Washing meat

[huntinsonovagun]

How do you guys go about cleaning the dirt and hair off of your game quarters? I’ve been, more and more, wanting to process my game myself, but it always ends up being an 8 hour process or more for a deer-sized animal. I always say that I’ve got to quit using water, but I do always end up using water to rinse everything off.

What’s your process? Rinse the quarters and then wrap/bag the cuts, or cut and then rinse? Any butcher videos on YouTube aren’t using water, but I haven’t figured out how to NOT use water yet...

 

[MTLabrador]

I always just filet it off with the crust that forms as the meat dries. I’ve never worried about a little hair or dirt, within reason. I certainly wouldn’t rinse them.

 

[huntinsonovagun]

I always just filet it off with the crust that forms as the meat dries. I’ve never worried about a little hair or dirt, within reason. I certainly wouldn’t rinse them.

Thanks for that info. Every time I end up using any water it just feels wrong, but I always get to a point of not knowing what else to do.

 

[MTLabrador]

Thanks for that info. Every time I end up using any water it just feels wrong, but I always get to a point of not knowing what else to do.

Randy had a great video last year of butchering an elk. For the smaller hairs that get through the initial trim I just pick them off with wet fingers.

 

[44hunter45]

In spite of all the naysayers, there is nothing unsafe about rinsing meat. This is especially true at cutting time. just pat off any standing water before you wrap.

I burn off stray hairs with a propane torch while its still hanging. I learned this trick from an old butcher long ago.

 

[Jc2020]

I always hang mine and wash them off and let them dry once I get home as long as it’s cool enough

 

[Jc2020]

In spite of all the naysayers, there is nothing unsafe about rinsing meat. This is especially true at cutting time. just pat off any standing water before you wrap.

I burn off stray hairs with a propane torch while its still hanging. I learned this trick from an old butcher long ago.

I use the torch also to get any hairs spraying off doesn’t get

 

[huronmtns]

Randy had a great video last year of butchering an elk. For the smaller hairs that get through the initial trim I just pick them off with wet fingers.

I pretty much do what you do with the crusty layer and a fillet knife. For the random hair or dirt that has stuck to the dry meat surface, there is a thin membrane that I start with a knife if needed, and peel the membrane off. The dirt and hair come off with it. No water use for me other than to clean the knives after the cutting job is done.

 

[Carl 9.3x62]

I've rinsed meat lots of times, both on the bone and while butchering in the kitchen. I'd prefer not to rinse it while butchering, but can't honestly say that I have ever experienced a negative consequence from rinsing. Why do people not rince? Bacteria growth?

 

[Straight Arrow]

I've rinsed meat lots of times, both on the bone and while butchering in the kitchen. I'd prefer not to rinse it while butchering, but can't honestly say that I have ever experienced a negative consequence from rinsing. Why do people not rince? Bacteria growth?

Likewise, I have rinsed many antelope in a canal, stream or river to field-clean dirt, blood, loose hair and other debris. No problems have been experienced. I usually butcher, cut and wrap antelope within a few days.

 

[huronmtns]

The packaging materials I use are Saran Wrap and Freezer Paper. When I cut the meat (all bone has been removed) and package, I try to keep it simple. The Saran Wrap is the first layer and it seems to cling and hold position on the meat while wrapping that has not been rinsed better than if it was. If the meat is wet it slides around and makes it a bit more challenging for what I'm trying to accomplish with the wrap. The goal of using this Saran Wrap layer is to cling to all surfaces of the piece of meat to prevent an air pocket. In my experience the air is what causes freezer burn to happen on the surface. Store bought meat that utilizes foam trays and Saran Wrap (marketing and customer selection) method creates air gaps and these gaps are where the freezer burn seems to originate with time. After I complete the Saran Wrap layer, I take that and final wrap it in freezer paper. This helps by creating another layer and protects what inside from handling. The freezer paper alone would also create some small air pockets for freezer burn. The freezer paper also allows me to label what is packaged. A permanent marker with a quick description of what's inside and the date of harvest.

 

[TheJason]

I pretty much do what’s already been mentioned. It took me about four to five hours to cut and wrap my elk yesterday.

 

[diamond hitch]

I trim the bloodshot and fat off then scrub the blood and hair off with hot water and baking soda and a coarse scrub rag. Then I go over the meat with a clean circular curry comb. Finally I dry it off with a clean towel. Once clean and dry, I wrap the quarters in clean sheets and hang for cutting. I usually have this done within 12 hrs unless I have to leave them overnite in a snowbank.

 

[BackofBeyond]

If needed, I will hose down quarters or whatever before i hang them, then dry them off with a lint free micro-fiber towel, then hang them. Once it's ready to cut there's no water involved, if there's still a few stray hairs i'll either pick them, let them come off with the rind, or grab a small torch and burn them. The only water involved with cutting is knife/board cleaning... process a quarter - clean-up, grab another one. Easier to keep clean if you're cleaning as you go.

 

[muskeg]

If the meat needs cleaning some I use paper towels and white vineger ...

 

[ibehuntin]

I always wash and wipe the carcass down after skinning and prelim trimming. Let it air dry then I wash it with distilled white vinegar and bag it up for processing or aging.

 

[Bambistew]

I cut wild meat commercially for a couple seasons. We skinned/rinsed/sprayed every carcass and hung them about 24hrs to dry before they were cut. I don't rinse meat at home unless its on the carcass/quarter bone in.

 

[sacountry]

I'm in Bambistew's camp on this with one exception. I'll rinse on the bone if necessary...it obviously starts with good care in the field, but that's never perfect so a little water never hurt. Damp dry with a paper towel. I then like to vacuum seal the meat right away and stash it in my garage fridge for 7-10 days to wet age it. Can't do this without vacuum sealing the meat. A ziplock bag will allow air / bacteria to enter into the equation. With wet aging, I don't have the waste of the crusted outer layer nor do I have to spend time trimming it off when it comes time to package it. As was said earlier, the difference between me doing it and paying someone....I'm always cleaning and inspecting the meat the whole way through.