Looking to have some burger made near Bonney Lake

[pope]

I could use a recommendation on a butcher you have used within a reasonable distance of Bonney Lake (near Puyallup/Enumclaw if you don't know). Looking for prompt service, reasonable price, etc. Also, what percent and what kind of fat do you like to add to deer meat? I have about 40 pounds off the bone, minus whatever the back straps weigh (I plan to have fun with them but the rest is going to burger).

[js139]

Olson Meats in Enumclaw is fantastic. We've took 2 big bulls to them this year and they had it back to us in less than 2 weeks. Quick processing, good price, high quality work. We've been using them for some time and never a bad experience.

If you are looking for a treat, have some turned into their pepper jack pepperoni. It is worth the money as well.

[Thehowler]

I always go with 5% fat, just enough to hold together well.
Pork fat is a little more expensive but it is suppose to mellow out any game taste alittle . I don't know, I guess my taste buds aren't as sensitive as a few folks I know.

[C-Money]

You already have the hard work done if its boned out....crazy silly how easy it is to grind your own. A Cabelas grinder, a pork shoulder, and you are set for years to come!! I held out a long time before I did my own deer, wish I started earlier. If you take it to a butcher, have them grind in some pork shoulder, maybe 30%. Some folks go 50/50.  I hope you find a good butcher for your meat.

[philepe]

I don't add any pork or beef fat to my venison burger. I'd rather not have to wory about is my burger cooked safe and thoroughly. We add an egg and bread crumbs to hold it together when cooking. Ya sure it is a little crumbly but I like being able to have worry free burger if it's still pink when cooked.

[lamrith]

Cabelas had the smaller grinder on sale.  I met with a member here and ground up my deer meat using the grinder and it had NO issues, so when it went on sale for $90 I snagged it..  You will save $ long term versus someone else doing it.  plus then you know exactly what fat is being added and that you are getting all YOUR meat back..

Cabelas Heavy Duty Grinder

[pope]

So here's my situation. I'm a dad who is OBSESSED with hunting blacktail deer. This is my first big game animal. I want my family to like the harvest. Previously they've tried a sample of elk steak from my neighbor (I liked it, but my wife was repulsed...I think it was the teriyaki marinade my neighbor used, she thought it was "gamey", my oldest daughter claimed to like it but didn't ask for more). Interestingly, my great friend and mentor Justyhunter gave me two pounds of bear burger and my wife and oldest daughter loved it. I mean, it disappeared in two days. They both enjoy making "taco meat" for salads and occasionally burritos.

The deer meat was harvested on a cold day, broken down in the field via the "gutless method". I drove home Saturday with the windows down and arrived home with chattering teeth. I took half the meat off the bone Saturday night and finished Sunday morning. This meat cooled quickly.

I called Olson's Meat in Enumclaw and their prices are fair. But what's going to make the girls love this? Pork shoulder mix? Pork fat? Beef fat? I just want them to demand me to get another deer next year.

[Buzz2401]

The more fat you add the better it will taste, just the way it is.  20% would not be to much.  You will be miles ahead if you buy a grinder and do it yourself.  I have killed over a dozen elk and probably close to 20 deer and Game meat is all I eat.  I am exactly like your wife.  If my game meat isn't prepared a certain way I hate it. It took me probably 10+ years to figuire out how I like it cooked.  We cut our own and we make burger, steaks, roasts, stew meat, italian sausage, maple breakfast sausage, pepperoni, and jerky.  Between my wife and I we got one elk and two deer.  We spent a total of about $100 to process all three and make everything listed. We ended up with over 275lbs of boneless meat for less then $100.  I personally mix my burger at either 10% clean pork fat ot 20% pork shoulder.

[lamrith]

Sounds like you did well harvesting the meat.  The other issue with the animal itself (age, season, rutting hard, ran after hit a while) as well as what it's diet was.   I have had elk that was gamey and elk that tasted like super lean beef and I have not had that much wild game..  It really can vary greatly.  One thing I have heard repeatedly is to remove ALL fat from game meat.

My thought would be to see if there is a cut or steak that you can make yourself with little seasoning and see how it is before you proceed with grinding??

[JKEEN33]

If you want them to love it get Olsons pepperoni made. If you want to grind burger yourself, I have a cabelas commercial grinder and I'm willing to help. I'm in Enumclaw. I don't add anything at all, but that's all personal preference. I know Dave too. Good guy.

[rickomatic]

1/3 hickory smoked bacon with 2/3 venison. Grind ours with the grinder attachment on the wife's KitchenAid mixer. FANTASTIC!

[jackelope]

I didn't weigh anything out but I ground my own. For every 5 or 6 handfuls of meat through the grinder i threw in a slice of hemplers center cut bacon. Did that for probably 30 pounds of burger, then ground it all again. Love it. My wife and kid will only eat it well done anyway so there's no issue with cooking it. I agree with others in saying that you'd be money ahead buying yourself a grinder if they like it. As far as other meats, the female units in my house really seem to like anything slow cooked. I.e. Crockpot recipes. Got one going on in the morning for dinner tomorrow night.

[bobcat]

My wife likes our game ground with pork, so that's what we've been doing. We generally use a pork shoulder roast like others have mentioned. We do about 20%. You don't really need to worry about cooking it well done, at least we don't because it's always frozen before we cook it so it should be safe.

Before I got married and even for a while after that, I never added anything to my ground venison. Personally I prefer it that way. I like knowing its 100% wild game and healthy as can be. But I don't mind adding the pork if my wife likes it better that way.

I always make as many steaks as I can out of the hind quarters. Cook them quickly, only a few minutes per side, so they're medium rare. My kids love the steaks that way. I don't use any seasoning except salt and pepper, and use olive oil in the frying pan. My kids are so spoiled they complain if we ever have beef steak.

[C-Money]

We cut up our deer meat and pork shoulder into grinder size chunks. one big pork shoulder is almost enough pork for one deer, I usually have a pork shoulder roast in the fridge in case I need a little more. 2,3 maybe 4 chunks of deer , toss in a pork chunk. Use the large plate first, then regrind all your meat through the medium plate. Done. Your family will love it.

[billythekidrock]

Cabelas had the smaller grinder on sale.  I met with a member here and ground up my deer meat using the grinder and it had NO issues, so when it went on sale for $90 I snagged it..  You will save $ long term versus someone else doing it.  plus then you know exactly what fat is being added and that you are getting all YOUR meat back..

Cabelas Heavy Duty Grinder

Fair warning that these are not heavy duty and are easy to burn out in a couple years if you grind several critters a year.