No hanging meat allowed

[Teleking]

http://www.fox2now.com/news/ktvi-hanging-meat-south-city-ducks-010511,0,1783475.story

How exactly does this cure the meat and not go rancid?
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“Franken Smoker”

“The Bride of Franken Smoker”

[sixfofalcon]

Depends on your definition of "rancid".

I read about this somewhere--I think it was in Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's River Cottage Meat Book. From memory, here's my take:

In many parts of the world (rural areas of England & France, for example) it is common practice for game birds (pheasant, grouse, etc.) to be hung up to age for weeks at a time, even before evisceration or removing the feathers. Provided that temperatures don't get too warm, the meat itself does not spoil to the point of being inedible or dangerous, but there is a certain amount of microbial activity going on in the guts, and it makes the meat taste more... well, "gamey". This practice is actually the origin of the term "well hung", meaning that the meat has a pronouced gamey flavor because it was hung up for a considerable time before being processed and cooked.

I think it's safe to say that most people in the US find "gamey" to be an "off" flavor and not entirely desirable, but according to some purists, hanging game is the only proper way to prepare it for consumption.
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Weber Performer
22.5" WSM

[redray]

I wonder how long this will hang before they eat it.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Caaf5VmGTkg

[BigOrson]

It's much like aging beef--they used to age beef by hanging it too. There's quite a bit of microbial activity going on in the muscles, which boosts some flavors and improves tenderness even as it removes moisture. There certainly is some loss to spoilage on the outside and a great deal of lost weight (which commands the higher price as a result), but the interior meat is of superior flavor and increased tenderness.

28 days is the most common target of professional aging standards that I have observed (although I am sure someone will take issue with that number). I've never gotten past about 17 days in my fridge (I'm askeered of ruining a $75 piece of meat and by 17 days I feel like I'm playing chicken with the spoilage gods), but I've noticed a tremendous difference in flavor and tenderness.

[Teleking]

[PaulOinMA]

I remember watching a show on PBS years ago. Someone was out filming a hunting party in South America. By time they got back to the village with the monkeys they had killed, the flesh was starting to decay by our standards.
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Pitt's & Spitt's U2436