# Soaking deer meat in a cooler?



## jay07ag (Mar 22, 2006)

Ive always heard conflicting stories from people about soaking deer meat (or any wild game meat for that matter) in a cooler for a few days. Some say it takes the game out, some say its bad for the meat to sit in water for a long time......any meat experts out there know the actual answer?


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## bobbyoshay (Nov 29, 2008)

no meat expert here but we always have our deer on ice for a couple of days after we quarter them. we drain the water/blood mixture a couple times a day and the meat has always tasted great


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## angler_25 (Oct 30, 2007)

We do the same as bobbyoshay


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## CFJTEX (Jan 6, 2010)

X3


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## big john o (Aug 12, 2005)

Ice, let melt a little, re-ice for a few days. It helps flush some of the blood out of the meat.


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## WillieT (Aug 25, 2010)

X4


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## duhunter (Nov 17, 2009)

I knew a couple of old timers that did that. They soaked the meat with ice and bancon soda filled with water and let sit over night. Drained off the water the next day and did it one more time. They tenderised they meat and soak in butter milk the night before cooking. Tasted just like beef.


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## jay07ag (Mar 22, 2006)

Does that tenderize the meat like hanging one in a walk in cooler would?


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## boatlift (Jun 23, 2009)

I've done it several times & it makes the meat taste a lot better. Ice it down for 4-5 days. Drain it in the morning, pack it back down & then drain & pack before you go to bed. The blood will get strained out which will take away a lot of the game taste. The meat will turn a gray color which is a little disturbing but once you cook it & taste it's well worth it....

If memory serves I had to drain one deer in the La Fiesta parking lot during lunch a few years ago. I shot the deer on Sunday, drained it Sunday night but didn't drain again & pack until lunch the next day. It looked as though someone had been murdered, there was a distinct blood trail from my pick up to the storm drain at least 20-30 feet away. Brought me a lot of happiness. I sat by the window during lunch & really enjoyed how confused customers were when walking in the lot.....

Happy Hunting,
Michael Fulweber
Big Country Outdoors
www.bigcountryoutdoors.net
800-657-9998
713-461-9443 (local)


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## RB II (Feb 26, 2009)

Soaking the meat is very similar to aging beef, it allows the blood to be soaked/drained off and also allows the enzymes to begin to break down the meat. I have even soaked meat that was cubed up for grinding and soaked it, that will definitely take the game taste out. I have kept meat in a cooler, using the ice/drain/ice routine for almost a week. The secret, IMO, is to let the cold water stay as long as possible before draining, it will leach out more blood that way.


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## BigBuck (Mar 2, 2005)

*Meat*

I have done it both ways, I prefer not to soak my venison in water. I hang a deer as long as I can in a cooler with the skin on, up to a week. I use 3 liter coke bottles and I change out the bottles 2 x a day until all the meat is processed. As it is processed, I keep the boned-out meat in 2.5 gallon bags in the spare refrigerator. If I cannot refreeze the bottles I put Ice over it. I really cannot say I could taste a lot of difference either way. I just do not like the gray color it turns the meat. Process it right, do not taint the meat, keep it clean, and keep it cool. Always turns out great for me.
BB


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## jay07ag (Mar 22, 2006)

Thats the answer I was looking for...thanks guys!


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## Bukmstr (Nov 12, 2004)

*3 to 5*

Mine soaks in ICE and water for 3 to 5 days at least. when you drain off the excess water daily and add ice be sure and do not leave the drain plug open after you finish draining. I have heard stories of blow flies getting in there if left open for long periods of time....


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## Trouthunter (Dec 18, 1998)

Yup, always leave ours, venison or hog meat, on ice for 5 days draining off the water and blood daily. Even after 5 days you'll still have blood when you bone out the meat but a lot less and the meat is more tender.

And as was mentioned...do not leave the drain plug open after you finish draining or flies will lay eggs in there. Don't ask me how I know. :redface:

TH


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## coogerpop (Sep 3, 2009)

Ice ,Water and drain often...don't let sit in bloody water,you want it to leach out the blood. Buddy of mne adds a little table salt. dosen't hurt but I haven't done it that way.


