Firm believer that 3 things are required for truly good (tender and flavorful) venison steaks and roasts:
1. Field dressing asap to start getting the heat and fluids out
2. Clean the cavity out as soon as I can get the deer hung, flushed with hose and sprayed with saline solution
3. Let hang for several days, so long as the temperatures are in lower 30's. If weather is to cold or to warm, off they go to a shop that has cooler that can hang and age for at least 5 days prior to processing.
The tenderloins often get consumed earlier.
Any deer that can't get properly aged is processed into several kinds of sausage.
I put a lot of effort into keeping my venison cleaned of hair, blood, and fat. [u][/u]
The work really starts right after the shot.
Spot On
Also, where we get our deer usually involves a long drag to get to a road or trail. We get one tag about every other year and don't waste meat by being lazy. Every scrap gets used and is taken care of. The liver and heart are some of my favorite parts of the deer...liver, bacon, and onions...heart trimmed out inside, stuffed, roasted, cooled in the refer overnight and sliced thin for cold cuts.
