Thread: How long do you age venison before freezing?

Originally Posted by Toby

Skin this shit off and then when you have steak sammies and take a bite you wont be pulling the whole bit of steak from the rest of the sandwhich.

Yep that's the way, time spent prepping the cuts before bagging is time well spent (although removing it when it is par-thawed is even easier)

For me it is two days in the garage (pending time of year) then bagged and in the freezer, I pull out the cuts I want 2 days before hand and age in the fridge a further few days in a big tupaware container before cooking (a great way to introduce a marinate if your that way inclined).

For me I believe that for "tender" steaks and the likes, one of the biggest points overlooked is the direction it is sliced... eg cross grain rather than along the grain.

Also shot placement and animal condition goes a long way to ensuring a tasty meal.

My 2 cents...

true that

How long I hang the beast depends on how hungry I am.......i love eating venison, best meat....ever.....end of

Talked to an old school butcher the other day, he said they used to dry hang 2-4deg C.... Beef for 21 days, lamb for 14-20 days. Didn't mention Vension but I assume similar.... Have tested the hanging fridge with Goat, 7, 10 and 12 days.... longer the better from experince.

It gives the emzimes time to break down/loosen the muscle tissue (good) without bacteria growth (bad), must be 2-4C to stop the bad stuff but still let the good stuff do its thing.... apparently

My old man was a butcher way back in the sixty's and he is the same. Reckons trying to cut beef that has not been hung is like trying to cut jello with a blunt breadknife.

Originally Posted by chris-b

It gives the emzimes time to break down/loosen the muscle tissue (good) without bacteria growth (bad), must be 2-4C to stop the bad stuff but still let the good stuff do its thing.... apparently

+1 for enzymic action, 2-4 degrees C, typical fridge temperature. 5 degrees is where the problems begin. Usually sits as muscle groups on racks down the bottom of the fridge here, for 2 weeks before steaking. I'm progressively trying longer times and it's all been good so far.