Will deer meat spoil at 60 degrees?
According to Dr. Cutter, when temperatures are above 40 degrees F, bacteria grow rapidly once the deer is dead, and the higher the temperature the faster the growth. “If it's cold weather, and it's a clean shot, you might be able to do fine,” she said.
The proper aging temperature range is between 32° F and 36° F; never higher than 40° F. Deer should not be aged any longer than 2 weeks. Hold the carcass at 40° F or less, but avoid freezing the carcass before rigor to avoid toughening the meat.
Due to radiant heating, meat exposed to bright sunlight will spoil faster than meat kept in the shade. Any time the environmental temperature is 40 F or warmer, spoilage is a major concern.
The FDA recommends that all perishables left at room temperature for more than two hours be discarded. Bacteria grow most rapidly between 40 degrees Fahrenheit (4.4 degrees Celsius) and 140 degrees Fahrenheit (60 degrees Celsius), doubling in amount every 20 minutes.
Wrapped in big, thick coats, they don't move much when it's 70 degrees,” Mark and Terry Drury wrote in their book, “Giant Whitetails.” “But—BAM! —a cold front hits, and suddenly their internal cooling systems work again. Big deer get up and walk, searching for does and nudging them around.
“You should be OK hanging and leaving it overnight because the temperature is going to drop,” he said. “If it's too warm during the latter part of the day, I recommend putting bags of ice inside the chest cavity to keep the meat cool.” Some people let their deer hang for days with the idea that the meat has to age.
On average, as mentioned above - five days will do most hunters just fine. This is a suggested amount of time to allow for the cooling and aging process to happen properly.
The four-hour rule
According to the FDA and USDA, certain perishable foods that have been kept at a temperature above 40 degrees Fahrenheit for more than two hours should be thrown out. This includes meat, poultry, fish, soft cheeses, dairy products, eggs, cooked or cut produce, and cooked leftovers.
Spoiled venison will feel wet and slimy to the touch. Good venison will be damp but not slippery to the touch.
If the total time is: • Less than 2 hours, the food can be used or put back in the refrigerator for later use, Between 2 and 4 hours, the food can still be used, but can't be put back in the refrigerator, and • 4 hours or longer, the food must be thrown out.
What temperature is the danger zone for raw meat?
The "Danger Zone" (40 °F-140 °F)
This range of temperatures is often called the "Danger Zone." That's why the Meat and Poultry Hotline advises consumers to never leave food out of refrigeration over 2 hours. If the temperature is above 90 °F, food should not be left out more than 1 hour.
Food which has been kept in the Temperature Danger Zone (between 5 – 60 degrees Celsius) for between two and four hours cannot be put back in the refrigerator and must be consumed. Any food which remains in the Temperature Danger Zone for four or more hours must be discarded.
There are dry temperatures and wet temperatures. Deer prefer humidity between 40 and 50 percent. If it's 70 degrees out and the humidity is 70 percent, there won't be much daylight activity even if you're 5 degrees below average temperature as stated above.
Skin It. In September or early October, it never hurts to skin a deer as quickly as possible so the meat will begin to cool down. This is a must if you don't have access to cold storage and intend to hang your deer in the shade of a tree. To do this, the air temperature needs to be 40 degrees or cooler at night.
On the contrary, when you have a hot day, bucks are not going to move no matter what the moon phase, barometric pressure, or anything tells you. Even if it's in the middle of the prime rut, during daylight in hot weather, bucks typically don't leave their bedding areas until the last second.
Temperatures warmer than 40℉ are possible but far from ideal. As a general rule, you shouldn't hang deer at temperatures over 50℉ at, while hanging at 40–50℉ should be limited to a few hours, overnight at most. Nope, this isn't ideal for any length of time.
For venison, optimum conditions are above freezing but below 42 degrees. Then, duration depends largely on personal preference, but 5-7 days is not too long.
If it is much above 45 degrees overnight, it makes sense to get a couple bags of ice and put them in the body cavity to help cool the meat – again, especially in the area near the back legs.
Generally, perishable items like leftovers, milk, and meats should be stored at or below 40°F in order to keep them safe to eat. If they are kept at or near 60°F, they may not stay safe for long and are likely to spoil sooner.
Bacteria can multiply at any temperature within the danger zone, but temperatures between 70 and 125 degrees Fahrenheit provide the most hospitable environment for bacteria to thrive. The longer food sits in the temperature danger zone, the greater the risk that bacteria will grow on the food.
How long can raw meat sit out at 70 degrees?
Meat. Both raw and cooked meat should not be left at room temperature for more than two hours. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends following the “2-hour rule” for meats and other perishable items. The warmer the room, however, the less time meat should be left out.
Heat: Heat is the number-one concern. Bacteria grow rapidly in a carcass, especially if it's allowed to stay warm. Meat begins to spoil above 40° Fahrenheit. The higher the temperature—and the longer the meat is exposed—the greater the chance of spoilage.
While opinions vary, it's generally accepted that a heart shot deer can be recovered right away, double lung shot deer can be tracked within 30 to 90 minutes, a single lung or liver hit deer should likely be given closer to 4 to 6 hours, and a gut hit deer should be given 8 to 12 or more hours.
According to the USDA, uncooked frozen venison meat should be consumed within 12 months for best results.
Temperatures warmer than 40℉ are possible but far from ideal. As a general rule, you shouldn't hang deer at temperatures over 50℉ at, while hanging at 40–50℉ should be limited to a few hours, overnight at most.
Skin It. In September or early October, it never hurts to skin a deer as quickly as possible so the meat will begin to cool down. This is a must if you don't have access to cold storage and intend to hang your deer in the shade of a tree. To do this, the air temperature needs to be 40 degrees or cooler at night.
There is a science to aging meat, and five days seems like an ideal amount of time. It is important to let your deer meat age for the proper amount of time. On average, as mentioned above - five days will do most hunters just fine.
Unfortunately, hot weather is usually quite the detriment during deer season, especially if you are after a mature buck. Deer are like most other animals. When they get overheated, they don't want to expend a lot of energy and are more apt to spend hours lounging on their bellies than walking past your tree stand.