Deer hunting season has wrapped up in many parts of the country, which means that some households can expect venison to be on the menu over the coming weeks. If you’re preparing deer for consumption, then you must take the proper precautions in order to ensure it will be safe to eat. A new report explains how with the help of the University of Wisconsin.
Safety begins before you even bring the animal home. Hopefully, you dressed the deer in the appropriate manner in the wake of hunting. If not, you immediately set yourself at a disadvantage. You need to give the body time to drain out all those elements that you certainly don’t want making their way into your dinner.
Once it actually comes time to prepare the animal, you need to pay attention to cleanliness the way you would with any other type of meat. Surfaces should be properly cleaned, as should your own hands and utensils so that bacteria can’t contaminate the animal. Once a given item or surface has been used, they shouldn’t be used to prepare any other food until you’ve cleaned those things anew.
Some people may elect to turn their deer into jerky, and if you fit this bill, then the food safety expert interviewed for the story at the link above says that the meat must be kept hot while it’s being dried out. By maintaining a 155 degree temperature and then using an oven to heat the venison up even more to finish, you can keep bacteria at bay.