Another hanging question.

[sallanh]

Hide and head on or off. I've done some reseach online and I see both answers. Just wondering what you guys do.

Scott

[Sledhead71]

When you view domestic animals swinging on hooks, how do they appear

People will say both, but I refer to the above ^^^

[Ice Fishing Maniac]

Leaving the hide on while hanging and expect your meat to spoil . Should be the second thing you do after dressing out the game. GET THAT HIDE OFF or it will retail the heat.

[hunter1993ap]

if its cold you can leave the hide on. I never do.

[Mountain Guy]

Leave the hide on when the weather is colder. Keeps the meat temp from fluctuating as the temps change. Plus it prevents wastage because of dried outer surface.
Early season or warmer weather, to be safe you should get the hide off as soon as possible to ensure that the meat will cool properly and not turn green on ya.

[HunterDave]

Originally Posted by Mountain Guy

Leave the hide on when the weather is colder.

You don't find it hard to skin when it's frozen solid? I have always skinned my animals as soon as they are hanging so I've always wondered about that.

[Mountain Guy]

Originally Posted by HunterDave

You don't find it hard to skin when it's frozen solid? I have always skinned my animals as soon as they are hanging so I've always wondered about that.

Not at all...especially with my new Havalon knife
If it's gonna freeze then the hide should come off. Saying that I know I avoid a frozen carcass at all costs. Usually, unless your way back in the bush, you can manage the carcass to avoid freezing. That's when leaving the hide on a moose or elk can save it from freezing if it's cold out, for at least a day or so.
Opposite isn't really good either, as the toughest moose I've ever laid my gums on was a 1 1/2 year old bull that froze too quick. That particular moose had the hide off 1/2 hour after it tipped over.

[Lefty-Canuck]

In a perfect world, guts out immediately after pictures....hide comes off as soon as it is hanging on the hoists at home in the garage...head is removed last still attached to the hide (usually within 4-6 hours at the longest). A quick rinse inside and out with a garden hose and cold water, and straight in the cooler...a deer is cut 5-7 days and elk or moose 12-16 days.

Never had a "gamey" tasting animal....never HAD to marinate to get rid of a flavour....cook the wild game just like I would beef or other red meat. Salt and pepper or some BBQ sauce, marinate for taste not to hide an off or gamey flavour. When cooking med-rare is the most it gets....

LC

[no-regard]

I'm always curious about this topic because I've alway heard that deer should hang for close to a week or they'll be disgusting. In my limited experience (4 whitetails in the last 2 years), because of timing issues etc, my deer were only able to hang 2 days at the most (2 were cut the following day after being shot) and they've all been great. Very tender, not gamey… delicious through and through. The Big Green Egg has had a busy weekend as usual, did the last pack of backstraps yesterday and a WT roast is on deck for this afternoon.

[Mountain Guy]

Originally Posted by no-regard

I'm always curious about this topic because I've alway heard that deer should hang for close to a week or they'll be disgusting. In my limited experience (4 whitetails in the last 2 years), because of timing issues etc, my deer were only able to hang 2 days at the most (2 were cut the following day after being shot) and they've all been great. Very tender, not gamey… delicious through and through. The Big Green Egg has had a busy weekend as usual, did the last pack of backstraps yesterday and a WT roast is on deck for this afternoon.

If anything, deer hanging over a week could be disgusting if they weren't handled properly in the first place. My experiences are that aging does not affect taste much but may contribute to chewability.

[Mike_W]

You will find a bunch of suggestions on what to do and whats a waste of time. If the weather permits you can leave the hide on this is nice for "garage hangers" as typically a deer will dry out substantially. Myself I prefer to skin my deer once home and hopefully still slightly warm as the hide comes off easier.

Elk and moose are usually skinned and quartered on the spot.
My elk hung for 10 days in optimum temp in a cooler and it is great!!

[HunterDave]

Originally Posted by no-regard

I'm always curious about this topic because I've alway heard that deer should hang for close to a week or they'll be disgusting.

