Looking to start butchering my own game meat?

[johnr060]

Just trying to get a good list of some decent butchering tools I will need and what it's gonna cost. I would like to spend less than 800 dollars. Thanks.

[NW-GSP]

You should be able to spend allot less then that, a good meat grinder is a must

[Kola16]

You should be able to spend allot less then that, a good meat grinder is a must

  A lot less money. All that I need is a knife (with a gut hook), and a meat grinder, but a few more tools that may help depending on what you would like to do will not cost that much more.

[huntingfool7]

Get a grinder.  Pick one that you think will work, then buy the next size up from there.
Cutting table that is tall enough that you are not bending over it. 

[mfswallace]

Get a grinder.  Pick one that you think will work, then buy the next size up from there.
Cutting table that is tall enough that you are not bending over it.

 
Your back will hate you if you have a low table 

[HUNTINCOUPLE]

Been usin the cabelas best selling grinder 3/4 or1hp for years! We use a Rappala fillet knife for all boning and a bigger knife for steaking! Good luck. PM us for more details in the process. Or check out you tube!

[ing]

Don't forget to get a Foodsaver.

[sirmissalot]

Seems like the grinder is the most expensive part of the process, maybe some of you can help us newbies on what you really need for a grinder? The cabelas ones can get pretty spendy but all the fancy attachments seem handy, if they work.

[bosshogg112]

Get a grinder.  Pick one that you think will work, then buy the next size up from there.
Cutting table that is tall enough that you are not bending over it.

 
Your back will hate you if you have a low table 

   x2

[Echomules]

A Good Grinder and good cutting board (not wood).

The attachments with the Cabelas grinder work great. We found that stuffing sausages was easier with the grinder than a top of the line Cabelas upright stuffer (really finicky w blowby). And the way the grinder's stuffer is set up with the Auger in the plastic stuffing tube, way less leftover product in the unit and one less thing to clean. Cleaning well is important for good product and your unit being usable next time after sitting for 9 months to a year.

Soon this will be you.
http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php?topic=88608.msg1116432#msg1116432

[Huntbear]

I have an old commercial grinder...  weighs about 75-80 lbs.   It is only 1/2 HP but it will grind up anything and everything you put down the tube...  Look around, unless you just have to have a new one from Cabelas...

Get some good knives.. you will need a couple of good boning/fillet knives.  You will also need a good scimitar slicing knife to cut steaks.  Ours is older than I am, and very high carbon steel.  The patina makes it look rusted, but that knife will sharpen up quickly and stay sharp as long as you do not bang it on the table to much.

Oh, and the comments about the height of the table???  Listen to them good...  I am 6'3"  my brother is 5'7"  my back is killing me by the time we are done cutting up meat at his house on his table..   

[jaymark6655]

I am 6'4" so I do my butchering on the kitchen counter, just throw down a huge cutting board.  I just got a huge 24"x48" one, sorry cant remember where or the price.  I just use a boning knife and an 8 inch chefs knife (for steaks), both are Classic Wusthofs and can be purchased for about $60 each, a hacksaw, and a grinder.  My grinder is a LEM #8 which cost about $300.  I got it instead of the Cabelas after hearing a rumor that the Cableas one had a plastic gear somewhere in the motor.  Only time I had any problem, I tried to grind meat that was frozen solid, built in circuit breaker tripped and that was all.

Probably spent $500 at most.

[NRA4LIFE]

A good meat saw is a must also.  Another (cheap) thing that I just bought that is a real time saver is a butcher paper dispenser.  I think it cost about $10.  I buy the huge rolls of paper at Costco and the dispenser works really well with those rolls.  And yes, a good grinder is a must.

[Curly]

Did all our butchering for many years without having to buy a grinder.  We would just take our chunks of hamburger meat into the butcher at the end of their day, right before they were to clean their grinder, and they would run the meat thru the grinder (sometimes twice) and put it right back into the bag we brought the meat into the shop in.  Then we'd pay them $10 and head home to wrap the meat.  All the butchers in the area stopped allowing that deal now.................

[johnr060]

Thanks for all the replys guys. I'm glad to hear it's not gonna cost as much as I thought. I will look in to getting one of the cabelas grinders. Any attachments that you would really recommend?