# Dark colored venison??



## shakyleg (Dec 21, 2013)

I just took this Buck off the ice and I noticed the smaller pieces are a dark color and the quarters came out still red. Is this because the blood is completely drained out of the venison or has some of it gone bad. The ribs and smaller pieces are not a pretty pink/red anymore.


[ATTACHMENT=1063]image.jpg (246k. jpg file)[/ATTACHMENT]


[ATTACHMENT=1064]image.jpg (229k. jpg file)[/ATTACHMENT]


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## pops6927 (Dec 22, 2013)

Have you been aging it, and at what temp?  Meat starts out dark red, then 'blooms' to a bright red, then grey's out.  The best condition of your meat is not what your eyes tell you, but what your nose tells you.  If it smells bad, then it is.


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## shakyleg (Dec 22, 2013)

It was kept on ice during the aging. The meat smells absolutely fine.


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## john suede (Dec 22, 2013)

hey man, I eat lots of game meat, and I have to say that Pops is right, smell is the best for whether its good or not. However, in my experience, the darker colour the meat, the better the results have been for me. The one thing that I have noticed with Deer is that the meat tends to be quite lean (actually game meat in general), which may be what gives it that darker colour. Less marbling (fat) than we are used to seeing in grain feed beef cows. 

The pictures you attached are obvious signs that the meat was sitting in water. Id guess that the melting ice was not drained often enough.I don't know for sure as I keep my unbutchered meats in the fridge while ageing. Keeps temp consistent and no need for water. I'm guessing that the water further drawls out blood from the meat, making it change colour. 

just my 2 cents.

Kind Regards

John


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## riverrat48 (Dec 22, 2013)

I agree with Suede.... the pale color meat in your pics looks like meat that's been in contact with H20 a little too long.


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## shakyleg (Dec 23, 2013)

Thank you all very much. The water was drained daily but I think the explanation is correct. These pieces of meat were at the bottom of the cooler which exposed them to the water, they smell absolutely fine so I think I am in the clear. It's my first time processing myself. Last thing I wanted was to make everyone sick, I would never be allowed to do it again. Lol


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