Butchering the deer yourself?
 

When I get a deer this year I think I will butcher the deer myself.
So, what are the best ways from getting the deer skinned to the point before it hits the fridge?

Like I have heard of people letting it hang in a tree for a couple days before buthering? Is this correct should I do this? And why?

What parts do you guys cut up or save to eat?

TRoy

RE: Butchering the deer yourself?
 

Well I better revise this, so maybe my other question will get answered.

Do you let your deer hang outside for a certain period of time? And if so why?
Does it have something to do with the blood draining off?
Wont flies get on it and make a mess?

Troy

RE: Butchering the deer yourself?
 

Hi, Troy...

Well, I' ve only got a certain amount of knowledge, but as best as I know...

You should only allow the deer to hang for a period of time if the temperature of the air is cool enough (lower than 60). That will keep the bugs down, and it will also cool the meat, which makes it easier to butcher. To help keep the bugs out, I would suggest one of those bags they make that will cover an entire animal from the flies.

If it' s too warm outside, you always cut as soon as possible, so that the meat doesn' t spoil.

RE: Butchering the deer yourself?
 

cut it as soon as you can if its warm...if its cold you won' t have a problem with bugs. We usually let the deer hang 3-4 days before we cut them up, but only because we wait until we have enough time to do it in a night.

RE: Butchering the deer yourself?
 

Thanks guys, I know this question that I asked has been asked a dozen times I sure.
I plan on butchering 1 deer myself and another I will take to the butcher for other styles of meat cuts I cant do.


Thanks
Troy

RE: Butchering the deer yourself?
 

Some say that you should make sure to skin it as quickly as possible. First, it skins much faster when the carcass is still warm. Second, it helps the meat tast better. But, of course, let it hand for a few days, especially if the weather is cold.

RE: Butchering the deer yourself?
 

I' ve never let any of my deer hang, usually within 2-3 hrs. it is skinned, cut up, and in the Frez. The only reason I would even let a deer hang is because for some reason or another I just couldn' t get it cut up that day. luckily this has never happened, I did stay up until 2am once because of a power outage. I' ve always lived by the rule why put a job off, if you can get it done at the moment.

RE: Butchering the deer yourself?
 

You will have many oppinions on whether to let the deer hang or not. We butcher all of our deer each year and whether it hangs or not depends on the weather. I would not skin it until I was ready to cut it up. hang it with the skin if you want it to hang. As far as the cuts what do you like to eat? We make steaks out of the tenders, you got some roasts available, grind some into hamburger, cut some in slices for jerky, grind some for summer sausage and brats. A good sealer and grinder and you will never need to take it to the butcher. The money you save will pay for the grinder and sealer. We do at least 10 deer a year so it is a great savings.

RE: Butchering the deer yourself?
 

See I dont have the equipment to make hamburger,sausage or brats. I looked in the cabelas catalog and they get way expensive. I couldnt buy one for a few hundred dollars this year to do that. It would save a ton of money if you used it every year.

I am just going to get off some steaks and cut someother parts up for the smoker. But I havent figured out how I should cut the quarters up for the smoker.

RE: Butchering the deer yourself?
 

IF YOU ASK AROUND TO SOME OF THE SMALL MARKETS IN YOUR AREA, YOU WILL FIND A PLACE TO GRIND YOUR HAMBURG AND MAKE SAUSAGE FOR A SMALL FEE.
WHAT IS A BRAT?
IF YOU DO HANG THE DEER, PUT THE HEAD DOWN.

RE: Butchering the deer yourself?
 

As far as the cuts go it is hard to explain without standing in front of the deer. We hang them from the hind legs and start at the top, skin them down. Then cut the outside tenders out with a cut right above the hind quarters along the spine and to front quarters, then cut front quarters off, and hind quarters off, bone out meat by following bone with knife until you have one complete peice of meat. You then have alot of clean up to do on the neck and ribs. Once you have the quarters boned out you can decide what you want You have a large roast that can be cut into whatever size you want. Sliced into steaks or smoked whatever. Don' t be worried about the looks it tastes the same no matter what. You will get better at it after you get a couple under your belt. Another way to afford equipment easier is to find a couple of friends to help with the bill. The grinder we have was about 275 dollars and three or four people paying 50 bucks a peice for a deer to be processed does not take long to buy the equipment.

RE: Butchering the deer yourself?
 

Try these web sites.

http://www.remington.com/magazine/current/2003_1011.asp

http://www.remington.com/magazine/pr...2003_1001c.htm

I have only butchered them myself a coupla times. It took a little while, but my and the wife think the meat tasted better. We hang our deer up in camp overnight if its cool. We skin em and then put them in game bags to keep the flies off.

