I'd never make it as a butcher

[gregintenn]

I've got jerky strips marinating, deer meat and pork fat cubed and soaking up spices so I can grind breakfast sausage tomorrow. Backstrips are sliced and packaged.  I'll start drying jerky tomorrow evening.

 

The fun's over when you pull the trigger. I don't know why I shot the second one. Butchering one deer is a big job. 2.....well, it's twice as much.

 

We took the deer my son killed in juvenile season to the butcher shop for steaks and ground burger. It looks like the freezer will be well stocked for another year. Now it's time to trophy hunt.

 

Do you enjoy butchering deer? Me, not so much.

[FJCrusing]

Yeah, the real work starts after the shot is fired.  I processed mine the last few years but took this year off and took it all to the processor.  I pick it up tomorrow and will find out if I go back to processing it myself again or not.  Do you ever grind up your venison and use a jerky gun? Apparently it makes it more tender if done this way and the ability to mix in other meats and stretch out the venison. I've done the jerky strips many times and haven't been really satisfied with how it turns out.  Do you have any suggestions on making the jerky lasting longer short of eating it same day?  Seems like if I don't eat it within a couple days it goes bad.  I'm thinking maybe I just don't make as much each time I do it. 

[R_Bert]

I am OK with it after the first hour or so of yakking stuff up.

[45guy]

I cut meat for 15 years and helped out some of my hunting buddies in processing their kills. Not a big deal about a 30 min. job once cleaned and quartered. These days finding someone even in the meat business that knows what to do with a whole carcas is hard to do. I am one of those guys that would never let someone else process a beef for me, way to particular about how things are done.

[UncleJak]

I butchered for 11 years. I enjoyed it and have helped some buddies do some deer. Anyone ever wants me to come help, just let me know. I'm in Sumner county.

Sent barefoot from the hills of Tennessee

[tercel89]

I do all my own butchering and learned it by myself. It doesnt take long and you get to learn ways of doing things and making your own custom cuts. I never "trophy hunt" . All my deer are for food , they are gutted by me and butchered by me  , so are my squrril , fish and birds.  :pleased:

[hipower]

I do all my own butchering and learned it by myself. It doesnt take long and you get to learn ways of doing things and making your own custom cuts. I never "trophy hunt" . All my deer are for food , they are gutted by me and butchered by me  , so are my squrril , fish and birds.  :pleased:

 

Good Man!

[Wingshooter]

I watched my grandfather butcher his deer when I was a kid. I wish he was still around so I could ask him questions. I can fumble my way through it, but I usually just take it to a processor. I'd like to learn it better, so I can know exactly what I'm getting (and same some $$). I'll have to start watching some YouTube on it I guess

[mike243]

I don't mind it,when I first started id separate all the leg muscles so it took forever,now I bone them out & slice into steaks,if small pieces fall off that's stew meat lol. I 1/4 my deer out & put in a spare fridge set very cold to firm it up, that way you can trim & make nice slices without the knife wandering all over & sliver skin is easier to deal with. When the cost was $30 to get 1 done I didn't mind it,when it hit $50 then $70 I just cant justify paying somebody for 30-60 minutes of work when I can do it.now jerky I cheat,grind season & squirt into the dehydrator .Its great knowing how your meat was handled & that it was yours & not somebody elses. 

[DaveS]

I have been cutting my own deer and pigs for years. To me, the hunt isn't over until the animal is in the freezer, even if you let it hang a couple days. The fun's over, but the hunt isn't. I started cutting my own because 1) I got screwed by a processor and didn't get all my meat I thought I should have. 2) They are too darn expensive. 3) Most of them have know idea what "customer service" is and can't follow simple instructions. 4) I cut mine just how I like it. 5) Most processors I know are meat heads and their processing operations are something to be desired. 6) I just like cutting my own.

 

My message to Deer Processors: There is a sheet you have us fill out on how we want our deer cut up. WE take the time to fill it out, YOU take the time to read it! When we say we want the front shoulders left whole as roast, that DOES NOT MEAN slice them into little shoulder bone steaks. Sheezzz!!!

