How cold is too cold?

[ladiver]

I am going deer hunting next week. With the temperature as high as it has been lately, I am concerned about getting (and keeping) the meat cold. I have read lots of things about getting it below 40 if possible. Is there such a problem as too cold? What if the meat were to freeze? I am thinking of having dry-ice in a cooler rather than ice cubes. There will be a chance that the cooler will be left outside with the meat in it for 24 hours during the trip home. I know the cooler holds ice fine for several days, but I have never had one packed with meat that could spoil.

I will be hunting Mon-Wed and will need to bring everything with me, so a cooler with ice or dry-ice needs to last 4 days. This is why I am thinking of dry ice, or even a combination of the two.

Any recommendations to make sure I have no spoilage?

Thanks,

Jeff

 

[TaftHunter]

Dry ice, with your meat wrapped in a pillow case should work outz

 

[brice s]

you can't stop and get more ice on the way home??

 

[SurfNHuntSD]

you can't stop and get more ice on the way home??

That's what I was thinking...

 

[ladiver]

I may not, since the cooler will be out off my control. I am hunting in Catalina and the shipping company can accept the package up till 3pm. I will not be able to pick it up until 10am.

 

[SurfNHuntSD]

I may not, since the cooler will be out off my control. I am hunting in Catalina and the shipping company can accept the package up till 3pm. I will not be able to pick it up until 10am.

As my grandpa used to say "that's a horse of a different color." Unless you've got a big Yeti or one of those badass 5-day marine coolers I'd go dry ice with the meat wrapped to prevent burn.

 

[sportyg]

Dry ice is the best way to go whit what your doing. just wrap it well and expect it to freeze while in transit.

 

[lightfoot]

Op, I know you've already done your trip and congrats , but for anyone else that's interested, I freeze water jugs. Fill soda bottles, milk jugs, juice bottles, etc. They are blocks will last way longer than cubes, they are reusable, and they don't melt to get the meat all wet on they way home.