redkneck Posted November 16, 2009 Report Share Posted November 16, 2009 Just curious for those of you with walk in coolers, what do you consider the optimal cure time. I've let it sit for a week a time or two, but generally go for about 3-4 days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snipe Posted November 16, 2009 Report Share Posted November 16, 2009 I think you may get several answers to this question. I can only say for most of the hunters here in Texas. The meat ages less than 24 hours.. Mostly due to 3 things., Its still to warm here during deer season (so we can not let hang to age), Not having a walk in cooler to keep and age it.. And I bet less than 1% of Texas hunters process there own game, they take it to a deer processor... So the folks up North have better temps to hang in the garage or smoke house till ready to process.. Now for me. I leave my deer quartered and in a cooler of ice water for normally two days.. Some times 3. I will change the water everyday and add ice. Its not really aging, but it does help bleed out the meat better.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ravin R10 man Posted November 16, 2009 Report Share Posted November 16, 2009 old timers that butcher here always said a week to 10 days..but the meat MUST be cooled down below 38 ASAP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhunt Posted November 16, 2009 Report Share Posted November 16, 2009 Now for me. I leave my deer quartered and in a cooler of ice water for normally two days.. Some times 3. I will change the water everyday and add ice. Its not really aging, but it does help bleed out the meat better.. Same here, quartered and packed in cooler with ice and water, water drained out at least once a day. We usually try to take care of ours in 3 days, but have had it in the cooler for as long as a week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redkneck Posted November 17, 2009 Author Report Share Posted November 17, 2009 I've had mine in an ice chest more often than not, but last year picked up a nice cooler on ebay. It holds 37 degrees constantly. It's not a walk in but a nice sized reach-in cooler. Much better to let the meat age like that and darken up as it breaks down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TxStarr Posted November 17, 2009 Report Share Posted November 17, 2009 I think you may get several answers to this question. I can only say for most of the hunters here in Texas. The meat ages less than 24 hours.. Mostly due to 3 things., Its still to warm here during deer season (so we can not let hang to age), Not having a walk in cooler to keep and age it.. And I bet less than 1% of Texas hunters process there own game, they take it to a deer processor... So the folks up North have better temps to hang in the garage or smoke house till ready to process.. Now for me. I leave my deer quartered and in a cooler of ice water for normally two days.. Some times 3. I will change the water everyday and add ice. Its not really aging, but it does help bleed out the meat better.. I have noticed that most people don't process their own meat and I cannot understand it . . . you KNOW what you are eating when you do it yourself!! My husband's first job was at a processing plant and some of the things that got employees fired from there would curl your hair!! But my dad and his family always processed their own meat—even before we had fancy grinders and meat saws!! We leave ours in coolers with ice and water for a minimum of 3 days. Sometimes for as long as a week and a half. It helps soak the blood out and lets us do it when we have the time. We dream of a walk in cooler!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doubledrop Posted November 19, 2009 Report Share Posted November 19, 2009 it is in the cooler full of ice for me. Anymore up here in Ohio it has been rather warm the last few seasons. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MNcrittergittr Posted November 19, 2009 Report Share Posted November 19, 2009 We usually hang our deer for about a week. Obviously a big factor is the weather. It's important to cool the meat, and once it is cooled to below 40 degrees, it usually takes a lot of heat to raise the internal temps. This year my buck hung for a week with temps at night in the 20's and highs during the day in the upper 50's (which for November around here is CRAZY unheard of). The temp in the garage was usually in the 30's...My buck was a big, swollen up ruttin' buck but is ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS, and TENDER!!!...No doubt in my mind, much of that is due to hanging and aging. The big thing is the temps at night, or the lows...if its ealry in the season, obviously if you don't have a walk in cooler, it's gotta be quartered and put in a fridge or cooler etc. If it gets too cold though, it freezes and doesn't age. So ideal high temp is around 40, with lows in the 20's and 30's. In a nutshell, most often our deer hang for about a week in late Oct, through November. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RangerClay Posted November 20, 2009 Report Share Posted November 20, 2009 3-5 days for most of my deer. I get the hide off it as quickly as possible so it can cool down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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