Field meat care question

Btrevett

FNG
Joined
Aug 27, 2021
Messages
7
Hello! New member here and have a question about meat care on a hunting trip I was hoping I could get some advice on. I am a new hunter, started last year in POW. Going back again this year.

So, I understand that when getting a deer in the field on a trip, you want to age the meat before freezing to fly back home. However, say I get deer one day before leaving. Can I freeze it for the flight home, unfreeze it, and then do a wet age in vacuum seal bags?

is just hanging it in a tree for a night in the field sufficient enough to make it tender before freezing for the flight home?

what is the best way to help the tenderization process before freezing to bring home. What do y’all do in that situation? Thank you

Bryce
 

Holocene

WKR
Joined
Jul 25, 2016
Messages
374
Location
Portland, OR
That approach can work.

One thing to keep in mind, aging "bone in" is a good start, whether that's in a tree or at a processor or someone's garage... Something we are experimenting with is keeping the muscle on bone for as long as possible after the kill so that rigor sets in and then fades. For big game and birds. Something about rigor setting in to a cut piece of meat and it "scrunching up" and getting tough.

These days, I chamber seal big muscle groups, freeze them, and remove for further processing. For grind, meat goes straight to the grinder. For steaks, you can dry age the thawed meat in the freezer for a long time -- at least a week, maybe more if it's a big cut. You'll lose some surface meat to drying out, but this technique will turn even tough old bull legs into tenderish steaks.
 

Glendon Mullins

Hillbilly Moderator
Staff member
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Sep 7, 2014
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2,125
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Highland County Virginia
Hello! New member here and have a question about meat care on a hunting trip I was hoping I could get some advice on. I am a new hunter, started last year in POW. Going back again this year.

So, I understand that when getting a deer in the field on a trip, you want to age the meat before freezing (aging meat is good and fine, but it is not "needed" most venison will taste fine without aging) to fly back home. However, say I get deer one day before leaving. Can I freeze it for the flight home, unfreeze it, and then do a wet age in vacuum seal bags? Most people don't recommend freezing then unfreezing meat, personally I would make a choice here, either go ahead and freeze it, or ship it on ice in a cooler unfrozen.

is just hanging it in a tree for a night in the field sufficient enough to make it tender before freezing for the flight home? This depends on the temperature in the area you are hanging it, if its too cold it will simply freeze, if its too hot it will potentially spoil

what is the best way to help the tenderization process before freezing to bring home. What do y’all do in that situation? Thank you (if it was me, I would just put it on ice and bring it home, i assume it will age somewhat that way in a cooler if temps are right. if you must have it aged. If not just freeze it and bring it home,

Bryce
Man there are a whole lot of variables to the questions u asked but I will try my best and I am no expert

also check out these previous threads as well...... more knowledge here than i can give


 
Joined
Dec 15, 2019
Messages
463
Location
Alaska
Meat is the toughest about a day after the animal dies. When you freeze it, aging stops, and does not resume when you thaw. This means your best options are to freeze right away before the muscles start seizing up, or wait until after the first day when they start relaxing and collagen starts breaking down.

So the answer is no, sorry, it won't age like you propose. However, the meat should still be very good, just not as tender as it could be if it were aged.
 
Joined
Sep 7, 2019
Messages
10
It's pricey and takes away the joy of doing everything yourself but why not take it to a processor if you encounter the situation describe? Just food for thought.
 
OP
B

Btrevett

FNG
Joined
Aug 27, 2021
Messages
7
Man there are a whole lot of variables to the questions u asked but I will try my best and I am no expert

also check out these previous threads as well...... more knowledge here than i can give


That was very helpful thank you!
 
OP
B

Btrevett

FNG
Joined
Aug 27, 2021
Messages
7
It's pricey and takes away the joy of doing everything yourself but why not take it to a processor if you encounter the situation describe? Just food for thought.
I really want to process it on my own, I’m really interested in that entire process. Thank you fir the reply !
 
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