I think I would make a lousy butcher. I probably have over 15 actual hours involved in processing the deer I took last weekend.
After a couple of really bad experiences with "professionals" about 15 years ago, I started doing my own. One would think I would get better after 30 deer but it seems to get harder every year. The quality of my work is excellent but my production really stinks.
Better'n me! I'm lucky that I got a local processor who is excellent. Otherwise, mine would just get quartered and we'd have big meals!
KE4GWE - - - - - - Colt 1860, it just feels right.
I've done it for about five years now. I do round roasts, rump roasts, and neck roasts. Round steaks, tenderloins, and back strap medallions. Rest goes to burger. Running low on canned deer so did some of that a couple days ago. Next year gonna try some deer bacon if I get one fat enough. Tried summer sausage and pepperoni but need to find some better recipes. Takes me about 30 minutes to skin out. 30 minutes to an hour to bone out depending on size of deer. And 30 min to an hour to process and package. Getting her down pretty good these days.
I spend a lot time picking the carcass clean for burger and a lot of time making sure it has now sinew, tallow or silver skin. When I do get sausage made, I usually get complimented on the cleanliness of the meat. I feel it dishonors the animal not to make the most use of it.
I know where your coming from, decided to do everything this year.
I definitely didn't miss my calling as a butcher.
My wife still needs to fill her tag, when/if she gets hers,I'm sure that one will go smoother.
I've never paid to have anything butchered, and hope I never have to.
Last year, we butchered two large cow elk in one very long day.
Granted, they were already quartered and hanging.
This was my wife, my 12 year old boy, and myself.
A nephew was along also, but he mostly trimmed meat to be ground.
My last deer to butcher was easy. The wife wanted more burger, so I cut up the tenderloins and backstraps, and everything else got ground.
"When you can't make them see the light, make them feel the heat." - Ronald Reagan
Where in Nebraska are you?Originally Posted by 03fatboy
Last time I processed a deer a friend accused me of not leaving anything for the vultures! Bones were clean! To do it right is time consuming, no way around it unless you do it every day! We also used to get 4 families together to process beef. 4 sides got processed in a 2 day period. He converted his 3 stall garage into the butcher shop. We had a saw, grinder, big walk in freezer to flash freeze things. Day one we got all the steaks and roasts done and all the hamburger trim into tubs. Those who wanted sausage would divide out some hamburger trim into a smaller tub and season it. Everything went into the walk in cooler over night if it was warm or just left out if it was below freezing(garage stayed about 38 if it was 25 outside). Day 2 all the burger was ground and went straight into bags off the grinder for coarse and double ground for patties. Wrapping stations, trimming stations, breakdown table where we used a cordless sawzall to break the sides down into manageable pieces. I learned a lot about butchering and got pretty good at it!
That looks like excellent work there. I am terrible with packaging so we use a vacuum sealer which speeds up things. The wife, boy and I have done as many as 3 deer in one day and that's getting to be work. I bit the bullet and purchased the mid-size cabelas grinder several years ago and it's a monster. Easy to grind 3 deers worth of meat, minus steaks etc. in 10 minutes. We do 3-5 deer a year and often a hog or two, so paying to have it done isn't a good option.
Tip: Take the shank meat on the forelegs and lower back legs and grind with the plate that has big holes to make "chili meat". Cook it low and slow and all of the connective tissue will turn into collagen which makes stews and chili delicious. Saves a bunch of time and is the best use of that tough meat.
"Is all this REALLY necessary?"
Best thing we ever did for burger was buy the bags that go right over a large stuffer tube on the grinder. 2 people, one running the grinder, one bagging with clean hands. Fill, stop the grinder, push into the bag taper, repeat.
Oh another unsolicited tip. A 4" rapala filet knife is the tool for deboning a deer. I haven't found anything better.
We started using the meat bags a couple years ago when my parents bought us some and the tape dispenser. They work really well and keep almost as well as the vacuum sealed stuff for a much cheaper cost.
