How long can a deer be left in a walk in cooler to age

[MNK]

As the title states I’m curious how long y’all have left deer in a walk in cooler to age before processing. I’ve got a few deer I’ve been stockpiling here at the ranch and I’m fixing to start grinding and cutting them up but was curious how long is too long to leave them hanging. I have left the skin on. I’ve taken skin off before but outside layer of meat really dries out and gets wasted. Thanks for y’all’s input.

[glen]

60 days

[Mitchell8]

A long time as long as it’s just a walk in cooler and not a walk out.

[Royal21973]

I have been told by person that wanted to know how long for best results:

He had the time, patinance, game, and a real nice cooler set up. After 3-4 years he says that 7 days with skin on at 36 degrees is the best. He took it up to 14 days in his test.

[Greenheadless]

A couple weeks if the temp of the carcass stays below 40 degrees.

I wish I could hang mine this long.

[Johnny Dangerr]

7 to 14 days. Always did ours 10th day...

[tkuehn5410]

Longest I've done is around 3 weeks. Usually age about 2 weeks.

[Sika]

We let them hang for a couple of weeks.
If piled up on the floor though, only 2-3 days. Air can't get in the chest cavity to dry it out and they will spoil starting with the tenderloins and anything touching the floor.

[MNK]

Ok this is good to hear, I’m right at 2 weeks now so I think I’m going to start processing them.

[Artos]

I leave mine 2-3 weeks & have gone 4...

[Muddy Bud]

How about skin removed and quartered?

[Artos]

I would do the suspended in ice method if removing the skin...the exterior meat dries up, turns black & gets wasted. I always remove the the tenderloins before hanging & will age them wrapped in saran wrap in the fridge to avoid the one exposed side drying up.

[Jon Stewart]

We skin ours right away, quarter up and put them in grey restaurant tubs with covers for 5 days in the fridge. Cut them up and grind everything but the loins. With the 5 grandkids killing deer along with adults we do it this way for several deer in the fall. We have never had an issue with taste or the outside of the deer meat drying out.

[Sika]

That crust protects it from bacteria growth. Just trim it off.

[rtp]

7-10 days at 37 degrees with skin on was perfect for me.


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