Post by: Optimusprime on September 14, 2012, 08:00:39 AM
Post by: DoubleJ on September 14, 2012, 08:05:04 AM
Pros:
I know I'm getting my meat
Free
I cut it how I want it
Time with the kids because they help
Cons:
Time (Not really. A deer takes me about 2hrs)
Sometimes I cut myself
Post by: mfswallace on September 14, 2012, 08:14:14 AM
I do it myself:yeah:
Pros:
I know I'm getting my meat
Free
I cut it how I want it
Cons:
Time (Not really. A deer takes me about 2hrs)
Sometimes I cut myself
Post by: DoubleJ on September 14, 2012, 08:17:33 AM
Post by: DoubleJ on September 14, 2012, 08:19:29 AM
Oh, and get the rib meat. There's about 3-5lbs of burger meat just between the ribs
Post by: jechicdr on September 14, 2012, 08:20:17 AM
Post by: sirmissalot on September 14, 2012, 08:21:19 AM
Also, for archers and often muzzloaders it's pretty warm out, so it's tough to get a place to hang meat. I'm not a fan of hanging them for several days but you usually can't process the animal the day you kill it.
Other than that, the pros far outweigh the cons.
Post by: DoubleJ on September 14, 2012, 08:37:42 AM
There is usually some initial cost involved with doing it yourself, biggest thing for me is a meat grinder. I need to just get one and be done with it.
Also, for archers and often muzzloaders it's pretty warm out, so it's tough to get a place to hang meat. I'm not a fan of hanging them for several days but you usually can't process the animal the day you kill it.
Other than that, the pros far outweigh the cons.
I got an old fridge from freecycle that I keep in the garage. It has no shelves. When I shoot a deer, it goes right from the field into there to "hang" until rogor mortis lets loose, about 2 days.
Then I pull it out and put it on the butcher table and rough cut the meat. I have game bags out and ready. One bag is for back straps and loin, one bag is for the hind quarters, the big steaks and roasts, and the 3rd bag is for everything else to be ground into burger. then back into the fridge it goes for another week to 10 days.
Then I pull it out and make the final cuts. the outside of the meat at this point is mostly dry. I'll trim that out to get to the nice meat underneith. The trimmings go into the burger pile. I'll cut the steaks into sizes that we use. No roasts. Not a fan of deer roast. Then I grind all the burger and package them it into ziplock bags, some 2lb and some 1lb so I have the right amount for a recipe.
Another trick I learned is, if you're useing a vacuum sealer, DO NOT vacuum seal the meat until you freeze it a little. Take your steaks and spread them out on a cookie sheet that you lightly spray with pam and put in the freezer for about 2 hrs. Then pull the steaks out and vacuum seal them. When you vacuum seal fresh meat, the vacuum pressure sucks the juice out of the meat. When you thaw the meat out, there will be a puddle of juice in there that should be in the meat. Slightly freezing the meat before vacuum packing stops that.
Post by: Johnb317 on September 14, 2012, 08:43:34 AM
So far eating tag soup, but in preparation I called about 5 meat processors on the westside looking for a place to hang an Elk so we could continue hunting. Very difficult to find anyone to do so. Wonder what size cooler would be needed to hold 4 elk quarters, neck meat, and back straps?
Post by: Blacktail Sniper on September 14, 2012, 08:56:14 AM
In the long run it saves you money. But if you are not properly prepared at first, there are some initial costs that will be absorbed over time.
You will need 2 or 3 good quality, sharp knives. A good basic set is a large sized carving style, a med sized (6" or less blade) a thin blade boning or filet knife. Quality knives are expensive...just bought my bride a pair of kitchen knives from Cutco, just under $220.00! But as a bonus, they were having a fair special, so I got a new $95.00 hunting knife free. Also needed is a cutting board if your kitchen doesn't already have one, much nicer than explaining the gouge mark and scratches on the kitchen table!
I prefere all my game boneless, but if you want bone-in style steaks or roasts, you will need some type of saw. I used to use a cheap hacksaw, bought specifically for meat cutting when I first started. After I learned how to cut it boneless, the saw went out to the shop.
Storage is another consideration, will it be in butcher paper & Saran wrap, ziplock type freezer bags or vacuum sealed? A roll of freezer paper and a large Saran wrap will do several deer if used only for that. Ziplocks are spendy, but convenient, and I would not consider them anything other than short-term freezer storage. The Saran wrap/freezer paper are better, but I think vacuum sealing is hands down the best.
