How do you handle meat care in heavy rain or high humidity?

[matechakeric]

I know the biggest danger to meat is heat and moisture. what if moisture is inevitable? would you dry off the meat as best you could?

I live in PA and am looking at a 2+ day back after hunt from any western elk state. could meat with rain droplets or high humidity make that trip without causing issues?

 

[Deleted member 38069]

Are you not going to put it in a cooler?

 

[matechakeric]

i mean this is hypothetical but yes I would put it in the cooler(s) with a ton of ice for the trip home.

do you worry about drying the meat completely before packing it?

 

[3855WIN]

Put dry ice in the cooler and come home.

 

[TakeABreakAndTouchGrass]

i mean this is hypothetical but yes I would put it in the cooler(s) with a ton of ice for the trip home.

do you worry about drying the meat completely before packing it?

I've wet aged deer in a cooler full of ice for up to 5 days here in FL. Just drain the melted water in the morning and at night and add ice if necessary. You'll be fine.

 

[WapitiBob]

I don't worry about it. Water ruining meat is internet nonsense. I've had quarters cooling in coolers with ice for over a week many times, and I've had quarters in an ice/water slurry bath for over a week one time to test. Meat that is in contact with pooled water, as in the btm of a cooler, will have the blood leached out of the areas in constant contact but that's about it. Toss your stuff in coolers with ice, drain the water and don't worry about it. If you're twisted up about it, use frozen jugs or build platforms for the coolers.

 

[Deleted member 28227]

Where are you hunting elk in the west where it's going to be humid or wet?

 

[WapitiBob]

Western oregon or Washington

 

[El Jason]

Where are you hunting elk in the west where it's going to be humid or wet?

It does rain periodically.

 

[Deleted member 28227]

It does rain periodically.

Bull chit.

 

[SaskHunter]

Water/moisture will accelerate spoilage in warm temperatures. If it rains, it rains, try to protect it with a tarp if you have one. If you leave the meat in a cooler on a long drive, drain the water and it'll be fine.

My last bear soaked overnight in ice water, it was pretty warm that most of the ice had melted but the water and meat was still very cold. That bear meat made great sausages, some of which I'll be enjoying tonight.

 

[Ben Lamb]

If my meat is all hot & humid, it's time to talc up.

 

[MarvB]

Gonna get pasty in the rain though....

 

[Shangobango]

If my meat is all hot & humid, it's time to talc up.

View attachment 169745

Where is the puke emoji when you need it?

 

[44hunter45]

Blood smells bad long before meat actually goes bad. I suspect a lot of perfectly good meat has been tossed over the years when it really only needed a good rinse and dry.
I've saved meat this way. If you line the cooler bottoms so the meat is not laying in the bloody melt water, and then drain it regularly, you will be ok.

If you are really worried about the trip, put a spacer under the meat in the cooler, then lay in the meat, followed by a membrane like a couple garbage bags, and then dry ice on the top.

Remember that the cooled air and CO2 from the dry ice goes DOWN.

Nutrisystem weight loss frozen meals are shipped in a cooler this way via FedEx. They use a piece of cardboard between the product and the dry ice. I've never seen one thawed.

 

[AlaskaHunter]

If packing in the rain, meat bag in plastic contractors bag.
Change to dry meat bags back at camp
and hang under tarped meat pole with plenty of air flow.

If its warm, we spray the meat with vinegar to retard bacterial growth.

 

[matechakeric]

Where are you hunting elk in the west where it's going to be humid or wet?

coastal Oregon for rosies and then driving back to Pennsylvania

 

[THINKIN6X6]

Freezer and generator. Takes the worries away about meat spoilage. Dry ice ain't cheap either and there are so many other uses for the freezer and generator back home.

 

[matechakeric]

Freezer and generator. Takes the worries away about meat spoilage. Dry ice ain't cheap either and there are so many other uses for the freezer and generator back home.

haha for someone not planning on bringing a long a trailer, freezer, and generator for the ride and without room in the bed of the truck of any of these items, guess I'm going with coolers and dry ice