With early season hunts, the high temperatures in the South make proper field dressing even more important for the hunter who wants to put food on the table. Venison is delicious when it’s processed correctly; there are several steps that you can take to make dinner especially tasty.

The most important step is to cool the animal as quickly as possible. That way, the meat won’t taste gamey. To do this, prop the body cavity open to let air circulate and body heat out. Keeping the animal cool while moving it can also affect the meat’s taste. Unlike the hood or trunk, which are the hottest places on a vehicle, the best place to load the animal is a rack on the roof or the bed of a truck.

Always cover the animal with canvas or plastic when transporting to keep it clean. For example, don’t let any foreign matter, urine or blood get on the meat. Make sure to remove any excess blood from the arrow or shot as soon as possible and cut out the damaged areas of tissue, because bacteria can form in these areas and spread. When field dressing, try not to cut any organs; it could make the meat taste bad. In fact, the best way to avoid this is to remove all organs immediately.

The next step is to age the meat, which adds texture to it. During the process, enzymes break down the cell wall and tenderize the meat. You can do this by hanging the animal by the hind legs in a cooler for 10 to 12 days at a temperature of 35 to 40 degrees. You could also quarter the animal and put it on wire racks in a refrigerator for the same amount of time. It takes less time to age younger animals.

It is important to note that stressed animals should not be aged. They are more susceptible to going bad because the stressed muscle fibers remain neutral and can speed up bacterial growth. The muscles in animals that aren’t stressed, on the other hand, become acidic and take longer to go bad.

After the meat has aged, you can take a fillet knife and remove all of the muscles from the leg bones. To do this, follow the lines between each muscle to separate them, and then remove everything white. Wrap each muscle in plastic wrap and squeeze out all of the air. Then, wrap it in heavy-duty aluminum foil and secure with tape.

Finally, date and label each package; write OD for old doe, YD for young doe, OB for old buck, and YB for young buck. You could also label which part of the animal you are freezing; for example, you could write HQ for hindquarters.

With proper field dressing and packaging, meat can last a decade.

Ingredients

12 apples, peeled, cored, chopped
3 cups water
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 (10-count) can refrigerator biscuits
1 cup flour
2 cups vegetable oil

Ingredients

1 (16-ounce) package chocolate sandwich cookies, crushed
1/2 cup (1 stick) melted margarine
2 quarts vanilla ice cream, softened
1 1/2 cups salted Spanish peanuts
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
1 1/2 cups evaporated milk
2/3 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Ingredients

2 (4-ounce) cans mushroom stems and pieces, drained, chopped
1 (4-ounce) jar chopped pimentos, drained
1 (14-ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained, chopped
1/4 cup chopped bell pepper
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
2/3 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup sliced green onions with tops
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon lemon pepper
2 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon Lawry’s seasoned salt
1 teaspoon onion salt
2/3 cup olive oil

Ingredients

1/2 pound shrimp, boiled, peeled, chopped
3/4 cup sour cream
3 green onions, sliced
3/4 cup mayonnaise
salt to taste

Ingredients

4 cups alligator meat, cut into small serving pieces
1/2 cup self-rising flour
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 (10-ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chiles
1 cup water
1/2 cup sliced green onion tops
1/2 cup chopped celery
3/4 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup finely chopped green bell pepper
1 tablespoon parsley flakes