My 2 cents

Eric

RE: Butchering the deer yourself?
 

Get a good knife, hacksaw, and clean container to hold all the meat.
1. hang the deer by the back legs.(make cuts between tendon and bone.Insert a stell rod or gambrell through both)
2. skin the deer down past the neck
3. cut down along the spine(both sides)from the hip to the neck. Remove the backstraps buy cutting along the ribs or by pulling the meat away.
4. cut out the insde loins if not damaged.
5. grasp front leg and cut at shoulder cartiledge. Repeat for other leg.
6. cut all meat from the neck area( can use as a roast if cuts are large)
7. cut away the rib cage at the hip(reducing the weight)
8. place both hind 1/4' s butt down on flat surface and cut both sides(end to end) 2 inches or so from the center. Your cut should be even with the hip/leg socket. Stick the tip of the knife into the socket and cut the tendon holding the joint. This will free the 1/4. Cut remaining meat from the rump area.
9. cut off legs where muscle begins.
Now you have a big container of meat. If its late I usually store it in the fridge for no more than 3 days.
Try to remove all fat, membrane and bloodshot meat first.
Use the front shoulders for stew or ground meat. cut and cube
Cut the straps about 3/4 inch thick removing the shiny membrane first.
Cut the hinds by following the bone. this will give you 2 big chunks of meat. The bigger muscles can be seen. You can seperate these pieces and use these for your steaks or even a roast. Use all reaming meat for either stew or ground meat(cut and cube)

I too use Ziplocks...They work great for the ground meat.
I have done at least 50 deer this way and works good..Just take your time. The more you do the better and faster you will get.

RE: Butchering the deer yourself?
 

Troy, the main reason deer is hung for a couple of days is to tenderize the meat. Hanging will definitely make it taste better. Believe me it makes a difference. The only drawback is that if you do hang it has to be under 40 degrees. You can find a good article on the process as well as butchering here:
http://www.msue.msu.edu/fnh/michiganvenison.pdf

RE: Butchering the deer yourself?
 

JerseyJoe just gave you perfect directions!

The doe I got yesterday 5pm,, was in the fridge by 10(1.5 hr drive from home), and I cut it up this way this am. I prefer to hang for a couple days but mid 70' s weather,, dictated quarterring and into a fridge immediately.

Only difference, I do is remove inside tendies,, first thing!!! there is no better piece of meat on the deer,, remove them before you damage them! Alot of times you dont need a knife for these,, just slide your fingers under them and work them out.

When I cut the backstrap up,, I butterfly the pieces and sort of just fillet off the silver skin... makes a beautiful chop!

Time to fire up the bbq,, tendies for dinner tonight!

RE: Butchering the deer yourself?
 

what is a brat? where the hell have u been my friend?

RE: Butchering the deer yourself?
 

I get the skin off as fast as I can. Usually within an hour or so. Here in North Dakota your biggest promblem with letting it hang is that by the next day it will be froze like a rock. The only thing you can do then is cut them up with a recipe saw. Been there Done That:)

RE: Butchering the deer yourself?
 

Troy,

Go to your nearest public library (or bookstore, or Amazon.com) and look for a book called Butchering Deer, by John Weiss. It is a complete, step by step manual of field dressing, skinning, aging, butchering and cooking deer at home.

I read it every year just before the season opens to brush up.......it' s an easy read, and it' s very interesting.

RE: Butchering the deer yourself?
 

A bratwurst, kinda like a sausage?

RE: Butchering the deer yourself?
 

DO ALL USE THE FOOD SAVER COMPACT TO STORE YOUR MEAT. WHAT DO ALL PUT ALL' S MEAT IN TO GO IN THE FRIDGE. START BUTCHERING MYSELF THIS YEAR TO SAVE MONEY.

GO DEEP HUNT HARD.;)

RE: Butchering the deer yourself?
 

