How do you process your deer?

[Dangler]

I've been reading posts about deer hanging too long, tainted meat, etc.
Just wondering what y'all do with your deer. I have two hoists and gambrel systems in my barn. My buddies and I hang, skin, cut and wrap all of our deer out here. We worked on 7 deer this year, so we're not a threat to the professional processors, but it sure is nice to turn your harvest into packages, or "make meat" as our native brothers say.

The pros were getting up to $85 per deer for processing this year in the Lansing area. Some of the usual places even quit taking deer. Cutting and wrapping ain't that hard if you have somebody show you once or twice. I watched a guy do a deer for me once, and have been teaching my buds ever since.

With the price and demand continually increasing, are more of y'all ready to slice and dice? It's one more rewarding part of the hunt, and it will save you $$!

[bulletslinger]

Dangler i too process my own deer.My brother is a butcher and cuts up deer on the side out of his garage so that makes it pretty convenient for me to do it there.We also made a homemade smokehouse that works realy good.

[Airoh]

I do them in my garage. It's just an extention of the hunt for me.
As far as the frozen ones go... I've had to do a couple that were well on there way to being frozen. It is not fun getting the pelt off. I have to run into the house a few times to run warm water over my hands to get some feeling back into them. After that it's no problem.
I pull the loins, then quarter the deer. I then bring the loins into the kitchen and make steaks. After that I bring one quarter at a time into the house and finish them off.
By bringing one quarter at a time there is less mess and keeps peace in the family! I really think more hunters would do their own if they saw how easy it really is.

(NOTE)I freeze all meat for at least three weeks before I attempt to make any jerky. A fellow who works with bacteria for a living said this will insure the death of most all those little bugs we have been talking about the last few weeks.

[Erik]

I do my own as much as possible. Don't have a problem with the cold weather, (heated barn), I usaully have trouble with it being too warm as in earlier in the season. I like cutting them up when the meat is partially frozen. Makes for nice even looking steaks. If say it's too warm on a sunday evening though, I won't hesitate to get it to a processer first thing the next morning. Cost is irrelevant at that point.

[shooter921]

I pretty much shot it, skin it, cut it up, and eat. I don't want to take it to a butcher house becuase you never know who's deer you are getting.

[rick]

This pic is at least 15 years old I always have a webber going at about this time http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=1461250&a=11006195&p=39889707&Sequence=0&res=high

[This message has been edited by rick (edited 02-02-2001).]

[LabGuy]

We process our own too!

------------------
Cliff Cushard
Cushard's Kennel

[Dangler]

Trout, that photo looks like a typical day in my barn during deer season.

I took an old door, covered it with a formica layer, and we lay it across saw horses. We turn on the barn stereo, keep a set of good knives in hand with a set of ceramic sticks for sharpening, got a couple buckets for trimmin's and a vacuum packer on the work bench, and we turn a deer into meat in short order. I've processed a bunch of deer, and I don't claim to be an expert, but when the price of professional butchering gets to the point where you're paying $2 per pound for wrapped meat that you shot, dragged, and generally worked your butt off for, you need to consider taking the next step and put it in your freezer your dang-self.

Hey, your wife will be happier if you can save those extra expenses, which means more money for that new gun you gotta have.

[Dangler]

Rick, nice job. Looks like you clean 'em good. My favorite part is the face. How 'bout you :)?

[pegasus]

Since my Friend and I like to process our own meat, we are able to get all of the deer meat, we determine the size of the steaks. My friend has his own grinder and we make our own brats and burger without getting all the excess fat included.


------------------
"The greatest thrill you can offer a child is to take them hunting"

[Ultramag]

Our family has always cut up our own deer. With my dad and four boys we had an assembly line. To start my dad always liked to leave them hang a couple days minimum, depending on the weather. Then after skining, one person would do the chops, one usually did steaks and roasts and then the rest did the venison burger. It is nice to do your own because you can get all the tendons and ligaments out. We have a butcher down the road who is only open during deer season and we usually have him grind the ven-burger and sometime pulverize (sp?) some of the steaks if they look like they will be to tough. We did five deer in one Sunday afternoon, this year.

[Joe Archer]

I guess I am the first to say I use a butcher. I was going to say that I just don't have anywhere I could process a deer. After reading and looking at trout's post, I am convinced that it is a poor excuse. It is getting too expensive to have someone else do it anyway. Looks like I'll be a convert. <----<<<

[Recurve]

I take mine to a processor. I have heard the stories of not getting back your deer or being shortchanged tenderloins, etc. but I haven't experienced any of that. I was lucky enough to get a real good guy, DJ's Meat and Game Processing in Highland, near White Lake. I would recommend him for anyone in my area who can't or doesn't want to process their own. You tell him what you want, as far as cuts, kinds of sausage, burger, etc. and he'll set you up.

