Elk meat question

[Chewbacca]

My elk meat is tough.
Three weeks ago I got a real nice 5x5. My first one ever. Was pumped to say the least. My bud picked a fight with him and drew him out of a draw. He only went about 40 meters before going down and since I was lucky enough to shoot him where I did we were able to get it with a quad then pack him to the homestead with a front end loader to dress him out.
When we dressed him out the hair never touched the meat at all. We found the lungs completely destroyed and he bled out totally inside. It was under an hour from the time it was shot to when we started dressing it out. The animal hung overnight and the next day. The weather was nice and cool. We didn’t have a cooler so it was cut up the next evening after work. We cut it up ourselves so nothing fancy.
I have had elk meat that you could cut with a fork but this fellow is tough and I wonder why. It was eating my buds grain all summer and was fat. When you cook it it has a nice aroma and my wife who has had little wild meat in her life was amazed at how good it tastes. No gamey taste or anything like that.
The only thing I can think of is that his muscles we pumped full of adrenaline for the fight then the shot and flight pumped him even more.
We have cooked some in a pressure cooker and it makes a bit softer chew. The burger is good but even then its chewey. At this point it is destined for sausage. Really hoping the tenderloin is going to be good. :)
Disappointed to say the least and until I find out if it’s a mistake in the processing or if this is just the way things are I won’t be shooting another one.
I am wondering what others experience has been.

[Lefty-Canuck]

Cut him up too soon IMHO. We hang our elk for 17-20 days and then cut it. We also have a walk in that we have exclusive use of, it does make a difference.

LC

[Gbuss]

you did not give it enough time to break the lactik acid down and the sinue. This in turn give you tuff meat. with wild game that is larger it take longer. A nice temperature control room no humidity is best. There longer it hangs the better.


Gordon

[bessiedog]

That can happen. Could just be the critter.

If it's tasty but tough.... make a marinade... and the acids might help break down the tissue a bit. I hung mine for 5 days.... only eaten the tenderloins.... which were awsome.

You could always pound them with a tenderizer. Minute steaks.... it works.

I find cows yummier than bulls.

[Jjolg123]

Last year due to the temperature i couldn't hang and had to cut up asap i found the meat to be better the longer i waited to thaw and eat. At first i did find some of the meat to taste great but be a bit tough but even now the pieces i take out of the freezer are fantastic

[walking buffalo]

Of course it is chewy, The muscles are still in rigor mortis.

As others with experience have noted, you cut it ip too soon.
All big game should be left for a minimum or four days before cutting. This is the minimum time to allow the meat to come out of rigor.

An option for you now is to let the meat age in the fridge for a few days before cooking. Take out a package, keep it wrapped, thaw and put it into the fridge.

[shooter12]

Cut it too soon more likely.
Early season they usually taste very good if hang the meat for two weeks or so.
Even to leave it in the fridge , not the freezer for couple of weeks will make meat taste better.
The worst tasting elk I had I killed in - 30 C.
The meat was stone frozen in couple of hours and was too chewy later on.

[Mountain Guy]

Cut it too soon more likely.
Early season they usually taste very good if hang the meat for two weeks or so.
Even to leave it in the fridge , not the freezer for couple of weeks will make meat taste better.
The worst tasting elk I had I killed in - 30 C.
The meat was stone frozen in couple of hours and was too chewy later on.

Ya same. Shot a spiker bull moose once and unfortunately it was frozen stiff in one day. thawed it and cut it up a few days later.
Had to mix meat tenderizer in with the burger :)

Doesn't apply to the OP's elk but same idea on aging before cutting.
Rutted up / horned up 5 pointer probably compounded it a bit as well.

[gtr]

you did not give it enough time to break the lactik acid down and the sinue. This in turn give you tuff meat. with wild game that is larger it take longer. A nice temperature control room no humidity is best. There longer it hangs the better.


Gordon

Good call in my opinion.

[Ken3134]

[QUOTE=Chewbacca;3639907]My elk meat is tough.
Three weeks ago I got a real nice 5x5. My first one ever. Was pumped to say the least. My bud picked a fight with him and drew him out of a draw. He only went about 40 meters before going down and since I was lucky enough to shoot him where I did we were able to get it with a quad then pack him to the homestead with a front end loader to dress him out.
When we dressed him out the hair never touched the meat at all. We found the lungs completely destroyed and he bled out totally inside. It was under an hour from the time it was shot to when we started dressing it out. The animal hung overnight and the next day. The weather was nice and cool. We didn’t have a cooler so it was cut up the next evening after work. We cut it up ourselves so nothing fancy.


I have seen too many red neck you tube videos....... I would section off or tarp in where you have the carcass hung up and rig up an air conditioner so that you could leave him hang longer.