If you already have a vacuum sealer you are way ahead. If not, it is pretty costly for a good one, but will balance out over time because of its every day usefullness for left-overs, etc.
Then there is grinding your burger, you can use a hand-style or get an electric one if you don't already own one. If you have some or all of these items already in your kitchen, then you are way ahead of the game!! You are just a bullet or arrow away from getting started.
As was mentioned, there is the piece of mind knowing that the meat in your freezer is your animal. I had that happen one time by a comercial processer years ago. That was a key factor in my learning to cut it myself.
The benefit of having it processed is that you drop it off and they call you to come pick-up your packaged, frozen meat a few days later. No fuss, no muss, just like going to Safeway almost.
Post by: Optimusprime on September 14, 2012, 09:04:44 AM
1) Do I need to cool the meat prior to cutting up? If so, how long and will a cooler full of ice work ok?
2) How long do I need to let the meat chill out before freezing?
3) I have heard it is better to add pork fat to the meat in order to make it stick better. Can anyone verify if this is true or not from your own experience?
Again, thank you all very much for sharing your knowledge.
Post by: Blacktail Sniper on September 14, 2012, 09:33:56 AM
Generally though, there is 2 or 3 of us hunting, so if one is gotten early in the day, we take it home, skin it and hang it if the temps are low or bone it out and set it in the fridge to cool, then head back out. Cut it and wrap it that night then.
One year I got an early season (80* temps) doe with my bow. Skinned and hung it in my shed with a bag of ice inside the body cavity and wrapped in a sleeping bag. My wife at the time looked at me like I was a complete idiot....okay, maybe I got look alot!! Anyway, went out about 24 hrs later, to get it to cut & wrap, and the meat was cool to the touch and there was still unmelted ice in the bag.
I can't give you a valid arguement for or against hanging it, at least from my experience over the years. I guess it would be more of a personal choice and dictated by the circumstances at the time you harvest it, ie: weather temps, space to put it and keep it cool, etc.
Good luck.
Post by: sixty4nhalf on September 14, 2012, 09:37:30 AM
Thanks so much for the detailed information. As you can tell, I am VERY new to this and don't really want to mess up my first deer if I get one:) I really would like to do it myself and my friend has an electric grinder he says I can use. I have a couple more questions now I guess.
1) Do I need to cool the meat prior to cutting up? If so, how long and will a cooler full of ice work ok?
2) How long do I need to let the meat chill out before freezing?
3) I have heard it is better to add pork fat to the meat in order to make it stick better. Can anyone verify if this is true or not from your own experience?
Again, thank you all very much for sharing your knowledge.
1) If you use the Cooler/Ice method make sure that you place something between the Ice and the meat (I also place the meat in game bags). I have a piece of thin plywood that I have cut out to fit inside of the cooler (120qt) leaving room for ventilation.
2) Fresh kill game 'normally' does not really need to be "cured" some people say that the longer it hangs the more tender and better tasting it is, that is still up for discussion.... IMHO I can't tell the difference.
3) I use to add 6% pork fat to my ground meat, but no need really unless you plan on making patties. (if you want to add something, I found that if you go to some place like Walmart they have a 6lb package of 'bits and ends' bacon which has a lot of good pork fat, and you can grind some of that in with your burger) 99% of the time I am using the ground up meat for Chili, Spaghetti sauces, or something else where it doesn't need to stick together. Even for meatloaf I use 100% ground venison because you add an egg or 2 anyways to get it to stick.
I have been processing my own deer for quite some time now and I wouldn't even think about taking it to a butcher. The cost of a good set of knifes and a sharpener will be equivalent to taking it somewhere to have it processed, I get the cuts that I want, I can take my time and remove all the 'silver skin' off, there is minimal waste and I know it is my animal. There are TONS of "how-to" videos on the internet and once you do a couple it get easier with time. ALSO another GREAT knife to have is a fishing filet knife! :tup: Oh and plenty of band-aides...... :chuckle:
Post by: Huntbear on September 14, 2012, 09:45:31 AM
When cutting steaks. ALWAYS CUT ACROSS THE GRAIN!!!!!! If you cut with the grain you will have very very tough steaks....
Post by: 206 on September 14, 2012, 09:46:12 AM
Interesting on the freeze lightly first... I have some meat that was not vacuum packed and it still bleeds on thawing, but worth a try.
