'm trying this week. Cut up the front, ribs and neck after one day of cooing ... worked very well. It was easy to separate fat from meat and no loss due to drying out or shrinkage.

I'll do the rest after 3 days of hanging ... that should be sufficient.

[avb3]

Butcher who came to our F&G club to give a butchering demo said people hang their critters way too long.

Deer/antelope/sheep? 3 days MAX.

Moose/Elk? 1 week MAX, preferably cut within 5 days.

The reason, according to this expert?

Fat content in wild versus domestic is the largest one. IF you insist on aging it anyways, and it has been cooled properly, leave the hide on to minimize drying.

That was from an experts opinion only. Many non-experts on here will disagree with him of course.

[Lefty-Canuck]

Here is just a small illustration of what open air hanging vs hanging in a cooler does even at the same temperature.....

Note both of these mule does were nearly the same size (age) killed within 30 minutes of each other, skinned at the same time (roughly) but the first one has been in the cooler since Friday (5 days)...the second one hung open air one night and was then put into the cooler (4 days)....again this is just a small peek at it....

http://i1220.photobucket.com/albums/dd460/lefty-canuck/cooler/IMG-20111129-00114.jpg

http://i1220.photobucket.com/albums/dd460/lefty-canuck/cooler/IMG-20111129-00113.jpg

Note in the second one the outside has started to dry and darken....only being open air for one night. Both will still be good eatin no doubt but the first one will likely need no outer trimming whereas the second one might.

Just another point for the cooler....here is moose hind that was hung on November 16th (13 days ago).

Notice how little it has dried out....

http://i1220.photobucket.com/albums/dd460/lefty-canuck/cooler/IMG-20111129-00117.jpg

LC

[858king]

Good photos, good point. So the cooler must keep the ambient moisture up, then.

On the Coast I'd hang deer outside and it was so moist there'd usually be no drying; I'd have to wipe it down once a day or so.

From what I can grasp in research, there seems to be a general commonality that revolves around this:

-- Keep it clean. Like Obsessive-Compulsive clean.
-- Don't age stressed game.
-- Virtually no need to hang antelope, and make sure to bleed thoroughly.
-- DON'T hang pork.
-- May hang lamb a bit, mutton moreso.
-- Deer generally out to 10 days in IDEAL conditions.
-- Bull Elk/Moose out to 14 days in IDEAL conditions.
-- Warm weather don't hang.
-- Always (always) wait until rigor's worn off.
-- Enzymatic effects of ageing taper off to nothing after 14 days in game.

Which boils down to two gospel truths:

-- Keep it clean.
-- Keep it cold.

Those two rules seem to guarantee a pretty decent meal however one goes about it.

[Lefty-Canuck]

^^^^^
X2, I think controlled cooled is important (steady/constant temp) I would agree mostly with what you say above.

I had noticed the other day when my buddy brought his Daughter's deer over that even over night it dired ever so slightly, I am glad you brought this up because I was meaning to compare the 2 deer.

LC

[omega50]

I process almost immediately and then I vacuum package large whole muscle groups and let them age in my coke cooler-no shrink loss- I give them about 2 weeks

[MeatEater]

This is one of the best articles I have ever read on aging wild game. Over the years I had heard a lot of opinions and old wive's tales but this cuts through all of that and makes a lot of sense.

http://www.wyomingextension.org/agpubs/pubs/B513Rpdf.pdf

[recce43]

i hang 3 days in my cooler then butcher

[Lefty-Canuck]

This is one of the best articles I have ever read on aging wild game. Over the years I had heard a lot of opinions and old wive's tales but this cuts through all of that and makes a lot of sense.

http://www.wyomingextension.org/agpubs/pubs/B513Rpdf.pdf

Glad to hear what we typically do fits right in with what the expert researchers say.

Thanks for the article.

LC

[sheephunter]

Short hang times really accomplish nothing.

[vcmm]

:party0052:This is one of the best articles I have ever read on aging wild game. Over the years I had heard a lot of opinions and old wive's tales but this cuts through all of that and makes a lot of sense.

http://www.wyomingextension.org/agpubs/pubs/B513Rpdf.pdf

[Cmiller]

Hide off quick as reasonable time and environment will allow, pressure wash and to the butcher's. Worst case time frame to arrive at the butcher next morning. Cut and wrap, done for another year.

Ditto
i found the best conditions for keeping my game are left in the hands of the professionals that and im not much into the butchering aspect of the sport. I much prefer taking the game and enjoying the meals with my family. the in between part i will gladly pay for

[vcmm]

Hide off quick as reasonable time and environment will allow, pressure wash and to the butcher's. Worst case time frame to arrive at the butcher next morning. Cut and wrap, done for another year.

Don't pressure wash! It will force hair and crap into your meat. Wipe down with a bar towel or use the animals tongue to remove hair. Pack cavity with ice if possible.

[Lefty-Canuck]

Don't pressure wash! It will force hair and crap into your meat.

X2...was going to mention that same thing

LC

[Cmiller]

Don't pressure wash! It will force hair and crap into your meat. Wipe down with a bar towel or use the animals tongue to remove hair. Pack cavity with ice if possible.

thats a great idea using the tongue dont know if it works will give it a try this year have always just picked it off for about an hour by hand

[vcmm]

thats a great idea using the tongue dont know if it works will give it a try this year have always just picked it off for about an hour by hand

Tongue works like a comb.

[Tcon]

Hanging is a waste of time in an uncontrolled environment.

Aging is a basic process using either wet or dry methods. The general concensus of most butchers is 3 days per 100 pounds.

For dry aging, temperature and humidity are the most important factors. No colder than 0deg celcius and no warmer than 4.4deg celcius at 60-75% relative humidity. Humidity is not a concern for wet aging.