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## pg542 (Oct 9, 2006)

BigBuck said:


> I have done it both ways, I prefer not to soak my venison in water. I hang a deer as long as I can in a cooler with the skin on, up to a week. I use 3 liter coke bottles and I change out the bottles 2 x a day until all the meat is processed. As it is processed, I keep the boned-out meat in 2.5 gallon bags in the spare refrigerator. If I cannot refreeze the bottles I put Ice over it. I really cannot say I could taste a lot of difference either way. I just do not like the gray color it turns the meat. Process it right, do not taint the meat, keep it clean, and keep it cool. Always turns out great for me.
> BB


 I guess I do it different than most folks. I don't like water on my venison at all if I can help it. I like my venison to taste like venison. It costs too much to make it taste like beef. I'll quarter it up and place whole bags of ice around/under it and keep it drained well until I can get to my spare fridge.It might stay in there under old towels for as long as 2weeks before final cut and wrap. Dry aging. Just like high end beef. First time I saw this was my neighbor was doing it. He was cutting up a hind quarter that was almost blue! 17 days aged. I almost gagged. A couple of evenings later he brought me a plate of it..... I'm a believer....This was very tender, light game taste without being gamey. It ain't for every one but some of you would gag too if you knew how long your steak from Mortons or Bob,s Chop House or Ruth's Chris steakhouse was hanging in a cooler before it was cut up. That's what they mean by aged beef and it works great on venison too.


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## BigBuck (Mar 2, 2005)

*aging*

pg542, Our rancher hangs elk in our walk-in cooler until it has a green skin on it. He shaves the outside off and cuts a hunk out of the middle. He swears it is the best stuff in the world. He has killed some huge old bulls, so if it makes that tender it must work. 
BB


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## pg542 (Oct 9, 2006)

BigBuck said:


> pg542, Our rancher hangs elk in our walk-in cooler until it has a green skin on it. He shaves the outside off and cuts a hunk out of the middle. He swears it is the best stuff in the world. He has killed some huge old bulls, so if it makes that tender it must work.
> BB


 That's all it takes. The outer "skin" will sorta dry out and discolor but underneath, all the little enzymes have been hard at work tenderizing the meat. Like I said I would have never believed it........ A good fillet knife comes in handy when it's time for the final cut/wrap. I've tried an electric fillet knife but I have better control and less loss freehanded. Walkin coolers are the best method of dry aging. Something about the fans going all the time I guess.


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## activescrape (Jan 8, 2006)

I want mine red, natural. I dry age. You don't run into people soaking venison in water and ice much except in warmer climes. I think it evolved from killing deer in warm weather(over 45). To keep it good, it was put on ice. I can't argue about how good it tastes, all I know is I like it to look like red meat. I have always butchered my own and it never tastes gamey. It tastes like deer meat.


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## fishingtwo (Feb 23, 2009)

*dont soak in water*

I'll ice it down then sprinkle salt and vinegar over-drain water 2x day

add ice daily(if needed) last 5 days or more.


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## brazman (Aug 22, 2006)

*Iced my Axis*

Under the guidance of another hunter at the lodge where I shot my axis doe, I kept my quarters and loins in an ice chest, kept up out of the slurry as best as I could (propped up with chunks of ice) for the better part of a week. When I pulled the meat out it did have a blue hue to it on the outside, grayish in parts, too. But when I started slicing my backstraps and quarters into steaks, the meat inside looked so beautifully red, I was amazed! Actually steaked out the whole deer, no ground meat or sausage out of that little girl! Delicious!


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## TheAnt (Jul 1, 2008)

hmmm, I am surprised. We have always field dressed as soon as we could, cut the throat and hang it keeping all hair/musk/external body oils, etc,. off the flesh.

It hangs a bit and we worry less about it if it is cold and there are no flies. We go skin and quarter it, washing all hair, etc., off as we go, clean is paramount to us. We put it in with ice and drain it rather than let it lay in water and get pale. We may wait a day or even 2 because of the trip and we cut the meat ourselves into steaks and grind scraps into chili meat.

It isn't much gamey to us and we like a bit of that anyway. Keeping it clean has always kept it from tasting bad. That said we hunt in Brazoria County and near Hearne, TX (Wheelock), Hay Branch. The vegetation is always lush here at home and is usually good in Hearne.

I dunno. Maybe gamey is in the palate of the be-eater.

Ducks, though... you never know. We take good care of them likewise and clean them similarly. We cook 'em up into gumbo though and I am convinced the seasonings somehow mellow the stronger tasting ones out. We don't eat bottom feeders though.

The following is simply a gift. I wanted to see how it would turn out. Forgive if it don't work... naaaa, kiss the posterior if you don't like it! Nobody has a right to not be offended at political humor. 
http://riverdaughter.files.wordpress.com/2010/10/o_wee_wee.jpg?w=468&h=377


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## TheAnt (Jul 1, 2008)

cwap, pic didn't go inline... I got my Bluebell Butter Pecan though so I don't care!


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## peelin' drag (Oct 21, 2005)

Plenty of ice, drain. If I want a steak, I go to the steakhouse. I want my venison, to taste like venison.


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## phil k (May 8, 2007)

skin it ,hang it in a walk-in cooler for about 7 days ...out side of the meat is marble red,,inside is the same ..


