DIY deer cooler ideas

[DoeSlayer1]

Looking for ideas on how people hang deer at home to dry age/age? Last year I decided to start butchering my own deer and after killing 5 deer I have noticed that it takes a lot of time!
What is everyone doing with their meat while say you have to go to work the next day or two.

Cooler and ice with drain plug out?
Refrigerator?
Homemade walk in coolers?

 

[Tennrock]

I think DA can give you guidance here. Sounds like he has a great setup.

 

[Ladys man]

Following

 

[Omega]

I use an old fridge that I gutted all but one shelf out of. I have it set at 38*, and use meat hooks to hand the quarters from. On the bottom, I have an aluminum tray to catch the blood. This way, I can butcher a quarter or two after work, taking my time. I age mine 4 days or so, or up to 7-10 days for the last quarter. My last one was a regular fridge with the freezer on top, it went bad so looking for a side by side to replace it.

 

[MickThompson]

I freeze 1/2 gallon jugs and use those to cool my primal cuts in 1 or 2 coolers. I age them
For 5-7 days then start pecking away at it. The jugs don't melt as fast and don't bathe my meat in meat juice and water.

 

[Grill-n-man]

I use a decent size cooler with a drain plug. fill the bottom with a good layer of ice. then sprinkle salt and vinegar over the ice. Next lay out meat sections over ice, try not to stack the meat. Next sprinkle salt and vinegar over the meat. Next put a layer of ice over the meat, not alot but good enough to cover it. Next sprinkle a little more salt and vinegar then fill the cooler with ice. Open the drain plug and prop up the end opposite the drain plug so as the ice melts the water can drain. The salt will draw the blood out of the meat and as the ice melts it will drain to the bottom of the cooler and out the drain plug. The vinegar is acidic and will tenderize the meat. Been using apple vinegar for the last few years and like the slight apple taste it leaves. One modification I'll be trying on the next one is something I saw on youtube, going to make a rack for the meat to sit on in the cooler out of grill grating. As I'm doing now the meat doesnt sit in any water at all only on ice but the grating will allow for air flow under the meat and better and faster blood removal. During early parts of the season you will have to probably add some ice to the cooler but how much depends on long you leave it in the cooler I usually leave mine in there fro at least 4 or 5 days

 

[DoeSlayer1]

I use an old fridge that I gutted all but one shelf out of. I have it set at 38*, and use meat hooks to hand the quarters from. On the bottom, I have an aluminum tray to catch the blood. This way, I can butcher a quarter or two after work, taking my time. I age mine 4 days or so, or up to 7-10 days for the last quarter. My last one was a regular fridge with the freezer on top, it went bad so looking for a side by side to replace it.

So with doing it this way is their meat that gets dried and has to be cut off/ discarded?

 

[DoeSlayer1]

I use a decent size cooler with a drain plug. fill the bottom with a good layer of ice. then sprinkle salt and vinegar over the ice. Next lay out meat sections over ice, try not to stack the meat. Next sprinkle salt and vinegar over the meat. Next put a layer of ice over the meat, not alot but good enough to cover it. Next sprinkle a little more salt and vinegar then fill the cooler with ice. Open the drain plug and prop up the end opposite the drain plug so as the ice melts the water can drain. The salt will draw the blood out of the meat and as the ice melts it will drain to the bottom of the cooler and out the drain plug. The vinegar is acidic and will tenderize the meat. Been using apple vinegar for the last few years and like the slight apple taste it leaves. One modification I'll be trying on the next one is something I saw on youtube, going to make a rack for the meat to sit on in the cooler out of grill grating. As I'm doing now the meat doesnt sit in any water at all only on ice but the grating will allow for air flow under the meat and better and faster blood removal. During early parts of the season you will have to probably add some ice to the cooler but how much depends on long you leave it in the cooler I usually leave mine in there fro at least 4 or 5 days

I did try this last year but not with the salt in vinegar. To me it seemed that the meat turned a brownish dark color and I was afraid it was going bad last year was my first year so I learned a lot by watching YouTube videos only. So hoping to get better this season

 

[Big Pop]

