Butchering your own deer

gully_20 · 10-14-2008, 05:00 PM

I didn't want to hijack a post I saw earlier but I had a question...

How many of you process your own deer. I have been doing it for the last 6 years and find it pretty rewarding. Ask my wife she'll tell you she hates it (she helps me clean the meat). I butcher then take the scraps in for pepperoni and summer sausage. Just curious....

MJ13 · 10-14-2008, 05:06 PM

I do the exact same thing. I cut what I want into steaks and the rest goes to the butcher for pepperoni sticks. This way works best for me cause NONE of the meat ever gets freezer burnt or wasted. It simply gets eaten too fast.

RogueFishr · 10-14-2008, 05:10 PM

we always cut up our own. We also went in and bought a GOOD meat grinder to grind our burger.

RF

WSU · 10-14-2008, 05:17 PM

I cut my own and take the trimmings in for to get burger made. Given how cheap it is to get the meat ground, is it really worth buying an expensive meat grinder? I have a cheap one and it is such a pain that I don't ever use it.

Joe · 10-14-2008, 05:22 PM

I've never let anyone butcher anything for me. Thought about it a few times when we had a couple elk to deal with at one time but I just don't trust anybody else to do as good a job as I expect besides it's rewarding and saves me a bunch of money.

After having a few batches of grind mysteriously come back with a stink to them (no doubt they were mixed with somebody else's dirty meat) I bought a grinder and have never had a bad burger since. Well worth the investment! Make my own Summer Sausage, Bratwurst, Pepperoni and Breakfast Sausage. Good stuff!!

As I understand it there is no law that prevents a processor from mixing all the burger together and since that would be a time saver I assume some do just that. At the very least I can't imagine that any of them clean their grinder between batches and that in itself will keep mine at home. All it takes is one poorly handled critter to spoil a whole bunch of good meat!

Uncle ted · 10-14-2008, 05:23 PM

we have always butchered our own growing up and i still butcher my own now

rem721 · 10-14-2008, 05:40 PM

my wife would flip if i told her i was going to butcher at home.I always used A&B meats in bend- they hung it for a while before they cut it and everything was hand cut and they guaranteed you your own burger, they asked what you wanted it mixed with. they were reasonable- my last deer was 107 hanging pounds and they charged $65.00 bucks-don't know what i will do now that they have closed...

Maddie'sDaddy · 10-14-2008, 05:43 PM

Me and My buddys always cut our own game and since he purchased a nice grinder we do the burger too, This way you get what you want and are sure to get your own animal back and know exactly how it was cared for.

MD

14thewall · 10-14-2008, 05:44 PM

We have always cut and wrapped our on but never tried to make our own summer sausage or pepperoni but I would love to try it some day.

WSU · 10-14-2008, 05:53 PM

How nice of a grinder is required to make your own burger without it being a pain? If you have your own grinder, do you have to trim all the sinew/ligaments out of the meat? I'm not talking about the huge tendons, but the little ones in the meat.

Timber · 10-14-2008, 05:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joe

I've never let anyone butcher anything for me. Thought about it a few times when we had a couple elk to deal with at one time but I just don't trust anybody else to do as good a job as I expect besides it's rewarding and saves me a bunch of money.

After having a few batches of grind mysteriously come back with a stink to them (no doubt they were mixed with somebody else's dirty meat) I bought a grinder and have never had a bad burger since. Well worth the investment! Make my own Summer Sausage, Bratwurst, Pepperoni and Breakfast Sausage. Good stuff!!

As I understand it there is no law that prevents a processor from mixing all the burger together and since that would be a time saver I assume some do just that. At the very least I can't imagine that any of them clean their grinder between batches and that in itself will keep mine at home. All it takes is one poorly handled critter to spoil a whole bunch of good meat!

That's exactly why I make an appointment for the last of the day and help the guy grind it and help him clean up afterward. As Joe stated there is no law against it so most have a minimum weight per individual and then mix it all together in one big batch,no thanks!

hunteraholic · 10-14-2008, 06:01 PM

I have always cut my own meat (usually on the kitchen table the wife frowns but she puts up with it

) I've heard to many stories about what happens at the butcher. I take my burger to Bright Oaks in springfield I'm the first one there that day so i know its clean and they let me watch them grind it. Don't quote me but i think it was 21cents a pound plus fat if you what it . Very reasonable, fast, clean and friendly HA

Gun Rod Bow · 10-14-2008, 06:12 PM

I have done it for almost 20 years. To me bringing the meat home and having my family help with the cut and wrap is part of the whole experience of appreciating and caring for the animal.