Butchering is not as hard as one may think and very rewarding. Really all you need is a couple of sharp knives and ziplocs. Remember there is always a grinder pile so even some missed meat will not be wasted, just through it in the grind pile and over time/practice it will get smaller. I have butchered all my animals for years and only on the odd moose have I not just used a knife. You see following the bone structure makes it possible to not cut with a saw. However if you want chops(with bone in) it is best to split the deer down the center of spine and take your chops from the back strap area. To debone ( I find the best flavor is bone out) take the front shoulder, you go under the shoulder blade, release the connective tissue and viola you have the shoulder. I use the top portions of the front shoulder for jerky and lower leg for grind. Other uses are roasts. Then off to the rear ham, where you follow the pelvic bone down to the hip socket then release the tendons and fat from the ribs back, around the hip joint you will have to release the connective tissues a slight twist will allow you to see what needs to be detached. The rear hock can be deboned in on large piece of meat for a hip of deer on the BBQ, jerky or follow the major muscle groups for roast and steaks...choices are unlimited. Then go to the torso portion of the deer. I should mention I like to remove the tenderloin first, these are easily removed while the deer is hanging and best to remove as soon as they have been exposed to the air(so if you hang then take these precious peices of meat out asap). I then remove flank steaks and neck meat for stew, jerky or grind. Off to the pay dirt(at least for me) the back straps!!!! A boning or fillet knife works well here, just follow the back bone straight down (go from neck to hip or vice versa) then at the opposite end you started cut lateral and feather the blade along the rib/back bone structure(away from the spine), you' ll find the meat will almost roll out with minimal cutting. Like filleting a fish really. What you' ll be left with is 2 solid pieces of meat, personally I cut my straps into 1" thick medallions. However you can make a rapped roast, cutlets, jerky or minute steaks as well with this choice meat if desired. I then cut out the rib linings for grinding. Final task is to remove silver skin and fat as best you can from all the meat prior to freezing. I have found that double wrapping is the best insurance againist freezer burn, be it butcher(paper) wrap or ziplocs...I always wrap in saran wrap then place in a ziploc, remove the air and seal.

To ensure you have great tasing meat remove as much of the fat and hair as possible. A trick for removing hair from a skinned carcass is vinger and water, then wipe down with a Clean dish towel. If lots of hair you' ll need to replace the water and towel. It works wonderfully and no it does not taint the meat. This process should be done immediately following the skinning process & prior to deboning. Also reducing the amount of silver skin will provide tender eats.

As far as hanging my father was a butcher, I have 5 friends who are butchers still and others butchers who all say wild meat does not require an aging process. In fact the longer it hangs the more shrinkage and the less meat you get out. In most cases I will let hang overnight and cut immediately the following morning, in some cases I have cut the meat up immediately to this day I have yet to find a differenc in the tenderness, flavor or quality. The only benefit to waiting is I find it easier to cut a deer that is fully cooled and has a bit more firmness but I will never let it hang more than 24 hours. As to leaving the hide on, unless you can cool that meat throughly, your better to remove the hide asap. Meat will rot from the inside out, starting at the bone this is called " green rot" . I have been told by butchers it is essential to release the body heat of an animal asap, this includes gut removal and skinning. Like everything the choice is your and most do what they know.

Good luck and have fun!

RE: Butchering the deer yourself?
 

Last year for Christmas my wife got me a couple vhs movies and one of them was Dan Fitsgerald movie Processing wild game. It showes the whole process of harvesting field dressing and caping and butchering all parts and wrapping for the freezer. It is an awesome film and by watching atleast 30 times I cannot wait to get my dear this year and do it my self. I got Butchering set for processing my deer its from outdoor edge and the kit is awesome and the knives are SHARP.

Good luck

Brian

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.:)

RE: Butchering the deer yourself?
 

WHO_ELSE
I' VE BEEN LOST IN THE ADIRONDACKS!
YOU DIDN' T TELL ME WHAT IT IS. IF IT IS A SAUSAGE, THEN IT IS WHAT WE CALL VENISON KEILBASA

RE: Butchering the deer yourself?
 

A friend does my butchering. He will usually produce cubes, tender loin, back straps, london broil, football roast, and big roast. I wrap up everything using the food saver. Plus I purchased an electric meat grinder for $5 at a yard sale in Vermont which I use to grind up some of the cubes. He likes the colder weather to start the butchering. To remove the hide, he usually let' s it sit overnight if temps go into the freezing. The meat generally does not freeze solid that first night with the hide on. After that it' s another story. We usually hang the deer by the neck and use a come a long to raise the deer off it' s feet. Than make incissions around the neck, cut off legs with hack saw, and peal down the hide from the neck down. Than he removes the loins and straps, quarters the legs, and cubes whatever else he can get in a big bowl. The most IMPORTANT thing you do is to remove the film that covers the meat. This is what gives the meat that gamey taste.

Good luck and good eating....

Tom

RE: Butchering the deer yourself?
 

I live by my own rules which seems a lot of other hunters have the same beliefs...
If weather dictates and it' s too warm (i.e. Sept/October), I skin and butcher ASAP and then into the frig. If the weather is cool, I like it to be below 45 degrees in the shade, I will let it hang with skin left on for a day or so. I don' t like to skin and then it hang as it' ll dry out.

RE: Butchering the deer yourself?
 

Bratwurst is like a hot dog on steroids:)