My husband and I are considering processing our first steer. He is a small Jersey that we don't wish to feed through the winter and isn't big enough to bother with the $$ the processer charges. We don't have a cooler to hang him in. I'm guessing that if we hang him outside and he freezes (which it absolutely will!) that it won't age properly. Any suggestions on aging in this weather? Oh...and how long do you all age your beef before cutting?
If you have a garage or someplace to put it after you butcher that would help. Depending on the temps you could put a sleeping bag around it. We usually leave a beef hanging 2 or 3 weeks depending on how old it was when butchered. Bob
We were thinking of using our big horse trailer. I had planned to sell it so, it's been all spiffed up, bleached, etc. The idea is to keep it from freezing to age it....correct?
aging is overrated in most cases mabey with an older tough cow it would be warented ,jersy tends to be tender as a rule and makes some of the best flavor beef ,just dont be suprised at the yellow fat color , i try to get the beef to age a little but temps are hard to regulate when outside ,frozen meat can be hard to cut alsoyou will find the same with meat still hot , i usually quarter and work up the ribs and maby a front quarter the first day putting all the trimmings for hamberger to be ground at one timeif the weather is not cold enough i freeze them till im ready to grind,if the weather warms up too much i have to hurry and process fast,the more fat on the animal the longer you are safe to age the meat ,some old timers just hung them and cutt off as they needed in the north.
We hang ours after its quartered, in our basement. And have tables and saws right there. It stays about 40' all winter down there. We got one to do over Christmas vacation.