My wife and girls are quite a team.

ehunter · 10-14-2008, 06:13 PM

Take your meat in after the season like Jan freeze find out the min for pep or hamburger and then you will get your own meat.

baltz526 · 10-14-2008, 06:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hunteraholic

I have always cut my own meat (usually on the kitchen table the wife frowns but she puts up with it

) I've heard to many stories about what happens at the butcher. I take my burger to Bright Oaks in springfield I'm the first one there that day so i know its clean and they let me watch them grind it. Don't quote me but i think it was 21cents a pound plus fat if you what it . Very reasonable, fast, clean and friendly HA

all animals are done in my garage, i bought a grinder a few years ago, after getting grind back that smelled just like butcher shop disinfectant. 70lbs it cooked up fine but always smelled before it was cooked

Joe · 10-14-2008, 06:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WSU

How nice of a grinder is required to make your own burger without it being a pain? If you have your own grinder, do you have to trim all the sinew/ligaments out of the meat? I'm not talking about the huge tendons, but the little ones in the meat.

I bought the smallest of the three Commercial grinders from Cabelas years ago when they first started selling them. Seems like it is a 1/2 HP. I've done 100 pounds in a session and it keeps up but the bigger ones would be faster. The bigger grinder would make stuffing meat into Summer Sausage casings easier for sure!

I don't worry too much about a little sinew anymore, the grinder handles it and I've never had any burger taste "gamey".

ElkTalker · 10-14-2008, 07:36 PM

I do my own butchering, grinding, pepperoni, summer sausage, bratwurst, polish sausage, and jerky.
I have been doing it all my self for about 10 years and I think I’m starting to get the hang of it.

ET

stlhdr1 · 10-14-2008, 08:55 PM

We did my elk in September, all the way down to the burger...

Then did my deer a week ago, the scraps went for thuringer and pepperoni...

Just got done doing 2 more deer tonight with some close rifle hunting friends, cut and wrapped the good stuff and sent the rest to the pepperoni/thuringer...

Keith

where's your bobber dude · 10-14-2008, 10:24 PM

I always process my own meat. It's part of the whole hunting experience and it keeps my good meat from being tainted.

DominantPrey · 10-14-2008, 10:36 PM

I do it all!

goodie · 10-14-2008, 10:53 PM

My father was a butcher in the industry for over ten years, he is pretty good and fast, I wouln't know where to cut a steak or a roast.

thefishslayer · 10-15-2008, 05:49 AM

we butcher our meat

Artwo · 10-15-2008, 07:27 AM

We do our own, scraps go to sausage from Fisher's in Canby.

Hunt'nFish · 10-15-2008, 07:54 AM

I've never paid to have meat cut & wrapped in my life.
Besides I hate saws going through my meat. I like lots of stakes.....so I cut lots of steaks.
Bone out each major muscle and cut across grain. Not difficult at all.
Better scraps get chunked for stew meat and/or sliced for stir-fry or jerky meat.
The rest goes through the grinder for burger.

We buy almost no store bought red meat. The kids think beef tastes funny.
Hunt'nFish

ommedia · 10-15-2008, 08:27 AM

DITTO, DITTO, AND DITTO!

I even offered to help out "ORSouthPaw"...lol I was a day too late.

will be cutting Thurs night.

Cosmic Lazy Susan · 10-15-2008, 08:29 AM

I've always cut and wrapped my own. I would never, ever consider taking a deer or elk to a butcher.

On average it takes me two nights of cutting to process a deer with my wife doing all the wrapping.

I try to get as many steaks as I can as they are our favorite.

Next, the smaller scraps and chunks that are membrane free get packaged for stroganoff.

After that I cut pieces for making jerkie.

fishnhuntnfool · 10-15-2008, 08:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cosmic Lazy Susan

On average it takes me two nights of cutting to process a deer with my wife doing all the wrapping.

Two nights for one deer? I hope that includes grinding!

Between my dad and I we knocked out the cutting, wrapping, and bagging of 3 deer in about 4 hrs. Just flippin' u some....

I will only butcher my own meat and usually take in the scraps for burger, but this year if I am successful during deer rifle and elk rifle I plan on using my father-in-laws grinder and make my own summer sausage/burger.

Little Fish · 10-15-2008, 09:49 AM

I started processing my game the last few years. Its not that I don't trust my butcher. I just think I get a better end product and think of the processing as an extension of the hunting experience...which I enjoy.

Regarding grinders. I have a small hand crank grinder that I picked up for $5. It works great for deer sized game. I'm usually only grinding 20-30lbs of burger at a time though so bigger may be better if I ever manage to kill an elk.

woodsy188 · 10-15-2008, 09:58 AM

I have always doubted my ability to cut good steaks from my deer. I don't know what I'm doing. I guess the only way to learn is to tackle it head on! I just worry that I'll start hacking away and end up with a mess.