I use a decent size cooler with a drain plug. fill the bottom with a good layer of ice. then sprinkle salt and vinegar over the ice. Next lay out meat sections over ice, try not to stack the meat. Next sprinkle salt and vinegar over the meat. Next put a layer of ice over the meat, not alot but good enough to cover it. Next sprinkle a little more salt and vinegar then fill the cooler with ice. Open the drain plug and prop up the end opposite the drain plug so as the ice melts the water can drain. The salt will draw the blood out of the meat and as the ice melts it will drain to the bottom of the cooler and out the drain plug. The vinegar is acidic and will tenderize the meat. Been using apple vinegar for the last few years and like the slight apple taste it leaves. One modification I'll be trying on the next one is something I saw on youtube, going to make a rack for the meat to sit on in the cooler out of grill grating. As I'm doing now the meat doesnt sit in any water at all only on ice but the grating will allow for air flow under the meat and better and faster blood removal. During early parts of the season you will have to probably add some ice to the cooler but how much depends on long you leave it in the cooler I usually leave mine in there fro at least 4 or 5 days

This has worked for me for the past 25 years or so. Just check it daily and be sure meat is not in water. Have a couple friends that soak theirs in water in fridge for a week before they ever process. Seems to work fine for them.

 

[catman529]

Clean quarters in clean trash bags. Put in fridge which is around 33-35 degrees and leave for a week. Not as good as dry aging, but works great for me.


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[lungpuncher1]

I have a deep freezer plugged into a kegerator thermostat. Keeps it at 35deg constantly. I built a rack from conduit to hang quarters from with meat hooks.

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[Omega]

I use an old fridge that I gutted all but one shelf out of. I have it set at 38*, and use meat hooks to hand the quarters from. On the bottom, I have an aluminum tray to catch the blood. This way, I can butcher a quarter or two after work, taking my time. I age mine 4 days or so, or up to 7-10 days for the last quarter. My last one was a regular fridge with the freezer on top, it went bad so looking for a side by side to replace it.

So with doing it this way is their meat that gets dried and has to be cut off/ discarded?

Not as much as one would think, but if there is any dry layers I do not discard, I chuck it into the grinder with the rest of the scraps and use it for jerky and sausage, doesn't make a bit f difference in taste or texture.

 

[AT Hiker]

I freeze 1/2 gallon jugs and use those to cool my primal cuts in 1 or 2 coolers. I age them
For 5-7 days then start pecking away at it. The jugs don't melt as fast and don't bathe my meat in meat juice and water.

So you age in the cooler with the jugs too?


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[AT Hiker]

I ran across this on a taxidermy site. I'm clueless to it so...

https://www.storeitcold.com


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[rstodd]

I found a website that has a pretty good article on how this guy build his walk in cooler. https://archeryrob.wordpress.com/2017/1 ... bot-clone/

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[timberjack86]

Clean quarters in clean trash bags. Put in fridge which is around 33-35 degrees and leave for a week. Not as good as dry aging, but works great for me.


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X2 this is how I do all my deer and I feel it's every bit as good as hanging one in a walk in cooler. Just make sure to quarter after rigimortis sets in!

 

[Deer Assassin]

www.storeitcold.com


greatest thing ever

 

[catman529]

Clean quarters in clean trash bags. Put in fridge which is around 33-35 degrees and leave for a week. Not as good as dry aging, but works great for me.


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X2 this is how I do all my deer and I feel it's every bit as good as hanging one in a walk in cooler. Just make sure to quarter after rigimortis sets in!

why's that?


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[mike243]

I quarter mine up put on large baking sheets cover with saran wrap, I have a old bottom fridge/freezer and a full size cooking sheet pan fits in it. I have left it for 5-6 days and cant tell any difference than 1 I went 24 hrs on. I set it as cold as it will go to in fresh food section and the parts are right at 30 when I pull them out to cut up. never ever thought about salt/vinegar and not sure why a person would,I like deer meat but trying to change the flavor with those 2 before its cooked just don't seem right too me , no expert but here but salting ice makes the temp drop more, the other well I just don't know and folks spritz BBQ with it while smoking lol I will leave the vinegar for my greens I cook and eat on the side ymmv :tu:

 

[MickThompson]

I freeze 1/2 gallon jugs and use those to cool my primal cuts in 1 or 2 coolers. I age them
For 5-7 days then start pecking away at it. The jugs don't melt as fast and don't bathe my meat in meat juice and water.

So you age in the cooler with the jugs too?


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Yes. Probably not as good as a fridge or walk in but it's what I have and works out 10x better than any deer I ever took to a processor. I have to swap and refreeze jugs every other day but don't have to run out for ice.