With this above average heat this year - got me thinking more about meat care. Curious - how do you recommend Icing meat if you would be at a camp without electricity and coolers only? Do you place meat in cooler and apply ice directly on top? Do you place layer b/t ice and meat on top? Do you put meat in ziploc bag then ice to keep water off? I know cool and dry is the rule, but the dry seems the hard part...surely no right or wrong answer - just curious of others experience...if looking to just keep meat good for 1-2 days until you can get it home???
We put our meat in a cooler with ice and water, with salt poured in afterwards. We fill the cooler about 3/4 full, then put a bag or two of ice in. Then pour salt in
After quartering the deer, I put a layer of ice in the bottom of the cooler, then place the two hind quarters in a trash bag, another layer of ice, front shoulders in another bag, layer of ice, and then the backstraps and whatever else in another bag with ice on top of that. I don't like the meat sitting directly in water. It keeps that way for a few days.
As far as the water goes, its okay as long as it is below 40 degrees F. And the salt lowers the freezing point of water, so it allows the ice to get the water below 32 degrees without freezing. Pretty much below 40 degrees, its all personal preference.
I always ice mine down with alot of ice, and let it soak for a few days if possible. Never had an issue ever, been doing it this way for 25yrs.
