How long do you age meat?

[Hunt anything]

To get around drying game meat out even more I will at times go ahead and butcher it into meal sized portions and then vacuum pack it. After the desired amount of time I will stick it in the freezer.

 

[UKHunter]

Fellow Carnivores and Omnivores,

There is no doubt that I am one of the few weirdos who does not favor aged venison.
Game meat is not “marbled” with fat and so, it is already too dry (especially caribou).

Porcupine is the one exception that I have eaten.
Although, the two times I have eaten it, I still did not bother to age the huge rodents.

There may be other wild animals with natural fat deposits throughout their muscle fibers but, I have not experienced any others.
Hanging up game meat to dry out even more than it already is, has not been a rewarding experience for me.
Fortunately, marinating dry meat for several days helps.
But even after that method, if it still remains too dry, dunking each bite in gravy is a decent remedy.

Anyway, I prefer all meat, mammal, fowl, fish, molusk, amphibian, reptile, including both wild and farm raised animals, to be as fresh as possible.
Whatever the species anyone cares to name, for my taste (or my metaphoric lack of taste) is at its moisture content and flavor best, the moment it hits the ground.

Admittedly, many cuts from a grain fed domestic beef steer, are “marbled” with plentiful natural fat.
Sometimes the fat is too plentiful, resulting in a grill fire, (if you are an easily distracted simpleton like myself).
Anyway, grain fed domestic beef can tolerate dry aging very well.

Nonetheless, if I were to butcher a grain fed steer, I probably would not bother aging that meat either.
I would just trim off the largest chunks of fat and toss those steaks on the barbie.

Buon Appetito,
Weirdo Dog.

I don’t believe that fat content or the desire to have ‘drier’ meat are why there is wisdom to hand meat. Would be interested to know more about your views on far and having drier meat?

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Fellow Carnivores and Omnivores,

There is no doubt that I am one of the few weirdos who does not favor aged venison.
Game meat is not “marbled” with fat and so, it is already too dry (especially caribou).

Porcupine is the one exception that I have eaten.
Although, the two times I have eaten it, I still did not bother to age the huge rodents.

There may be other wild animals with natural fat deposits throughout their muscle fibers but, I have not experienced any others.
Hanging up game meat to dry out even more than it already is, has not been a rewarding experience for me.
Fortunately, marinating dry meat for several days helps.
But even after that method, if it still remains too dry, dunking each bite in gravy is a decent remedy.

Anyway, I prefer all meat, mammal, fowl, fish, molusk, amphibian, reptile, including both wild and farm raised animals, to be as fresh as possible.
Whatever the species anyone cares to name, for my taste (or my metaphoric lack of taste) is at its moisture content and flavor best, the moment it hits the ground.

Admittedly, many cuts from a grain fed domestic beef steer, are “marbled” with plentiful natural fat.
Sometimes the fat is too plentiful, resulting in a grill fire, (if you are an easily distracted simpleton like myself).
Anyway, grain fed domestic beef can tolerate dry aging very well.

Nonetheless, if I were to butcher a grain fed steer, I probably would not bother aging that meat either.
I would just trim off the largest chunks of fat and toss those steaks on the barbie.

Buon Appetito,
Weirdo Dog.

@Velo Dog
My father's take on beef was
Whip it's horns off, wipe its arse and throw it in the grill.
To cook chuck it on, chuck it over the chuck it on the plate.
If it still bleeds a bit when you cut it that's fine but if it goes moo it's underdone.
He liked his stear rare.
Bob

 

[Velo Dog]

I don’t believe that fat content or the desire to have ‘drier’ meat are why there is wisdom to hand meat. Would be interested to know more about your views on far and having drier meat?

Hi UKHunter,

Regarding your first sentence, if I’m accurate in replacing the word, “hand” with the word “hang”, then I agree with what you wrote there.

However, I cannot figure out the meaning of your second sentence.
The word, “far” seems like it does not fit but, I have not been able to think of a word that will make sense to replace it with.

Cheers.
Paul
(Velo Dog)

 

[GuttormG]

game meat is not “marbled” with fat and so, it is already too dry (especially caribou).

Never experienced my meat drying out. We skin all deer within short time, so yes-we do get a dry surface. The carcass is cooled down in a shaded, well ventilated place until rigor mortis is over and then transferred to cool, well ventilated room (early in season this will be a refrigerated room).
Hanging a warn carcass that hasn't been through rigor mortis in a refrigerated room is an excellent recipe for getting though meat, and very often it will be fox bait due to mold forming.

"Gamey taste" very often comes from bad hygiene.

And any meat is really tender until rigor mortis begins.