"Is all this REALLY necessary?"
I've done it for 50+years,really that is the hunt to me,I've helped many do it. I still cut the old fashion way with chops, my cuts might not look the best,but I've never had any summer sausage returned or breakfast sausage,turned down
Now if I could only make mama's biscuits,my wife does a excellent biscuit,just not mama's
I started out with nothing and I still have most of it left.
Paralyzed Veterans of America
Looking for a Hensly &Gibbs #258 any thing from a two cavity to a 10cavityI found a new one from a member here
Congratulations boyscout on a nice one for the freezer and for doing it yourself. I also am very slow. I try to clean up the meat just like you said. The thing I notice about me is that the first meat I do for the first couple of hours is really nice. But I get weary and don't do as good as the time goes on. I still think mine is pretty good but as you say there is a lot of time invested in it. I do enjoy it and believe that it should be part of the process from field to freezer. I do like to save the $85-$90 they charge around here to work one up.
Mark 5:34 And He said to her (Jesus speaking), "Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace and be healed of your affliction."
I got most of my education on butchering from an old Fur, Fish and Game article and a video called Deer Cutting Made Easy by Eldon Cutlip. The only place I use a saw is on the legs and to remove the head. I use boning knives and a fillet knife for everything else. I wrap everything in stretch wrap before wrapping it in coated freezer paper. Freezer burn is not an issue.
One thing I have noticed is that the job is much easier with two people. There is too much stop and go if one is constantly cleaning up to move to another job. Having someone clean the trim really helps too and it is a job that can be given to someone not experienced.
I also found meat is much easier to work with when it is kept cool but not frozen.
Alittle north of Grand Island
I findmyself doing most of mine nowadays too and I really need to get a lot faster at it. I make steaks out of the back straps and a few more from other parts, but most of what we eat is ground or stew meat (I firmly believe a good venison stew is about as good as food gets).
A couple of years ago, next door neighbor sold me a Waring grinder he wasn't using, nice little device. Prior to that, I was using an old antique hand cranked one I got at a yard sale and it works pretty well too.
As to cost savings, a processor is probably cheaper when I look at the time involved, but I like what I gt better when I do it.
I think you hit the nail on the head its not a race it's quality cut for the familyI think I would make a lousy butcher. I probably have over 15 actual hours involved in processing the deer I took last weekend.
After a couple of really bad experiences with "professionals" about 15 years ago, I started doing my own. One would think I would get better after 30 deer but it seems to get harder every year. The quality of my work is excellent but my production really stinks.
been cutting my own for so many years I forget how long its been
Hit em'hard
hit em'often
Hey . . I admire you just for undertaking that task! One well known processing market not far from where we are had something like 512 deer come in (IIRC) on opening day. Even with a good crew, i can't even imagine processing that many . . . especially with the warmer weather we had during the first couple of days of the season. Just remember the work you put in to it will be worth it during the next year when you're enjoying all that venison!
A processor is not an option for me. The cost of processing around here is more than buying prime beef. I got one yesterday, it is hanging in a cooler now and will turn it into hamburger and steaks tomorrow.
Nothing wrong with doing it yourself. Nothing I kill goes to the processor. Slice, grind and freeze. Done.
You can miss fast & you can miss a lot, but only hits count.
Posting Permissions
| BP | Bronze Point | IMR | Improved Military Rifle | PTD | Pointed |
| BR | Bench Rest | M | Magnum | RN | Round Nose |
| BT | Boat Tail | PL | Power-Lokt | SP | Soft Point |
| C | Compressed Charge | PR | Primer | SPCL | Soft Point "Core-Lokt" |
| HP | Hollow Point | PSPCL | Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" | C.O.L. | Cartridge Overall Length |
| PSP | Pointed Soft Point | Spz | Spitzer Point | SBT | Spitzer Boat Tail |
| LRN | Lead Round Nose | LWC | Lead Wad Cutter | LSWC | Lead Semi Wad Cutter |
| GC | Gas Check |
Reply With Quote
