Aged meat is something to cherish and there is a good reason to. If you’ve ever been to a fine steakhouse, you’ll know that some of the highest-priced items on the menu are the aged steaks. On average, a 30-day aged beef steak goes for about $50. But why? What makes an aged piece of meat so special? After digging into this topic a little more, as a hunter, my immediate thoughts went to venison, and can I apply these methods to more than just beef? What are some of the best ways to age venison? And why should hunters look into aging their venison the next time they kill a deer?

To start, we need to first break down what the aging process actually is and how it’s accomplished. The aging process can basically be broken down into two occurrences. First, the natural enzymes in the muscles break down the connective tissues (collagen) essentially making the meat more tender. Collagen is the number one cause of meat toughness. Older, more mature animals have more developed collagen while younger animals have less. Which is why people mostly proclaim young deer to “taste better”. Second, as the meat ages, it loses moisture (when dry-aging), making the meat more flavorful. As food loses its moisture (water content) all of the flavors become more concentrated. A good example is a demi-glace. Demi-glace comes from simmering beef or veal stock down to a concentrated form. As the water evaporates the liquid develops a wonderful rich, dark, thicker consistency that packs a big flavor.

There the main types of aging meat and specifications for aging venison:

Dry Aging

When most people think of aging meat, they think it is a form of “controlled rot” which couldn't be further from the truth. Bacteria starts to grow quite rapidly when temperatures are above 40 degrees F, with higher temps contributing to faster growth. Anything under 40 stalls bacteria growth allowing for the aging process. To successfully dry age meat with this method, the conditions of the environment where you are storing your meat must be monitored meticulously. Humidity, temperature, and air flow must be controlled in order to allow the enzymes to work their magic while at the same time controlling bacteria. Here are the specs for proper dry aging:

Temperature: 34-37

Humidity: 75% - 80%

Air Flow: 1.6 - 6.6 ft/s

Time: 7 - 21 days

Dry aging does pose one negative outcome, and that is meat loss. As the meat ages, it develops a hard “rind” called pellicle which is usually around ¼-½ in thick that must be cut away before the meat is processed. Hunting takes a lot of time and effort, and a lot of hunters hate the thought of wasting meat. But there are a few ways to bypass the meat loss. The meat actually can be dry-aged with the hide left on. But this is if you have a big enough cold storage space that allows for the right conditions and where a whole deer can be hung inside with no issues.

For me, I bought a refrigerator off of a garage sale marketplace and converted it into a dry-aging storage. But because the fridge isn't big enough to hold a whole deer, I quarter the deer, remove the skin, and age the meat inside. I haven't had any issues so far, and have had impressive results. But another way to combat meat loss, is to use the wet aging method.

Wet Aging

While this might sound like you’ll be spraying meat down with some sort of concoction for an extended period, it’s actually easier than you think. Wet aging is a much simpler process. While still following the same temperature guidelines to control bacteria and promote enzyme breakdown, wet aging is as simple as vacuum sealing broken down muscle groups into individual vacuum-sealed bags and aging for a dedicated time in the refrigerator.

Temperature: 32-36

Humidity: N/A

Air Flow: N/A

Time: 7 - 45 days

While this is a much easier process, it receives second place in terms of flavor. Because wet aging does not allow for the loss of moisture and the concentration of flavor like we discussed earlier, it never develops the depth of flavor the way dry aging can. The meat is essentially sitting in its own blood and juices, which can develop the unwanted gamey flavor that many people are turned off to.

Cooler Method

This process is much more controllable for most hunters. Nowadays most people have a strong, robust cooler that can keep ice for multiple days. The idea behind this method is to create a brining process using salt. With his method, as you put the meat in the cooler you’ll liberally salt both sides of the meat and layer ice and meat in the cooler. The goal here is to make sure the cooler has enough ice and making sure to drain the water out midway through the process.

Temperature: N/A

Humidity: N/A

Air Flow: N/A

Time: 7 - 10 days

Now that we have an idea of how the aging process works and a couple of methods to utilize, it's time to decide which meat to age. Any usable meat from a deer, or other animals, can be aged with these methods. Most people tend to stay away from aging coveted cuts like the Loins (backstraps) and tenderloins because of the meat loss associated with it, but it can be done with great results.

Last year I wanted to experiment with dry aging the loins of a buck I had shot. The meat developed the expected rind after the 14 day age, but after it was removed, it revealed beautiful mahogany-colored meat that was tender enough that I was able to pull it away from itself with my fingers. I would recommend trying it if you are not fearful of meat loss because the experience and end result are incredibly satisfying.

Finally, it's time to decide where you are going to age the meat. Most commercial processors use an entire aging room with fancy devices and control monitors that work extremely well and are very efficient. But for the average joe, a $5,000 aging room isn't very enticing or welcoming. There are a few other alternatives that I have found to work just as well.

Dry Aging Bag

This is exactly as it sounds, a bag that makes dry-aged meat. The bags are made out of a breathable membrane that creates a safe environment to age the meat. The bag allows oxygen to enter, moisture to leave and minimizes rind development on the meat without sacrificing flavor development.

Repurposed Refrigerator

This option is what I use currently. There are a ton of different ways to customize an older fridge to handle this and a lot of great videos out there that help explain the engineering requirements. You'll basically be adding a controller for the thermostat and humidity, and also adding some sort of small fan and humidifier.

Aging meat can be an extremely rewarding experience with little to no experience needed or tools to complete the process. Not only does it create a wonderful meal to enjoy and share with others, but it also helps us to continually improve our craft as hunters. With so many hunters processing their own meat, being able to create a high end, high-quality product that would have ended up in the grind pile is one way to take pride in what we do. It shows a level of respect towards the animal we so tirelessly hunt.

Venison is meant to be shared with others. So why not try something different this season that you can share!

Featured