[Piker]

I have been hunting for over 65 yrs. and have killed animals under many circumstances which sometime required to butcher immediately. In my experience I could not tell much difference. With the warm falls we are having it is necessary to cut it up right away. I do not have a cooler so I usually skin right away cut the next day and freeze. I still believe if the animal is killed with out a long hard run its okay. I can honestly say I have refused to shoot animals under those conditions. I make roasts ground and steaks but I will admit I have a crank tenderizer makes a difference. Thks for reading. Piker

[boah]

You don’t know what that elk was doing an hour before you shot him. Maybe he ran over from the next county. Or was just in a fight with another???

[buck]

we have shot lots of noise and elk we have had to butcher
within hrs of killing and never had any issues i do t worry
anymore about hang time most novembers they will freeze
overnight and sometime it's to warm to risk losing when it's
warm we will butcher right away and cool the meat as soon as possible
then wrap and put in freezer

[CF8889]

We had to butcher our elk about a day and a half later. No issues with toughness.

[Pathfinder76]

He will age in the freezer. Low and slow in the crockpot is your friend.

[Redfrog]

Maybe he was just real old.

Lots of reasons given here, could be any or all.

[Z7Extreme]

I always butcher the very next day. My elk and moose in the freezer is cut with your fork tender. Some muscle groups are tougher than others. But through experience Ive started to learn which ones make good steaks and roasts and which ones are for the burger pile. Meat care is one of those things that everyone has a different opinion. As long as the meat is cooled properly which it sounds like it was, that is the most important thing. I also dont have the luxury of a walk in cooler or a big shop for hanging. Plus Im always solo so the animal is always skinned and quartered right away for packing out. Also usually to warm in september to leave my meat to age outside. I guess what Im trying to say is sounds like you practised proper field care so I dont think its anything you did. And dont really worry about how everyone else does it, just find what works for you.

[Roderek]

Of course it is chewy, The muscles are still in rigor mortis.

As others with experience have noted, you cut it ip too soon.
All big game should be left for a minimum or four days before cutting. This is the minimum time to allow the meat to come out of rigor.

An option for you now is to let the meat age in the fridge for a few days before cooking. Take out a package, keep it wrapped, thaw and put it into the fridge.

If the meat has been frozen it will no longer age.
28 days is optimal for aging meat fir tenderness.

As others have said you can let it age in your fridfe if it has never been frozen.

[Jolantru]

The need to hang wild meat to tenderize it is simply false. It is not like beef. Beef has an enzyme in it that requires hanging. There is nothing wrong with letting it hang for 7-10 days. I have personally shot several elk that were cut up 2-3 days after being shot and never bad an issue with taste or tenderness.

Make sure you are preparing is properly and cooking it to a rare to medium rare at the very most. Elk can not be over cooked.

[LandlockedIslander]

At this point if it were me I would get in the habit of taking the meat out of the freezer 3-4 days before I was gonna eat it. Let it sit in fridge for that time and see if that helps


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[purgatory.sv]

Leap of faith.

You did nothing wrong.

Congratulations on the harvest.

Vinegar or something similar may help.

As long as it tastes good you are doing good!

Also the more you chew and grind the more you break down the nutrients?

:)

[58thecat]

Maybe he was just real old.

Lots of reasons given here, could be any or all.

Yup,

Crock pot, thin cut and let set in the fridge for a few days, marinade, many ways to enjoy the meat.

[Chewbacca]

Just got back from a most delicious traditional Chinese dinner at my brother and sister in laws. Checked in here and see what other hunters thoughts. After I had written the thread I was standing in the rain closet and thought flashed through the coconut about aging in the fridge and then found some here with the same thoughts as that essentially will be my cooler and being froze once the action of freezing moisture in the meat should help the process of aging,,hopefully. Going to throw a slab into the slow cooker and let it stew for 10hrs or so also to see how that works. Im going to thaw and age in the fridge for a few days and try some a marinade also, may as well try all suggestions.
Roderick I really hope your wrong and Walking Buffalo is right because I sure dont want that much tough meat. Thats a lot of hard chewin. :)

[Xiph0id]

At this point if it were me I would get in the habit of taking the meat out of the freezer 3-4 days before I was gonna eat it. Let it sit in fridge for that time and see if that helps


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I find this helps with tough meat.

Also as mentioned, crock pot.

When we decide we want roast for supper, it's out of the freezer 2-3 days before we cook or its in the crock pot while we are at work for 8 hours.

[3blade]

Ah the yearly meat aging thread.

First up, do not leave an elk or moose whole. The op got really lucky there was no spoilage between the hips and shoulders, these animals are made to survive winter and retain a lot of heat. Skin, remove legs and hang in game bags. It is best to wait until rigor has past, but the time that takes is dependent on conditions. The easy way to tell is if the leg joints move freely. Do not risk losing meat if it's too warm, cut it up and accept that tenderizing will have to be accomplished later. Rigor will usually pass in a day or two at the most.

there is no special enzyme in beef. That is a myth. Aging is caused by the post mortem release of intracellular enzymes that break down cell walls. All animals have these enzymes, however the time necessary to achieve acceptable results can vary significantly. This also does alter the flavor.

aging quarters for days/weeks is a science and requires precise humidity and temperature control, and you will lose the outer layer of meat even when done properly. That is a part of the process, and what makes it unacceptable to me. If you are inclined to try it, do your due diligence and learn about it from a reputable source, not what someone's dads uncle used to do. Wet aging (in vac package in the fridge) does work and is probably the best/safest way for the average guy.

