MONROE - Handling venison correctly immediately after a deer is killed can have a tremendous impact on the safety and quality of the meat, according to the University of Wisconsin Extension department.
The meat should be kept clean, dry and cool.
Suggestions for handling the deer as soon as possible after it's been shot include:
• The deer's internal organs should be removed as soon as possible, especially if the deer was shot in the gut area. Be careful not to cut the intestines, stomach or bladder. Cut around the entrance and exit holes to remove any dirty or potentially contaminated material.
• If any intestinal contents do happen to spill into the body cavity, a clean cloth can clean up any spill or the cavity can be rinsed with cold water or a 50/50 solution of water and vinegar can be used to destroy bacteria.
• The carcass should be cooled as soon as possible. The cooling process should begin within two hours of killing the deer. Be careful not to let the carcass freeze within the first six hours, since that can cause meat to become tough.
To help protect against CWD:
• Wear rubber or latex gloves when dressing and processing a deer.
• Do not process or eat venison from a deer that shows signs of CWD.
• Minimize contact with the brain, spinal cord, spleen and lymph nodes, and do not eat this tissue.
• Do not cut through the spinal column except to remove the head. Use a knife or saw for that purpose only. Soak the knife or saw blade in a 50/50 solution of household bleach and water for one hour, or dispose of the blade altogether.
• Use separate knives for field dressing and removing the meat from the carcass. Do not use household knives for field dressing. Clean all knives, equipment and cutting surfaces with hot soap and water after use and disinfect with a 50/50 solution of household bleach and water.
• Remove only the meat, do not cut through any bones, and remove all fat and connective tissue before eating or storing the meat. This saves on freezer space and makes it easier to use. Do not stew deer bones for soup stock.
For questions related to venison, contact UW-Extension office at 328-9440. These UW-Extension publications are available: "So You Got a Deer" and, for venison recipes, "Wisconsin's Wild Game: Enjoying the Harvest" or "Canning Meat, Wild Game, Poultry and Fish Safely." These publications can be ordered from Cooperative Extension Publications by calling (877) 947-7827; or are available online at http://learningstore.uwex.edu.
The meat should be kept clean, dry and cool.
Suggestions for handling the deer as soon as possible after it's been shot include:
• The deer's internal organs should be removed as soon as possible, especially if the deer was shot in the gut area. Be careful not to cut the intestines, stomach or bladder. Cut around the entrance and exit holes to remove any dirty or potentially contaminated material.
• If any intestinal contents do happen to spill into the body cavity, a clean cloth can clean up any spill or the cavity can be rinsed with cold water or a 50/50 solution of water and vinegar can be used to destroy bacteria.
• The carcass should be cooled as soon as possible. The cooling process should begin within two hours of killing the deer. Be careful not to let the carcass freeze within the first six hours, since that can cause meat to become tough.
To help protect against CWD:
• Wear rubber or latex gloves when dressing and processing a deer.
• Do not process or eat venison from a deer that shows signs of CWD.
• Minimize contact with the brain, spinal cord, spleen and lymph nodes, and do not eat this tissue.
• Do not cut through the spinal column except to remove the head. Use a knife or saw for that purpose only. Soak the knife or saw blade in a 50/50 solution of household bleach and water for one hour, or dispose of the blade altogether.
• Use separate knives for field dressing and removing the meat from the carcass. Do not use household knives for field dressing. Clean all knives, equipment and cutting surfaces with hot soap and water after use and disinfect with a 50/50 solution of household bleach and water.
• Remove only the meat, do not cut through any bones, and remove all fat and connective tissue before eating or storing the meat. This saves on freezer space and makes it easier to use. Do not stew deer bones for soup stock.
For questions related to venison, contact UW-Extension office at 328-9440. These UW-Extension publications are available: "So You Got a Deer" and, for venison recipes, "Wisconsin's Wild Game: Enjoying the Harvest" or "Canning Meat, Wild Game, Poultry and Fish Safely." These publications can be ordered from Cooperative Extension Publications by calling (877) 947-7827; or are available online at http://learningstore.uwex.edu.