De-boning, etc...

[AH64DMatt]

Had an interesting conversation with a friend who's an avid deer hunter. He drops every deer off at a processor, waits a week, then picks up his cuts after paying the guy. Reputable place, seems like a good guy my friend says, but I don't know.

I've always been a big proponent of processing your own meat. I've only done a couple deer in my time, but one deer usually lasts me a good while, then it's Turkey season, and fishing in the summer, followed by deer season again. Next year I hope to add an elk to the equation...

What about you guys? Do many of you process your own deer? Any special techniques like hanging X amounts of days etc? (I don't usually hang my deer because I don't have a garage, just a parking spot).

Just curious as to what the majority of folks do out there in Hunt Talk land...
Have a great day!
Matt

 

[belly-deep]

I don't care for processors. The meat quality is much better when I do it myself.

 

[5 Point]

To each his own

...but I do mine myself, always have and always will. I am way too picky about hair and fat and whatever else to have someone else do it. I just dont trust other people but thats the way i am.

I have eaten processed meat before and its good but I jsut have a hard time believing you get YOUR meat back when they are doing thousands of pounds of sausage/jerky. I realize that not all just throw the meat into one batch and process it but when you see how some of hunters get their animals by chasing them for hours then shooting it a bunch of times, then how they treat it after its in the truck, I would rather not take the chance of ending up with that crap. Ive seen people take antelope in early october that have been riding in the truck box for 3 or 4 days in 75 degree weather to processors. Thats gross.

I spend alot of time taking care of my meat but I believe thats part of the hunt.

 

[buckykm1]

I have done all my own Deer and Elk for over 40 years, If the weather allows I like to let them hang for 5 to 7 days before I cut them up..

Kevin

 

[1_pointer]

I generally do my own. The only time I take them to a processor is if I'm limited on time. I found a place near my cabin this year that I used for only grinding the hamburger. I deboned the deer, took the meat to them and for $0.60/pound they ground, packaged it, and froze it. It's a small mom and pop show and they only do your deer. For that price I'll probably use them more in the future as I'd have close to that amount in it for the vacuum sealing bags I use when I do it myself.

I like to hang or at least keep the meat for a few days before processing if I can. If I pack the critter out, a cooler with ice and keeping the water drained off works for up to a week. If time or temps don't allow, I'll process them right away. I can't tell all that much different in the final product going either way. Meats that allowed to hang does seem a bit more tender, but since most all my big game ends up as burger it's not all that big of a deal for me.

Like alot of things there are good processors and bad ones out there. Finding a good one that is reasonable can come in way handy.

 

[hardwoods]

I do my own as well. Hanging depends on the temp/season. Keep the back straps for steaks, hind quarters into roasts for different recipes like dried venison, jerky, whatever you decide and the rest usually for sausage or burger. Kind of fun doing your own, gradually get better and better at it.Helps if you have a garage etc.... otherwise could be tough. Dont give up on it plus saves $ for more hunting trips!

 

[mdunc8]

I generally do my own butchering. I don't have anywhere to hang animals so I usually leave mine on ice in a cooler for 4-5 days. As Pointer mentioned, drain the water and open the cooler to get some fresh are in there several times a day.

I've had some brats done for me a few times over the years when I don't have time to do them myself. However, I've quickly learned that I don't like or trust most of the processors around here. I have found one that I really like and will probably continue to have them make brats and summer sausage when my stash gets low.

 

[RUT JUNKEY]

we use to do all of our own when I was a kid . . .didn't seem like work then.I just don't have alot of free time to do it now days. Its hard to find good people you can trust that is for sure. . .I took mine to a family friends butcher shop for years until this year. I don't like the fact that all of the summer sausage was done at the end with everyones meat. . I take care of my deer, but I cant trust that everyone does the same . . made me a little nervous especially some of the guys I saw dropping off deer. . . you just don't know how long their deer has been around etc. I did take a few deer to an Amish guy about 15 miles south of me this year and I am impressed with him to say the least. $ 68 to process and then extra for sausage, bologna, etc.( I was paying $ 90 just to process at the other place) I got 15 lbs of breakfast sausage, 10 lbs of summer sausage, and then burger and steaks, and loins, and it cost me $80 bucks. They do each deer, not all together at the end for sausage. . .and the steaks were all vac sealed! . I had all of them done within 7 days of dropping them off. FYI, if you get a chance deer bologna is awesome!!!