So far eating tag soup, but in preparation I called about 5 meat processors on the westside looking for a place to hang an Elk so we could continue hunting. Very difficult to find anyone to do so. Wonder what size cooler would be needed to hold 4 elk quarters, neck meat, and back straps?
Did you try Green Valley Meats in Auburn? I had a deer hung there a few years ago for a week for $25.
Post by: Buckmark on September 14, 2012, 09:55:27 AM
1) No "need" to hang it, if you have the place and time try it if you want, but like said you can cut,wrap, freeze the day of the kill.
2) Do you have a Tap plastics near you? If so you can get a good sized cutting board from them for really cheap.
3) Knives you like and are sharp, like said a good fillet knife can do it all.
4) Clean area, with tubs/pans/bowls etc set out for specific cuts, ie: burger bowl, steaks, timings , dog cuts etc...helps alot
5) You really wont screw it up, watch a vid or two to see the different "meats" you are looking at, take the animal apart in sections, work on those sections and you will be fine. If you do screw it up grind it all.
6) Speaking of ground, just grind it itself, that way you can use and or add to the individual packages as you use them, example i use ground venision and hot ground pork for spagetti sauce, i use ground venison and ground bacon with spices for breakfast sausage...think about how you will use it.
7) Comfortable place to work, have stool or chair to sit on while you do it.
Post by: Blacktail Sniper on September 14, 2012, 10:03:10 AM
ONE IMPORTANT NOTE:
When cutting steaks. ALWAYS CUT ACROSS THE GRAIN!!!!!! If you cut with the grain you will have very very tough steaks....
DUH!!! YEAH...very important! Unless you like eating your boot!! Can't believe I forgot to mention that!!! :bash:
Post by: Bob33 on September 14, 2012, 10:13:21 AM
VENISON VERSUS BEEF - THE TASTE CONTROVERSY ENDS
Controversy has long raged about the relative quality and taste of venison and beef as gourmet foods. Some people say that venison is tough, with a strong "wild" taste. Others insist that venison's flavor is delicate. An independent food research group was retained by the Smith County Extension Program Council to conduct a taste test to determine the truth of these conflicting assertions once and for all.
First a Grade A Choice steer was chased into a swamp a mile and a half from a road and shot several times. After some of the entrails were removed, the carcass was dragged back over rocks and logs, and through mud and dust to the road. It was then thrown into the back of a pickup truck and driven through 97 degree heat for 200 miles before being hung out in the sun for a day.
After that it was lugged into a garage, where it was skinned and rolled around on the floor for a while. Strict sanitary precautions were observed throughout the test, within the limitations of the butchering environment. For instance, dogs and cats were allowed to sniff and lick the steer carcass, but were chased away when they attempted to bite chunks out of it.
Next a sheet of plywood left from last year's butchering was set up in the basement on two saw horses. The pieces of dried blood, hair and fat left from last year were scraped off with a wire brush last used to clean out the grass stuck under the lawn mower. However, no attempts were made to remove the diesel and motor oil that had accumulated, for fear of contaminating the plywood with foreign tastes.
The skinned carcass was then dragged down the steps into the basement where a half dozen inexperienced, but enthusiastic and intoxicated, men worked on it with meat saws, cleavers and dull knives. The result was 375 pounds of soup bones, four bushel baskets of meat scraps, and a couple of steaks that were an eighth of an inch thick on one edge and an inch and a half thick on the other.
The steaks were seared on a glowing red hot cast iron skillet to lock in the flavor. When the smoke cleared, rancid bacon grease was added along with three pounds of onions, and the whole conglomeration was fried for two hours.
The meat was gently teased from the frying pan and served to three blindfolded taste panel volunteers. Every one of the members of the panel thought it was venison. One of the volunteers even said it tasted exactly like the venison he had eaten in hunting camps for the past 27 years. The results of this scientific test show conclusively that there is no difference between the taste of beef and venison.
Post by: Fishhunt223 on September 14, 2012, 10:43:47 AM
For those who may wonder: this scientific taste test confirms it.:chuckle: LMAO Its so funny but so true.
VENISON VERSUS BEEF - THE TASTE CONTROVERSY ENDS
Controversy has long raged about the relative quality and taste of venison and beef as gourmet foods. Some people say that venison is tough, with a strong "wild" taste. Others insist that venison's flavor is delicate. An independent food research group was retained by the Smith County Extension Program Council to conduct a taste test to determine the truth of these conflicting assertions once and for all.
