My processor hangs it in the cooler on the rail for a couple of weeks at 34 degrees.
MIH - If your wife says get a smoker then WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?????????????? Ifn Mamma says "Yes" get you arse out de do and buy a good one before she changes her mind!!!!!!
not much chance for temps being low enough to hang meat early season. I've always field dressed asap then pack with bags of ice early season. deer is skinned, quartered and put into ice chest when I get home.
about a week or two later we have a deer processing get together. its always better to hang deer for a week or so .. but it's just not an option early season. I've always processed my own deer .. no wild taste .. grind deer meat with beef fat and use it just like normal hamburger.
this year off season I've scored two old commercial meat grinders. one is an old Toledo 5120, both weight about 90lbs. looking forward to figuring which one I like better.
about a week or two later we have a deer processing get together. its always better to hang deer for a week or so .. but it's just not an option early season. I've always processed my own deer .. no wild taste .. grind deer meat with beef fat and use it just like normal hamburger.
this year off season I've scored two old commercial meat grinders. one is an old Toledo 5120, both weight about 90lbs. looking forward to figuring which one I like better.
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nice grinder CY.
I built a few smokers and I have found i do not like the fire box to the side yes it works well but you can over smoke meat and that returns
an ashtray flavor with some wood.. Pecan for instance.. you will get ashtray flavor when oversmoked with it.
I built a couple straight up BBQ/ smokers and really like the performance of them best.
Just a 3 foot tall or taller square box.
A vent at top and bottom adjustable and multiple area's for racks inside.. I use an aluminum pan with water in it on a rack above the fire.. to keep direct flames off of the meat and keep moisture in it.
This type uses a lot less wood and turns out some excellent meat..
I made a couple for friends and they said it is the best cooker they ever used.
I usually cook/ smoke for 1-2 hours and then wrap the meat in foil and finish cooking.
Some wood and or meat is done quicker,, like birds and thin stuff.
I also have a couple open grills I made for burgers and fish etc. One is 4 foot by 2 foot cooking area.. Made that and it uses 10 or more pounds of charcoal.
and can have 40 burgers going at 1 time.. Wife volunteered me to cook for the 5th grade at mustang school years ago. You need welding gloves and a couple 5 gallon buckets of water to dunk your arms in whey it gets too hot. Tough cooking for 100+ people in 1 hour.
I had to build something to do it... she thought the upright would work????? Really.
Here is the upright I do most all of my meat on.
I about have it worn out.
I sourced my steel sheet from the scrap area at Standard iron and metal. Hinges are motorcycle chain.
Door handle is an old automotive hood prop rod.
I built a few smokers and I have found i do not like the fire box to the side yes it works well but you can over smoke meat and that returns
an ashtray flavor with some wood.. Pecan for instance.. you will get ashtray flavor when oversmoked with it.
I built a couple straight up BBQ/ smokers and really like the performance of them best.
Just a 3 foot tall or taller square box.
A vent at top and bottom adjustable and multiple area's for racks inside.. I use an aluminum pan with water in it on a rack above the fire.. to keep direct flames off of the meat and keep moisture in it.
This type uses a lot less wood and turns out some excellent meat..
I made a couple for friends and they said it is the best cooker they ever used.
I usually cook/ smoke for 1-2 hours and then wrap the meat in foil and finish cooking.
Some wood and or meat is done quicker,, like birds and thin stuff.
I also have a couple open grills I made for burgers and fish etc. One is 4 foot by 2 foot cooking area.. Made that and it uses 10 or more pounds of charcoal.
and can have 40 burgers going at 1 time.. Wife volunteered me to cook for the 5th grade at mustang school years ago. You need welding gloves and a couple 5 gallon buckets of water to dunk your arms in whey it gets too hot. Tough cooking for 100+ people in 1 hour.
I had to build something to do it... she thought the upright would work????? Really.
Here is the upright I do most all of my meat on.
I about have it worn out.
I sourced my steel sheet from the scrap area at Standard iron and metal. Hinges are motorcycle chain.
Door handle is an old automotive hood prop rod.
