In the food industry, the “Danger Zone” refers to a temperature range of 45 to 140 degrees. Meat left in this zone is subject to rapid bacteria growth. Unfortunately, the internal body temperatures of all the big game and birds we pursue fall in the middle of this area. The natural insulation of multiple layers of meat, bone and hide allows animals to survive cold winters, but it’s also the reason why their meat can so quickly spoil. It’s crucial to do everything you can to reduce the internal temperature of your wild game as soon as possible. According to the Department of Public Health, you have two hours to get the meat temperature down to 70 degrees and another four hours to get it below 40 degrees.

Open-air is far and away the best environment for cooling a big piece of meat—and air circulation is the key. Even the slightest breeze will help chill the meat. Anything that traps the internal heat of a piece of meat is your enemy. Even a cooler is bad news. A cooler’s job is to insulate, not to cool. To get your meat out of the danger zone, the heat has to have a way to escape.

For the same reason, you should definitely steer clear of using garbage bags for packing and storing meat. Instead use game bags or old pillow cases. Dunking meat in a cold creek, patting it dry with clean towels and then hanging it in a shady spot will do wonders to dissipate the internal temperature of your meat. Once the meat has chilled, then a cooler comes into its own. (By the way, an old sleeping bag works great too, once the meat is chilled. Because a sleeping bag isn’t a heater, it too is an insulator.)

When the meat is good and cool, heat it back up with a dose of chili and make the perfect comfort food for a cold winter night. 

Meatloaf
4 lbs. ground elk or venison drained of excess blood
6 eggs
1½ cups dried bread crumbs
½ cup ketchup
1½ cups onions, finely diced
½ cup celery, finely diced
1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
4 tbsp. Wildeats San Francisco Pepper Rub (or substitute with your own rub)
salt and pepper to taste

Chili Glaze
3 tbsp. virgin olive oil
½ cup ketchup
1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
3 tbsp. ground chili powder (or for a rich, smoky flavor try 3 tbsp. Wildeats-Controlled Burn Chili Blend)

Sweet Potatoes
6 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 
1½-inch cubes
2 tbsp. olive oil (or 2 tbsp. melted butter)
salt and pepper to taste

Combine all the ingredients for the loaf and form. Place into sprayed or foil-lined roasting pan. Blend the ingredients for the glaze and baste top of the loaf. Toss the peeled potatoes with olive oil and seasonings. Arrange them around the loaf. Place into a 335 degree oven for 80-90 minutes or until 160 degree internal temperature. Allow to rest for 10 minutes before cutting.

The combination of the full-flavored meat with the mild spicy flavor of the glaze and the sweetness of the potatoes makes for a great meal. Serves 8 to 10.