First a Grade A Choice steer was chased into a swamp a mile and a half from a road and shot several times. After some of the entrails were removed, the carcass was dragged back over rocks and logs, and through mud and dust to the road. It was then thrown into the back of a pickup truck and driven through 97 degree heat for 200 miles before being hung out in the sun for a day.
After that it was lugged into a garage, where it was skinned and rolled around on the floor for a while. Strict sanitary precautions were observed throughout the test, within the limitations of the butchering environment. For instance, dogs and cats were allowed to sniff and lick the steer carcass, but were chased away when they attempted to bite chunks out of it.
Next a sheet of plywood left from last year's butchering was set up in the basement on two saw horses. The pieces of dried blood, hair and fat left from last year were scraped off with a wire brush last used to clean out the grass stuck under the lawn mower. However, no attempts were made to remove the diesel and motor oil that had accumulated, for fear of contaminating the plywood with foreign tastes.
The skinned carcass was then dragged down the steps into the basement where a half dozen inexperienced, but enthusiastic and intoxicated, men worked on it with meat saws, cleavers and dull knives. The result was 375 pounds of soup bones, four bushel baskets of meat scraps, and a couple of steaks that were an eighth of an inch thick on one edge and an inch and a half thick on the other.
The steaks were seared on a glowing red hot cast iron skillet to lock in the flavor. When the smoke cleared, rancid bacon grease was added along with three pounds of onions, and the whole conglomeration was fried for two hours.
The meat was gently teased from the frying pan and served to three blindfolded taste panel volunteers. Every one of the members of the panel thought it was venison. One of the volunteers even said it tasted exactly like the venison he had eaten in hunting camps for the past 27 years. The results of this scientific test show conclusively that there is no difference between the taste of beef and venison.
Post by: Kc_Kracker on September 14, 2012, 11:11:33 AM
There is usually some initial cost involved with doing it yourself, biggest thing for me is a meat grinder. I need to just get one and be done with it.
hey man they are not the best around but will work and they are cheap cheap cheap at harbor frieght :tup:
http://www.harborfreight.com/electric-meat-grinder-99598.html (http://www.harborfreight.com/electric-meat-grinder-99598.html)
Post by: DoubleJ on September 14, 2012, 11:18:48 AM
All good info so far, i will add a few helpfull hints and opinions.
1) No "need" to hang it, if you have the place and time try it if you want, but like said you can cut,wrap, freeze the day of the kill.
2) Do you have a Tap plastics near you? If so you can get a good sized cutting board from them for really cheap.
3) Knives you like and are sharp, like said a good fillet knife can do it all.
4) Clean area, with tubs/pans/bowls etc set out for specific cuts, ie: burger bowl, steaks, timings , dog cuts etc...helps alot
5) You really wont screw it up, watch a vid or two to see the different "meats" you are looking at, take the animal apart in sections, work on those sections and you will be fine. If you do screw it up grind it all.
6) Speaking of ground, just grind it itself, that way you can use and or add to the individual packages as you use them, example i use ground venision and hot ground pork for spagetti sauce, i use ground venison and ground bacon with spices for breakfast sausage...think about how you will use it.
7) Comfortable place to work, have stool or chair to sit on while you do it.
I've cut the day of the kill twice, before rigor mortis had let go. Both times the meat came out tough as a tire. After eating a few steaks, the rest got ground up since it wasn't any good for steaks. These were the only 2 deer I have ever cut the day of the kill instead of waiting for at least 1 day, preferrably 2 and they are the only 2 deer I have ever had come out like that. Was there a connection or was it coincidence? I don't know but, I won't do it a third time.
Post by: Buckmark on September 14, 2012, 11:24:25 AM
Nah, you just hunt "Tough" deer :chuckle:, on the eastside we like the tender alfalfa feed deer.....All good info so far, i will add a few helpfull hints and opinions.
1) No "need" to hang it, if you have the place and time try it if you want, but like said you can cut,wrap, freeze the day of the kill.
2) Do you have a Tap plastics near you? If so you can get a good sized cutting board from them for really cheap.
3) Knives you like and are sharp, like said a good fillet knife can do it all.
4) Clean area, with tubs/pans/bowls etc set out for specific cuts, ie: burger bowl, steaks, timings , dog cuts etc...helps alot
5) You really wont screw it up, watch a vid or two to see the different "meats" you are looking at, take the animal apart in sections, work on those sections and you will be fine. If you do screw it up grind it all.
