Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting Aging meat in cooler iced down

I try to keep it in a cooler for 5 days if I can. I put the ice on top of the meat and move it around so there is ice between the big pieces. Salt it good when I put the ice in then drain the cooler a couple of times a day. I add Ice as needed to keep it covered. I think it removes most of the blood and makes the meat taste milder. I have killed and eaten several deer a year for 40 years and have handled them other ways. I prefer Aging in ice to any other way.

Been awful warm down here this season…

I’ve kept meat in a cooler as mentioned for a week without issue. Never added salt but will next time.

I’ve done it many times for up to 1.5 weeks. I put the deboned meat into good plastic bags, like large fish bags. Then I don’t have to worry about the meat soaking in water.

I’ve also butchered and packaged the meat shortly after killing it, then aged it in a cooler with ice, a cool shed, or in a fridge before moving it all into a freezer.

I don’t see one thing wrong with that ,OP .

I gotta try this. Usually process mine asap and to the freezer. Taste is okay but never what I would call "tender". Nothing on the ground yet this year, still some time left here in rifle then bow/muzzleloader after Christmas.

+ 1. I usually keep venison iced and drained for 7-10 days. No problem but make sure to add ice as needed to keep the meat covered but you probably already knew that.

Yes, we have had a few cool mornings but the afternoons warm up quick.

I’m in Bainbridge. Where are you located?

Just like a lot of others, I’ve kept deer in a cooler for up to a week several time. Keep it drained and out of the water …good to go.

I’ve waited 10 days before without issue.

There’s a Facebook processing page. Half those guys will stroke out at the mention of deer in an ice filled cooler. Bacteria is going to kill us all…

It’s taking its sweet time on me.

I too have kept deer more than a week in a cooler. I’ve not been overly worried about the meat being in a little bloody water but do drain at least every other day if not sooner. We ate some tenderloins off a doe my son shot in January that was kept this way. We also had a package of tenders from a buck he shot in November that went straight to the processor. The buck was butterflied and tenderized and the doe tenderloin was Vacuum sealed whole by me prior to freezing. The cooler-aged doe was better in every way.

Most everything has been said that’s needed. Dry cold is better than wet cold. The half gallon milk jug ice works very well. In a 150 qt cooler they make a good bed for parts and pieces. We usually have shoulders, loins, trim (neck, brisket, etc), and the joined hams. A few more ice jugs on top in the right places and let it sit 4 or 5 days.

Wondering if just keeping it in a refrigerator would be just as good as the cooler with ice? Anybody done that?

It's better than a cooler because the meat stays drier and the temperature is regulated. Try to keep an air space between the pieces or at least rotate them every couple of days to keep the surface dry.

I've wondered about the drying out while reading through all this. Not how to keep the meat dry, but how much the skinned meat dries out. When I hang them for a few days with hide on, any exposed meat has a rind that must be trimmed away. How much is there with skinned quarters in a cooler?

When I quarter a deer,I start with a good layer of ice about 6" in the bottom of my 150qt cooler.As I remove the parts,I place each part in a large plastic bag.Each shoulder,each hindquarter,backstraps and tenderloins,neck meat,ribs all separate.If you gut shot the animal it could be an issue,you probably be better off putting any tainted parts directly on ice,but as long as the meat is clean from gut matter,it will look and smell just like it did when you put it in days later.I have kept meat as long as thirteen days like this.Holding it about a week or so really makes a difference in how tender the meat is.You want to use a big enough ice chest where the meat has plenty of room for lots of ice.Keep the drain plug out with the opposite end propped up to keep the water out.Keep adding ice on top each day if needed so the meat remains sandwiched between the ice at all times and keep the meat really cold always.I usually use two ice chest.I have one that I put the cuts I want to tender and the other for the parts I'm going to grind.I'll go ahead and process the meat I'm going to grind after a few days.That saves on ice and the meat will be solid frozen when you get around to processing the more tender cuts later.

I just started ice aging this year and have had wonderful results. Start with a 4-6" layer of ice in the bottom of the cooler. Layer in meat and ice. Cover with ice up to the top of the cooler. Place cooler at a slight angle and leave the plug open. I aged one deer 8 days and the other 9 days. Excellent results. Just check every day or two for ice melt if the temps are warmer.

Only way I do it… ice on bottom of cooler, then layer of meat, layer of ice, layer of meat, … drain often or keep drain open and cooler tilted to stay drained and keep meat covered with a layer of ice. Always leave mine at least 5 days. Even the burger tastes better to me than freshly processed.

Well, tried the refrigerator thing for 5 days. Not hanging just in a meat bin and kept dry. Can't say it made a big difference. Still have late season doe tags here so if I get another one we'll see. Maybe I didn't leave it long enough.
My neighbor has a shed he hangs them in at let's them hang for a week or more if weather permits but weather here is fickle during the season with warm days here and there.

LOL. It's true.