Gravmeat

[TobyB]

Deerman,

I spoke to my next door neighbour about roe hanging, he like you is a deer manager (looks after 10,000 acres for Oxford Uni). He hangs his roe for 4-8 days in a commercial cold store skin off. Apparently the green is removed in the field and the remainder of the organs are removed immediately on returning to the cold store. Certainly for my taste this is the best as anything hung for longer gets very gamey. Apparently the roe I used in my sausages had been hung for only 5 days before being sausaged (not sure about that new verb!). It certainly has a good gamey flavour without being overpowering. If you are finding your roe too much perhaps you should try the shorter hanging time.

Conversely the butcher in a famous local market apparently (this is pure hearsay so please do not read anything into it) hang theirs until it gets a mould on the outside which they then wash off. Never tried ther venison (as I get mine free from next door) but I'd imagine the tase is incredibly strong

[Deer Man]

Toby, hanging times are all down to personnel choice, I only hang for a day or two if I have the time to butcher them or 10 days if things are a little buisy. How long would you hang featherd game? Some people go to the extreme and have it very high were as I only hang for a few days. Domestic stock is always hung without the coat,I think this is to minimise cross contamination and the fact that they are only hung for a day or two before they are in the supermarket!, I do not know anyone who hangs deer without the coat.

Try a google search for beef hanging times and see how 10 days compares. All venison tastes different and factors like age, time of year culled etc will all affect flavour. As long as you enjoy venison then whatever it is your doing to it keep doing! The more people that actualy try venison the better. A very healthy option which is not used in the U.K.

[TobyB]

Your mail reads as though you are slightly offended. If so please accept my apologies that certainly was not my intention.

I asked my neighbour as you had said that you didn't like your roe that much (and the question mark after your 10 days in your earlier post led me to believe you wanted to know how others dealt with it) and I was interested to let you know how he dealt with his as it doesn't have that strong a flavour. Also interested in the coat on/off discussion as I too hadn't heard of anyone hangng deer coat off but apparently that's what they do.

As for feathered game, I hang pheasant for a week, partridge for three-four days and duck for as little time as I can as it otherwise develops a very strong taste. I try not to shoot geese as I don't like them.

Once again, apologies if I have inadvertently slighted you. As already stated that was most certainly not my intention.

[Deer Man]

Toby, there is no need to appologise I have skin like a rhino!, you have done nothing wrong! I certainly did not take offence to your reply. i was only trying to give you a comparison to other game especially featherd game which is not drawn untill you actualy dress the bird.

Just tried some venison sausage with a couple of Francos ready mixes. They are quite good!

[Deer Man]

Just hot smoked the cured saddle, Excellent Well worth doing, good hot but I think it will be better cold in sandwiches.

[TobyB]

Phew!

Hot smoked saddle sounds lovely. Have you tried curing it as for bresaola and then cold smoking it? I ask as I've eaten this but never done my own and would quite like to give it a go.


ps you should try Ericht's recipe they really are the most delicious sausages