When you bring a 100 pound dressed doe into the processing plant, with a clean double lung shot minimizing meat loss, about how much fresh meat (burger, steaks, roasts, etc…) do you get back?
never taken in a dressed deer
How far are you willing to travel to have your deer processed at a plant that meets your product quality standards?
Willing to drive an hour for quality, but closer is better
If you brought in 60 pounds of boned meat, on average, how much of that would you have made into smoked meat (summer sausage, slim jims, jerky, etc…)?
all of it.
How long does it usually take from the day you hand your deer over to the processor to the day you get the call to pick it up? (please indicate if there was sausage and jerky made)
about 3 weeks. all in sausage and sticks. I do my own jerky. it is the best....
I have always been interested in going into business with it. It has been difficult to find quality USDA inspected venison. I tried farm raised Elk from Pike County. It was too tough to get through 3HP grinder. If interested in trying a sample, PM me and I will make you some.
Do you prefer community batches (all deer are put into one container when boned and separated according to weight) because it is quicker and cheaper, or individual processing because you know you are getting your deer back?
As far as ground meat, I don't care whose deer it is. Steaks may be different and somewhat easy to keep separate. If you want your own deer back, do it yourself. There is no way you (the OP) can afford to run a deer processing business and grind/spice/cure every animal separately. I know of a lot of people that want their own deer back. Can you really tell? C'mon? I knew of one guy here in Central IL that does one deer at a time. I was unimpressed with his product. Great concept. Has to be very slow and tedious. A little too large of request for the spiced and cured meat. Do you really expect someone to measure spices for 17.25 pounds then 34.16 pounds, then 150 pounds? Seriously? You should perfect it for say 25, 50, or 100 batches, then set it, and forget it!
How many deer have you had processed each year for the past three years?
2-3 processed by myself. I sometimes take boned meat to the processor for salami and sticks. I can steak, roast, jerk, and grind my own. Stuffing and curing seems to be an art I haven't mastered. I tried once and will always pay for it.
Without going into detail as to where you take your deer for processing, do you have any complaints or praises about your current processor?
The processing facility in my hometown was started by a Polish family. Their products were great. The business was sold, but the originator stayed on and taught the buyer "how to". The new place sucked. I attribute it to a lack of quality ingredients and desire. The fat in the slim jims stuck to the roof of my mouth (literally). And, the cheese was spaced way too far apart in the sausage - 3 slices no cheese, 1 slice all cheese (poor mixing I guess). I stayed away for years. After getting some decent tester pieces from friends over the last few years, I recently decided to give him another try. Ingredient quality much better, but overall still sucks. I will never go back and will now drive 30 minutes one way. I only tried for 2nd time because of small hometown plus a buddy of mine is doing the butchering.
Make sure to vacuum seal the product. Plus don't make the sausage log packages too big to eat in a couple sittings.
I've been cutting deer for 25+ years. Been to good ones and bad ones. It is easy to tell the difference in the first bite. One bad experience sends me away usually forever. If you want the names of a couple processors I recommend, let me know. One in Springfield and one in Auburn, IL. Match their products and you will be a hit IMO.