Here is a book I was able to open electronically that has a section dealing with proper field care/aging of deer. http://books.google.com/books?id=kh8NtAVg_k4C&pg=PA65&source=gbs_toc_r&cad=4#v=onepage&q&f=false The book recommends 38-40 degrees for 5-8 days under optimum conditions. High humidity accelerates mold and unwanted bacterial growth while low humidity actually causes deer to become tougher. The author recommended aging a well cleaned deer with the skin on. It also states that it is the meat temperature we are targeting not air temps which do vary out of the ideal temp range. He recommends inserting a thermometer into the meat to monitor the temp. Take a look if you want to know more. I think I may order the book for future reference.
I can find multiple butchers and processors who swear deer are nothing like beef and aging them actually is the worst thing you could do...just saying gotta know all the facts and get tons of opinions.
I agree; IMO there is no reason at all to age venison. I've tried it both ways and honestly can't tell any tenderness difference at all and the bacterial risk for a DIYer is just not worth it.
Now I have never killed an old rutting buck, but every time we butcher our deer we make the tenderloins and some backstraps .... some were butchered immediately all the way to two weeks hung in perfect temps .... I have never been able to tell the difference either ....
Now as for telling a difference I have, not to say everyone will, but we used to hang our deer every year minimum of 2 days then take to processor or process them ourselves....since we switched to getting the meat off the bones asap (sometimes within 3 to 4 hours of recovery the meat has been considerably better. Again this could just be our family's taste buds, but ever since we listened to butchers who told us deer start to rot from the bones out like I believe it was goats and another animal we don't let deer hang anymore.
I posted my gutless processing method a while back. Seriousy... I can have most deer boned with the exception of the shoulders in fifteen minutes or less once they are skinned and the head is removed. The only good part I lose is the inside tenders. I prefer to drain the meat in a cooler overnight if possible; just tilt the cooler on its side and leave the drain open. A frozen gallon milk jug keeps the meat plenty cool. I do like the heart and sometimes get it out on the rare occasions it is still intact.
Here's my method... It takes 15 minutes tops unless you are trying to save the cape. 1. Completely skin the deer with the head removed at the jaw. 2. With the deer hanging by the back legs... remove the shoulders. 3. Start with the Loins and remove all the way to the base of the neck 4. Remove/bone the neck meat and brisket. Keep the flank meat if you want it for burger. 5. Make a small incision at the inside of the hind legs and carefully remove the bladder and disconnect the anus. 6. Use a saw to cut through the spine and catch the carcass in a tub. Gutless 7. Bone out the hinds and rump separately... you're done 8. You can still remove the heart liver with a small incision if you want but obviously that would no longer be a gutless process. 9 The inner loins will be lost unless you open the body cavity.
I do the exact same thing. Even the milk jugs! I have a video I made of the gutless process. I will try to put it together for you all.