There is also a multitude of ways to tenderize meat without aging, thus preserving all meat and it's fresh flavor. pressure cooker, slow cooker, proper marinade, mechanical tenderization with a hammer. There is also the Tenderbuck electronic stimulator, as featured on Meat Eater. Similar tech is used in commercial meat processing. I don't have any experience with it, but the science makes sense.

[charves]

Get one of these!

http://www.jaccard.com/Original-Super-Meat-Tenderizer--48-Knife_p_10.html

[Mountain Guy]

I'm on the aging helps side for moose/elk.
Everyone's experiences are different.
Mine are definitely favoring the aging process.
And I've tried the aging in the fridge on a moose once after it was vac sealed and it didn't seem to work for me as far as tenderness.
I've never had tough moose/elk that was nicely aged .

[Mountain Guy]

Also....toughness is relative.

Some people have stronger jaws than others :)

[brewster29]

I have been fortunate enough to score on 30+ bull elk and have earned "assists" on another 20 or so. Three of those elk were tougher than Mike Tyson in his prime. It happens. Unfortunately all were cut and wrapped before finding out just how durable the meat was. Even the tenderloins of those three should have been called "tougherloins"! All were eventually turned into sausage. I cut and process my own meat and try to age it as long as I dare...but without a good cooler sometimes it is not possible. Suggestions to age it for a few days in the fridge are good- it will help.

I did note that all three rubber elk had nearly no body fat and had likely ran many marathons during the rut period.

These days I have a large old fridge which can hold 4 quarters of elk. I try to age it at least a week prior to cutting and wrapping.

While we are on that topic if you want mild non-gamey meat do not cut through bones with a saw. This deposits a layer of marrow and bone meal on both sides of every piece. Both will go somewhat rancid even though they are frozen, giving your meat the gamey taste that turns off most people about wild meat. I completely bone out everything prior to cutting. I also bag my meat in plastic produce bags and squeeze out any air prior to wrapping in butcher paper- sort of like a poor man's vacuum system. Meat keeps nicely for about 2 years with no freezer burn.

Good luck,
Bruce

[Peebles]

there is no special enzyme in beef. That is a myth. Aging is caused by the post mortem release of intracellular enzymes that break down cell walls.

Indeed, however there is still a big difference aging game meat and beef because of the major differences in fat between them. Fat breaks down more slowly than protein. It transforms into aromatic fatty acids, which in beef intensify the umami/nutty flavour of meat. The flavor of deer fat is less appealing and there is much less of it, so sensitive palates might find aging makes the meat too gamey. Historically though long aging periods have been used for game. It's a matter of taste (and doing it safely).

Meat cooked and eaten before rigor mortis sets is exceptionally tender, but once the process has begun it should be allowed to proceed. The time it takes depends on the ambient temperature and the size of the animal, rather than a set period as suggested by some in this thread.

[220 Swift]

Get one of these!

http://www.jaccard.com/Original-Super-Meat-Tenderizer--48-Knife_p_10.html


Peavy mart sells these as well under the Lem name. I bought one for meat that i didnt run through my grinders tenderizer attachment. 25$ i think

[Sooner]

How were his teeth? Old and worn or good. Maybe you got an old tired bull. I agree with the crock pot. I have thrown moose/deer and elk steaks in the bottom with bbq sauce and they come out so tender. Just not "browned" but you can sear them first in a pan.

[Chewbacca]

How were his teeth? Old and worn or good. Maybe you got an old tired bull. I agree with the crock pot. I have thrown moose/deer and elk steaks in the bottom with bbq sauce and they come out so tender. Just not "browned" but you can sear them first in a pan.

His teeth were good. A light 5x5 is what? 2.5, 3.5 years old. These elk have the best of feed. Flax, barley, alfalfa wheat if that makes a difference in antler size.

[JD848]

Lotsa times just before you shoot them they were in a fight or chasing away other bull,chasing cows flat and this can make for some tough meat if he was stressed hard shorty before you shot him.

[Chewbacca]

Well, the consensus seems to be we cut it up to soon. Didn’t have much choice as we didn’t have a cooler available. I’m going to try all the suggestions. To much meat to make it all into sausage and I like my steak to much to do that, so experiment I will. Cant make it any tougher than it is. I’m not going to forget my manners so I want to thank you all for the advice.
Will keep you posted.

[ghostguy6]

Jerky is always an option for the tougher cuts of meat.