6) Speaking of ground, just grind it itself, that way you can use and or add to the individual packages as you use them, example i use ground venision and hot ground pork for spagetti sauce, i use ground venison and ground bacon with spices for breakfast sausage...think about how you will use it.
7) Comfortable place to work, have stool or chair to sit on while you do it.
I've cut the day of the kill twice, before rigor mortis had let go. Both times the meat came out tough as a tire. After eating a few steaks, the rest got ground up since it wasn't any good for steaks. These were the only 2 deer I have ever cut the day of the kill instead of waiting for at least 1 day, preferrably 2 and they are the only 2 deer I have ever had come out like that. Was there a connection or was it coincidence? I don't know but, I won't do it a third time.
Post by: 724wd on September 14, 2012, 11:40:39 AM
keep the area CLEAN! kick the dog outside and wipe the cutting surface off with bleach. rinse with clean water.
If you wouldn't want to eat it, cut it off! fat, veins, silver, bloodshot... none of it's good.
go slow. it's not a race. my little buck this year took 3 experienced cutters 4 hours to cut. man, that meat is CLEAN! :tup:
when grinding, dribble a little water on the meat. makes it less sticky and runs through the grinder better.
if your wife/significant other has a kitchenaid mixer, the grinder attachment DOES work, but it's slow and small. bigger is better for grinders! don't smoke the motor on your wife's kitchenaid mixer! men had been killed for less...
leave the stuff you want for steaks in chunk form, not cut into steaks. when you thaw it, you can slice it thin, thick, stew, whatever, depending on your mood. if you cut it all 1 inch thick when processing, you're stuck with 1 inch steaks all year! maybe you want to thin slice some for stir fry one night... tough to re-cut 1 inch steaks thinner, but starting with a whole muscle piece is easy!
look for a vintage paper dispenser (see pic). we use one for paper, one for plastic. you'll want to put a serrated blade on the one used for the plastic.
use good food wrapping plastic. it doesnt stick together like saran wrap, doesnt get embedded in the hamburger when wrapping, making it tough to unwrap before fully thawed... it's spendy, but a roll will last for years.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Commercial-Food-Wrap-Film-Foodservice-Plastic-Film-18-x-5280-Roll-w-Cutter-/200753332870?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2ebdd4c286 (http://www.ebay.com/itm/Commercial-Food-Wrap-Film-Foodservice-Plastic-Film-18-x-5280-Roll-w-Cutter-/200753332870?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2ebdd4c286)
Post by: DoubleJ on September 14, 2012, 11:51:20 AM
Nah, you just hunt "Tough" deer :chuckle:, on the eastside we like the tender alfalfa feed deer.....All good info so far, i will add a few helpfull hints and opinions.
1) No "need" to hang it, if you have the place and time try it if you want, but like said you can cut,wrap, freeze the day of the kill.
2) Do you have a Tap plastics near you? If so you can get a good sized cutting board from them for really cheap.
3) Knives you like and are sharp, like said a good fillet knife can do it all.
4) Clean area, with tubs/pans/bowls etc set out for specific cuts, ie: burger bowl, steaks, timings , dog cuts etc...helps alot
5) You really wont screw it up, watch a vid or two to see the different "meats" you are looking at, take the animal apart in sections, work on those sections and you will be fine. If you do screw it up grind it all.
6) Speaking of ground, just grind it itself, that way you can use and or add to the individual packages as you use them, example i use ground venision and hot ground pork for spagetti sauce, i use ground venison and ground bacon with spices for breakfast sausage...think about how you will use it.
7) Comfortable place to work, have stool or chair to sit on while you do it.
I've cut the day of the kill twice, before rigor mortis had let go. Both times the meat came out tough as a tire. After eating a few steaks, the rest got ground up since it wasn't any good for steaks. These were the only 2 deer I have ever cut the day of the kill instead of waiting for at least 1 day, preferrably 2 and they are the only 2 deer I have ever had come out like that. Was there a connection or was it coincidence? I don't know but, I won't do it a third time.
:chuckle: That must be it.
Post by: DoubleJ on September 14, 2012, 11:54:49 AM
use a TALL table! bending over for a couple hours at counter height (it's not much, but you're bending) can kill your back. our butchering setup is at belly button height or a touch higher.
And on a tarp on the garage floor is worse than a low table. Done that a time or two. Hopefully never again
Post by: Doublelunger on September 14, 2012, 12:44:13 PM
Post by: Optimusprime on September 14, 2012, 12:55:20 PM
1) I have been told a buck's scent glands are in it's hind quarters and that I want to cut those out ASAP. How important is it to do this and how long do I have before the meat gets bad?
