Noob assistance with meat question

[StewartM]

Hello

I think this is my first post here after being a lurker for a year and a half or so.  Got my first deer, a whitetail spike, on Friday.  Yesterday I did the main butchering and generated a bunch for grinding.  I had a plan to take it to my neighborhood butcher for grinding and packaging.  I called today and they are already busy/full with Thanksgiving stuff.  My big question is, can I wait until next week, or do I need to deal with this sooner?  I really don't have time to do it this week, but can't let the meat go bad.  The meat is stored in plastic bags in my refrigerator right now.

I was hunting GMU 121 and after 5 days, finally saw one with antlers!  I had to watch for a while to be sure since they were tiny, but they were there.  With my heart trying to pound its way out of my chest, I got as much composure as I could and got him with my brand-new Ruger American .270 with a Nikon Buckmaster scope.

Thanks for any assistance.

Stewart

[bobcat]

It would probably be okay to wait a week, but if you're not sure you can get it done then, I'd just throw it in the freezer for now, and wait until your butcher isn't so busy.

[StewartM]

Thank you.  I was still trying to figure out how to post a picture.

[Okanagan]

WTG on the buck!

Freeze it in 5-10 lb. packages and grind it later.  Packages that size will thaw easier than a large sack all together. 

[KFhunter]

congrats on your first deer 

I recommend you get yourself a grinder, it doesn't have to be a huge one.  Just do one bag at a time so you don't feel overwhelmed.  Grind it through the big holes then grind it again through the small holes, wrap it in saran wrap, throw it in a ziplock and it's good.  Youtube has plenty of vids if you've never ran a grinder, or get a hunting buddy over to show ya.  The money you save on the butcher will pay for a decent grinder. 

I've been butchering my own hogs and the first few were more of a hack job, I'm still far from professional, some of my roasts are labeled    "hack roast"   

I don't care, once you smoke it with a rub it eats just fine.  I watch youtube vids on butchering hogs and I'm getting it better and better all the time.

[WAcoyotehunter]

Nice work- where are you at in Spokane? 

[300rum]

As suggested, freeze the bags, get a grinder and work through it in the next couple of weeks.  The meat will grind better if it is slightly frozen.  Don't leave it in the zip lock bags in the freezer too long though, it will start to burn. 

[300rum]

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Cabelas-Deluxe-Meat-Grinder/1843506.uts?slotId=4

There are other grinders out there but this one will do the job. 

[StewartM]

Yesterday I decided that I would never again use the term "butchered" the way I've used it forever.  "Amateur-butchered" is a much better term.  I did good enough with the backstraps, but the other meat I packaged is just labelled "roast/jerky".

I've thought about buying a grinder, but then I need more fat too. Plus we have the whole fam damily coming on Thursday and I am doing the smoked turkey.  I do like the freeze and grind it myself idea...

I live in 5 Mile. I had planned on just going to Eggers on Rosewood.  Yesterday I even thought it was a great plan between picking up the turkey and dropping off the venison... until I called this morning.

Next year if I'm lucky enough to bag another, I'm either getting a pro to butcher it, or put more time into having things ready in advance.

[7mmfan]

As others have said, freeze it in small 5-10# bags. If you decide to buy a grinder and go it on your own, this will help you do small batches and learn without doing it all at once. If you decide to take it to the butcher, he will appreciate having small portions that are easy to thaw and weigh vs. one big bulk bag. It's also much easier to transport it that way.

If you decide to get a grinder, don't skimp, get a good one. At least 1/2 HP, preferably 3/4. It will grind the meat faster than you can add it, and it will last you. 2 years worth of grinding on your own will pay for the grinder. Y

ou can do fun stuff that the butcher might not do as well, like adding bacon/onions/garlic/cheese to your burger ahead of time so its ready to roll for the best cheeseburger you've ever eaten.

[7mmfan]

Yesterday I decided that I would never again use the term "butchered" the way I've used it forever.  "Amateur-butchered" is a much better term.  I did good enough with the backstraps, but the other meat I packaged is just labelled "roast/jerky".

I've thought about buying a grinder, but then I need more fat too. Plus we have the whole fam damily coming on Thursday and I am doing the smoked turkey.  I do like the freeze and grind it myself idea...

I live in 5 Mile. I had planned on just going to Eggers on Rosewood.  Yesterday I even thought it was a great plan between picking up the turkey and dropping off the venison... until I called this morning.

Next year if I'm lucky enough to bag another, I'm either getting a pro to butcher it, or put more time into having things ready in advance.

It takes time to get good and proficient at butchering animals. I've been doing 2-4 a year for the last 5 years and this year was the first time that I was able to do it without a reference and know which cuts were which, and do it in a timely manner. It feels good when you're done though, and you've officially taken the animal from field to table, all on your own.

[Curly]

You don't have to add fat to the burger. I never add fat to my burger.  You can always add fat later, but you can't really take out fat.

A lot of recipes I make, I don't like fatty hamburger.  Tacos, burritios, spaghetti, etc I like to have lean hamburger.  For Meatloaf you can add eggs and ground up chicken liver to add some fat to help hold it together.  Then if you are BBQ's hamburger patties you can buy some fatty beef burger and mix it with your venison burger (or get some fat and grind it in with some of you already ground lean burger).

