Butcher question?

[bankhog]

How do you know you get your own meat back when you have your game processed? A few years back a friend and I dropped off an elk at a local butcher. They had many elk and deer hanging in front of his. 2 days later they called and said it was done! Burger, sausage, and steaks. How can that be possible? I thought they had to smoke or dry the sausage longer than that? When he cut into his sausage it was all freezer burnt. Only the center part was edible.

[scubadad]

Thats why you should learn to butcher it yourself. Look at this way. If you make a mistake, just cook and eat to get rid of the evidence. We have cut our own meat for years. It really isn't that hard of a job. We usually will take the meat for burger to a local butcher since they can run it through the grinder in just a couple of minutes.

[win2run]

Not to bad mouth anyone,but Stuarts meat in McKenna ,Wa cuts and grinds all their customers meats at one time,then divies it up as to the ticket.THIS IS WRONG!When you bring in a well dressed animal,clean and not tainted,that's what you should get back,not a chunk of everyones meat.I don't recommend using them,I butcher my own and grind burger.It's not difficult to do and you get what YOU shot.

[scubadad]

We have gone to Stuarts to get the meat ground for years. They always have ground our meat separately. What you need to do is call over to them, tell them what you've got.They will tell you at what time to bring it in. They will grind it after their run of burger while you wait. And usually they will let you carry the meat in back and watch them run it through.All you have to do is ask!!

[ehunter]

I prefer to cut it up my self it is not very hard and only takes a little time. Another way to do it is if you can is take the scraps for burger and sausage in later like Jan you will not have many other guys in there so you will be sure to get your own meat. If you freeze it and ask how much you need to bring in usally there is a minium required for sausage.

[bankhog]

I do butcher my own, but I take in scraps for burger and sausage. How do I know I'm getting mine back?

[ajfishfinder]

Ask your processor. If you are in fact getting your own meat back they will have a minimum amount like 10 or 20 lbs. If you bring in 6lbs of scraps and ask for summer sausage and pepperoni, do you really think your going to get your meat back??? Think about it. How many batches and how many different sizes would a guy have to process to satisfy everyone that walks in the door. Most commercial grinders will have over 1lb of meat stuck in them when they are done. Most commercial mixers will have a pound or more stuck in them. Then any commercial sausage stuffer will have at least a pound stuck in it. So if the guy made you 3 lbs of each out of your scraps----well gee wiz, you get nothing back but a bill.

If your processor tells you you get your own meat back, 9 of 10 times you will. If he tells you it goes in a community batch, either trust him and his judgement as to what goes into this batch, or go somewhere else. Better yet learn to do it yourself. It really is fun and rewarding and gives you something to do in mid winter.

[C.J.D]

Butchering your own game is not that big of a deal.
What really helps is to hang game in a cooler for a period of time.
It seams to make the meat lots more easy to handle, and the steaks cut up much easier.
Just my 2cents.