2) Is it fine to spray down the carcass with water in order to get the hair and dirt off?
3) I will have to cut the deer apart and skin it outside since there is no way my wife will let me do it in the garage, so is there going to be a problem with flies landing on the carcass and if so, is there a trick to get rid of them?
Post by: h20hunter on September 14, 2012, 01:04:28 PM
You said: "there is no way my wife will let me do it in the garage"
WHAT!
The garage is your domain. Not the bedroom, not the bathroom with the matching rugs and towells you can't use......the GARAGE. Buck up (pun intended) man! Stand your ground and maintain the sanctity of the garage. This is where we are supposed to skin animals, drink beer, load ammo, scratch ourselves, throw darts, and do all that is hunting and fishing related.
Oh....also, all good questions. The better prepared you are the better your end results are. I've sprayed down a skinned carcass with no issues. Just don't let the meat sit in standing cold water for a period of time.
Post by: Doublelunger on September 14, 2012, 02:05:00 PM
Post by: Blacktail Sniper on September 14, 2012, 02:14:08 PM
Ok, only a few more questions I prommise:)
1) I have been told a buck's scent glands are in it's hind quarters and that I want to cut those out ASAP. How important is it to do this and how long do I have before the meat gets bad?
2) Is it fine to spray down the carcass with water in order to get the hair and dirt off?
3) I will have to cut the deer apart and skin it outside since there is no way my wife will let me do it in the garage, so is there going to be a problem with flies landing on the carcass and if so, is there a trick to get rid of them?
Hope this doesn't offend you but.....welcome to HuntWA!!!!
Post by: Blacktail Sniper on September 14, 2012, 02:18:51 PM
As for the flys, the vinegar and or black pepper are supposed to be good preventative measures. Can't say that I have ever really had a problem with flys as I usually get the hide off as quick as possible then cover the carcus in a game bag if it is going to exposed for any length of time.
It is good to see you asking questions, no such thing as a dumb question. As you can see, there is a lot of decent people on here ready to step-up and help.
Post by: DoubleJ on September 14, 2012, 02:19:58 PM
Post by: h20hunter on September 14, 2012, 02:32:07 PM
Nope nope nope nope nope. My garage.....my area. End of story. She gets the whole damn house.....I'm keeping the garage.
Lots of good tips on here. I'm learning some new ones.
Post by: jechicdr on September 14, 2012, 02:34:31 PM
Post by: 724wd on September 14, 2012, 02:37:24 PM
Ok, only a few more questions I prommise:)
1) I have been told a buck's scent glands are in it's hind quarters and that I want to cut those out ASAP. How important is it to do this and how long do I have before the meat gets bad? They come off with the hide. Don't worry about them (but don't go rubbing your hands in them and touching the meat, either!)
2) Is it fine to spray down the carcass with water in order to get the hair and dirt off? Yes, perfectly fine.
3) I will have to cut the deer apart and skin it outside since there is no way my wife will let me do it in the garage, so is there going to be a problem with flies landing on the carcass and if so, is there a trick to get rid of them? As soon as the hide comes off, a game bag goes on (after washing). make sure there are no gaps or holes. flys are serious business and not to be allowed on the meat. While cutting, keep the flies off your meat piles, too.
Ask all the questions you want! we're here to help you get good, clean, tasty venison ready to eat! :tup:
Post by: Buckmark on September 14, 2012, 02:51:25 PM
But if you post up stuff about what you have permission to use at your house, well you are then fair game.. And i will leave it at that.
For having to cut outside with the bugs, i hate flies, ever seen were they have been? :puke: set up a fan blowing across the area your using, not directly on the meat so it dries out but jsut above it to keep the winged pets away.......
Or go buy her (it is a her, yes?) a nice gift certificate to a spa and send her ass there for the day and cut away in the garage, while drinking beer, watching the game and telling lies with the guys, then light up a fat celebratory cuban when your done and grill up some steaks...
