Items you will need
Damp towel
Thermometer
Pan
Paper towels
Rope
Tips
Keep the hide on the deer to protect the meat from drying out.
Warnings
Avoid the meat from spoiling or absorbing other smells from food by using an unused refrigerator.
Newly killed deer must be aged in the refrigerator before being butchered to produce tender meat. During the first 24 hours of death, the deer goes through rigor mortis, which causes the muscles to stiffen. Butchering while these muscles contract will result in tough meat. For those who do not live in cold temperatures of 40 degrees F., hang your deer in a spare refrigerator for a couple of weeks to give the meat time to tenderize for a delicious cut of venison.
Remove everything from your refrigerator, including all the shelving, except for the top shelf. Wash off any stains from inside the refrigerator with a damp towel.
Set the air flow of the refrigerator to 32 F. to 39 F. You can leave a thermometer in the refrigerator to ensure that the temperature setting is correct.
Place a pan at the bottom of the refrigerator and line it with paper towels. The paper towels will allow you to make sure that the blood is properly leaching out of the deer, which indicates that the meat is tenderizing.
Hang a rope from the top shelf to get it ready to hang the deer. Use a rope that is strong enough to hold the deer.
Tie the rope around the deer. If your refrigerator is too small, you will have to butcher part of the deer before placing it in the refrigerator.
References