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## OrangeS30 (Jun 21, 2009)

We always quarter up our deer and put it on ice immediately. The ice/water combo helps cool down the meat faster and helps draw out some of the blood. My family had a meat market and we did deer processing for years. The best looking meat was, of course, clean, but also well iced. I hated seeing meat packed in bags away from ice. It always had a "slime" to it that we had to wash off before processing. People do it different ways and it is all up to them, this is just what we did.


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## Tiny (Dec 19, 2006)

I'm glad I'm not the only one that let's there meat sit for more than a week before processing.


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## Redfishr (Jul 26, 2004)

for 25 years now, always 5 to 7 days


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## Swampus (Sep 1, 2005)

I use alot of salt also--bout 1/2 a table salt thingy per water/ice change--does good for me my whole life.


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## WillfishforFood (Apr 28, 2009)

With old bucks and hog meat we also add a little bit of vinegar to the mix....My dad has been doing it since the 40s and we have never had bad meat...we even eat some of the larger wild boars too...or we use them in sausage...just add vinegar and it helps the gamey taste..also we would do the buttermilk soak on them after we cut it into steaks...a day of that then we put it in vaccum bags...I have had venison both ways because we always cut out the first of the backstraps and fry themup and the soaked meat tastes the same...just more tender.


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## sfotiades (Jun 7, 2009)

I always soak it in milk and it takes the gamey taste out. I generally soak it for a couple of hours.


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## Redfishr (Jul 26, 2004)

WillfishforFood said:


> With old bucks and hog meat we also add a little bit of vinegar to the mix....My dad has been doing it since the 40s and we have never had bad meat...we even eat some of the larger wild boars too...or we use them in sausage...just add vinegar and it helps the gamey taste..also we would do the buttermilk soak on them after we cut it into steaks...a day of that then we put it in vaccum bags...I have had venison both ways because we always cut out the first of the backstraps and fry themup and the soaked meat tastes the same...just more tender.


A guy here at work said He does the same thing with his pig meat....................good advice.


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## Brad Beaulieu (May 10, 2006)

I've always done it so don't know what happens if you don't. Just be sure to keep it iced.


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## great white fisherman (Jun 24, 2008)

I have all of my deer turned into hamburger. It is mixed with bacon and jalepeno and never has that game taste. Makes the best hamburgers, tacos, meat loaf, etc.


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## Trouthunter (Dec 18, 1998)

> It is mixed with bacon and jalepeno


Yea old Chief Charlie taught me about using bacon ends in my deer hamburger...sure makes some good hamburger LOL!

TH


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## pg542 (Oct 9, 2006)

Trouthunter said:


> Yea old Chief Charlie taught me about using bacon ends in my deer hamburger...sure makes some good hamburger LOL!
> 
> TH


 ...... it makes good pork mix for the sausage too....


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## KJON (May 1, 2006)

I soak mine for a week, draining and adding ice as needed. I also squirt a whole bottle of lemon juice concentrate in to help the breakdown.


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## KILLROY (Jul 2, 2005)

bobbyoshay said:


> no meat expert here but we always have our deer on ice for a couple of days after we quarter them. we drain the water/blood mixture a couple times a day and the meat has always tasted great


 X2


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## Whitebassfisher (May 4, 2007)

Being a bow hunter, my deer have been killed in warm weather. (I purposely did not say harvested) I had been taught since a kid to put the quarters in heavy plastic bags and really ice it down good. While taking some to B &W Meat on Shepherd (a place I trust) I saw a lot of venison come in with the quarters directly on the ice and in cold water with no plastic bags. I asked some of the meat cutters/butchers about the difference. They assured me that either way was fine and safe so long as you cooled it down and kept it clean and away from flies; that the ice/water would not sour or ruin the meat.


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## 04TXAg (Jun 26, 2009)

I coat the meat (hog or deer) with Kosher salt, pack the cooler with ice, and leave the drain open to let the bloody water out. Check it daily, add a little more salt and keep it full of ice. I do it for 4-5 days before I bring it to the processor...never had any problems and the meat tastes great.

The salt is supposed to draw more of the blood out of the tissue.


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## Bowhntr (Aug 7, 2006)

*Soaking deer*



jay07ag said:


> Ive always heard conflicting stories from people about soaking deer meat (or any wild game meat for that matter) in a cooler for a few days. Some say it takes the game out, some say its bad for the meat to sit in water for a long time......any meat experts out there know the actual answer?


Think the KEY word here is soaking in WATER....don't do that
drain the water off and add more ice if needed, this help age the deer and wash the blood out of the veins (like a human heart ready fro transplant open veins). Don't want the bacteria to start growing in the standing water-always drain off. The meat will turn more pinkish color when washed and taste better. I just finished cutting up my deer that I let wash in ice for about 4 days-kept water off and added ice and ket temp very low. Cook back strap and wife ate more than I did.


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