Max Time Before Processing

OXN939

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So I'll be in Alaska for Caribou in a few weeks, North Slope Brooks Range. Climatology says daytime average temps 50-60, nights 30-35. Should be cool enough at night to keep meat core temperatures chilly throughout the day.

Question is as follows: assuming good care of meat (proper cleaning, game bag storage, good ventilation, citric acid spray after letting initial crust develop), how long would you be comfortable leaving it on the bone before processing and freezing it? Hypothetically, I could shoot one day #1 and would then have 10 days before getting back to Fairbanks. If that's the case, I'm leaning towards giving it to a game processor who could freeze it there. If I shoot one more like day #5, and can have it back to my house for processing in < 100 hours, I'll probably fly it home in coolers as a checked bag and process it myself. Thoughts?
 
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I routinely leave bone-in venison quarters in a cooler on ice for 7 days. It’s considered “wet aging” and that’s about the max time. Dry aging can go for up to a month, which hanging meat would be as long as the temperature and humidity conditions are met. I’d be more worried about a bear messing with it over a 10 day period than meat spoilage, assuming it dips below freezing every night.

Unless you or your hunting party have other tags, or you plan to spend the time fishing or photographing nature, I’d arrange some sort of early pickup situation rather than just hanging out on the tundra for 9 days.

If you need a break from the wife though, you could always tag out on the last day. ;)
 
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OXN939

OXN939

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I routinely leave bone-in venison quarters in a cooler on ice for 7 days. It’s considered “wet aging” and that’s about the max time. Dry aging can go for up to a month, which hanging meat would be as long as the temperature and humidity conditions are met. I’d be more worried about a bear messing with it over a 10 day period than meat spoilage, assuming it dips below freezing every night.

Unless you or your hunting party have other tags, or you plan to spend the time fishing or photographing nature, I’d arrange some sort of early pickup situation rather than just hanging out on the tundra for 9 days.

If you need a break from the wife though, you could always tag out on the last day. ;)

Yeah, I'm definitely planning to call the outfitter early if we score within the first few days- always good to be prepared for contingencies, though! That time of year up there, weather is the big concern. I think you're right, though; if it's over a week, I'll probably take it to a processor in Fairbanks and have it frozen there.
 

Larry Bartlett

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Ageing game meat depends on numerous factors, including how lean the meat is (species specific) and the storage temperature.

The most important factor for your Alaska window will be temperature. I don't know where you're hunting, but that climate perspective is wrong for august temperatures north of the Alaska Range to the Arctic ocean. Expect daytime temps to range from 50-80 F, and nighttime temps from 35-50 F. The sunlight (UV exposure) will be about 18 hours through the middle of august, which offers higher temps to 9 pm on most cloudless days. Your hands on meat care will be challenging, and ageing is the least of your concerns.

The warmer the storage temps the faster glycolysis cycles occur. This conversion of glucose to lactic acid on meat tissue decides its final tender quality. In your home woods, hunters age meat for 5-7 days (at 38-45 F) with a few guys holding out for 10-12 days in proper storage (34-40 F) conditions. In alaska, your ageing process is complicated by remote logistics and field climate.

The best treatment to ensure final quality of your meat is to keep it as cool as possible (core temps <50 degrees) for 5 days post harvest before processing and freezing. Ageing wont make it taste better in my experience. Just don't freeze your meat before day 4 post death to prevent cold shortening. This would firm your meat to boot leather and there is no reversal.

Hope this helps, man.

lb
 
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