Butchering costs for deer

[chrisb]

What are average or "reasonable" rates for having a deer butchered in/around the Snohomish county area? I'd like to have some point of reference when calling butchers to see who's got the most competitive rates.

[Tony]

I think about .50 per pound would be about average with some sort of a minimum plus extra for items like jerky or sausage.
I've seen the rates between .48 and .54 fairly recently.

[sirmissalot]

It depends on what you want done.

[chrisb]

It depends on what you want done.

no jerky or sausages just debone, cut, wrap.... maybe some burger too

[Gamblin Guy]

Most shops are a flat rate when I've checked in the past.  Do you have the time to do it yourself, its alot easier than it looks.  Shoot me a pm if you need some pointers, I'm in the area.

[stickbuck]

I figured about $50 for those three items I PM'd you about. Let me know if you ever want some help.

[jaymark6655]

I agree with doing it yourself.  It is pretty easy and there are some good videos on youtube.  I watched a video on youtube.  Got my first WA deer, hung it and 1/4 it.  Took each piece into the kitchen, deboned and wrapped it in butcher paper.  It was the first time I butchered anything, just used a 4 inch knife and hack saw.  No help from anyone. Only cost me butcher paper and a hack saw.  No paying over $100 at the only place that I knew would butcher a deer or waiting weeks and havingmy meat mixed with someone elses or any other horror story I have heard about going to butchers.

[chrisb]

Ok so lets say i do it my self... what about aging? its not cool enough right now to hang it outside and the saw dust in the garage wouldn't add any flavor that i want to try.

[bobcat]

You don't need to age it. I never have. I've sometimes let them hang for a few days when the weather was cool enough, until I had time to do it. But I never hang them for a period of time just for the purpose of aging. Besides, most butcher shops will not age your deer either. They will do it at a time that is the most convenient for them, same as I do.

[splitshot]

  you do not have to age wild game.  beef needs to be aged.   i have cut and wrapped deer or elk  when it is still warm and it was excellent.  the problem is if you shoot it and it runs 5 or 6 miles then it is tough.  also make sure you get as much blood out of it you can.  mike w

[jaymark6655]

Lots of people don't age, I didn't.  Mine hung just long enough to gut it, skin it, and cut it into pieces that I could shove into the cooler for the trip home.  University of Wyoming did a study that shows aging venison makes it too mushy.

[HntnFsh]

Bobcat and Splitshot are right.There is no good reason to age game. I have done it many many times when its been cold enough out.But the elk my son and I killed this year were butcherd the next day.And I have done that many times too. No difference.

[losdaddy7]

I think about .50 per pound would be about average with some sort of a minimum plus extra for items like jerky or sausage.
I've seen the rates between .48 and .54 fairly recently.

Good luck finding anyone for .50 cents a pound in Snohomish county... Prices just about everywhere last time I checked was 70-84 cents a pound with an 80-85 dollar minimum. 
Get a grinder and do it yourself. 

[Moosehunt]

If you want to age it, just take the packaged  from the freezer and let it thaw for a few days in the fridge.  Enzymes in the blood will begin to tenderize the meat while it thaws and then as it sits in the fridge.  WAZZU published a meat cutting pamphlet in the 90's that spoke to the aging process from freeze/thaw/cool.

As for butchering it yourself, it really is too easy.  You should not have to drop it off a a butcher to get quality.  Plus, a butcher will cut through the bones/marrow and it will taint the taste of the deer.  You are better off doing it yourself, deboning and not cutting through the large bones, backbone or anything like that.  You are looking for clean, clean and clean.  It's also a lot of fun.

[sirfunkeybut]

I called a place today to see how much pepperoni would be and it was 2.99/lb. So I guess that's a little high then?

[bobcat]

I wouldn't say $2.99 a pound for pepperoni is high. That's about the stanard price. Sometimes it's more, up to around $3.50 or so I believe. I don't really know for sure though, because I'm rarely willing to part with that much cash just for some pepperoni sticks. I'd rather just grind it up into hamburger.

[splitshot]

jaymark,  do you have any info on the university of wyoming study.  it would be a good read.  remember i am not computor friendly.  thanks,  mike w

[CAMPMEAT]

Try Silvana Meats west of Arlington. I think that's what it's called.

[splitshot]

also if you let an animal hang for a day or so in cool or cold air it is easier to cut.  always hang it opposed to laying on the ground.  mike w

[Fletch]

My personal opinion only...but doing it yourself gets you a cleaner, boneless, better product...have always done it myself, steaks, burger,sausage,pepperoni...only once had an elk done had bone and blood shot included...ugh...if time is an issue I understand it but worth the effort doing it yourself. 

[hirshey]

I called a place today to see how much pepperoni would be and it was 2.99/lb. So I guess that's a little high then?

The least expensive place I have found (that I'm satisfied with the product) is a little over $2.00/lb. I'd say I wouldn't pay over $3.50/lb for pepperoni and sausage, but I know of places around the Chelan vicinity that charge $4.50/lb with a minimum batch of 30 pounds. It just depends on what you like and who you prefer to give your business to. Also choosing a place where you know you get back YOUR animal is important. My family takes painstakingly good care of our meat and our friends' deer when we're involved... one year a pal of ours took it into a butcher and got back packages that were just covered in hair.  It wasn't a field dressed deer, we hung it at the house and skinned it and wrapped it in a sheet after using cold water and scrubbing it with brushes. No way he got the same deer back. 

