Muscle fibers, which contract and relax, and connective tissue, which essentially supports the muscle fibers, are the two main components of meat. Immediately following the slaughter and at the beginning of rigor mortis, muscle fibers typically shorten and stiffen. In beef cattle, this typically lasts for six to twelve hours. After the animal has been killed, cooling it will only temporarily prolong the rigor. There are also enzymes within the muscle that are released as the carcass ages, is hung after slaughter, and the temperatures in the cooler are set properly, causing a further breakdown of connective tissue that will increase the tenderness of the meat.
Data would suggest hanging a carcass for 10 to 14 days to allow the enzymes to increase tenderness. Tenderness in carcasses aged 10 to 14 days versus longer does not differ significantly. Small slaughterhouses frequently lack the cooler space necessary to hang carcasses for an extended period of time. Aging will help if the meat is initially tough. In theory, aging should make meat even more tender if it was already tender.
Why Is Hanging Butchered Cows Important?
Producing quality quantities of meat, such as flank steaks, ground beef, stew meat, and rump roast, requires hanging a cow.
Poor bleeding and rigor mortis will occur if the beef carcass is not hung.
Meat that has not had enough time to properly hang will be of poor quality and may even develop harmful bacteria.
When processing beef animals for meat, the recommended hanging period is two to three weeks.
This gives the beef time to dry and allows for proper bleeding.
With careful planning, it also facilitates gutting and skinning the animal.
You’ll be prepared to make the cuts on the hind shanks, hind legs, and anything else you want to process at the slaughter facility once the body cavity has been gutted and skinned with a skinning knife.
The process is facilitated by hanging time by allowing the meat to cool before cutting.
You might need to hang the meat for longer depending on how tough the meat is.
While most people hang their meat for two to three weeks, hanging it for three to four weeks aids in tenderizing particularly tough meat.
This aging process helps make delicious and tender meat. The animal might require more hanging time if it has a thick layer of fat covering.
This gives the body’s fat—both belly fat and other types—time to break down.
How Do You Bleed A Butchered Cow?
Bleeding a butchered cow requires some skill and knowledge.
After the animal has been killed, you should begin the bleeding process right away rather than waiting several days or hours.
To bleed a cow, you must use a very sharp knife to sever the animal’s hide in the dewlap’s center, just in front of the breastbone.
You will now take the razor-sharp knife and make a second cut toward the animal’s rump.
This will sever the arteries and facilitate bleeding.
Pumping the hind legs will also help to facilitate bleeding and encourage blood flow.
Additionally, hanging the beef cattle facilitates the bleeding process.
Using a hydraulic lift makes hanging large beef cattle much easier.
How Much Space Do You Need To Hang A Cow?
It is simple to get excited about the ground beef patties, boneless rib steaks, blood sausage, and every other delectable meat when you process a cow.
However, it’s critical to make sure you have enough room and supplies.
This applies to hanging space and freezer storage space to prevent meat from spoiling and going bad.
To hang a cow, you don’t need a lot of space.
Just enough to hang the cow off the ground and leave room to gut, skin, and cut the animal are required.
What Is The Purpose Of Aging Beef?
Before you process the cow into your desired cuts, it’s important to age the beef.
The length of time the beef should be aged varies depending on the temperature of the carcass and the amount of body and belly fat.
Your individual taste and tenderness preferences will also influence how old you become.
Beef will become more tender as it ages, making it easier for muscle fibers and fat to break down.
Frequently, tough meat has a poor texture and lacks tenderness.
Additionally, it frequently necessitates longer preparation and cooking times, which is not appealing to many people.
Aged beef, which has gained a lot of popularity in gourmet foods and cuisine, is preferred by some people.
For some ranchers looking for a quick turnaround, the additional time required to age beef successfully is unrealistic.
How Much Meat Do You Get From A Cow?
As you might expect, the size of the cow affects how much meat it produces.
A comparison of the cow’s live weight and hanging weight is one way to find out.
Your cow’s live weight is what it weighs before being bled and butchered.
The term “hanging weight” describes weight that has not yet been aged and cut but has been bled and hung.
The other weight calculation to consider is the processed weight.
This is how much meat you actually get from a cow.
The weight of all the meat after it has been aged and cut is referred to as the processed weight.
This is significantly less than the live or hanging weight.
It is very helpful to know how much meat you will get from a cow.
To give you an idea of how much meat you will receive, let’s use the example of a beef animal that weighs 1000 pounds.
This animal will weigh about 600 lbs when hanging.
This animal will be about 400 lbs when processed.
This weight will be available in any side and quarter cuts that you desire.
You will get a nice amount of meat per 1000 lb cow, whether you decide to make steaks, rump roasts, ground beef, or beef ribs.
This is a sufficient amount of meat per animal and will assist in feeding your family or generating income from sales.
Hanging Beef in the Cooler 2020
FAQ
How long do you hang grass fed beef?
You want it to be dry aged to get the best flavor. Some butcher shops will do seven to 14 days. We always state that we want it to go as close to 21 days as possible, provided they have the space. However, you need at least 14 days of hanging time for that cool, dry aging.
Does hanging beef longer make it more tender?
The enzymes in the meat soften and elastize the muscle fibers during hanging, which causes the meat to relax and become tender.
What is the 30 month rule for beef?
Cattle must have their spinal cord removed from the carcass at the facility where they were killed if they are older than 30 months.
How long do you hang Wagyu beef?
For 35 days, each beef side is hung to dry age. The finished beef is dark in color and marbled with small flecks of fat in each cut. It is tender, juicy and full of flavour.