Aging Wild Game Meat
Aging wild venison involves giving the meat enough time in a controlled environment to reduce its moisture content while allowing natural enzymes to break down connective tissue to tenderize it. Learn how it’s done, with insights and a recipe from Antler Kitchen & Bar’s owner and chef Michael Hunter.
The Science of Aging Wild Game Meat
The aging process breaks down the collagen in the meat that was holding the muscle fibers together. After an animal is harvested, the “breaking-down” enzymes are still active and continue to work for about eight days, or until the meat is frozen or cooked.
The aging process can begin by leaving the deer’s hide on and hanging it where the temperature stays between 33°F and 38°F, with the humidity around 65 to 75 percent. The humidity level is important because it allows the growth of desirable yeast and bacteria while managing the moisture reduction rate. If the meat is too moist for too long, harmful bacteria grow; if the meat dries too quickly, there isn’t time for its flavors to enhance.
Air circulation is also critical to keep the meat free from harmful bacteria as moisture evaporates. While most home refrigerators have internal fans to provide some circulation, it’s generally not enough for the aging process. Some hunters have dedicated fridges with larger or additional fans added. Some companies also sell dedicated at-home meat aging chambers, even ones that fit on countertops.
How To Age Wild Game at Home
With venison, you should not dry individual steaks or small cuts of meat. You’ll want to age the largest cuts you can, such as entire quarters or hanging the entire carcass with its hide on.
There are two methods: wet-aging and dry-aging.
Wet-Aging
Wet-aging is achieved by placing the venison in a plastic bag under vacuum; with this method, there is no moisture loss but you get the benefit of the tissues breaking down.
Without the vacuum, exposed meat will develop a pellicle, which is a thin layer that develops on and darkens the outer part of the meat. Because venison has so little fat, it tends to dry out the meat too much to be usable. However, some cooks will use the pellicle in stocks or grind it to add to other ground meats for enhanced flavors in burgers.
Hunter says, “If I had to quarter an animal to get it out or debone it because you can’t fly back with bones, then I look to wet-age it, getting it into as large of bags as possible and aging it for one to two weeks. Wet-aging is probably what I prefer and do most of the game I harvest.”
Dry-Aging
Dry-aging is storing meat in a temperature- and humidity-controlled environment (such as a walk-in cooler), as discussed above, preferably with its hide on for one to two weeks. Deer lack the fat that cattle have, so aging it without the hide can dry it too much.
Dry aging is best done on the bone. If you are dry aging game meat off the bone, dry age for a shorter period (5-9 days) to minimize meat loss due to trimming off excess dried meat.
If you’re dry-aging hideless quarters, Hunter suggests rubbing it with lard or dipping it in beef tallow.
“If you do that and put it in the fridge it will harden around the outside,” he says. “I’ve even heard of people dipping cuts in beeswax or butter. But then at that point what you’re doing is a wet-age. Otherwise, if you don’t have the skin on and can’t coat it then you can likely get away aging it for three or four days before it dries out too much.”