 

Rant Off   Time for my second cup of coffee!

 

Good Day Gents

 

DaveS

[DaveS]

I watched my grandfather butcher his deer when I was a kid. I wish he was still around so I could ask him questions. I can fumble my way through it, but I usually just take it to a processor. I'd like to learn it better, so I can know exactly what I'm getting (and same some $$). I'll have to start watching some YouTube on it I guess

There was a very good DVD put out by the Kentucky Fish and Wildlife ( I believe it was) a couple of years ago. The DVD is how to skin, cut and de-bone your deer in 30 minutes or so. One of the guys at the Fire department had it. It was very good. Let me see if I can it on youtube.

 

Dave

[gregintenn]

We have a pretty good local butcher. I'll take a deer to him if it isn't going to be cold enough for it to hang in the barn. I don't know if he offers jerky, and I prefer my own sausage to his. His hamburger meat, steaks, etc. are acceptable to me, and if I don't have the time to process one, $60 seems like a bargain to me.

[DaveS]

We have a pretty good local butcher. I'll take a deer to him if it isn't going to be cold enough for it to hang in the barn. I don't know if he offers jerky, and I prefer my own sausage to his. His hamburger meat, steaks, etc. are acceptable to me, and if I don't have the time to process one, $60 seems like a bargain to me.

If he cuts it how you want him to, then $60 isn't a bad deal. I've been in a spot before and couldn't let one hang outside and the "walk in cooler" on post was filled, and had to take it to a processor here. Very bad experience for $75!!

 

DaveS

[DaveS]

Here's the DVD I was talking about. I thought it was free, but it's $13.00  I've seen it before, it's really good and would be worth every bit of that $13.00!

 

https://secure.kentucky.gov/Mall/Store/7803440a42df458c815d9db55890b738/Product/5ec5d4530c384a58af441a914bf23317/

 

Here's a sample of the video and link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0p2t6AXeWxQ

 

Dave

Edited December 2, 2013 by DaveS

[whiskey]

I don't mind doing it, but I can't say I enjoy it. I try to support local processors. :)

If i do my own, I usually am happier with the end product because I spend a lot of time getting it just like I want it. I start with icing the quartered deer in a cooler for a couple days to get all the blood out. That is the single most important step for getting the best finished product for me. I don't want any blood left in my meat, most processors don't let the deer hang long enough to suit me.

[DaveS]

I don't mind doing it, but I can't say I enjoy it. I try to support local processors. :)

If i do my own, I usually am happier with the end product because I spend a lot of time getting it just like I want it. I start with icing the quartered deer in a cooler for a couple days to get all the blood out. That is the single most important step for getting the best finished product for me. I don't want any blood left in my meat, most processors don't let the deer hang long enough to suit me.

I hang them for as long as 5 days. Fort Campbell was charging $2.00 per calendar day to use their walk in cooler. Which is pretty reasonable. I think CK charges $4 if they moved their cooler to their new location. Icing is a good alternative.

 

DaveS

[Guest TNSovereignty]

I do my own.  Primarily because I have 3 sons that need to know how to take care of themselves, and I can't stand the thought of my family thinking meat comes neatly wrapped in freezer paper. 

 

Wished I'd had a dad or granddad to teach me.  First time I processed a deer I was watching a video, hitting the pause button sporadically with my elbow (only thing not covered in bloody meat!) to figure out the next cut.  Now I can take a deer down to parade rest with zero waste & great cuts.  This year I added a motor to my #32 grinder ... which definitely made the 3 sons happy.

 

Nope - don't enjoy it.  But I do a lot of things I don't enjoy ... only way the young folks can learn 'trained initiative.'

[DaveS]

I do my own.  Primarily because I have 3 sons that need to know how to take care of themselves, and I can't stand the thought of my family thinking meat comes neatly wrapped in freezer paper. 

 

Wished I'd had a dad or granddad to teach me.  First time I processed a deer I was watching a video, hitting the pause button sporadically with my elbow (only thing not covered in bloody meat!) to figure out the next cut.  Now I can take a deer down to parade rest with zero waste & great cuts.  This year I added a motor to my #32 grinder ... which definitely made the 3 sons happy.

