Venison Cool storage timeline????

[tool]

This is probably a dumb question,

But I took a nice doe on the morning of the last day of the season here in SK. (friday)

Snapping cold morning, -22c, put her in the back of my truck, went and helped a neighbour and his wife with a deer they had just taken that morning as well.


Field dressed the two of them that morning.

Boned them out that evening.

Cooked some backstraps for dinner that night and started making jerky,

I still have a fair bit of meat in my fridge, some roasts etc, my trim for sausage etc.

Waiting on some neighbours to get together for a Sausage Making party this week.

How long can I keep fresh deer meat in ziplocks in my fridge for?

I don't want to spoil any but don't want to freeze and defrost if I don't have to.

Thanks in advance.

[racktracker]

up to 5 days, bacteria sets in fast at 40f, the cooler the better

[big-buck-slayer]

I have processed my wild game for many years. The meat that is not used for sausage/burger should be aged 3 days per 100 lbs at a temp of 36-40 degrees Fahrenheit. Never allow the meat to reach above 40 at this is when bacteria will grow. If you cannot maintain this temp. then boning and aging the meat in the fridge works fine. I always leave this in roast at it will last longer in the freezer. It can be cut smaller prior to cooking.
As far as the trim goes, it should not be aged. I always freeze it in 20 lb quantities and usually have a sausage making weekend in January. PS. the German butcher told me you don't buy aged hamburger! I typically take the front quarters,etc. within 2 days of taking the animal.
The most important in producing a quality product is to make sure all fat is removed. This is the main reason I process my own meat as the butcher does not have the time for careful trimming.
Hope this helps!!!

[tool]

Thanks for the help guys.

I've processed beef before but never my own deer.

[Red Bullets]

I have harvested, butchered, processed and consumed lots of venison (deer) through the years, and always took good care of the meat. Thought it was great. I had always hung my animals for 5 to 10 days.

Then I had a venison meal at a older friends home and it was by far the best I have to date tasted and enjoyed. I asked him about his curing time. He has a controlled environment cooler set at 36 degrees Farenheit. He hangs his animals for 30 days. Then he vac seals.

[Red Bullets]

If a person plans to hunt for a lifetime it would be a good investment to buy or make a proper cooler.

I had a cooler made from a refrigerator. The door was taken off and a well insulated "room" with a door was added to the front. It has a rail built into the addition roof that allows hanging of up to 8 quarters. I plug it in the day I take an animal. Set the temperature in the fridge and close the door.
It is portable enough that you could load it into a 1/2 ton and take it into the backcountry hunting camp in early season. Run it with a generator or inverter out there.