I have only shot 4 deer, but taken all to a processor. I have never let the butcher have my backstraps or tenderloins. I'll usually grind any scraps I have myself into burger.

I've always wondered how much meat ends up in the Butcher's freezer? I use the same outfit that does my cattle. I like to think they won't ruin our business relationship by stealing.

To be honest, I can't tell much difference in jerky and pepperoni between beef and venison. With that said, I don't waste tasty venison on jerky or pepperoni � I use beef.

woodsy188 · 10-15-2008, 09:59 AM

My grinder attaches to the Kitchen Aid Mixer.

gully_20 · 10-15-2008, 06:05 PM

woodsy~

I felt the same way several years back. My buddy taught me the trick to it. Start on the back and cut the backstrap. After that take off the front quarters then the back. From there, debone things and follow the fat lines. The meat will pretty much cut itself from there. My experience with it is if it has fat lines, cut around them. These tend to cause the meat to be tough. Just my 2 cents on it...Good luck and have fun with it. just jump in there. I'm sure there's enough of us on here that can add some insight. I've always thought about video taping it. It would be nice to have something like this for the novice meat cutters....Gully

kigercreek · 10-15-2008, 06:39 PM

I've done my own deer, elk, sheep, antelope...never taken a carcass in to have cut up. In fact, I started helping long before I was old enough to buy a tag, helping stripping meat off bone and ribs for burger. I have taken some meat in to have ground (I have the leanest of beef added to it, the percentage dependent on how much ground meat I want in the end) and to have made into pepperoni, and I've also made the pepperoni, salami and sausage myself. Yep, quite satisfying doing it all oneself...kinda like catching fish on your own hand tied flies!!

BlacktailBowhunter · 10-15-2008, 07:21 PM

I have cut up several of my deer in years past, but anymore, I take it to Shy Ann meats in Beaver Creek.

I get back my meat. I made sure to ask and listened to how they do it. I had bad experiences at another location several years ago and did not go to a processor for a long time, but I am happy with Shy Ann over the last several years.

I bleed fish · 10-15-2008, 07:36 PM

We do our own, my great grandfather was a butcher in Germany and passed some of that knowledge down. We even have his old grinder, which makes burger very easy. As for cutting steaks, experience will teach you very quickly how to cut steaks you like. We love buck burger, so we give all potential round steak the "pinch test". Take the muscle in question, try to pinch through it. If you can feel you fingers tearing some muscle to make a dent, it becomes steak. If it's solid rubber, it's burger. Of my 60#'s of cut and wrapped spike mulie this year, half was burger. If we want to make sausage or anything else out of the burger, it's all set and ready for mixing and a final grind. Even if you feel like you screw up the steak cutting, it's a tasty mistake!

Charlie Storey · 10-15-2008, 09:23 PM

I hate cutting meat (boring!), but I do it on the kitchen table. If the wife is available she helps. Two is better than one. I take the scraps to Jacobsmullen's north of Corntown to be ground into burger. They do complete butchering jobs too, but I'd never have them do that. They hang the deer in the cooler with no cover and they come out looking like jerky, and then cut them up on the band saw. Not pretty, but they do a fine job on my burger and always comment on how nice my meat looks when I bring it in. Worth a few bucks. They'll mix anything with it I want.

Killertraylor · 10-15-2008, 09:36 PM

I cut my own for years - probably did 10 or more. I just don't have the time now, plus I've found that there are a lot of things I CAN do, but others do BETTER so I pay them

I've had excellent results from Frontier in Carlton. I trust that I get my own meat back due to their excellent reputation. I've had at least 10 deer and elk processed by butchers and never have I had bad meat.

I wish I had the time to do my own - I enjoy it, but since I would be making a trip to the butcher anyway to get sausage and pepperoni with the scraps, I just pay the extra $60 and let them do it all. They cut it by muscle, just like I would - no saws.

woodsy188 · 10-16-2008, 06:15 AM

Gully 20 - Clem Strechelin from La Pine has a good DVD for meat cutting. His rubs are available at BI-Mart and are very good for jerkey and sausage. http://www.clemsseasonings.com/produ...ks_videos.html
He's a really nice guy!

Killertrayor - I also use Frontier. I've been very happy with them. They've even come out to my place to offer Cattle advice.

Hunt'nFish · 10-16-2008, 07:47 AM

Yeah, I know the kitchen table routine all too well.

