Process your own deer....
#61
RE: Process your own deer....
may as well add in, if you dont skin, cape, tan, and do your own taxidermy your much less of a hunter too! lol
in regards to butchering though.. yeah we do it all ourselves, I find it to be another rewarding aspect of hunting.. nothing like knowing exactly what you are digesting ...
in regards to butchering though.. yeah we do it all ourselves, I find it to be another rewarding aspect of hunting.. nothing like knowing exactly what you are digesting ...
#62
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: WI
Posts: 338
RE: Process your own deer....
I do all my own. By myself, it takes roughly 8 hours per deer, regardless of size. That includes skin, quarter, cut, wrap, clean up. If its warm, I skin and quarter immediately, then into the fridge. I trim out shoulder and neck roasts, as well as the ribs. Backstraps, of course. The hind quarters yeild 3 muscles each, which I freeze whole after trimming out. I slice these for steak when they are half thawed. I also save clear tender chunks from the hinds, which I label "tips". These are used for stir fry, stew, stroganof, fajitas, etc. Yes, I've done my own bow shot deer. I just use freezer paper, those vaccum sealers suck IMO. My dad did canning, and I'm aware of that whole process, never tried it myself. Processing is definitely not my favorite part of deer hunting, but it is what it is.
#63
RE: Process your own deer....
I dont oppose having someone do your deer for you, I just have a thing about my food....could be OCD. I need to know exactly what parts are going into my sausage. Kinda freaks me out a little []
#64
RE: Process your own deer....
I think it's funny how you guys that freak out about the purity of your processed venison likely have no problem eating a big mac or a steak from the Outback. [8D]
I've never processed a deer myself. I've never had anybody show me how. I might try it someday if I can get somebody to teach me the right way. My dad always paid the processor, and that's what I do.
I just drop it off whole, gutted with the skin on, and pick it up the next day wrapped, packaged, and labeled. It looks exactly like what you'd see at a grocery store. Sausage, burger, steaks, roast, you name it. For $75 that's worth it to me. It would take me 5 or 6 hours to do it myself, and it wouldn't be as good as the professional butcher who does it for me. I can work 2 hours of overtime to pay for it. No brainer.
I have no problem paying somebody to plow my driveway when it snows either. And I pay to get my oil changed too! Does that mean I'm not a real driver? If you take your bow to the shop to have work done, are you not a real archer? Come on....
I've never processed a deer myself. I've never had anybody show me how. I might try it someday if I can get somebody to teach me the right way. My dad always paid the processor, and that's what I do.
I just drop it off whole, gutted with the skin on, and pick it up the next day wrapped, packaged, and labeled. It looks exactly like what you'd see at a grocery store. Sausage, burger, steaks, roast, you name it. For $75 that's worth it to me. It would take me 5 or 6 hours to do it myself, and it wouldn't be as good as the professional butcher who does it for me. I can work 2 hours of overtime to pay for it. No brainer.
I have no problem paying somebody to plow my driveway when it snows either. And I pay to get my oil changed too! Does that mean I'm not a real driver? If you take your bow to the shop to have work done, are you not a real archer? Come on....
#65
RE: Process your own deer....
ORIGINAL: gzg38b
I think it's funny how you guys that freak out about the purity of your processed venison likely have no problem eating a big mac or a steak from the Outback. [8D]
I've never processed a deer myself. I've never had anybody show me how. I might try it someday if I can get somebody to teach me the right way. My dad always paid the processor, and that's what I do.
I just drop it off whole, gutted with the skin on, and pick it up the next day wrapped, packaged, and labeled. It looks exactly like what you'd see at a grocery store. Sausage, burger, steaks, roast, you name it. For $75 that's worth it to me. It would take me 5 or 6 hours to do it myself, and it wouldn't be as good as the professional butcher who does it for me. I can work 2 hours of overtime to pay for it. No brainer.
I have no problem paying somebody to plow my driveway when it snows either. And I pay to get my oil changed too! Does that mean I'm not a real driver? If you take your bow to the shop to have work done, are you not a real archer? Come on....
I think it's funny how you guys that freak out about the purity of your processed venison likely have no problem eating a big mac or a steak from the Outback. [8D]
I've never processed a deer myself. I've never had anybody show me how. I might try it someday if I can get somebody to teach me the right way. My dad always paid the processor, and that's what I do.
I just drop it off whole, gutted with the skin on, and pick it up the next day wrapped, packaged, and labeled. It looks exactly like what you'd see at a grocery store. Sausage, burger, steaks, roast, you name it. For $75 that's worth it to me. It would take me 5 or 6 hours to do it myself, and it wouldn't be as good as the professional butcher who does it for me. I can work 2 hours of overtime to pay for it. No brainer.
I have no problem paying somebody to plow my driveway when it snows either. And I pay to get my oil changed too! Does that mean I'm not a real driver? If you take your bow to the shop to have work done, are you not a real archer? Come on....
I'll continue to process my own deer when I have the time or the inkling...but I have no problem taking my deer to the processors I use...none at all.
#67
RE: Process your own deer....
I do my own just because I want to not because I can't afford it. Anduille and
smoked I don't do myself. Let the pros do them.
1. Clean deer broken down about 30 minutes.
2. Aging _ None. Soaking in water or milk or whatever_ None!!
3. Clean meat, steaks, roasts, etc...vac pack fresh and red.
4. Cook or marinate properly and they will be tender and delicious.
5. Use bacon wrapped around meat for fat contentand tenderizing.
Good Luck,
Eric S. Stacy
smoked I don't do myself. Let the pros do them.
1. Clean deer broken down about 30 minutes.
2. Aging _ None. Soaking in water or milk or whatever_ None!!
3. Clean meat, steaks, roasts, etc...vac pack fresh and red.
4. Cook or marinate properly and they will be tender and delicious.
5. Use bacon wrapped around meat for fat contentand tenderizing.
Good Luck,
Eric S. Stacy
#70
RE: Process your own deer....
Funny stuff........ I don't care what people do with their deer. As long as its all used! This past yr Ididn't have much time to hunt..... 4 days out of 90 possible hunting days. I didn't taga single deer. Lucky for me I cut about 30-40 deer a yr for friends..... this yr I had enuf deer given to me that it may carry me through the winter. May the lord bless all their souls........ God only knows that I have.
I don't charge much..... $35 per deer no matter the size and that includes skinning. I made 100lbs of sausage an still have roasts to cook. NO CHEATING ON MY PART...... they sit there whil;e I cut and wrap their deer. B/w skinning and cuting and wrapping it usually takes me 1-1.5hrs per deer. This yr I was thankfull I had the skill to do so. I also make jerky and sausage but only do so for myself........ soon to change.
Nobody should feel bad about how they proces their deer.... if you pay then you are helping someone out. If you do it yourself then KUDO's to U.
I don't charge much..... $35 per deer no matter the size and that includes skinning. I made 100lbs of sausage an still have roasts to cook. NO CHEATING ON MY PART...... they sit there whil;e I cut and wrap their deer. B/w skinning and cuting and wrapping it usually takes me 1-1.5hrs per deer. This yr I was thankfull I had the skill to do so. I also make jerky and sausage but only do so for myself........ soon to change.
Nobody should feel bad about how they proces their deer.... if you pay then you are helping someone out. If you do it yourself then KUDO's to U.