 

[huntrfish]

I prefer to do my own. Depending on weather, I will hang in the garage for a few days. I prefer to hang it for a while to get it more tender. I take great care in the fieldd and at home to make sure to get ridd of bloodied meat, hair, dirt, pine needles...etc. I dont want that stuff in my meat. I can't promise you that the other guy feels the wame way when he takes his to the butcher.

 

[ginkgo72]

I like to butcher my own and then take the meat into a shop that makes sausage and stuff my family will eat. I personally avoid having someone else grind the meat - it can run +.99 a pound and it's easily done at home with a decent grinder.

 

[MThuntr]

I tend to prefer to process my own but if I shoot 2 deer then the second goes to a processor for things I don't have the equipment for like summer sausage & bratwurst. I like having specialty meats made to give as christmas gifts. This year due to temperature and time I took my to a processor and managed to be in a low time during late archery season so most of the animals were elk there so if I didn't get my own deer sausage, it was likely somebody's elk (yeah for me).

 

[wyoming556]

I usually have mine processed as I am too lazy to go buy suet and grind it myself. I have made quite a bit of my own jerky by slicing up the roasts. . Had good experiences and bad ones with meat processors. Best processor I have ever used was in Ness City, KS. Everything vac packed and labeled with your name and barcode on each piece. Place was spotless and real nice folks. Worst one I have ever seen was Grizzley processing in Douglas, WY. Place was filthy and they were extremely careless with the meat and handling of the capes. In Douglas the place across from the ford dealership is much better, think it's called Jims. Another one to avoid is in Goodland, KS. Anyhow best to check the place out before you drop you animal off. I've had the best luck with processors that operate year round and don't just do wild game.

 

[bennett454]

I do all my own butchering if weather allows I let them hang for 5-7days if not I stick quarters into a refrigerator for a couple extra days. I also leave the hide on the hind quarters if it's cool enough saves trimming some of the dried out meat.

 

[Carrion Carrier]

Always do my own. Like to let hang a week. Did side by side comparison of backstrap this year and the one week age is the way to go if it's cool enough outside.

 

[NChunter]

I always do my own. Here the weather is always too warm to let it hang, so I have an extra refrigerator in the garage. I debone it all and let it age in the refrigerator for a few days. In addition to roasts,steaks, and burger, I always make sausage and jerky. I have a commercial meat grinder my grandfather had when he owned a grocery store in the 1950s, I wish he had kept the cuber also. To me processing the meat is part of the hunt.

 

[sreekers]

My preference is to do my own whenever possible. Most of the time it's boned out anyway where I hunt them. Half the work is already done that way.

 

[2rocky]

Given the warm nature of our deer season we trust our local custom meat processor. He has a cooler and appreciates how we bring him a clean carcass. I've seen him turn away other people.

When I lived in Idaho I cut up my own deer. I could do it again but I don't have a cool place for a carcass.

 

[AH64DMatt]

I was talking to a guy at work, and get this: He made his own cooler room for his garage. He framed up 4 walls and a ceiling, foamed it up with insulation, then packed more insulation on the outside of the walls, then went and bought two freezer compressors and piped in the cold air. Instant cooler room in Arizona!!!

I'm going to get the specs if he has them, and do that wherever I'm going next.

 

[Zach]

I was talking to a guy at work, and get this: He made his own cooler room for his garage. He framed up 4 walls and a ceiling, foamed it up with insulation, then packed more insulation on the outside of the walls, then went and bought two freezer compressors and piped in the cold air. Instant cooler room in Arizona!!!

I'm going to get the specs if he has them, and do that wherever I'm going next.

I'm planning on building my own house this year, this is for sure in my plans. I'm going to have a walkout basement, that's probably where the "meat locker" will most likely go.

To the OP's question, I currently don't process my game. I've found a game processor that I am very happy with and I've haven't found a hair in any meat yet. His prices are reasonable so I keep using him. The long term plan is to have a butcher room in the next house though.

 

[L. I. Yankee]

Im a do it yourselfer.....