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Old 10-12-2003 | 04:46 PM
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jerseyhunter
Giant Nontypical
 
Joined: Feb 2003
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From: the woods of NJ.
Default RE: Butchering the deer yourself?

Everyone has good advice for you but if I may interject. After Cutting the deer into manageable pieces, 2 front quarters ,2 hind quarters,mid section and whats left of the neck and brisket. I throw these into bags that your groceries come in. If its cold out side 25-35 I' ll leave them on my butchering table, I like to partialy freeze all the muscle sections prior to slicing into steaks,cutlets or medalions. This makes it easieier and gives it a professional looking job not ragged Although is not neccessary for the stew,kabobs or burger meat. As for the cuts of meat: Stew meat and Kabobs from the front quarters, Steaks,Roasts,Stew, Kabobs from the hind quarters, Rolled Roast, Soup meat/bones, burger from the neck. Chops,medalions,Loin roasts and spare ribs from the mid section.Also you can make corned venison and pastrami from muscles in the front and hind quarters. I would highly reccomend the pastrami and the corned venison is great also but tends to be a little dry since there is no fat. So very easy to do it should be tried by all. I hope I didn' t forget any thing other than a sharp knife makes a big differance in the outcome. Also if you take you time skinning there won' t be much hair and what is left will come off when you take the connective tissue off. Also rinsing with cold water before the final slicing of the steaks won' t harm it at all,in fact it helps to get rid if the blood and bacteria while butchering and keeps the counter and tools clean and germ free. I' m not saying scrub the meat just a rinse with cold water. as far as aging I believe you shouldn' t butcher the deer until the rigor mortise has subsided or vanished or left whatever the correct teminology is.
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