Dry Aged White Tail Leg for Mother's Day
- Thread starter JTComfort
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Probably good that it was frozen!!
I have done it with a whole frozen salmon from AK to CA
BillLarson
Well-Known Member
Thank You for posting and discussing topic...
I am somewhat of a survivalist and the day may come this knowledge could save lives...
Thanks again and good hunting...
A friend has a small walk in cooler. We were able to change the temps and aged a deer for 18 days. It was the most tender deer I've ever eaten. However the texture of the meat was soft and it didn't chew like meat. Ended up burgering all of it. Won't ever do that again…
Sorry to hear about your unsatisfactory results. So many factors in-play. Final preparation makes a difference and aged game is not to everyone's taste. A lot of people note that the meat can taste "metallic" if overcooked and I would agree, it's off-putting.
You're welcome. I've been playing around with pressure canning venison as well. A friend in PA does a lot of canned venison - perfect for that late-night snack or breakfast venison hash.
Sorry, it took me so long to reply. My new Chihuahua puppy jumped up on my computer and pushed a bunch of keys and shut down my email for the last 3or4 days.
While I am not a trained chef, I did own a bar-b-que restaurant for a while. I am a meat cooking kinda-a-man. You have talked me into clearing out one side of my refrigerator (spare one in the garage) and hanging a hind quarter for three weeks. That will have to wait until this fall but in the meantime, I will practice with some feral hogs. Thanks for the great information and inspiration.
TS - definitely support the hanging quarter as a first go. I would add a couple of suggestions if doing only the quarter. IF you decided to go with skin-on, then cut the hoof and wash/dry the hide thoroughly. Salt the exposed flesh and cover with cheesecloth. If you decide to hand with hide-off, wash the whole leg in vinegar, then salt water and wrap in cheese cloth. You will lose some flesh when you finally trim. Aging as a quarter, with hide off will take less than 3 weeks. Check every-other day with the touch test (thumbprint springs back but not 100%) should look great in 14 days.
Regarding the hogs... Don't hang wild pigs or bears. Trichina (the worm that will give you trichinosis) is too common in bear and wild pigs and not worth the risk. Steve Rinella addresses this as well - trichinosis always out there and wild hog and bear should always be cooked well (160F). Though trichina is killed at 137F, every molecule of the meat must hit that temperature, so a higher temp, measured at the thickest part of the portion is insurance. Alternatively, per the CDC, freezing is a suitable method to kill trichina worms. https://www.cdc.gov/parasites/trichinellosis/prevent.html.
Due to their high body-fat content, the onset of spoilage/rancidity is fast in hogs and bears. Processing bears and hogs quickly and completely is the best course to preserve your bag and fill the larder. Try some rabbits or birds to observe the rate of aging and the change from fresh "feel" to "well-hunge."
Be selective of the game that you intend to age - choose animals that have been dressed and cooled quickly from the field, well-drained of blood with low chance of contamination. Gut shot, poorly shot, contaminated w/mud, water or cross-contaminated w/other animals should be processed immediately or discarded. Be safe and bon appetit.
Regarding the hogs... Don't hang wild pigs or bears. Trichina (the worm that will give you trichinosis) is too common in bear and wild pigs and not worth the risk. Steve Rinella addresses this as well - trichinosis always out there and wild hog and bear should always be cooked well (160F). Though trichina is killed at 137F, every molecule of the meat must hit that temperature, so a higher temp, measured at the thickest part of the portion is insurance. Alternatively, per the CDC, freezing is a suitable method to kill trichina worms. https://www.cdc.gov/parasites/trichinellosis/prevent.html.
Due to their high body-fat content, the onset of spoilage/rancidity is fast in hogs and bears. Processing bears and hogs quickly and completely is the best course to preserve your bag and fill the larder. Try some rabbits or birds to observe the rate of aging and the change from fresh "feel" to "well-hunge."
Be selective of the game that you intend to age - choose animals that have been dressed and cooled quickly from the field, well-drained of blood with low chance of contamination. Gut shot, poorly shot, contaminated w/mud, water or cross-contaminated w/other animals should be processed immediately or discarded. Be safe and bon appetit.
Great info.
Living in southeast Texas this is almost never an option during deer season.
I typically keep on well drained ice for 7-10 days.
I've thought about buying a used double door cooler from a convenience store but that's a lot of space taken for something that's used a few times a year. I've also thought about modifying my garage side by side fridge for this process.
Again, thanks for sharing. I've been making my own sausage for years but only recently got into whole animal cooking. Front shoulders of deer are great as are the shanks of elk or other larger animals and necks from bucks.
Living in southeast Texas this is almost never an option during deer season.
I typically keep on well drained ice for 7-10 days.
I've thought about buying a used double door cooler from a convenience store but that's a lot of space taken for something that's used a few times a year. I've also thought about modifying my garage side by side fridge for this process.
Again, thanks for sharing. I've been making my own sausage for years but only recently got into whole animal cooking. Front shoulders of deer are great as are the shanks of elk or other larger animals and necks from bucks.
Left Hand Dave
Well-Known Member
JT,
Maybe instead of a full-blown book you should type up some of your posts on the subject, print them off, place them in an appropriately sized 3 ring binder and offer them for sale on the forums. You could do it by order, so you keep your overhead down and make some money for toys. I think many would enjoy your knowledge and experience.
Maybe instead of a full-blown book you should type up some of your posts on the subject, print them off, place them in an appropriately sized 3 ring binder and offer them for sale on the forums. You could do it by order, so you keep your overhead down and make some money for toys. I think many would enjoy your knowledge and experience.
jbur13
Well-Known Member
Anyone bought and tried some dry aging bags from amazon?
Amazon product ASIN B00HUS4J4Samazon dry age bags
Amazon product ASIN B00HUS4J4Samazon dry age bags
JTC, Yeah, hogs might be too much of a challenge. I used to inject the hams with a ham cure and smoke them. Never had a problem with worms, but that was probably because of the cure and the brief time between killing the hog and getting it processed. I also used the cure on the back straps and tenderloins of hogs. Makes a Canadian beacon.
I also make most of my wild game into sausage. By weight, I try to use 1/3 venison, 1/3 hog, and 1/3 untrimmed beef brisket. Got to have some fat for good sausage. That blend works out to about an eighty percent lean and twenty percent fat. I use the pink modern cure to keep the sausage from going "green." If you trim most of the silver skin off the deer, there will be NO wild gamey taste at all. But this year I will age a deer ham in cheesecloth in my temperature-controlled garage refrigerator, thanks to your inspiration. Been looking for something new to wow the few friends still alive. Thanks!
Could you use the dry age bags in the fridge with cuts like the leg?
When I was in my 40s I read all I could on the subject and started the process of making a cold locker. Life got in the way and I never followed up. This rah-cheer gives me some hope.
