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Thread: Deer- What do you do with it?

  1. #1
    Boolit Grand Master

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    Deer- What do you do with it?

    I have mine cut up professionally, I'm just not that good at it. I've found a place that does a good job and you get your own deer, not someone elses. I keep the tenderloin and backstraps to take home. They make steaks out of everything suitable and grind the rest. My wife will fry the tenderloin and backstrap. The steak gets cooked in a slow cooker or electric skillet and served with mashed potatoes and gravy. The ground meat gets used for spaghetty, tacos, ect. We've never perfected cooking the stew meat so it gets ground. Sometimes we will make jerky.

  2. #2
    Boolit Master
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    We do our own deer. For us it is part of the hunt and the camaraderie that goes along. From the woods to the table, we try to have everyone in the family, as well as friends involved in the process.

    Roasts, steaks, ground burger, sausage, brats, sticks, jerky, etc., all is done at home.
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  3. #3
    Boolit Buddy
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    Heart for breakfast in deer camp. Neck roast for the crock pot. Steaks where practical. Part of the ground made into sausage. Tenderloins and backstraps for a Sunday dinner shared with good friends. Liver 'n' onions, cause I like 'em.

  4. #4
    Boolit Grand Master

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    I do the same as the OP. Keep all the best parts for myself. I skin it and cut it up and just take the parts to the local butcher. No reason to pay them a bunch of money to do work that I can easily do. I get roasts, steaks and ground(pork added) back. Don’t like sausage and jerky wastes to much meat. Just typing this has me hungry. I don’t have a deer to be processed but I will stop by to see what’s on sale today. They always have high quality meats. Im really hungry for their scrapple now

  5. #5
    Boolit Master pertnear's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by JBinMN View Post
    We do our own deer. For us it is part of the hunt and the camaraderie that goes along. From the woods to the table, we try to have everyone in the family, as well as friends involved in the process.

    Roasts, steaks, ground burger, sausage, brats, sticks, jerky, etc., all is done at home.
    Yep, me too. It seems to be a generational thing, as that is what our mom & dad did. My brother & I are trying to pass the process on to our kids now that we are old guys.
    Hard times create strong men, strong men create good times, good times create weak men, and weak men create hard times.

  6. #6
    Boolit Master
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    I make a lot of snack sticks from the extra ground meat. I generally can the stew meat for making a quick lunch and it saves freezer space. The round steaks I run through the tenderizer for cube steaks/chicken fried steaks. The backstraps usually get cut into butterflied chops. The rest of the ground meat gets used in tacos, venison pie, spaghetti sauce, mexican mess casserole, etc.

  7. #7
    Boolit Master kenyerian's Avatar
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    We have always done our own.

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bodydoc447 View Post
    I make a lot of snack sticks from the extra ground meat. I generally can the stew meat for making a quick lunch and it saves freezer space. The round steaks I run through the tenderizer for cube steaks/chicken fried steaks. The backstraps usually get cut into butterflied chops. The rest of the ground meat gets used in tacos, venison pie, spaghetti sauce, mexican mess casserole, etc.
    we do about the same,the wife and I go thru 5 or 6 deer a year,we make a lot of jerky,meat sticks and summer sausage also,were making some today actually

  9. #9
    Boolit Master redhawk0's Avatar
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    I started out doing it myself...but without the proper tools its a long tedious job. I know a butcher that does it right, does it well, and does it for a reasonable cost. So...I usually take it to him.

    I have the backstraps taken out cut into 6" pieces. Steaks cut 3/4" thick...the rest is burger (w/10% pork fat added). We go through a lot of burger.

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  10. #10
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    I process them myself. The cost at the local processor is higher than prime beef in the store. I grind everything but the backstrap and tenderloin. I may make some breakfast and some Italian sausage this year. The ground goes into spaghetti and chili, or mixed with fat ground beef and put on pizza. We do not tell the people we feed this to that it is venison.
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  11. #11
    Boolit Grand Master
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    been doing my own for 35 years or so just started
    using a vacuum sealer though don't know why I waited so long
    Hit em'hard
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  12. #12
    Boolit Grand Master

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    Ground venison in Chile and Spaghetti Sauce (around here it's called "Red Gravy" by the Italian's )
    Certified Cajun
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  13. #13
    Boolit Master


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    I've only paid to have mine processed once, and that was because friends wanted me to harvest a deer for them and I wanted to check the processors operation. It came out pretty good, but did not like how he packaged it. It was professionally done, like a butcher shop, in styrofoam and plastic wrap. Not bad I guess if you eat your venison in a timely manner, but it does not store well.

    I vacuum seal mine, it will last for years that way, but before that I would wrap with saran wrap getting as much air out as possible, then with freezer wrap. Three years is the max I've let the freezer paper ones stay before eating it, the vacuum sealed one has lasted 5 (accidently). I used to take my time trying to get as much steak, and stew meat as possible, but now I get what I can get easily, then grind the rest, specially the neck and other troublesome areas. I've discovered smoked venison summer sausage so I have even ground some decent sized muscle for that.
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  14. #14
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    I enjoy doing my own. I don’t know that I’m all that good at it, but it’s all part of the hunt to me. Over the years I have picked up a grinder, a vacuum sealer and a couple of good boning knives so I can take one apart and put it in the freezer without any bones. Taking my time I can do an average sized doe in about four hours.