We're getting into a different topic with that and everyone has their own opinion on it. IMO, there is no requirement to hang a deer longer than 5 minutes. It does little besides drying it out and wasting some of the meat. I suppose though that if you have no teeth or have wooden dentures that a little aging in ideal conditions would help to tenderize it a bit but I don't think that it would effect how it tastes.

[Lefty-Canuck]

Originally Posted by HunterDave

We're getting into a different topic with that and everyone has their own opinion on it. IMO, there is no requirement to hang a deer longer than 5 minutes. It does little besides drying it out and wasting some of the meat. I suppose though that if you have no teeth or have wooden dentures that a little aging in ideal conditions would help to tenderize it a bit but I don't think that it would effect how it tastes.

That's where I disagree Growing up with a father for a butcher we always age the meat we eat as roast or steaks....recently we decided what we eat for burger doesn't need aging. If your entire deer becomes sausage or burger aging not required. We prefer to age the finer cuts.

But I don't eat your deer and you don't eat mine so we can still get along

LC

[HunterDave]

Originally Posted by Lefty-Canuck

That's where I disagree Growing up with a father for a butcher we always age the meat we eat as roast or steaks....

If you've never eaten a steak or roast from a deer that wasn't aged, how do you know the difference between the two?

[madatter]

You can vac seal roasts and steaks in fridge at optimum temp.....most don't have coolers and most don't attain optimum conditions.
Ive always skinned deer right away....dry out a biy yeah but I use a filet knife to remove silvery meat and tissue anyway.

[Blackwolf]

Field dress on site, skin and quarter when back at camp. I do not hang deer, it does not need 28 days, to tenderize it.

[Lefty-Canuck]

Originally Posted by HunterDave

If you've never eaten a steak or roast from a deer that wasn't aged, how do you know the difference between the two?

Actually I believe I have...and it was inedible

LC

[Sooner]

Personally we keep the hides on, even on a moose in October unless temps are high. Close to zero and hide on for the week it hangs in the garage. No problem removing the hide and the outer skin don't dry out either. November the garage is kept a zero with the furnace. Never had any meat spoil yet. All moose and deer cuts look and smell good when we cut it up and taste good too.

[HunterDave]

Originally Posted by Lefty-Canuck

Actually I believe I have...and it was inedible

LC

I think that you're pulling my leg, Lefty. Why would it be inedible just because it wasn't aged?

[Lefty-Canuck]

Originally Posted by HunterDave

I think that you're pulling my leg, Lefty. Why would it be inedible just because it wasn't aged?

You caught me

In all seriousness on larger older animals we have noticed a difference between ones that were aged and ones that were not....so we tend to hang by default now (we also have the means to do so properly at out fingertips so that helps).

A young animal or smaller one (mule or white tail doe) there is no need to hang extended times but 5-7 days can't hurt. There is actually studies and science that back hanging to allow tissue to break down further. A lot of taste is handling, temperature control, preparation and getting rid of fat and bone that can contribute to stronger tastes.

21 or 28 day aged beef is different than if you drop it and cut it same day, once meat freezes it stops "aging".

LC

[CNP]

Originally Posted by Lefty-Canuck

You caught me

In all seriousness on larger older animals we have noticed a difference between ones that were aged and ones that were not....so we tend to hang by default now (we also have the means to do so properly at out fingertips so that helps).

A young animal or smaller one (mule or white tail doe) there is no need to hang extended times but 5-7 days can't hurt. There is actually studies and science that back hanging to allow tissue to break down further. A lot of taste is handling, temperature control, preparation and getting rid of fat and bone that can contribute to stronger tastes.

21 or 28 day aged beef is different than if you drop it and cut it same day, once meat freezes it stops "aging".

LC

I don't know the stats on how many of us cut our own game........but I would gather that most get it done "professionally". The guys who cut their own are fewer and fewer still have "the means" to age meat properly. If all a guy has is a garage, it's difficult to age meat within a consistent/optimum temperature range. If the temperature in my garage allows it to age I will age it. Most of the time that is not possible, that being the case, I will cut it immediately. Doesn't everybody take out the loins before they dry out? No aging going on there.

[Lefty-Canuck]

Which loins are you talking about drying out? When we gut an animal we leave the kidney fat intact to protect the tenderloins....the other (strip) loins are usually covered by a thin layer of fat also....so they are also protected from drying. So to answer your question we age the loins along with everything else.