As a shameless plug because I've been VERY happy with their products, Thompson's Custom Meats out of Twisp, Washington has been fabulous to my family. Its a father-son combo that also runs the meat department at Hank's there in town. If you try any of the pepperoni at Hank's and like it, they can duplicate it with your wild game at their store front for a reasonable price. I think it has been around $2.50/lb for any flavor of pepperoni and no minimum batch size, and you can dictate what percentage and what kind of pork will be mixed with it. I think in the last few years we've probably done at least 100 pounds of summer sausage and pepperoni there and couldn't be happier with their product. (They make great gifts, football and hunting snacks, and bargaining chips for deer/antler hunting permission:))

[jaymark6655]

http://www.docstoc.com/docs/34636767/mule-deer-carcass
Here is a link to the Wyoming study. Aging is covered around page 6, but the whole thing is pretty interesting.

[Huntbear]

  you do not have to age wild game.  beef needs to be aged.   i have cut and wrapped deer or elk  when it is still warm and it was excellent.  the problem is if you shoot it and it runs 5 or 6 miles then it is tough.  also make sure you get as much blood out of it you can.  mike w

I completely disagree with this statement.  We always have let our meat hang a minimum of 5 days.  It does make a difference in the flavor and tenderness of the animal.

I have eaten venison that was shot and butchered in 24 hrs... tasted a lot more gamey to me, and was not that tender..   

[C-Money]

My wife killed her muley Monday morning. I cut out the tenderloins and took the rest to the butcher. We ate the loins tuesday for dinner. They were great!
My Oregon buck for a basic cut and wrap was $70.00. My wifes buck was $88.00 for a basic cut and wrap. I am willing to pay this price if the butchers continue quality work. I think its worth it.

[500 long]

Butcher it yourself that way you will get your meat back and have the satisfaction of the accomplishment.  I have had multiple bad experiences with meat processors. An elk in Idaho was boned in the field and when i opened the package at home it had bones, not my meat. Another processor in WA ruined a spike for me, it stunk in the freezer, were as the meat i didn't send in was just fine, i saved out some jerky meat.  i have since butchered deer, elk, and even two beef with a knife and cuttingboard. A meat grinder may be a good investment for you (anyone) to have. Self sufficiency will feed a man for life. I do not recommend sawing the bones through the meat because it can affect the taste.

[chrisb]

Thanks for all the comments guys. Looks like I won't be looking for a butcher after all.

[deerslyr]

just cut out the backstraps and then divide them up into your desired servings and wrap them. Cut out the roasts in the hind again into your desired serving sizes. Then bone everything else out put it in 5 gal buckets and take them to the butcher to be made into burger/bfeast sausage if you dont have a grinder, and pepper stick and jerky if you desire. It really is as simple as that and with 2 people it doesnt take much time

[sixty4nhalf]

I have been processing my own for years.  I cut Steaks, cubes, strips, and roasts, and then grind the rest. I weigh it and then place all my stuff in vacuum seal bags and it keeps for YEARS! Even got the wife to help out too.

Won't take a deer or elk to a butcher again.

[BoomWhop]

Costs me a 1/2 gallon of R&R -- Scotta from this site helps me cut up my critters... Elk cost a little more...

[jamesjett]

D.I.Y.  its not too difficult. Then you can cut your steaks and roasts as thick as you like.
I usually set up a table and do one quarter at a time.  As I trim my steaks and roasts I
save the trimmings in plastic bags then take them to the butcher to have burger made.
I don't own a high quality grinder so it's easier to take in. 

[500 long]

I bought a quality grinder for $300, several years ago. How many years at the butcher would it take to recoup the cost? I say it is well worth it. I should clarify that probably not all meat processors are unworthy, word of mouth reputation should steer you right.  I would hate to further hurt the economy. I am a DIY type of person.

[sixty4nhalf]

I bought the $30 grinder / sausage stuffer attachment for my wife's' Kitchen-Aide. Holy cow that thing worked GREAT! Ground 10 lbs of burger in about 8 Mins. w/ nothing added.

[hirshey]

I bought the $30 grinder / sausage stuffer attachment for my wife's' Kitchen-Aide. Holy cow that thing worked GREAT! Ground 10 lbs of burger in about 8 Mins. w/ nothing added.

That's the same method our household uses.. sometimes the really tendenous pieces clog it up but its really quite fantastic!

[GoldTip]

I've always cut my own, since my very first deer.  Was helping Dad and Aunts Uncles with theirs since I was maybe 5 or 6.  Really super easy, and you know what you have.

[magnanimous_j]

  you do not have to age wild game.  beef needs to be aged.   i have cut and wrapped deer or elk  when it is still warm and it was excellent.  the problem is if you shoot it and it runs 5 or 6 miles then it is tough.  also make sure you get as much blood out of it you can.  mike w

I completely disagree with this statement.  We always have let our meat hang a minimum of 5 days.  It does make a difference in the flavor and tenderness of the animal.

I have eaten venison that was shot and butchered in 24 hrs... tasted a lot more gamey to me, and was not that tender..   

http://www.delfoxmeats.com/gamecare.htm

According to these guys, deer should be hung for a day or two to cool it, but excessive aging is what gives venison a gamey taste and almost black coloring.