Tainting meat

What is considered a "light" tain and "hard" taint? What would be the advantages of either?

Beuler.....Beauler......

light IMO, the chunk is still pink in the middle but gray on the outside

hard, chunk is gray all the way thru, smells STRONG, and CAN get a rolling response.

I say chunk, since I make chunk baits and don't grind.

K, thanks for the reply. I'm tainting some beaver and think I'll do half mild and half heavier.

Continuing on this topic, I have left some ground light and dark turkey meat in an airtight container the last 5 days outside here in GA. The average temp has been between 30F and 55F so not very warm. I checked the meat this evening and it didn't appear to be "tainting" but simply growing mold. Am I doing something wrong or do I just need to leave it longer? Is mold normal? Thanks

Stirring the meat frequently would be in order to expose all the meat to the open air to keep the aging equal and thorough. Meat types all age and begin decomposition differently. Some will mold or begin to change color first to indicate breakdown is occurring. Use it fresh if needed it will work if on location.

Outdoor temps at this time of year as you described is not conducive to allow accelerated aging to any degree. You most likely wont achieve the desired results with your method. Move it indoors to a more heated environment. Temps and meat condition ground or chunk type will determine how fast and thoroughly it will age through out. You must stir or it wont be consistent in its exposure to equal aging.

Has the meat been treated with any seasonings or basting prior to the aging. Salt/ pepper etc. You have to think some of these things through at times to get your answers
Poultry does not age and carry the same odor as red meats when aging. Most cleaned poultry has little fat content unless you grind all the fat and skin with it. White meat has far less fat content then dark meats usually

Raw meat poultry will tend to sour not rot then to dry out eventually if some moisture is not added to it. The odor will be quite different then red meats like deer, venison or beaver. These meat type taints can advance quite noticeable in 3-5 days at room temps and begin to develop a wet greasy look to them.

Adding some moisture to any meat will help to accelerate breakdown. Distilled water is a good choice. Warmer controlled temps are the key to most all aging methods.

until you put it in the Hotbox, you were sposd to make out of someone's free dead freezer with a light bulb in it, and indoor/outdoor thermometer set up backwards.

Its in Nick Wyshinski's book. You were sposd to ask loved ones for all 3 of his books for Christmas. Didn't they get the memo?

Keep it in sunlight to help prevent mold from forming but yes you should stir it occasionally.

i taint my bait for 3 days in hot summer weather. then i add sodium benzoate and methyl paraben. mix it in good. put the vented lid back on and let it sit for a year. that following summer i spice it up. its good that fall but better the following year. can also spice it up when you add the sb and mp.

letting it sit and age like that it loses that stink from methane. gets a sweet smell. critters like it

Thanks to everyone for the feedback. I have moved it indoors and will stir it daily in the warmer temps. This poultry was not treated with anything as it was wild turkey killed last spring. I also have assorted venison and elk that I can taint to try different meats, times, etc. I am not in need of the meat for bait right now so waiting however long it takes is not a problem. I'll add some liquid as suggested and stir, watch, and wait. Thanks!

So Danny, would you consider that to be a light or heavy taint? I let mine age about a week in 50 ish degree weather and then added SB. It's now aging in my shop (40 ish degrees) until next season. Hope to do some testing with it late this summer.

20scout it stinks to high heaven after 3 days. a year later it does not. you call it whatever you like