Meat question

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Lockdown
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Re: Meat question

Unread postby Lockdown » Thu Dec 21, 2017 4:14 am

You’re 100% fine. IMHO one day of mid 40’s isn’t bad at all. Mid to upper 30s is perfect. I have really pushed it in years past. I go by smell. If it doesn’t smell rotten it isn’t. Couple years ago I had one that was just beginning to give off a concerning odor after a day that got way warmer than it was suppose to. I marked the packages just in case I got sick after eating some of that meat, but it all turned out fine.


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yungbuck
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Re: Meat question

Unread postby yungbuck » Thu Dec 21, 2017 6:05 am

I like skinning and cutting meat off the bone immediately, putting it in open zip lock bags up side down on ice let it be in ice for 4 to 7 days, can butcher at own pace
nothing but a simple minded god fearing public land bow hunter
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Re: Meat question

Unread postby Weaver.b » Thu Dec 21, 2017 7:00 am

Thanks for all the reassuring replies.
When my time upon this earth the days they are fulfilled let me die at least as clean as those I killed
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Re: Meat question

Unread postby Nelson87 » Thu Dec 21, 2017 7:51 am

JoeRE wrote:
Jed33 wrote:I'll mention what others here already have, field dress and skin the deer asap, to cool the meat. I hit the bare meat with a water hose if it is hot outside to help the initial cooling.

Another good tip is keep the deer out of direct sunlight. I got a doe during shotgun season, skinned her and hung her with temps in the 60's. With the wind blowing and the temperature dropping into the high 30's during the night I let her hang for two days, making sure to keep her out of direct sun. No issues with spoilage, meat smelled fine and tasted delicious.

I would not worry about the temps you are having at all.


Yep the biggest thing is getting the hide off. Any back country western hunter will tell you that too. Then you would be amazed at how long meat can be kept in a shady, cool, and dry spot. Doing some of that the last few years really opened my eyes I used to freak out (in hindsight for no reason) if I couldn't get it in the freezer in 24-36 hrs.


Western hunters routinely hang quarters for a week or more with daytime highs in the 60s and 70s in game bags to keep the flies off. Dry air and cool nights help a lot out there though and that isn't always available in the rest of the US. If the deer in question had the hide on for several days the damage is done its gonna be stronger tasting than it would have otherwise. Next time take the hide off first and with temps staying in the 40s and below hanging a week where its dry and with air movement would be no problem.


I agree. I have let a deer hang for a day in the shade with Temps up to nearly 70, BUT I skinned it as soon as I got it home and that night it was plenty cold enough to cool it all the way through- high 30s, i believe.

I usually quarter my deer right away so i can manage cooling them myself, since I'm to cheap to pay $10 a day to hang them in a walk in cooler.
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Re: Meat question

Unread postby Jed33 » Fri Dec 22, 2017 4:43 am

Nelson87 wrote:
JoeRE wrote:
Jed33 wrote:I'll mention what others here already have, field dress and skin the deer asap, to cool the meat. I hit the bare meat with a water hose if it is hot outside to help the initial cooling.

Another good tip is keep the deer out of direct sunlight. I got a doe during shotgun season, skinned her and hung her with temps in the 60's. With the wind blowing and the temperature dropping into the high 30's during the night I let her hang for two days, making sure to keep her out of direct sun. No issues with spoilage, meat smelled fine and tasted delicious.

I would not worry about the temps you are having at all.


Yep the biggest thing is getting the hide off. Any back country western hunter will tell you that too. Then you would be amazed at how long meat can be kept in a shady, cool, and dry spot. Doing some of that the last few years really opened my eyes I used to freak out (in hindsight for no reason) if I couldn't get it in the freezer in 24-36 hrs.


Western hunters routinely hang quarters for a week or more with daytime highs in the 60s and 70s in game bags to keep the flies off. Dry air and cool nights help a lot out there though and that isn't always available in the rest of the US. If the deer in question had the hide on for several days the damage is done its gonna be stronger tasting than it would have otherwise. Next time take the hide off first and with temps staying in the 40s and below hanging a week where its dry and with air movement would be no problem.


I agree. I have let a deer hang for a day in the shade with Temps up to nearly 70, BUT I skinned it as soon as I got it home and that night it was plenty cold enough to cool it all the way through- high 30s, i believe.

I usually quarter my deer right away so i can manage cooling them myself, since I'm to cheap to pay $10 a day to hang them in a walk in cooler.


Yup I should have mentioned keeping the fly's away. That will probably ruin your meat before the temperature does.


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