For most hunters, the ultimate prize from the hunt is a harvest of quality meat. Game meat is leaner and healthier than factory farmed meat. Also, there is a satisfaction that comes from a connection with one’s food. Surprisingly, the number one complaint I hear from non-hunters is that blank (insert venison/moose/elk/bear/pterodactyl) is too gamey. This strikes me as strange. I have eaten all sorts of wild game and I find myself unable to identify what “gamey” tastes like. However, I have a hunch that poor meat care practices stop many pieces of game meat from reaching their full potential. By following some basic guidelines hunters can guarantee delicious results from their success.
It is crazy that some hunters will painstakingly research their boots, rifle, cartridge, and pack, but fail to consider what happens after the shot. While meat care isn’t as exciting as stalking up to a behemoth buck in the thick timber, it is an important part of hunting. Meat care has three distinct phases: The Field, Aging, and In the Kitchen.
In the Field
Immediately after the shot emotions are running high. It is important to remember that the work has only just begun. The first order of business is getting the animal gutted so that the meat can cool. The urgency can depend on the weather. However, it is always better to get the meat cooling as quickly as possible.
While gutting your harvest, a little care an go a long ways. Caution as well as preventative measures like ground tarps will keep dirt, gut matter, and hair off the meat. If you are dealing with a buck, carefully remove the stinky tarsal glands first to avoid contamination. Thinking forward to the aging process, it is better to keep the meat on the bone. However, in some backcountry areas completely boning out the meat is unavoidable. During these times of necessity the drop in quality is small and certainly not catastrophic.
Unless absolutely neccesary avoid exposing the meat to water or placing it inside watertight containers like garbage bags. This can promote bacteria and fungal growth which can threaten to spoil the meat. Instead, use quality game bags hung in the air. This allows airflow to keep the meat dry while still protecting the meat from bugs and dirt.
Ideally, quarter out the deer with neck and ribs sawed off before leaving the field. In addition, remove the tenderloins and backstraps at this stage. Completely remove the hide in order to minimize contact with hair. Leave the rest of the butchering until after the aging process.
Aging
The next step in meat care is aging. First, don’t immediately store meat in the freezer. Their are a series of enzymes that will help break down the meat and make it more tender during days subsequent the kill. These enzymes do not work when the meat is immediately frozen. In order to provide these enzymes with the environment they need to do their work, the meat must be stored at the right temperature.
The ideal temperature to age meat is somewhere around 2 degrees Celcius. While most of us don’t have a walk in freezer, simply placing the meat in a cooler with block ice will get you very close. Making certain to drain the melted ice daily and replace the blocks when neccesary, meat can be aged like this in a cooler for up to a week. Another option is to store it in a fridge or even outside depending on the weather.
Also, it is important to keep meat reasonably dry while it ages. Some moisture is not the end of the world. However, ensure the meat is not hanging out in the rain where it can get wet. In addition, ever leave the meat where flies or other bugs have access. If you do you risk losing your entire harvest to a maggot hatch.
In the Kitchen
Finally, your have a product that is ready for the kitchen. There are a few guidelines one can follow to make sure your game impresses even the most discerning guest. One of the easiest things you can do is pull your game out of the freezer early and give it time to come up to room temp. This will prevent you from cooking out a lot of the juices out of your game meat.
Next, season your meat. Salt and pepper are important. Use them with every meal. If you prefer something ready from the store Montreal Steak Seasoning or Lowry’s Seasoning Salt work well. Also, season your meat several hours before you plan to cook it. This helps to avoid drying out your meat when it comes time to cook.
Cooking Techniques
We are at the moment of truth: cooking time. Cook wild game quickly or slowly, not in between. Wild meat is leaner than farmed meat and as such dries out more quickly. This is because wild meat doesn’t have a large quantity of saturated fat to keep it moist and tender. One solution to this is to cook it medium rare or less – which guarantees a tender and juicy piece of meat. As a side note, this does not apply to bear and some of the bird species. Cook these all the way through to prevent food borne illnesses.
The other solution is to cook it slowly to achieve that fall of the bone tenderness. Where people run into issues is cooking it well-done fairly quickly, thereby drying out the meat but not providing enough time for slow-cooking to work it’s magic.
After you are done cooking the meat allow the meat to rest. Resting the meat allows the meat to reabsorb some of the juices which it has released during the cooking process. Simply allowing the meat to rest for ten minutes or so has a noticeable impact on the quality of the finished product.
Closing Thoughts
In conclusion, there is a lot more that goes into getting quality meals out of your game meat than just killing an animal. Paying attention to small details throughout your meat care process can have a large impact on your plate. Make a few small changes to your meat care practices and I promise your family will notice a difference. You owe it to yourself for your hard work and to the animal you harvested to make this year’s deer the best eating ever.