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I have soaked a lot of deer meat in ice chests and Hog .. here is a tip for new guys doing this.
Drain the bloody water daily or 2x daily add fresh ice. Rotate the meat.
You can over pack the ice chest and the meat on the bottom can go rancid.. single layer is really best.. get more ice chests.
Friend had a pregnant hog that had to be cut open to get the piglets out.. mother died of course.. she was a big one.
A friend and I butchered it and it went into ice chests with ice.
They did not rotate the meat and it was packed in too tight.. all their meat was lost.. I took home a small roast section and a large brisket..
I cooked it all the day after and it was excellent.. Put a rub on it and let set overnight in the fridge and into the upright smoker the next day.
Drain the bloody water daily or 2x daily add fresh ice. Rotate the meat.
You can over pack the ice chest and the meat on the bottom can go rancid.. single layer is really best.. get more ice chests.
Friend had a pregnant hog that had to be cut open to get the piglets out.. mother died of course.. she was a big one.
A friend and I butchered it and it went into ice chests with ice.
They did not rotate the meat and it was packed in too tight.. all their meat was lost.. I took home a small roast section and a large brisket..
I cooked it all the day after and it was excellent.. Put a rub on it and let set overnight in the fridge and into the upright smoker the next day.
Do you guys bag the meat or just let the ice water wash it too? Always heard that wet meat that STAYED wet was ruined?
Swamp, that's a good design, here's a pro tip for your next one.
Add a few inches in height (like maybe 2 inches), and add a flat piece of steel under the 1st rack. Don't run it all across to seal things up, but enough to shield the food from the direct line of sight to the coals, leave some room on the sides or at the front or back for airflow. Going indirect will make a world of difference in your low and slow cooks. The ceramic grills and Cookshacks use this method and it's one of the things that make them superior to all others. You just want the heat and the smoke, not the infrared. Put it in a track and you can remove it for direct grilling.
I've never claimed to be the smartest individual. lol. I'm waiting for sales now that Summer is officially over and hoping to pick a nicer one up for the pride of a mediocre setup.
I have the tracks in there..Angle iron welded to the sides.. good idea about the steel plate..currently use a big aluminum pan,, that i put water in.
To run block for me.
The water on the meat does not hurt a thing.
But you must drain it at least daily for best results.. 2 days if it is single layer will not hurt.. others will chime in.
I like everyday.
Now the meat will soak up the water and then out comes the blood from the meat.. the more you soak and rinse the less red the meat is and the more it will taste like store bought.
The blood is what makes it have most of the gamy taste.
Think about what you do to a chicken or turkey salt water brine for a day.
Only the last 2 years have I experimented with hanging meat and curing meat in different ways.
like many here I would always cool them quick and ice chest soak.
I do a lot of canning of meat in mason jars now also.
Takes a little while but so easy to reach into the cabinet and pull out a mason jar full of meat and know you can eat it right now.
That is also a way to turn the toughest meat tender.. I mean the stuff not fit for even the grinder. meat on the ankles with all the sinew will become tender.
To run block for me.
The water on the meat does not hurt a thing.
But you must drain it at least daily for best results.. 2 days if it is single layer will not hurt.. others will chime in.
I like everyday.
Now the meat will soak up the water and then out comes the blood from the meat.. the more you soak and rinse the less red the meat is and the more it will taste like store bought.
The blood is what makes it have most of the gamy taste.
Think about what you do to a chicken or turkey salt water brine for a day.
Only the last 2 years have I experimented with hanging meat and curing meat in different ways.
like many here I would always cool them quick and ice chest soak.
I do a lot of canning of meat in mason jars now also.
Takes a little while but so easy to reach into the cabinet and pull out a mason jar full of meat and know you can eat it right now.
That is also a way to turn the toughest meat tender.. I mean the stuff not fit for even the grinder. meat on the ankles with all the sinew will become tender.
That's what I thought. I ate a deer heart in camp one year. Soaked in iced salted water all day changing out several times. Trimmed all the arteries, veins and fat off first. That was the best most tender chicken fried "steak" I've ever eaten. No gamey or liver taste at all. You could dang near cut it with a fork.
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