Processing antelope quarters

[lr123]

What is everyone doing with their antelope quarters? Anyone have a guide or video on what chunks of meat to grind and what to save for steaks or roasts?

 

[sbhooper]

What is everyone doing with their antelope quarters? Anyone have a guide or video on what chunks of meat to grind and what to save for steaks or roasts?

I will give you a quick rundown, of what I do. I either quarter, or completely bone the meat out in the field. Upon arriving at whatever place you are going to process it, just separate the muscle groups. I usually leave the rounds, as roasts. The other pieces, are cut into steaks, if they are big enough. The rest gets ground. Whatever is not shot up on the front quarters, goes into ground. If you are trying to get every little bit of meat, then the lower leg meat can be ground. I have found that it is not worth it, for the most part, as it is full of silver skin and sinew. I leave the back straps whole and vac seal them. When you decide to thaw them out, then cut them into small steaks, or cook in bigger pieces-however you desire to do it. Fine meat, when properly cared for.

 

[WapitiBob]

I make a few roast from muscles in the hind, and zero steaks.

 

[Carl 9.3x62]

I smoked a whole front shoulder. It turned out great!

 

[Addicting]

Steaks from everything we can in the rear quarter. The large muscle with tons of connective tissue gets vacuum packed whole. I treat it the same as the shanks. It makes a great beef and noodles if cooked in the crockpot all day. That connective tissue melts and makes a great gravy base. I have very little ground from the rear, maybe 4lbs per rear quarter.

 

[deer_shooter]

I will give you a quick rundown, of what I do. I either quarter, or completely bone the meat out in the field. Upon arriving at whatever place you are going to process it, just separate the muscle groups. I usually leave the rounds, as roasts. The other pieces, are cut into steaks, if they are big enough. The rest gets ground. Whatever is not shot up on the front quarters, goes into ground. If you are trying to get every little bit of meat, then the lower leg meat can be ground. I have found that it is not worth it, for the most part, as it is full of silver skin and sinew. I leave the back straps whole and vac seal them. When you decide to thaw them out, then cut them into small steaks, or cook in bigger pieces-however you desire to do it. Fine meat, when properly cared for.

I do pretty much the exact same thing except I cut the back straps into thirds and vac seal. I will also clean up a whole hindquarter and vac seal and freeze then butcher at a later date. I do grind pretty much everything from the front shoulders and neck. I get very little for grind off the hindquarters.

 

[Bux_N_Beards]

Similar to previous posters, backstraps in halves or thirds based on size, tenderloins whole. Shoulders typically get ground or may save a roast if a bigger animal. Hindquarters get separated into major muscle groups. Top round and Sirloin stay whole for freezing, which gives you options when you thaw them. I do something different with the bottom round - trim all the silver skin then take my knife and split it lengthwise into 2 equal parts which end up looking like big flank steaks. I have done this with deer for years and they make excellent fajita meat. Lower legs/shanks get packaged for Osso Bucco in the sous vide. All neck, trim meat and remaining trimmings go into the grind/burger pile. As others have mentioned, great stuff when properly cared for.

 

[elkantlers]

The Tenders are thin cut and seared in olive oil and fresh garlic. I leave the backstraps whole. When the family is all together I wrap them in Bacon and grill it on the BBQ. It is my family's favorite.
The hind quarters, I separate the muscle groups and keep the nice roasts. The rest is thin sliced for jerky. The front quarters and any other meat is thin sliced as well.