How long to process meat?

[Mfowl]

How long does it take you to process your own meat yourself? What all do you do with it, ground, jerky, pep? I ask because I am in the process of cutting, wrapping, grinding the meat from the spike elk I shot on opening day of ML season. Unfortunately this year I was unable to take any vacation so I am juggling meat cutting between work hours. I spent last Sunday deboning, trimming and sorting meat for the next step, grinding and jerky. I was also able to cut and vacuum pack the back straps/tenderloins in full.I then had to vacuum pack and freeze the bulk cuts of meat to work on in stages. During the week I had time to cut some additional steaks and stew meat and today (Friday) I was able to grind and package about 50lbs. Sunday I will make about another 20lbs of jerky. I have about 20hrs into this so far and still have quite a bit of bulk meat in the freezer for pepperoni, steaks and perhaps more ground. This is the first time I have done all of the processing myself. In years past I have taken it to a butcher. I am just curious how many hours people spend on average processing thier game. I suspect when all is said and done I will be 40-50hrs in.

[Buzz2401]

You get quicker the more you do it but a lot depends on how crazy you want to get with trimming.  It usually takes me and my wife two nights after work to do a elk.  We make Italian sausage, maple breakfast sausage, jerky, pepperoni and all the other usual cuts.  This does not include smoking times.  The sausages take the most time.  Are you hand wrapping all of your ground stuff or putting it into bags.  I like the bags a lot more and they are easier.  I don't vacuum pack anything because they stack better in the freezer when wrapped.

[Whitpirate]

I cut two Bulls in about 6 hours during archery and did another 3-4 hours processing grind and vacuum packing.

[Wetwoodshunter]

I've never tried to add it up but stuffing sausages seems to take the most time. I'd guess I have 1 hour to debone an elk, my elk came out of the woods deboned already. Then, 4-6 hours to cut and wrap all the steaks and I cut everything that can't be a steak into stew meat or strips for my grinder.

Grinding meat might be another 2 hours for 2x through eveything I wanted to grind, 50-60ish lbs off an elk and this year I added in two pork bellies because I'm making andouille sausage, summer sausage, and Lanjagers. I gave up trying to make snack sticks, it's to time consuming to stuff the tiny casings. Making sausages to stuff then I'll spend 3 hours on each batch, not including cooking but do a batch of something once a week until I'm done.

So my rough estimate without cook time is around 18 hours on an elk. But I'll spread the last 12 hours over 3-4 weeks.

[jagermiester]

It gets better all the time. But it is always better with help.

[Mfowl]

You get quicker the more you do it but a lot depends on how crazy you want to get with trimming.  It usually takes me and my wife two nights after work to do a elk.  We make Italian sausage, maple breakfast sausage, jerky, pepperoni and all the other usual cuts.  This does not include smoking times.  The sausages take the most time.  Are you hand wrapping all of your ground stuff or putting it into bags.  I like the bags a lot more and they are easier.  I don't vacuum pack anything because they stack better in the freezer when wrapped.

I hand wrapped all of the ground but I am vacuum packing the other cuts. I expect due to my inexperience that it is gonna be more time consuming. Once I learn the ins and outs I will be able to cut the time down in the future. During deboning I was taking my time and being very methodical. It has been interesting and satisfying doing the work myself so far. I am doing an experimental batch of jerky on Sunday with a few different recipes in both the dehydrator and oven. When I find out what works I will do a second batch with my favorite. Thanks for the replies, you guys seem to have it down!

[JPhelps]

We have a crew of 8 guys.  About one hour to cut, grind, bulk and wrap per elk. I'm glad I don't butcher solo.

[Smoke]

never actually timed myself, but I always give myself a day to do it... debone, cut out the steaks and roasts, vacuum seal, then seperate whats left putting the better scraps in the stew pile, rest to be ground... grind the scraps, separate into 1 lb piles and partially freeze, then vacuum seal...  never didn't finish in the one day....  shanks are frozen for easier cutting for jerky when I have more time... same with sausage meat...   (take the frozen shanks, partially thaw until ya can get a knife thru it... makes for easier slicing into thin strips)  always do my sausage and jerky in the smoker... lot better then an oven or dehydrator...