 

Nope - don't enjoy it.  But I do a lot of things I don't enjoy ... only way the young folks can learn 'trained initiative.'

We all have a responsibility to teach our young ones what it takes to be sufficient in life. Just like a lady asked me why I killed animals to eat instead of buying them at the store, and killing animals was cruel. I was at JT's checking in a deer and my reply to her was how long and happy her life would be by minding her own business! Oh yeah, the animals in the store was never alive?

 

DaveS

[Guest TNSovereignty]

We all have a responsibility to teach our young ones what it takes to be sufficient in life. Just like a lady asked me why I killed animals to eat instead of buying them at the store, and killing animals was cruel. I was at JT's checking in a deer and my reply to her was how long and happy her life would be by minding her own business! Oh yeah, the animals in the store was never alive?

 

DaveS

Exactly Dave.  This lady needs to go visit a CAFO lot & USDA processing facility to get a good look at 'cruel.'  Nothing more humane than taking a deer cleanly, or quickly dispatching a farm-raised animal.  

[Guest Bonedaddy]

I hate cleanin' and butcherin', though I do it well. I love to fish but when your brother and cousin give you all what they caught and you come home and spend 5 hours filletin' crappie and bass, you sometimes decide that fishin' just ain't what you wanna do today, ya know? Still, I likes my deer and crappie fillets so it's gotta be done.

[ncomarc]

When friends or strangers bring up the subject of why I shoot deer and hunt in general I ask them to research how market meat is processed and killed. They'll run into YouTube or investigative videos that show the real side of things. Netflix also has good documentaries that we've had good discussion about. Even my youngest daughter has seen the light after showing her how animals are treated - she at least realizes that the deer is not chemically enhanced and is a clean meat as you can get. She might not get into hunting but she now knows what organic and farm raised means.

She has even watched me process one this year that we had for Thanksgiving but I have not heard her brag on that - I think she's figuring that part out still. Edited November 30, 2013 by ncomarc

[DaveS]

I hate cleanin' and butcherin', though I do it well. I love to fish but when your brother and cousin give you all what they caught and you come home and spend 5 hours filletin' crappie and bass, you sometimes decide that fishin' just ain't what you wanna do today, ya know? Still, I likes my deer and crappie fillets so it's gotta be done.

I wish I had your problem!!! LOL

 

DaveS

[45guy]

I do my own.  Primarily because I have 3 sons that need to know how to take care of themselves, and I can't stand the thought of my family thinking meat comes neatly wrapped in freezer paper. 
 
Wished I'd had a dad or granddad to teach me.  First time I processed a deer I was watching a video, hitting the pause button sporadically with my elbow (only thing not covered in bloody meat!) to figure out the next cut.  Now I can take a deer down to parade rest with zero waste & great cuts.  This year I added a motor to my #32 grinder ... which definitely made the 3 sons happy.
 
Nope - don't enjoy it.  But I do a lot of things I don't enjoy ... only way the young folks can learn 'trained initiative.'

Very few people know how to process any kind of meat that does not come in a box. My first job was in a old fashioned meat shop. We had saw dust on the floor and everything was cut by hand. If you wanted a ribeye steak we would have to take a front quarter break it done, bone the rib out and then cut the steak. I bet you could walk in 25 grocery stores and be hard pressed to find someone that can do that. I went to work for a wholesale meat company and I had a customer that bought a 4h beef every year and he had nobody in his 3 stores that new what to do with the quartered beef. I went up there every year and processed it for him. Don't want to do it for a living but do miss the days when meat cutting was a art.

[gregintenn]

Deer sausage, gravy, and biscuits, and snacking on jerky this afternoon makes the work all worthwhile. :yum:

Edited December 1, 2013 by gregintenn

[Chris]

I do my own butchering. It's a pain the first few times, but once you've got it down it really doesn't take that long.

Took a doe this weekend. Three hours later, she's in small white packages and on the way to the freezer.