You get your meat back all boneless, free of silver skin, fat trimmed, no ligaments and nicely wrapped and labeled in shrink wrap plastic w/foam trays. Just like it came from the store! I usually get smoked brats, breakfast links, summer sausage, steaks, chops, roasts, ven-burger w/pork butt added, and my tender loins whole. It costs me about $120.00 to $150.00 depending on the size of the deer and amount of specialty meats like sausage, and whether you keep your hide (he credits $20.00). Not cheap but the quality and convenience factor makes it well worth it for me. I was also able to get the deer to the processor the next morning and not have to take a day off from work. As my deer have all been taken during warmer fall weather, hanging outside for any length of time is not an option.

I've got a couple of tips for those who can't get their deer to a processor the same day. Make sure the abdominal cavity is cleaned out well. You can use cold water from the hose to flush out any excess blood. Make sure to pat it dry using clean cotton cloth or sturdy paper towels. Excess blood and moisture can cause bacteria growth. Hang it, if possible, with a gambrel-head down. Otherwise, lay the deer on an incline-head down. Juices from the esophagus can taint the meat. Pack the chest cavity with bagged ice for the night unless it is cooler than 40 degrees. Get it to the processor the next morning.

I would like to learn how to do it myself, even if I still take it to the processor. It never hurts to have the knowledge. Hat's off to those guys who can do it themselves!

PS: Curious what most of you do with your hides? I've had two tanned, hair on, this year.

[rick]

recurve, I take only my meat to be ground up to DJ'S. He makes a mean breakfast sausage. I also got venison salami sticks that are real good. pretty expensive though.

[Recurve]

Originally posted by rick:
recurve, I take only my meat to be ground up to DJ'S. He makes a mean breakfast sausage. I also got venison salami sticks that are real good. pretty expensive though.

Yeah Rick, DJ's breakfast sausages are killer! My wife has used them in a seafood gumbo, cooked first then diced, and also in a vegetable beef soup the same way. Awesome!It's not just for breakfast anymore.

[The Nailer]

Joe, You're not alone I process mine w/ a checkbook too! But, Im really thinking hard on doing my own next time.

[rick]

Sorry tried to find a pic without any beer cans in it but I couldn't

[Dangler]

A couple of the bigger processors in my area quit doing deer this past season. There was a new law about having deer in the same building as meat for sale to the public. Even if they were isolated in anoher room, they couldn't be under the same roof. Most processors didn't want to erect another building, so they quit. That put a lot of hunters in a crunch, and caused the remaining processors to start charging $85.

DJ's allows $20 for a hide? Nobody around here will give you more than $3. I usually take mine to the butcher and swap even-up for a few pounds of beef fat to add to my burger.

[Tim Baker]

I take mine to a butcher about 2 miles from where I hunt. I don’t have the time during the season to butcher and I would rather be back in the woods than spending the afternoon butchering. I did one last year and it took me about 4 hours and it will be the last one I do for some time. The guy I go to has it done in two or three days, it is frozen solid and guaranteed to be my deer. All for $50.

Tim

[Muck]

Processing my own deer has one main disadvantage. My family loves the maple flavored meat sticks that our processor, Shafers, in South West Michigan makes. Anybody have any ideas how to make these at home?

[SAK]

We do our own on the kitchen table a quarter at a time. It goes fast with a partner and is not so tedious doing it alone. that way it doesn't cost us anything but the wrapping paper,tape and time. And we know it's our deer and we can cut and package them the way we want. The only reason I can think of paying someone else to do it would be lack of time and it doesn't take that long. You don't have to do it all at one sitting as long as it's kept refrigerated. When you get tired of it just quit for the day and start again tomorrow.

[fishandhunt]

I process my own deer as well, like SAK said a quarter at a time on the kitchen table. After skinning, quartering, etc. I clean the cuts and wrap in a plastic bag and hang in the “extra” refrigerator. Remove the lower racks and the meat can hang in the controlled 32 degree area until I can get to it. The plastic prevents the meat from drying out. I have used a vacuum sealer for the last 4 years and wouldn’t do it any other way. The old way of wrap in plastic, then foil or freezer paper takes too long and it still freezer burns. Also, I never grind anything, the smaller pieces get canned. If I’m in a rush for time, then larger pieces are cleaned down and sealed whole, real easy to cut into steaks when slightly frozen the day of the meal. Same way with the back straps, fewer cuts means less surface area and less chance of damage to the meat.

Mike