Tip: Get one of these Costco Plastic Folding tables
Makes butchering meat a lot cleaner and easier. Mist periodically w/ vinegar and wipe. No need for cutting boards as the whole table is one big cutting board.

I picked mine up at one of the local food warehouses for like $30....shoulda bought more.
Weighs about half what a normal folding table w/ a particle board top would.
We use it for working up halibut & tuna at the dock as well.
Hunt'nFish

Hunt'nFish · 10-16-2008, 08:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Killertraylor

I cut my own for years - probably did 10 or more. I just don't have the time now, plus I've found that there are a lot of things I CAN do, but others do BETTER so I pay them

........I just pay the extra $60 and let them do it all. They cut it by muscle, just like I would - no saws.

Bbb..bb..but hey man, that's like.... a week worth of shotgun shells.
Or a half tank of desiel for the truck.

No, I hear ya. Sure wish I had more money than time.
Hunt'nFish

Cosmic Lazy Susan · 10-16-2008, 08:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fishnhuntnfool

Two nights for one deer? I hope that includes grinding!

Between my dad and I we knocked out the cutting, wrapping, and bagging of 3 deer in about 4 hrs. Just flippin' u some....

What takes me so long is I'm meticulous about getting every single piece of fat and membrane off my venison. If you wnat the best tasting venison you can't have any fat or membrane on it.

Last count I've killed and butchered 27 deer. The truth test was when I married my wife and she had never tasted venison before. Now it is one of her all time favorite meals.

I've met plenty of people that can't stand venison and can't believe we like it so much. In my opinion it all starts with taking care of the deer right after the kill ad continues through the butchering and cooking process. For these reason I will never trust my kill to a butcher.

My Dad was given some venison once from a friend that used a butcher and probably didn't take care of it after the kill like we do. After tasting it I can see why a lot of people don't like it. It was plain awful.

nakoa · 10-16-2008, 08:28 AM

i will deer but not elk

fishboys · 10-16-2008, 11:02 AM

People bring me a lot of wild game at my store. It all gets cooked only about 1/3 of it gets gets eaten by my family, Some of it is just plain foul. The dogs get what we wont eat. I cant let it go totally to waste.

Its amazing to me how people can put that much time, effort and money into taking a game animal and then dont care for it properly.

gully_20 · 10-16-2008, 09:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fishboys

People bring me a lot of wild game at my store. It all gets cooked only about 1/3 of it gets gets eaten by my family, Some of it is just plain foul. The dogs get what we wont eat. I cant let it go totally to waste. Its amazing to me how people can put that much time, effort and money into taking a game animal and then dont care for it properly.

The butcher I take my meat to here in Albany was telling me some stories about some hunters that didn't even gut their game. Just brought them in the whole thing. Nasty. They then told about another group that brought in a deer that hadn't been skinned. I think hunters should have to go through a field etiqutte course to know how to properly take care of game just like our kids have to go through hunter safety. A lot of game gets wasted because people don't know what they are doing. To take an animal like this then waste it, it's sick! Some people hunt all their lives and aren't fortunate to harvest big game.

woodsy188 · 10-17-2008, 05:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gully_20

I think hunters should have to go through a field etiqutte course to know how to properly take care of game just like our kids have to go through hunter safety. .

I agree... The master hunter course has a section on this topic. This is an idea for another post, but I've always thought that every hunter should have to pass the master hunter course before they can get a licence (especially the community service annually). Again, better discussed on another post...

ORsouthpaw · 10-17-2008, 09:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ommedia

DITTO, DITTO, AND DITTO!

I even offered to help out "ORSouthPaw"...lol I was a day too late.

will be cutting Thurs night.

And I really, really appreciate that offer. Perhaps when I get my elk at the end of November

SImudBogger · 10-17-2008, 10:32 AM

This is what i looked like after seeing the bill from having mine processed

Next year i am considering doing part of it myself and having the rest taken in for burger, pepperoni and summer sausage.

Big Unit · 10-17-2008, 06:07 PM

We have cut our own meat since I can remember. My dad taught me how some 30+ years ago and have done at least one animal a year since. We do bit by bit. Usually two or three nights. Mom was inside with trays of meat with tape and paper a flyin'!

Seems rather expensive for something that is easy and fun to do. (I hate wrapping though)

BU

Rank Amateur · 10-17-2008, 08:23 PM

Grew up cutting and wrapping our own game. We used to use the local butcher to grind our burger and always had good results, but a few years back the store started getting a little wary about doing wild game, so we bought a used commercial grinder (about all I can do to pick it up) and have been doing our own burger since.

In fact, I just got done cutting up a deer today, my sons buck.