    I’m starting to worry that I might not have a reason to hunt much longer: I had a bad episode of gout last year. It was almost too painful to walk. Venison is among the very worst causes of gout.
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  15. #15
    Boolit Master


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    Quote Originally Posted by Elkins45 View Post
    I enjoy doing my own. I don’t know that I’m all that good at it, but it’s all part of the hunt to me. Over the years I have picked up a grinder, a vacuum sealer and a couple of good boning knives so I can take one apart and put it in the freezer without any bones. Taking my time I can do an average sized doe in about four hours.

    I’m starting to worry that I might not have a reason to hunt much longer: I had a bad episode of gout last year. It was almost too painful to walk. Venison is among the very worst causes of gout.
    High-Purine Foods Include: Alcoholic beverages (all types) Some fish, seafood and shellfish, including anchovies, sardines, herring, mussels, codfish, scallops, trout and haddock. Some meats, such as bacon, turkey, veal, venison and organ meats like liver.
    Dang, that would suck for me, this list has some of my favorites on it.
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  16. #16
    Boolit Master Shawlerbrook's Avatar
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    We also have a professional butcher and vacuum pack it. Steaks, back straps whole and ground burger. Some Italian sausage. 95% of all the red meat we eat is venison.

  17. #17
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    For years I tried doing it myself, but wasn't that good. I finally relented and took one to a processor that would vacuum pack the meat. What a difference! I would butterfly the back straps and fry them up, and they were good. The rest I just had ground into burger. It was most tasty with spaghetti or grilling outside, as well as excellent for chili. If I get to go this year and get one I'll have it ground up also.
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  18. #18
    Boolit Grand Master

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    Thanks for the replys everyone. Our gun season opens on Saturday and I'm planning of leaving out in the morning. I usually have a deer or two by now but I missed muzzle loading season.

  19. #19
    Boolit Buddy


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    Attachment 229986Attachment 229987Attachment 229986Attachment 229987I've always processed them myself. I taught my son who, in turn taught his son (17 year old grandson). My 11 year old granddaughter got her first deer last weekend. The grandson will finish butchering her deer for the freezer ( oops, double posted the pics)

  20. #20
    Boolit Master
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    I process all of my own. Had an excellent Hobart grinder. Loaned it out and it got lost, dunno how you loose a 120 lb meat grinder. I don't loan equipment any more.
    Forward a few years. Bought a new grinder and stuffer. The next year I got a slicer. Year later a vacum sealer.
    Cutting up a deer is not that hard guys. Sharp knife or knives are a must. I have about a dozen, all are razor sharp, but have several favorites.

    When the kids were still at home, I would end up with no less than one and no more than five. So to have processed the way I wanted it was a chore in its self. 30 mile drive one way, so 60 to drop off an another 60 to go get it. Depending on weight, and what I wanted process fee per carcass was $90-200. Around here you will pay a lot for sausage.

    If I plan on more than one I break up the chore. Prefer to hang for a few days weather permitting. Start early in the morning and skin, yes I leave the hide on. I dislike the dried rind of hanging after skinning. Skinned, then start with a pile of old bath towels wiping off any hair, best way I have found.
    Cut off front shoulders, bone out.
    Cut out back straps. Loins are taken out when first hung.
    Cut spine/back right at the ham joint. Hack around with boning and filet knife, all grinding meat.
    Split hams down the middle of spine and bone out.

    I will take two heavy duty trash bags and line a good 5 gallon bucket with a lid. Toss all trimmings and shot up grinding meat in there. I wait and do ALL grinding at once as a seperate step.

    I keep lots of stainless steel pans around. I lucked into a bunch of them from steam tables.
    Keep a spray bottle with 10% bleach to spray down cutting boards and tables.

    I will either vacum seal or wrap. Depends on what it is and how quick I will use it.
    A double wrap with heavy duty Saran Wrap, then wrapped in butcher paper will keep a long time. Use cheap plastic wrap and cheap paper, your end result will be poor. I use wrap and paper from SAMs club.

    Ground meat, I add no fat,pork or beef to it, all straight venison. I did for years as that was what everyone did,middle of the summer it was **** and rancid tasting to me.

    I always see people using the ground meat for tacos and chili, just shake my head. Yes it does good mostly because of no grease. Give it a go with 1/3 ground pork butt mixed in for burgers or a meatloaf.

    I didn't mention the neck. It is one of my favorite roasts. However with the chronic wasting disease, I will just stay away from any bone marrow or spinal cord stuff. (just read where a guy at squirrel brains and died from after effects of some type).

    A deer is a fine eating critter. And is deserving of a fine place on ones table.

    As has been said by many for years. The end result will be no better than how you treat it from the start.

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