Post by: h20hunter on September 14, 2012, 02:56:37 PM
Post by: h20hunter on September 14, 2012, 03:07:58 PM
Please note the following can be found in this picture:
Dillon Precsion Box
Fishing Gear
Workbench
BBQ grill
Hunting gear
Dive gear (storage boxes far right)
A dead bear
Me
A brother in law
Bloody bits on the floor
What is not in the picture but present:
Hunting forum budddy Joe (Fishtq)
Beers, open and being consumed at 9:30 in the morning
Post by: 724wd on September 14, 2012, 03:17:16 PM
Post by: DoubleJ on September 14, 2012, 03:17:31 PM
I try to use as much of the deer as I can. The deer I just processed, the only thing I left in the field was the hide and guts and only threw out the head. The meat got cut up and the bones are ready for the dogs.
Post by: Buckmark on September 14, 2012, 03:21:10 PM
Ok.....here is some inspiration.Also notice the garage doors are open so the nieghbors can see what you are doing, it helps keep them away in the future... :chuckle:
Please note the following can be found in this picture:
Dillon Precsion Box
Fishing Gear
Workbench
BBQ grill
Hunting gear
Dive gear (storage boxes far right)
A dead bear
Me
A brother in law
Bloody bits on the floor
What is not in the picture but present:
Hunting forum budddy Joe (Fishtq)
Beers, open and being consumed at 9:30 in the morning
*
H20 you need a shed to put some of that crap in, then the pink Fj would have a nice dry place to rest.
Post by: h20hunter on September 14, 2012, 03:25:41 PM
Back to the tips...
DoubleJ....that is a nice dispenser. Looks old and proven...bulletproof. I'd like to have one like that.
Post by: Buckmark on September 14, 2012, 03:37:44 PM
Post by: Optimusprime on September 14, 2012, 05:08:59 PM
Post by: Blacktail Sniper on September 14, 2012, 05:25:53 PM
Ok ok I get it. The wife is only part of the garage issue. I actually only have a small workbench and shelves for my tools/junk to sit on. The rest of it is actually a crossfit gym so there is no way I am going to cut the animal apart in there. There is already enough blood let in there and the last thing I need is more that isn't mine :chuckle: But really, thanks a ton guys. I'm starting to understand the process much better.
:tup:
Post by: DoubleJ on September 14, 2012, 05:53:28 PM
Post by: Chukarhead on September 17, 2012, 11:34:20 AM
I wouldn't think of dropping my game at a butcher for the following reasons:
>cost (reasonable, but I don't hire things out that I can do)
>control (portion, cut, etc.)
>responsibility (if it's screwed up, I know who and how)
>chain of custody (much of the reason I hunt is to know where my food comes from; if I drop it off, I don't know for sure)
>quality (I know EXACTLY where cuts came from)
>bragging rights/respect, especially for non-hunting friends and family
You don't need to invest in a bunch of stuff, although we all know you will, eventually. I do over 90% of my cutting now with a butcher knife (Google S112-8PCP). I have over $1,000 in nice German and Japanese cutlery, but this is my go-to butcher tool. A good boning knife does the other 10% (Wustof in my house, but Dexter-Russel S131F-5PCP would fit the bill just fine). Finally, the best piece of butchering equipment you can buy is a honing steel (not for sharpening!). Use it every half hour or so to keep your blade wicked-sharp. If the blade is dulled, you'll have to resharpen with something else. Do not ignore the steel.
I don't grind much meat (~20 lbs, tops, from an elk), but investing in a decent meat grinder is worth it. $120 or so should get you there. More importantly than burger (for me), this allows you to make delicious sausage from scratch (and not from lips and azzholes). Mmmmmmm.....sausage.
I waited for several years before buying a grinder, though, and ate just fine. Instead of grinding meat, I cubed tough cuts and used them in stew, chili, curry, cochinita pibil, pulled elk, etc. Plan on slow, moist cooking. I have elk chili on the stove right now, and I expect to cook the meat for 5 hours before it is fall-apart tender. In my not-so-humble opinion, whole-meat stews and chilis knock the socks off those made with ground meat.
As noted previously, clean everything well. Cool your critter quickly and keep him/her that way throughout the process. This is your food, treat it as such. We tape butcher paper over the whole kitchen bar counter to stage meat, and cut on a large wood cutting board. Do not suffer hair on your meat. Everything that goes into the freezer should be fit to feed to company. Work on one quarter at a time, and have bowls/bins ready to divide cuts. Label each meat pile/bin as you cut. Enlist a friend or family member to pack while you cut. Label packages with date, species, specific cut (e.g., "2012 deer loin steak"). Freeze packages flat, and preferably in single layers so that it freezes fast. Do not overload your freezer and expect good results.