My 2 cents anyway about fat.

[Blacktail Sniper]

You don't have to add fat to the burger. I never add fat to my burger.  You can always add fat later, but you can't really take out fat.

A lot of recipes I make, I don't like fatty hamburger.  Tacos, burritios, spaghetti, etc I like to have lean hamburger.  For Meatloaf you can add eggs and ground up chicken liver to add some fat to help hold it together.  Then if you are BBQ's hamburger patties you can buy some fatty beef burger and mix it with your venison burger (or get some fat and grind it in with some of you already ground lean burger).

My 2 cents anyway about fat.

 

Or some ground pork sausage.  Lots of potential fat sources that can be blended in after the fact.  And lots of different flavors to add some variety to each meal.

[KFhunter]

You don't have to add fat to the burger. I never add fat to my burger.  You can always add fat later, but you can't really take out fat.

A lot of recipes I make, I don't like fatty hamburger.  Tacos, burritios, spaghetti, etc I like to have lean hamburger.  For Meatloaf you can add eggs and ground up chicken liver to add some fat to help hold it together.  Then if you are BBQ's hamburger patties you can buy some fatty beef burger and mix it with your venison burger (or get some fat and grind it in with some of you already ground lean burger).

My 2 cents anyway about fat.

 

I will grind once through the big holes then freeze, gives me options when I thaw it.  I can regrind and make tacos, or I can add bacon/fat, seasonings or even garbanzo cheese and regrind for burger.  Or maybe I want to make venison jalapeno and cheddar sticks. 

Having the meat coarse ground and frozen gives you options for later.

[DaveMonti]

I butcher my own and cut the burger meat into strips and freeze them in 2-3 lb bags.  When I need ground meat, I usually buy some ground pork and grind about 2-3 parts  of the slightly thawed venison strips with 1 part pork.  I use a kitchen aid meat grinder attachment (only doing a few pounds at a time) and it works fine.  I think the attachment cost about $40.  We already had a Kitchen Aid mixer.  I have ground meat after 9 months in the freezer and it is as it was the day I froze it. 

[Okanagan]

Lotta good info here, from those who have been there and done it. 

Some recipes/uses of hamburger work better without fat, and some with some fat added.  I cut off all venison fat to avoid the sticky tallow texture it carries.  Hamburger patties need a little fat to hold together well, while most pasta and spaghetti sauces are better made of pure lean venison hamburger with no fat added.  The last couple of times I did all with 10-15% of pork fat added rather than make two kinds of hamburger.  I have the half horse Cabelas grinder. 

I am able to buy pork fat from a local butcher.  Last time I bought ten pounds or so at 60 cents a pound.  A package of cheap bacon would go a long way to add flavor and binding to pure lean venison hamburger. 

[fishngamereaper]

I like to get it all done at once... 10 percent pork into all ground..1lb bags and into the freezer....when I want a burger I want it now...

I add additional pork for summer sausage..  you need to get set up like this... processing meat is fun.

[WSU]

I also like to do it all at once so I only have to clean up once.

[DOUBLELUNG]

I butcher my own and cut the burger meat into strips and freeze them in 2-3 lb bags.  When I need ground meat, I usually buy some ground pork and grind about 2-3 parts  of the slightly thawed venison strips with 1 part pork.  I use a kitchen aid meat grinder attachment (only doing a few pounds at a time) and it works fine.  I think the attachment cost about $40.  We already had a Kitchen Aid mixer.  I have ground meat after 9 months in the freezer and it is as it was the day I froze it. 

I also use the Kitchenaid grinder attachment.  Timed it out of curiosity last month, took 40 minutes to run 23 lbs of clean venison strips.  Not incredibly efficient, but plenty efficient for one deer at a time.  Vacuum sealed in 2lb packs took another 20 minutes.

[The Weazle]

I started with that Cabelas pro grinder.  Did most of an elk in a weekend, and froze it in 5 pound bags using 2 gallon ziplocks.  Ran it all through the course grinder.  Then I started using hi mountain kits and using untrimmed pork butt for fat at a 4-1 ratio, then back through the grinder on the course plate again after the seasonings are mixed in.  Now I have a 1 HP grinder, 11 lb stuffer, burger patty maker, mixer, scale, and vacuum sealer.  I do bratwurst, summer sausage, snack sticks, burgers (I use bacon for fat in the burgers), and just burger with no fat for tacos, spaghetti, etc just use a little olive oil when cooking to keep it moist.

Now I use Spokane Spice or fresh sausage recipes from the internet, and I have only bought one piece of gear a year in leu of butcher fee's and have everything I need now, and am money ahead, and know everything going into my meat, and the care it receives from field to table.  I need to upgrade my vacuum sealer, but for now my friend has a vacmaster that he lets me use until I can shell out the $800 to get my own...my food saver has worked well, but its not meant for doing as much as I do now and the bag rolls are expensive as hell.  Buy your gear and spice kits off season and it really breaks it up, and you are ready when the meat hits the freezer.