[MtnMuley]

About 12 hours solo here on a elk. 4 hours a night after work. The results are well worth the time.

[boneaddict]

 

[jackelope]

I cut two Bulls in about 6 hours during archery and did another 3-4 hours processing grind and vacuum packing.

You're pretty much a pro though...

[Whitpirate]

Well seasoned amateur... Buddy of mine that is a pro can do a whole elk in 2.5 tops

[sumpnz]

I quite literally pulled an all-nighter to get my half of the 2013 bull elk cut and vacuum packed (did that solo as partner took his half to the butcher).  Probably 12 hours.  The cuts at the end got kinda wonky.  I did trim carefully while cutting, at least at the start. 

Plan, kinda sorta, depending on available time, is for us to butcher the elk ourselves.  That will require that we tag out (or decide 1 or 2 for 3 is plenty) early enough to allow for both some hanging time, and to cut/wrap before we have to go back to work.

Thing 1 has a youth doe tag, so high odds we'll get her a deer.  Plan for now is to butcher the deer ourselves.  I'll try to remember to make note of how long it takes us to do that (both deer and elk).

[carpsniperg2]

My dad started me early as soon as I got my first deer. That was 19 years ago now. Dang I am getting old lol.

I do 6-10 animals a year most solo. I have got pretty dang proficient at processing them. It also depends on how much grinding a guy is going to do. If you save a lot of roasts and whole muscle meat. Then you can of course save some time.
I did my cow last year in just over 6 hrs start to finish and she was a big cow.

[Jonathan_S]

We streamlined the whole process and do only steaks and grind meat. No roasts or massive jerky prep. The best jerky is made from steaks anyway so we just do that.

Takes a few hours I guess, definitely not a whole day.

The one time I remember hating cutting and wrapping was years back when my dad, sister and I all filled our primary and secondary deer tags and had a greasy little bear too. That was a long day for two teenagers to cut and wrap   

[boomstick]

It all depends on where you shot it and how picky you are. I take my time and enjoy it, don't do it if you are rushed for time. A lot of good time with the family telling stories while cutting up animals. To cut and wrap steaks and hamburger by myself 3-4 hrs. To prep for summer sausage and jerky or any other thing you want to make it takes longer.
Sometimes i do the easy part and when I have more time I do the finish stuff.

[Bean Counter]

I take two relaxed days with the kiddos to do one bull elk, or say half a dozen deer/lopes. I could probably get it done in one long day where I dont' stop for breaks but I view it as relaxed days at the end of a hunt to transition back to civilization.

[Stein]

My first elk was 14 hours, now I'm probably half that with less waste.  I cut to minimize ground and don't do any sausage right away.  At the end of the season I see what I have and then do any further charcuterie work.

I would still do it myself if it took 100 hours.

One thing to keep in mind is that it will always add tons of time if you break it up as you constantly have to bring stuff out, clean it up and put it away.

[buglebrush]

About 12 hours solo here on a elk. 4 hours a night after work. The results are well worth the time.

[DOUBLELUNG]

I prefer to bone out in the field unless I can get it to the truck whole, in which case I'll drive to a good spot to hang it.  It takes about an hour to bone out a deer or antelope, less than 2 hours to bone out an elk.  I prefer to take more time, but if needed I can trim wrap and freeze in another 1-2 hours.  If I have the time, and carefully trim all the muscle groups, cut steaks, grind burger and make patty sausage, it is another 4-5 hours for a deer, 8 or so for an elk. 

[highside74]

About 12 hours solo here on a elk. 4 hours a night after work. The results are well worth the time.

Same for me. One evening cutting and trimming. One evening grinding and steaking. One evening wrapping.

[jrebel]

We did a big doe and big cow elk in about 7-8 hours start to finish.  Most of it ground with the exception of tenderloin, back strap and a few large roast off the elk. 

[krout81]

Deer 1-2, elk 2-3.  I cut, bag, wrap steaks, and anything to small for that gets trimmed and goes in garbage bag/bags into the freezer for Burger later.   I am happy to pay $0.89 per pound to have it grinded, and wrapped in 1lb packs for me at a later time.  Kids are just getting to the helping age, so I imagine it will go much faster when I have someone helping me.