Deer Rib Meat

[RobinHoodlum]

Trust me, I have gone back and forth on whether to throw this up here or not. But, at the risk of getting thrashed, I figured what the heck. I'm hoping there might be others who have had the same thoughts and will offer candid constructive input.

First, some background. I posted this in the deer forum and thus am only talking about deer. Secondly, most of the deer I harvest are packed out on my back fully or mostly boned out. To this point (20+ years), I have always taken the boned rib meat. I do all of my own processing and generally try to remove as much fat as possible from my scrap meat and then add quality fat from a known local source for grinding burger (a flavor thing my family prefers).

Having recently processed my scrap meat from my buck this year, I am wrestling with the notion that rib meat just might not be worth it. Not sure why this is only coming up at this point of my hunting career? When I say rib meat, I'm talking about lowest layer that connects each rib (i.e. intercostal muscle). So, here's why: 1) It adds time to the field dressing to remove each strip. 2) The meat and attached fat add to pack weight. I've tried to remove the fat in the field, but as pretty much the final step in field dressing, I'm just ready to be packing at this point. 3) The ratio of fat to meat is high. 4) Separating this at home takes additional time. 5) Finally, the total amount of cleaned rib meat is probably in the neighborhood of 2 or 3 pounds on an average deer (admittedly I've never weighed it).

So, my questions to the forum are: do you always take the rib meat? Do you feel it's wasteful to leave it? Are there field or at home processing steps that you do to speed things up and/or reduce pack weight?

There you have it. Bring on the abuse for even thinking about this!

[Jonathan_S]

Nope

[buckfvr]

Never bothered with it......

[Magnum_Willys]

Take out the ribs and bones together for bbq ribs, or none at all. 

[Rainier10]

I have only taken it out when I have taken the animal out whole and even then I don't process it.  I haul the ribs and bones back out to the woods and dump them for scavengers.  I now debone in the field and don't ever pack out whole, the rib meat stays with the carcass.

[LongBomb]

Leave it

[RobinHoodlum]

Wow, thanks everyone. Feeling a strange sense of relief - especially in my lower back!

[KP-Skagit]

I wouldn't take it if breaking the animal down in the field. That said, I have never tossed it if I get the animal out whole. With the animal hanging and a sharp knife it goes quick. I am a little bit of a fanatic when it comes to getting all the meat off a carcass.

Not that my fish fillets show it....

[Jonathan_S]

I definitely feed the dogs with it if it's a deer I'm getting out whole.

Anybody who calls that wastage better be eating the cheek meat, liver, heart, and gonads.

[Dhoey07]

I take it.  It's meat. 

[Boss .300 winmag]

No value in it by the time you remove all the fat, silver skin etc...

I used to grind it up for burger and then you would get that package of burger that was just 🤮.🤣

[vandeman17]

If its close enough to camp/truck that we don't have to quarter I will utilize the rib meat. If not, it stays in the hills

[C-Money]

I've never taken rib meat on a boned out pack out. I have eaten deer ribs if I'm able to get a deer out whole. They are pretty good, very fatty.

[Stein]

I usually have grand plans for it and then the dog ends up with it. 

[elkboy]

I grind it or use it as stew meat.  A few deer I have taken were fat enough to slow cook on the grill and baste with barbecue sauce, but the fat does have that tacky texture that sticks to the tongue. 

What I would say is that the flanks (between floating ribs and the hips) are very easy to take from the carcass, and make for great braise dishes.  There is a rolled flank recipe in "Buck Buck Moose" (Hank Shaw) that is outstanding, and flank also makes great fajita meat. 

I don't have hard judgment on whether all the rib meat is taken or not.  I think in general, it is good to use as much of an animal as we can.  That said, the ravens and other creatures have to get through winter too.  As long as backstraps, all four quarters, tenderloins, and hopefully the good stew meat from the neck are all used, then I would never criticize.