PABowhntr

David,

I don' t even want to imagine how much it would cost you if you had to pay those prices....considering how many deer you shoot every year..... Speaking of which...did you get one up there in New York yet?

still waitin

up here in Ontario the going rate is 55 dollars flat rate cut and wrapped if you skin yourselves , significantly more if you want sausages made ............
- used to be 40 cents a pound with $40 minimum ............

Straightarrow

I paid for my first one 34 years ago. I' ve butchered every one since - always by myself. Takes 2 to 3 hours, depending on what I' m going to do with the meat. I use two knives. One is my buck folding Hunter 110. With that knife, I skiln and debone the deer (while hanging). Hang it head up. If you' re not going to cape it, start high on the neck, being carefull about hair. Every joint is easily cut with a sturdy knife, once you know where to cut. Take the legs off at the knees. Once done skinning, take a propane torch and lightly singe any hair that gets on the meat. Deboning is pretty easy while the deer is hanging. Experince will make it easier each time, but it really is a quick part of the process. Deboning probably only takes about 20 minutes once you get the hang of it. You do not want to have any bones in the meat. The bone marrow can add a foul taste to the meat.

The next step is to cut the fat and muscle membrane from meat. I use a razor sharp filet knife and do it just like I would take the skin off a fish filet. This is where most of the time is spent. Small muscles that are a pain to de-membrane are set aside for sausage, or marked so they are used first. It' s the fat on deer that can cause problems. It is not like beef or pork fat. It spoils easily and has a worse taste.

At this point, I then cut the meat into portion sizes and whether I' m going to use it for jerky, roasts or steaks doesn' t matter too much. The sausage meat has been set aside, so the rest can be prepared however you want. Through this process, it' s important to keep the meat clean and dry. Do not wash it. Clean you knife freqently and keep them sharp. If the meat gets wet, dry it with paper towels.

When you freeze it, make sure it' s double wrapped. I' ve come up with a wrapping technique that will keep it from getting freezer burnt for a couple years. First. I use a plastic wrap that I put around the meat to eliminate all air. The plastic wrap clings to the meat and has no air spaces, not even a tiny one. This is important!. Then wrap it in freezer paper or airtight plastic bags. If you have a vacuum sealer, that is great. Be sure to date the packages.

If you shoot a lot of deer, get a grinder. It will pay for itself in a heartbeat. Buy a good one. Over the years, I come up with good recipes for sausage mixes. It costs pennies on the dollar, compared with the pre-mix packages, available to make sausage. Deer meat that you properly butcher yourself, tastes better, and for some reason, you end up with more. It really isn' t all that difficult. After a couple deer, you' ll feel like a pro.

rcd567

Yep I did. It was a lot of work but to me, just another enjoyable aspect of the sport. Grilled up some steaks and chops last night and had to beat the boy off with a baseball bat.[] The wife and him really like venison so it' s a treat whenever we have it. I did order a video on how to do it to see if there' s an easier or faster way. I also bought an old cast iron grinder from Cabelas years ago that does a good job in making burger.