Hanging birds

That1uncle1776

That1uncle1776

Well-known member
Whats your opinion, technique on aging birds. I recently just dried aged a goose breast for 4 days and it was delicious but Im not going to lie I was afraid of getting sick. Ive read on here about hanging birds but do you leave feathers on...there is just to much bs on the internet from people that arent avidly harvesting birds like us.
 
I just can't get with aging birds. Maybe 15-20 years ago I had a pair in my pick-up in the garage for a day, something happened and I just couldn't get to them to get them cleaned. I couldn't get myself to eat those birds. I did "kind of" age my first 3 birds this year. I filleted the breasts and thighs and left them in a sealed tub in the refrigerator until the next morning when I cleaned the new limit and frooze all 6 vac-paked together. I will get them thawed, along with my birds this weekend and with a pork shoulder roast, grind and make that delicious breakfast sausage! Wouldn't the same thing be happening if you left your cleaned birds in the refrigerator for a couple days, prior to eating or freezing? The meat is just slowly breaking-down/spoiling, right?
 
I let a good # of mine hang in the garage for up to 3 days, done 5 a few times. Never any Ill effects. When it's cold and we're out of town the birds just freeze in the pickup bed. I think for the benefits of aging you want temps 35-50° hang birds in a shady place. For young birds probably don't matter as much. Old ones they tender up some and it's supposed to add flavor. If you center one then clean at soonest convenience. Usually I'm shooting so far ahead of the bird I just put a bb or three in the front of the bird so perfect for hanging.
 
I do mine for 24 hours. No regrets. They taste great, and no one gets sick.

Though I wouldn't wait on one that got gut shot though. If it stinks when its fresh, clean it straight away.
 
I most always hang my birds(pheasant) from the head, I have an attached porch that isn't heated so if/when its cold outside they stay above freezing, but barely. I usually hang 3-5 days and clean them when convenient(or I feel like it). I did have one hang for over a week with no ill affects. It is a little odd at first, but it does help with tenderizing them. I also snap the leg bones just below the "knee" joint and pull the feet off, which pulls about half of the tendons out of the drumsticks, like this. This last trip was warm and I was on the road so I had them in the travel fridge in my camper, not as good as hanging but it worked, and on sharpie and huns too.
 
Legs are fantastic. I braise 10 of them in chicken stock, then pull once tender. Carefully remove broken bone bits from the thigh meat and toss the lower leg. White pheasant chili or tacos from there. I'd like to try more but the chili is just too good.
 
I have no problem when I remove the guts hang in a shady place cover, so bugs do not get in the meat naturally cools i have let them hang 3 day's no problem
 
As long as you cook them properly, you should kill any pathogens or bacteria. Treat it like chicken; do not undercook it.

I am not willing to risk that so I clean mine after I'm done, vacuum seal them, and then put them in the freezer.

It's more about what your personal level of risk is here. Raw meat can make you very, very sick. Once that's happened, you probably won't ever do it again. Foodborne illness happens a lot more than you think it does.

As for the goose, I'll never consume one again. They are better used as pothole filler.
 
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