Thread: Processing deer

1) To me, three to five days is an acceptable ageing time before packaging/freezing/canning. Longer is better, I've aged venison and pork for as long as 15 to 18 days. Most say that's way too long, but the beef/pork etc. that is sold at the grocery was aged thirty days before the USDA inspector would let it be processed at the packing plant.

2) I have no experience in city.

3) That silver skin can be a pain, but I don't know of any tricks. I generally try to fillet it off, just like fish skin.

Good Luck and Hope I helped a little!

Shadboy gives some excellent suggestions above and I would like to add a few. Make sure your quarters are as dry as possible when you put them in the fridge to age/drain. Some people want to wash off their meat before hanging but too much water can cause spoilage even in the refrigerator. Excess moisture in your meat can encourage mold or bacteria growth. 3 to 5 days in the cooler is sufficient, up to a week is common. Try to rotate your quarters and any trimmed meat as even airflow around the meat will facilitate the aging process. You can actually leave all the outside “silver skin” on the meat while aging and it will help to protect the quarters. Trimming this outside layer off when doing final processing is made easier if it has dried and thus protected the inner musculature.

Carcass disposal was never an issue for me also. Check with an established local processor and just ask if he/she would be able to point you in the legal/ correct disposal direction.

Removing the larger tendons and ligaments of the meat is also not an easy task. If you are grinding your deer meat for burger and adding beef/pork tallow to the grind most of the smaller and thinner membranes and tendons will go mostly unnoticed in taste and texture. Paramount to final processing is removing all visible deer FAT from the meat. It will affect the taste more than the “silver skin” ever will. Another hint to removing any unwanted gristly parts is to make sure the meat is very cold when cutting/trimming and your knife is super sharp. Several swipes on the old butchers strop during processing will make the whole endeavor easier and quicker. Good luck on your harvest.


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I put mine in one the big white coolers cover with ice and about half box of salt drain every couple of days rinse off meat and move meat around and re ice/salt usually always do that for a week have went long as 10 days . I always keep the cooler out of direct sunlight . most time when I’m finished unless it’s a real strong buck during rut you can’t tell the difference between it and ground beef.the meat will be almost white before you grind it. been doing this the last 15 yrs with no trouble and have gotten several folks to start eating deer meat that used to wouldn’t eat it . As far as the carcass I don’t live in the city so disposal isn’t a problem.

Thank you for all the replies everyone. This is my 4th deer I’ve done myself and I learn a little more every time. I’m looking forward to learning as much as I can about it.


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My dad had two friends,they were identical twin brothers,never married,and pooled their money to become self made millionaires a few times over,They dressed like hobos,lived in a ramshackle house,and ate some wicked things.When they shot a deer,they would hang it,skin it,And would never package it,if they wanted meal,they would go to the garage,hack off a chunk,and into the fry pan it would go.
Many a time there would be a few deer hanging from different hunts,I've seen green fuzzy mold growing on the inside of the rib cage of the deer,their opinion of perfect tenderness,not ideal in my eyes.

Originally Posted by Yaker

they would hang it,skin it,And would never package it,if they wanted meal,they would go to the garage,hack off a chunk,and into the fry pan it would go.
Many a time there would be a few deer hanging from different hunts,I've seen green fuzzy mold growing on the inside of the rib cage of the deer,their opinion of perfect tenderness,not ideal in my eyes.

Think I would have to pass on a meal of that..

Originally Posted by mcdye

Think I would have to pass on a meal of that..

Same... lol.


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Originally Posted by mcdye

Think I would have to pass on a meal of that..

X3! I bet it’s fork tender though!


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