Aging venison

[GoBears870]

I usually age a quartered-out deer in an ice chest for 12-14 days before butchering and freezing. I shot a buck Saturday (11/10) but will be out of town for the whole week of Thanksgiving - ideally I would be completing the process at home during that time.

The question I can't find an answer to is if the aging process is best done while the meat is still in the primal cuts. If so, I would need to get my neighbor to tend to my cooler every couple days while I'm gone. If not, I should be able to cut up and vacuum pack everything before leaving so I can put it all in the fridge to complete the aging process while we're gone. Before you ask, no I don't have a second fridge and no I can't put the full quarters in our kitchen fridge.

Thanks for any tips!

[gingib]

Good question. The most I have gone is 9 days

[diamond10x]

I think you will probably get responses saying best to leave quartered and best to leave deboned.

IMO quartered would be best because that way more meat stays protected with having less exposed surface area than each muscle being broken down and all surface area exposed, if that makes sense? Kinda hard to explain.

I too usually keep keep a quartered deer in the ice chest or walk in freezer about 2 weeks.

[AntlerCollector]

In your case you may want to consider wet aging it. Just vacuum seal it quartered up, and put it in the fridge

[GoBears870]

IMO quartered would be best because that way more meat stays protected with having less exposed surface area than each muscle being broken down and all surface area exposed, if that makes sense? Kinda hard to explain.

I too usually keep keep a quartered deer in the ice chest or walk in freezer about 2 weeks.

I understand your point - didn't realize that was the reason for keeping it all together. If this was a younger doe I'd finish the job this weekend, but it was a seriously old buck (no bottom teeth left) and I'd really like to keep him chilled at least two weeks.

[SaltwaterSlick]

If you're going to vacuum seal it after final butchering, aging it in the fridge will work just fine... None of your meat will be exposed to anything if it's vacuum sealed. I've done it before and it works just fine... And good on you for the aging period... I too like at least 10 days to 14 days... good flavor profile and hardly ever tough meat, even the hind quarter major muscles...

[eradicator]

If you're going to vacuum seal it after final butchering, aging it in the fridge will work just fine... None of your meat will be exposed to anything if it's vacuum sealed. I've done it before and it works just fine... And good on you for the aging period... I too like at least 10 days to 14 days... good flavor profile and hardly ever tough meat, even the hind quarter major muscles...

These are the best cuts!!! Other than the backstraps and tenderloin obviously

[bpa556]

Portion it out, vacuum seal it and leave it in the fridge. It’ll age nicely while you’re giving thanks next week. It’s called wet aging and that’s how 90% of commercial beef is aged today.


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