Who Processes Their Own Game

[El Jason]

Honestly I think if I'd just stop being such a cheap ass and ponied up for a $500 grinder, I'd make my money back in 2 seasons, and would do it all myself.

Yes, you and @MTLabrador are correct. A small grinder makes a boring job, well longer and more boring. Mine is a small LEM (1/3 hp maybe?) and it is over a half day job to make 100 plus pounds of burger. I was on a tight budget when I bought it (it was around $200 as I recall) but I often wished I would have doubled my purchase price.

 

[Nameless Range]

Yes, you and @MTLabrador are correct. A small grinder makes a boring job, well longer and more boring. Mine is a small LEM (1/3 hp maybe?) and it is over a half day job to make 100 plus pounds of burger. I was on a tight budget when I bought it (it was around $200 as I recall) but I often wished I would have doubled my purchase price.

This is so true. I have run hundreds of pounds (~9 elk) through this kitchen aid, which was a wedding gift. It’s been a champ but it takes a long time. Because I grind everything twice, particularly when making sausage, doing an elk is the better part of a day. I like to drink while grinding to pass the time.

Earlier this year I helped a buddy process a bull he shot, and we did the grinding with a 3/4 hp Cabelas Carnivore. I think they run about $400, but man it cut the time down by more than half.

 

[runningmt]

I consider it a part of the whole experience to process my own. I was fortunate to grow up in a family that hunted and always did their own butchering, and I feel cheated when I don’t get that part of the hunt.

I have dropped off game before if I want to continue hunting for another critter, or time constraints, temperature, or volume force me to.

I don’t look down my nose at anyone who relies on processors to butcher their game, some folks don’t like to do it, and in my experience, many just don’t know where to begin. In either case, bringing it to a professional is the right choice.

My main issue with using a processor is that you most likely are not getting your own meat back totally, and in some cases, not at all. I take great care to keep meat clean, free of lead, and cool......I hate the idea of having someone else’s junk in my food.

 

[marksjeep]

We do all of ours at home. Ditto on the grinder. I used a very small LEM for years, it will get it done but takes forever and can be frustrating. Got a 1hp LEM about 5 years ago. Expensive, but I have never regretted the purchase. Two other things which have helped significantly, as well. A bar-height folding work table and exercise mats to stand on. Standing and cutting all day will fatigue you, having your work surface at the proper height will help a lot (beer too).

 

[mtmiller]

I have been doing my own for a couple decades. Happy with the 3/4hp grinder...should have purchased it earlier.

SD deer will be processed today.

 

[willy]

I was blessed to grow up with my Grandpa and Uncle being butchers as well as living on a small farm that raised cattle and hogs. We always processed our own and make various forms of summer, ring, brats, etc. cased products as well as the ground sausage and burger. The product is second to none.

My Grandpa built a smoker out of a freezer that ran on propane. I converted it to electric and digitalized the controls and make summer or any other sausage that needs a cold smoke. I can cook and smoke with it as well.

The benefits of doing it yourself more than offset the money spent processeing. I encourage anyone thinking about doing it to make the jump and spend the money on quality appliances/tools for the job and you will be money ahead in a few years.

 

[JohnBud]

Good afternoon,

I was hoping to get a general sense of how many people are doing their own game processing.

I’m a relatively new hunter but am a chef by trade. I think I take it for granted that I can comfortably process game and create products at home with relative ease. I really enjoy the entire process, in fact, processing my animals is one of my favorite parts of the cycle.

How many others are doing everything on their own? How many are dropping it off somewhere? Pros and cons?

I also enjoy the entire process from the shot, to the freezer, to the smoker/grill. Doing all of this myself adds to my satisfaction with hunting.

 

[Walkathon]

I process my own. I make breakfast sausage, burger, and steaks.

 

[87.5-108FM]

I've done all my own the last 5 years or so. It just took the better part of 2 days to do my Elk last week and I always forget how much work it is. Just get a vacuum sealer, grinder, and go. Last year I purchased a box of pre-ground pork fat that came from a local farm for all my burger. I used it last year on a deer and this year on an Elk and just keep it in the freezer. If it doesn't freezer burn it may last me for the next 10 years, that stuff goes a long way.

