Prepping game from field to table

[PEARL DRUMS]

Ive found the key to good tasting venison is a super duper clean job as soon as possible, within hours. I rinse and rinse and rinse until all the water coming out of the, what was once a popper, is clear as a bell. I leave the hide on and hang the deer for no less than 3-4 days if its under 45 degrees. After that we do it all up in a few hours with dads commercial equipment. Clean, clean, clean, cant emphasize it enough. One ruptured bladder contents sitting on a ham for a few hours too long will taint the whole quarter and make it taste "rutty" or "gamey".

[JW_Halverson]

Pearl Drum's Pearls of Wisdom!  I cannot argue with any of your lesson or offer counter-arguments.  I was looking inside a friend's deer hanging in his garage and there were deer turds in it.  I asked him which family member got those "cuts".

Seriously, If I crapped on your dinner plate, would you only brush it off?  Or brush it off and give it a quick rinse?  Maybe go so far as to brush it off, rinse, wash, then rinse again?  How much poop is enough poop on your plate?  It amazes me how far people go washing their hands after field dressing a deer but fail to think about the inside cavity of the future meals lying there on the ground!

Some defend their laziness by saying, "Well, it's gonna get cooked anyway."  To which I respond, "So a deep fried deuce is cool with you?  Just make sure it is hot all the way thru, eh Carl"

[PEARL DRUMS]

I caught the "Carl" thing J-dub, VERY funny!

On a side note. If you do find yourself stuck with "rutty" or "up-north tasting" venison. A small cap of white vinegar in the fry pan works wonders.

[JW_Halverson]

No, never had that taste.

[Hillbilly]

I skin and quarter as soon as possible, then leave the quarters on top of ice in a cooler with the plug open for a week, then process it. Tenderloins are usually gone by then. Backstraps get cut in half, hams seperated into muscle groups and cut into steaks, chunks for stir-fry and meat for later slicing on my meat slicer for Phillie steaks, gyros, and such, and the sirloin tips left whole for roasts. I grind most of the shoulders, neck, brisket, rib meat, and trimmings. I add no fat at all to the ground meat unless I'm making sausage. Everything gets portioned, vacuum-sealed, and frozen.

[Pappy]

I sometimes skin and bone as soon as I get back with them,or sometimes let the hang in the cooler at 42 for a few days[lucky to have one at the farm]  if I am lazy or busy hunting,after they are boned I put them in a big cooler and ice them down,rinse every day for at least 3 days or until the melted water is pretty clear, not bloody,then let drain for a few hours and cut it into steaks/roast/ and stew meat. I would rather skin hot because I save the hides for tanning and they come off much cleaner when hot,but a lot of times things get in the way,either way works fine for me. Clean and blood out is key for the way I like it,some like the wild taste but not me or Miss Joanie. I have done it this way with many deer that was gut shot and not found until the next day and can't tell any difference in the taste.
 Pappy

[mullet]

I don't have that luxury of hanging down here. It's usually skinning and quartering as soon as you can and in the cooler on ice. I put the meat in an industrial trash bag in the cooler of ice for 4 or 5 days, then cut and wrap. No poop on my meat .