Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Rigor mortis and tender steaks

If you want to really delve deep into meat science Google Warner-Bratzler shear test....

There’s no doubt that meat handling post kill will affect meat quality. I’ve always felt the most important aspect is what happens immediately after the shot. Google-fu dark cutter....the entire reason we stun animals with a captive bolt and immediately follow with the blood letting.

Without getting too technical, mainly because it’s been far too many years since my meats lab....the struggle that follows the shot can lead to anaerobic muscle metabolism that leads to lactic acid production and a whole host of muscle metabolism faux pas that will lead to a dark, tough hunk of meat.

If you think back many of these tender memories are from the proverbial bang flop from a shot that takes out some part of the central nervous system. While I’ll never advocate the neck or head shot for the annual get something with horns and put Bessy away hunter, a higher shoulder shot that takes out the spine leads to FARR better meat than the pop the lungs and head around the ridge for the Easter egg hunt. The ugly kills leave a bad taste in your mouth for a reason.