 

[hogcarpy]

Lots of great advice on the thread. I would suggest to hunt for good deals on high quality equipment, it will make for a better experience. I got lucky and got some commercial grade processing equipment from the old Cabelas bargain cave days. Try to split up the investment if you have a good group of hunting friends that want to get involved to help with the cost. A group of friends to help is a great way to spend an evening processing game.

 

[OpenCountry]

I've done my own for around 8 years now. It only takes a couple years of doing it yourself and you'll already be money ahead, along with knowing how it was processed and cared for.

 

[ScottP]

Good afternoon,

I was hoping to get a general sense of how many people are doing their own game processing.

I’m a relatively new hunter but am a chef by trade. I think I take it for granted that I can comfortably process game and create products at home with relative ease. I really enjoy the entire process, in fact, processing my animals is one of my favorite parts of the cycle.

How many others are doing everything on their own? How many are dropping it off somewhere? Pros and cons?

My own. I've been butchering deer since age 10. One time both my wife and I shot elk on the same hunt, and it felt like the never ending meat pile... otherwise I generally enjoy it.

Pros: quality control, yield, $ savings, flexibility in determining cuts, letting your kid draw on the freezer paper first, buying new knives to try, etc.

Cons: If you get stuff made like sausage or grind, a lot of processors won't guarantee you get your own meat back. It's expensive to get sausage made. The pros work fast and I think that haste often translates into waste. I'm sure there is a wide range here so do some homework. I like to keep some of the stuff that often goes in the trash can.

 

[Fj605]

I've only done my own processing in my short hunting career. It took a couple times before I started feeling confident but this year's deer went surprisingly smooth. Most of my equipment came as Christmas gifts so my investment has been minimal.

My decision to process my own was simply my desire to learn a skill.

 

[RobG]

I’m not knocking the people who have it done professionally, but now to me it wouldn’t seem legit unless I did it myself. Kinda like catching a fish with a store bought fly instead of one you tied yourself .

Pros... when I used to get it done the burger was always gamely on deer (not elk). I assumed that’s the way it was until my father-in-law ground some up for me. It was excellent so who knows what the processor puts in there.

 

[JShane]

Do all my own as well.

 

[BearFoot]

I do all my own

 

[AlaskaHunter]

I do all my own. I have 2 chest freezers.
Sometimes with a bull moose, I'm going out for the next hunt (Sept is a busy month),
so I throw half in 1 freezer, half in the second freezer and process the bull when it slows down after hunting season.
Then I will thaw and process a quarter at a time each weekend in Oct or Nov.
Hunting Sitka blacktails in Prince William sound, the meat usually is frozen in the back of the pickup
during the 7 hour drive home in November, so each meat bag gets processed on weekends after thawing.

For sausage, we make about 75 pounds of Italian sausage.

With larger game like caribou and moose, I fillet 2 "flat iron steaks" from each shoulder scapula.

I use the shanks for Osso Bucu so I use a recipricating saw to cut shank sections before freezing in Sept. and
that saves freezer space in terms of freezing whole quarters.

I like heart, but if you don't you can throw it in the burger bag and that's 3 more pounds of taco meat.

I always take the tongue.
It is easy to take the tongue with 2 knife slits under the chin. Tongue is excellent.

 

[Derek44]

Last years elk was dropped off. We have an amazing local processor that is trustworthy and cuts it the way I do myself when I do. This years is getting done on my kitchen table. Haha. It all depends on what kind of time I have on my hands. I’d way rather do it myself, but it’s very nice to have a great place to take it if needed.

 

[pre6422hornet]

I also run a Kitchen Aid ( wedding present 15 years ago) and it has ground a couple hundred pounds of venison (elk,whitetail, pronghorn). Yes you have to take some time and let it cool down a bit if ran too long, but it gets the job done for me.

If my daughters stop dropping deer every year ( oldest two are 13 and 11 and the 11 year old is going for her second deer this year) I will have to upgrade I believe.

I have been butchering my own since around 2004 or 2005. Had a bad experience with leaves in a neck roast and it made me mad so I decided to learn how to butcher. Read alot and through real world trial and error, I have it down pretty good now. I have burned through 3 or 4 foodsavers though throughout the years.

 

[88man]

I do my own for peace of mind and so I get my meat and high quality