deer processing

one shot scott · Post by **one shot scott** » Sun Nov 23, 2008 10:46 am

thanks everyone for the helpful information! And special thanks to Dutchhunter for offering to come out and give a hand. If Im lucky enough to bag one dutch, i will pm you.

vixenmaster · Post by **vixenmaster** » Sun Nov 23, 2008 10:46 am

being frugal and lazy i just take the tenderloins out and backstraps for steaks. all the rest i just cut it off the bone and grind it up. i get pork roasts to grind up and mix in 1/3 pork to 2/3's ground deer. i mix my seaoning into all the ground meat and grind it twice so the seasoning gets mixed well. then i double wrap using freezer paper and put the date on it & say burger or sausage.

one shot scott · Post by **one shot scott** » Sun Nov 23, 2008 11:03 am

How about the hanging process? It sounds like most of you who do your own processing dont hang the deer for long. Ive heard that deer being so tender does not need to hang for long, Ive also heard of guys letting it hang for a week. Obviously with the temps being what they are right now in southern Ont. hanging is no problem, but I dont think I could hang it long in the early season.

vixenmaster · Post by **vixenmaster** » Sun Nov 23, 2008 11:14 am

if you have a cooler that has thermistat you can age deer 4-5 days and it breaks the meat down tender. using outside temps just don't want it to hang long above 38-40 degrees nor freeze. 34-38 is great for 2-3 days

brokebow · Post by **brokebow** » Sun Nov 23, 2008 11:16 am

Our Butcher shop gave a Free demo on how to cut up your own deer. And I do now, and have done it for the last 12 years. most places want a $85 down payment before they even skin youd deer,so I have saved $1012 dollars pluss I do not have to wait for my meat ,and if you want to grind ,buy your self a grinder ,you can get a grinder for $50 dollars at Cabelas when they are on sale. I do not mix any beef or pork with my venison, We use it with Hot dish ,chily and barbacue and it is all great and I make it lean so you dont have all that fat,witch you dont need. Dont be afraid to do it,get some one that does there own and ask to. Most guys would be glad to help you. I know I sure would. O yes ,we also bought a vacume packer to seal or meat in, it works great,even the burger(I wrap with freezer paper first to get it in the plastic bag easier) Do your own deer you wont be sorry and you will get you own deer insted of someone elses . Jerry

schnarrfuss · Post by **schnarrfuss** » Sun Nov 23, 2008 11:23 am

We have been doing our own for about 8 years now. It is fairly easy to do.

roland · Post by **roland** » Sun Nov 23, 2008 11:32 am

I debone and cut my deer up also, fairly easy to do.

honker · Post by **honker** » Sun Nov 23, 2008 12:05 pm

Process my own deer over here. Was a butcher for three years at a grocery store growing up before i got into deer hunting... All the parts look pretty familiar to beef...

It is worth getting a book or two and reading them for any help or questions that come up while processing.

The only thing we don't process here is sausage. My girlfriends brothers girlfriend, father (

) makes his own sausage and has offered to teach me this winter/spring whenever time works best for us... That should make me entirely self-sufficient for making bottled meat, steaks, roasts, hamburg, and soon to be sausage...

Can't beat that! PLUS the added bonus to doing your own meat.. You truly know what's being tossed away... Not calling butchery liars or anything, but there are some crooks out there.

cheers!

NativeHunter · Post by **NativeHunter** » Sun Nov 23, 2008 1:05 pm

one shot scott wrote:How about the hanging process? It sounds like most of you who do your own processing dont hang the deer for long. Ive heard that deer being so tender does not need to hang for long, Ive also heard of guys letting it hang for a week. Obviously with the temps being what they are right now in southern Ont. hanging is no problem, but I dont think I could hang it long in the early season.

Here in Eastern Virginia hanging is hardly ever an option. I have read, and don't see a reason not to agree, that deboning and then putting the meat in a refrigerator for a few days before final processing accomplishes the same as hanging.

VixChix · Post by **VixChix** » Sun Nov 23, 2008 1:57 pm

We've tried both long hanging times and shorter - it seems to make little difference. Whether it's a buck or doe, the age and how it's been killed seems to matter more.

On the subject of knives - I found I ended up using a good quality short-bladed fileting knife most. It seemed to work the best for getting the white skin off and separating along the "seams".

sipsey · Post by **sipsey** » Sun Nov 23, 2008 6:42 pm

Several years ago i read a good article about processing --a study done at Texas A&M University---they experimented with age time, deer type, how killed, etc.--they said refrigerater temp. 4-7 days was optimal---i skin and put the meat in bottom of fridge (tough plastic bags) for 6-7 days then take out and process- deer meat is very similar to beef in that ageing indeed helps with the tenderness and taste.

crazyfarmer · Post by **crazyfarmer** » Sun Nov 23, 2008 7:56 pm

i do my own, but its nice to have my own processing plant/slaughter house though

we just got a new grinder for this year... 40 pounds per minute

not cheap though