LC

[HunterDave]

Originally Posted by ehntr

Doesn't everybody take out the loins before they dry out? No aging going on there.

I do that for the tender loins but not the loins (aka backstraps) if I leave it hang for a few days. I don't think that the TENDERloins will get much more tender.....lol.

[Flatlandliver]

A lot of taste is handling, temperature control, preparation and getting rid of fat and bone that can contribute to stronger tastes.

LC[/QUOTE]

Bingo. This and don't get any hair on the meat and be super careful with bucks and musk glands. Don't saw through bones, just debone the meat. I believe alot of the gameyness in wild game comes from the fat so I trim that asap. Cant prove it just my opinion. Will agree to disagree about the need to age deer, I hang mine 2-3 days, but to each his own. Tenderloin medallions are usually the celebration meal day of or day after the hunt. I have found the meat cutting to be part of the experience and its really not that difficult. Had a butcher show me the ropes yaers ago, tons of info on youtube etc now.

For the OP question, hide stays on until hanging in the garage, keeps meat clean in the field/truck. Comes off as soon as its hanging.

[CNP]

Originally Posted by Lefty-Canuck

Which loins are you talking about drying out? When we gut an animal we leave the kidney fat intact to protect the tenderloins....the other (strip) loins are usually covered by a thin layer of fat also....so they are also protected from drying. So to answer your question we age the loins along with everything else.

LC

Originally Posted by HunterDave

I do that for the tender loins but not the loins (aka backstraps) if I leave it hang for a few days. I don't think that the TENDERloins will get much more tender.....lol.

Yeah........terminology I use that anyone else may not use. I call inside as "loins" and the outside as "backstrap".

Antelope shot Aug 15 was cut and in the freezer within two hours. Very edible

[Lefty-Canuck]

Originally Posted by ehntr

Yeah........terminology I use that anyone else may not use. I call inside as "loins" and the outside as "backstrap".

Antelope shot Aug 15 was cut and in the freezer within two hours. Very edible

Yah I am heading down south to find an antelope tomorrow....I don't imagine it will age much before it's eaten either

LC

[chuck0039]

I hang in my shed, take hide and head off then use my saw zall to cut down the back bone. I usually take a zip lock bag and put the evidence of sex in it and tape it shut so when its hanging it does not touch the meat. just make sure the tag is on the same side as the sex. After that in the cooler until I cut it up..

[glen1971]

Leave it on til you get it home... Keeps it cleaner.. Then get rid of the fur coat and let it cool...

[HunterDave]

Originally Posted by ehntr

Yeah........terminology I use that anyone else may not use. I call inside as "loins" and the outside as "backstrap".

Do you hunt "Flagtails" too?

[bluetick]

Originally Posted by Lefty-Canuck

You caught me

In all seriousness on larger older animals we have noticed a difference between ones that were aged and ones that were not....so we tend to hang by default now (we also have the means to do so properly at out fingertips so that helps).

A young animal or smaller one (mule or white tail doe) there is no need to hang extended times but 5-7 days can't hurt. There is actually studies and science that back hanging to allow tissue to break down further. A lot of taste is handling, temperature control, preparation and getting rid of fat and bone that can contribute to stronger tastes.

21 or 28 day aged beef is different than if you drop it and cut it same day, once meat freezes it stops "aging".

LC

Actualy you are correct about science and aging meat like beef .
Though there is a vast difference between a well marbled beef side and a very lean side of deer or elk which does have a layer of fat (somewhat inedible ) on a deer .
Beef has an enzyme that will break down connective tissues inside the meat where all the sinue and fine marble fat are.
Deer and other ungulates lack this same enzyme, although all meat will rott and become tender and completely inedible unless your inuit and enjoy your game fermented.
Hanging a game animal hide off will definately improve flavor of your game ,the quicker it is removed in any temperature is best ,
Hence why they sell game bags to protect the meat from drying .

40 years hunting and 25 years as a certified chef and butcher has taught me this as well as some very knowledgable outdoorsman from many years past.