Remove gaminess from meat.

[MASTERS]

I've never understood why people flush out the natural God given flavors of wild game. You might as well buy hot dogs at Minyards.

Skinny

Agreed 100%.

[Uncle Saggy]

I hang mine in a walk in cooler for at least a week, then process it. Never heard of the baking soda. I may just put a big box or two in my cooler and let them sit opened.

I don't have a walk-in, but do have a fridge set up for aging. 10 days is a good point to really increase the tenderness without losing the gaminess

[bloodtrailer28]

some of y'all use way too much effort to make venison, a meat that tastes better than beef, taste like beef.

X2.
Cooler full of ice for 3-5 days has always worked well for me.

[SB09]

We just ice and refill daily for 7 days and it taste great. Keep good ice covering the meat and leave drain hole open enough for the blood to run off and you're golden.

[Snakelover]

When people talk about "gamey" taste, they usually mean either meat that has been improperly cared for or meat that is high in natural hormones (like a rutting buck). The former should never happen and the latter can be used in more heavily seasoned recipes. I guess there could be a third category, people who just don't like the flavor of venison.

[randal]

I don't ever do anything besides clean it and out it on ice till I get home and never seem to have anything taste bad or "gamey"

[TXHUNT3R]

Just to add to this.

If you can't help that the guts get on the meat.

Pressure wash the meat before you ice it.

Will help get it more clean before you start the icing process.

I just shot a hog that had an exit wound out the guts. I tried what i stated above and the meat smells fresh fresh fresh!

[Patton]

I hang mine in a walk in cooler for at least a week, then process it. Never heard of the baking soda. I may just put a big box or two in my cooler and let them sit opened.

One of the many reasons why I want a walk in cooler. I let sit on ice for 4-7 days and drain both morning and night

[catslayer]

I keep ice on mine with the drain open for a few days thats about it,

Always heard this... Your basically ageing your meat. Connective tissue starts to break down. More tender, the baking soda thing I have never heard...

[Tuffbroadhead]

Harvest, process, eat...

I happen to like the way "wild" critters taste over store bought meats..

[mjhaverkamp]

The best way is to let hang in a walk in cooler for a week to ten days, never did like the submerge in ice way, but I do understand that folks do not have walk ins or extra refrigerators to hold fresh meat.

[old killer]

I leave the drain closed and empty every couple of days.
Having the meat under water seems to do a better job of removing any hair and scent from the animal. You can't get all of the dirt particles and hair off as you skin the animal.
A lot of the gamey taste comes from things that were on the skin and got onto the meat during skinning.

[AntlerCollector]

I once left a doe in my cooler for 20 days. Didn't do it on purpose, but work got in the way and it took me that long to get around to processing it. That doe was the best tasting and most tender deer meat I ever ate! I know everyone doesn't have a walk in cooler, but if you're able to age one that way you will never let the meat soak in ice water again!

[muzzlebrake]

One processor I used to use let the meat hang in dry cooler for 13 days at 34 degrees. Best tasting venison ever.

[wow]

We had 500 lb calf break his neck while working them and we cleaned and then chilled 7 days. Some of the best NATURAL meat I have had. I can fix a steak from it and one from the store and there is a big difference.
We soak our deer on ice a few days or not depends on the time we have to prepare it.
IT ALL depends on each persons TASTE