I vacuum seal everything now, and if my sealer broke tomorrow, I'd buy another. The difference in meat quality (especially after a couple months) over Ziplocks or freezer paper is shocking.
On to the meat:
Everything from the front shoulders is tough. Stew. Grind. Pot roast (this is the home of beef cuts like the 7-bone roast and chuck; excellent flavor, but not designed for steaks). Same goes for the neck and ribs. Briskets and flanks on elk are worth cutting and saving separately. Deer? Grind/stew/leave.
Backstraps/loins are for steaks. Cut thick (1 1/2"). Tenderloins are for tender, buttery steaks and seducing women. If you've done a sloppy job of field dressing, or have a less-than perfect shot, you may have to leave the tenderloins in the animal. This is regrettable.
For hind quarters, refer to this excellent diagram from RMEF: http://www.rmef.org/TheHunt/After/Carnivore%E2%80%99sKitchen/Recipes/WildGame101.aspx (http://www.rmef.org/TheHunt/After/Carnivore%E2%80%99sKitchen/Recipes/WildGame101.aspx). "Tougher Cuts" should be cut into jerky (across the grain), cured into corned deer/elk (this is fantastic, BTW), ground, or stewed. "Tender Cuts" should be steaked or left as roasts (medium or medium rare, please). I tape a printout of the diagram on the cabinet while I'm cutting, mostly because I'm usually exhausted and a bit punchy by the time I'm 6 hours into cutting.
We eat heart and liver fresh. For some reason, I am reluctant to thaw and eat liver. Cut liver thickly, soak in several changes of water, then whole milk. Dredge in flour seasoned with salt and pepper, cook to medium, serve with caramelized onions, eat with rich red wine and roasted potatoes.
Lastly, if you like to cook (or plan to like cooking), you should make stock from your trimmed bones (save some for Fido, too, obviously). I pressure can stock into quart jars or pint jars, but you can also fill Ziplock freezer bags with stock and freeze them. I put up at least 21 quarts (three canners) of stock every fall. It goes into every batch of stew, chili, pot roast, gravy, etc. that I make. My basic stock includes five pounds or so of bones (I like neck, scapula, front legs), two onions, a couple carrots, five stalks of celery, three garlic cloves, ~10 peppercorns, ~5 whole cloves, 2 bay leaves, a small fist full of thyme sprigs, and about 8 quarts of water. Roast bones and veggies first if you want a dark, roasted flavor. Raw ingredients into water produces much milder stock. Simmer for at least 4 hours, preferably more.
Remember to have fun while cutting food for the year!
Eli
Post by: Optimusprime on September 19, 2012, 11:25:30 AM
Post by: Kowsrule30 on September 19, 2012, 01:03:18 PM
Post by: WaltAlpine on September 19, 2012, 01:42:19 PM
Last year me and my 21 year old son went deer hunting for the first time. We were with a guy who had hunted since his first steps. He was a hero for showing us to the grounds and showing us what to do.We had done a lot of homework and prep as well, and it paid off. On day two 8 AM my son dropped a four point at 125 yards. One shot.
Our friend guided my boy in how to bone out a deer on the spot. We laid it out on what spare clothes we had for cooling and stuffed it in the sleeves of our two coats for the 20 minute hike down. We had it in the coolers on ice by noon. We went home the next day and processed it into roasts, steaks, and burger. 81lbs of meat. The taste was excellent. Though not a hunter in the past, I have eaten nearly every type of game from my generous friends and years spent in Alaska. Again, no "game" flavor at all. My skiddish wife even ate it with us.
The only possible criticism that I can imagine is that we maybe didn't get every little bit of meat from it since we boned it out in the field.
Post by: h20hunter on September 20, 2012, 09:05:11 AM
Post by: D-Rock425 on September 20, 2012, 09:09:08 AM
Post by: h20hunter on September 20, 2012, 09:25:35 AM
Post by: walt on September 20, 2012, 09:26:30 AM
Post by: h20hunter on September 20, 2012, 09:43:54 AM
Post by: Chukarhead on September 20, 2012, 09:51:15 AM
Having an issue with the link above. Working for anyone else?
Fixed the link. They must have reorganized the site since I posted it. While the hunter's meat map is nice, it doesn't go into the detail that I like for the hindquarter, as shown on the "Wild Game 101" image. Each muscle group is shown as cut out of the hindquarter, which is *super* handy for differentiating what should be jerky and what should be steak.
You only try to eat eye round steaks once...
Eli