Home Deer Processing tips
 

Hey all, I'm a newer bowhunter and this year I'm going to try to do all my deer processing in my dad's barn. just wondering if ya had any tips or tricks, or any links to a thread with some directions; trying to learn off youtube videos here,

all responses are welcome. thanks

SHARP knife. It will make everything much, much easier on you. I suggest, as you said, watching some youtube videos to familiarize yourself with the process. Then just give it a try. It'll take some time, some muscle, maybe some frustration, your first few times. But as you learn it gets easier and you'll get more efficient. I enjoy the process, and I think you will too.
-Jake

Processing game is fun in my opinion. Make sure you have a good chair, table & bright light, as there is hair, silverskin ect to get off the meat. As far as the Barn make sure no kitty cats get to the deer, and that you have a clean surface to cut and wrap. Good luck.

i agree with gjersy the setup is a big part of it, got to have room to work. How are you going to age your deer, or are you? Get you a nice grinder to do your burgers, and a vacuum wrapper is nice..its a little more expensive but the meat will keep longer in my experience

Remove the loins, fore- and hindquarters, and neck. Place in bottom of large cooler and completely cover with ice. Leave the drain plug open so the bloody water can drain out, but keep plenty of ice on it. Let drain for at least one day.

I cut the loins into chops, bone out the hind quarters and make roasts or steaks, roasts out of the shoulders and neck, and keep a big bowl on the side for any bits and odd-sized chunks for chili meat. I don't grind the meat, just divide up the chunks in about 1lb packages. Then I make chili out of about 1/2 venison chunks and 1/2 hamburger meat.

If you run across a pretty roast, go ahead and package that up. You can always defrost it and cut it up later if you don't want it as a roast. Also, if you get tired, throw another bag of ice over the meat in the cooler and finish tomorrow.

Having the meat partially frozen or at least very cold makes it much easier to cut up. And sharp, sharp knives.

Keep everything as clean as possible. Trim the meat well, removing all the silver skin and fat. It will make the end product that much better. I started with a good sharp knife and a large cutting board. As time and money allows, a quality meat grinder is great for making burger and sausage. Have fun and enjoy your harvest!

Until you can afford a grinder, find a local butcher who will grind it for you. Until I bought mine I took it to a guy that charged $10. He didn't care if I had 10lbs or 100lbs. He'd say $10.
-Jake

practice!
RR

Here's one start to finish.

That's a pretty good video. Long, but good

I bought one of the smaller cheaper grinders that Lowes, Dicks, etc. sells. I can't remember the size but they are around $100.00. I usually kill 1-4 deer each year and for that it is perfect. If I was grinding hundreds and hundreds of pounds a year I would go bigger but I don't grind the entire dear so I don't do too much.

I believe the smallest standard grinder is a no 8 , meaning 8lbs a min.

This is a blog I wrote about processing game. I teach classes a couple times an year and these are the most common questions and what I feel are the best answers.


http://blog.friscospices.com/tips-an...great-sausage/

Deer Processing Tips
 

Research is the perfect start, but once you have a deer in front of you, all the reading and videos you went through will be a foggy memory.

If you know someone who has butchered a deer before - ask for help. Set the expectation that you want to learn, and you don't just want them to do all the work. Hunters are almost always willing to share their knowledge. Doesn't hurt to supply some beer.

I second most of the things mentioned already: time, practice, sharp knife, patience - these are all key. Don't burn yourself out, take breaks. A sharp knife and a dull mind will end in disaster.

Two things I'll note that you may not see in your other research:

1) have a good, clean place to hang your deer while you break it down. I use a hitch hoist, let's me hang the deer anywhere I can park a vehicle.

2) have a comfortable height countertop to cut on. Saw horses are usually a few inches on the short side - your back will be done before the butchering is done. Add a few boards to get to a height you can work at where you aren't hunched over and you'll make the whole process seem easier.

Here's how I do it..not knowing when we will get another deer.,.We eat the entire deer.

When I kill the deer..
A. I gut it there.at the public check station...Biblcally speaking you need to bleed deer out quick as you can..They always want to weigh the deer anyhows..Hang deer head down and get all the guts out.
B. If the liver and heart is good put in a baggy and put it in your small ice chest.
C. Convinence store is 10 mile away..Quickly drive there and put 2 unopened 1o pound baghs of ice in the cavity.
D. I have a hanging station already at home.
E. Hang deer ..head down wards..
F. The skin comes off pretty easy..pull and guide your knife along underneath the skin..the legs are tricky..get a chair ..sit down and take your time..It's hard work..Try not to get hair on the meat.
G. Inside the chest cavity is the 2 best pieces of meat on the deer..2 small tenderloins..for me and whoever helped me drag the deer out{-; they are about 12 inches long..1 1/2 inches wide..
H. Cut out the 2 long back loins known as backstrap..
WARNING..Roast last longer than ground meat..If I wanbt ground meat I thaw out a roast and grind it..otherwise roast will last from year to year.,..I eat my stew meat first..like burger..dosn't last too long..
I cut off both front quarters...Meanwhile my wife is soaking each piece for 20 minutes in salt water to help remove excess blood.
J. Make sure you got your hide all the way to the antlers..don't waste that beautiful neck roast..that is your company roast..It's about 5-8 pounds depending on deer size..
K. cut the two racks of rips out..there will be some flank on it..People say there is no meat..I'm a big eatter and we always have left overs on the ribs..use your hack saw.
L. NOW cut your loin back into 3 more roast..there is easily 2 pounds of meat on each 10 inch section..if not..some dynamite backstrap stew or soup..anyways 3 more meals.
M. Hind quarters..be careful they don't fall..they are heavy..use your hack saw..Take in your house..and separate the 3 muscles for 3 roast..sirloin, bottom round and top round.and bone for venison and barley soup.

Let's add up the meals..should be 26 meals

Back strap...4 meals of steaks..Cut each back strap into a 14 inch section..when ready I cut my steaks into 1/2 inch run through my tenderizer...lightly flour..salt and pepper..fry in butter..DANG!! had some this morning..

2 front shoulder roast..makes 6 meals..

6 hind quarter roast..makes 12 meals.

1 company neck roast...........13 meals

2 rib meals...........................15 meals

3 back bone roast./ soup or stew...meat 18 meals depends on how well you cut the backstrap out{-;

easily 3 pounds of stew meat from scraps 21 meals

liver meals 2 need to slow cook all day..kind of tough 23 meals

heart snack cook like backstrap,,tender.. 24th meal

2 rear hind leg bones for soup YEP..I got 26 meals off my deer. 26 meals..

My wife soaks the cuts in salt water ..as God said don't eat the blood..then we wrap in saran wrap...twice and then freezer wrap and label the cuts.My wife is a pro cutting off silver skin..She took her time 5 hours LOL..she uses meat scissors from Dollar Tree..I buy her 3 pairs..

I have a water hose on slow close by to wash hair off knife..and rinse my hands off..Have a big pan nearby to put your meat in..If I'm doing a hog..I wear gloves.

God willing I plan to get one more..that is a venison meal per week..that would be awesome.

As long as you keep adding fresh ice and keep it drained you can go about 3-5 days on ice. All the blood will be out by then.
I have kept deer like this for up to 7 days with no problems because I didn't have the time to get to butchering.

This is really a nice video. I am quite interested with this. Thanks