Who Process's there own Deer
08-06-2010, 10:32 AM
#1
Fork Horn
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: michigan
Posts: 133
Who Process's there own Deer
I started Processing my Own deer about 5 Years ago and what a difference it made in the taste and quality of meat we were getting , My Wife was basically a vegatarian when we met now she helps me process . we have a basic $80 electric meat grinder and a basic vacume sealer . It really made the difference in using approx 1 deer a season now with liberal doe permits were i live we will usually have 3-4 does and usually 1 buck . we had a total of 5 dear last year and are almost out of meat . We do grind in about a 1/4th pork tenderloin and it taste awesome and my 6 and 7 year old ask for it and they love the breakfast sousage. If you havent tried to Process your own deer I think you may be missing out.
08-06-2010, 11:27 AM
#4
Fork Horn
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: michigan
Posts: 133
Lol that's funny , don't get me wrong I love taking big buck's but were i am from Hunting Land is expensive even to lease you have to have deep pockets lucky for me I have a couple small areas that hold deer that I am able to hunt my largest spot is about 25 acres so no big tracts of land so getting big buck to come by is possible but you may starve if you are not going to shoot does. We have neighbors that will shoot little spike and button bucks so it is hard to get the bucks big .
08-06-2010, 01:27 PM
#5
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 2,445
I've done my own for over 15 years now. It is not all that difficult, and it guarantees better quality meat than a processor's band saw. The bone chips that get pulled through the meat by the saw taint the meat.
You mention grinding in your post. Many processors grind venison in batches, so you're getting some of yours mixed with who knows what, maybe a gutshot deer that was handled wrong.
Ground meat generally gets thoroughly cooked. I grind some for a chili or two, and cut most of the front shoulders into stew meat, but mainly roast whole cuts and steaks on the grill. Nothing wrong with grinding, but if you don't save some whole cuts currently, try it. Season with a dry rub, or simply salt and pepper and cook your roasts such as the loin, a top round or a sirloin tip to 120-125 degrees internal temperature, wrap in foil, and let rest for 15 minutes. Then slice and enjoy a nice piece of medium rare venison.
You mention grinding in your post. Many processors grind venison in batches, so you're getting some of yours mixed with who knows what, maybe a gutshot deer that was handled wrong.
Ground meat generally gets thoroughly cooked. I grind some for a chili or two, and cut most of the front shoulders into stew meat, but mainly roast whole cuts and steaks on the grill. Nothing wrong with grinding, but if you don't save some whole cuts currently, try it. Season with a dry rub, or simply salt and pepper and cook your roasts such as the loin, a top round or a sirloin tip to 120-125 degrees internal temperature, wrap in foil, and let rest for 15 minutes. Then slice and enjoy a nice piece of medium rare venison.
08-06-2010, 02:03 PM
#6
Fork Horn
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Middelway, WV
Posts: 435
I started, with help from my neighbor, on the first deer I killed. I bought a meat grinder last year, and it works well. This year I will buy a jerky slicer.
I do a very basic butchering. I strip out the 2 back straps, cut in half, vacuum pack and freeze. I cut the hind quarters in steaks, getting between 3-5 steaks per hind quarter. The rest of the meat goes into the grinder for deerburger and sausage.
This year I plan to jerky the entire first deer I get:-)
I do a very basic butchering. I strip out the 2 back straps, cut in half, vacuum pack and freeze. I cut the hind quarters in steaks, getting between 3-5 steaks per hind quarter. The rest of the meat goes into the grinder for deerburger and sausage.
This year I plan to jerky the entire first deer I get:-)
08-06-2010, 02:12 PM
#7
Fork Horn
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 179
i was fortunate enough to have a dad that did all his own meat,,deer, pork,beef,and even yard buzzard(chicken) so i came up doing all our own meat,,from growing it to packageing it.life is good on a farm sometimes,,just not all the time,,,my dad was the best hunter ive ever seen,,i never seen him miss till he was old,and we stood there like dummys thinking how could this happen,,we got him a big scope and it never happened again,,,i would never pay for butchering i think all sportsman should know this plus capeing your trophy! back straps on the barby baby.
08-06-2010, 03:02 PM
#9
Typical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Southern Illinois
Posts: 650
wouldn't have it any other way
I don't care how big of a deer you shoot or how exciting the hunt was, the best part of taking any deer is cutting those inner loins out and throwing them on the grill the night of the kill. Woo hoo!
When I started deer hunting at 16, my folks paid to get my first deer processed. We were shocked how little meat we picked up from the butcher shop for the price they charged us. That's been 15 years ago, and we have done almost all of our own deer since that first buck. We spent about $60 on a gambrel, knives and a VHS showing how to get your deer from the field to the freezer. The first deer we processed paid for that! You can cut it how YOU want it and you know you'll be getting YOUR meat back. You can get a cheap grinder for about $20 and it will last years if you keep it clean. A dehydrator and a jerky shooter are cheap, and almost everyone likes deer jerky if you don't tell them what it is
The ONLY time I will pay for somebody else to mess with my deer is if it is just too warm for me to do it. I killed a nice buck a few years back on the second day of the season (Oct 2nd) and it was close to 80 degrees here in southern Illinois shortly after the sun came up. I packed ice in the thing's belly and rushed him to the processor.
If you have a place to do it, give it a try. It's a very fulfilling sensation to know that you did it all- killed it, cleaned it, and then cooked it. Thanks aarontriton. Now I'm hungry
rw
When I started deer hunting at 16, my folks paid to get my first deer processed. We were shocked how little meat we picked up from the butcher shop for the price they charged us. That's been 15 years ago, and we have done almost all of our own deer since that first buck. We spent about $60 on a gambrel, knives and a VHS showing how to get your deer from the field to the freezer. The first deer we processed paid for that! You can cut it how YOU want it and you know you'll be getting YOUR meat back. You can get a cheap grinder for about $20 and it will last years if you keep it clean. A dehydrator and a jerky shooter are cheap, and almost everyone likes deer jerky if you don't tell them what it is
The ONLY time I will pay for somebody else to mess with my deer is if it is just too warm for me to do it. I killed a nice buck a few years back on the second day of the season (Oct 2nd) and it was close to 80 degrees here in southern Illinois shortly after the sun came up. I packed ice in the thing's belly and rushed him to the processor.
If you have a place to do it, give it a try. It's a very fulfilling sensation to know that you did it all- killed it, cleaned it, and then cooked it. Thanks aarontriton. Now I'm hungry
rw
08-06-2010, 04:08 PM
#10
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 1,304
