Deer Rib Meat

[Bango skank]

While i dont save rib meat, as ive tried and determined its not worth it, but the conversation seems to have shifted to organ meat...  ive decided i wanted to try heart and liver.  The last 2 bucks ive killed, the arrows left heart and liver untouched.  And while gutting ive set them aside, with the intention of taking them, but then forgotten to grab them and take them home, 2 years in a row 

[7mmfan]

While i dont save rib meat, as ive tried and determined its not worth it, but the conversation seems to have shifted to organ meat...  ive decided i wanted to try heart and liver.  The last 2 bucks ive killed, the arrows left heart and liver untouched.  And while gutting ive set them aside, with the intention of taking them, but then forgotten to grab them and take them home, 2 years in a row 

Oh boy. First yote on the site got a nice bonus!

[elkboy]

That is a serious bummer.  Yup, some coyote's lucky day...

For anyone who likes deer heart, look up "anticuchos de corazon". It is a traditional South American way to grill whitetail heart (yes, whitetails extend all the way down to northern Peru). It is awesome if you don't mind a little heat.

[j_h_nimrod]

For deer it is all situational, I will save what I reasonably can. If I am boning out in the deep dark, I usually won’t bother unless conditions are such I can keep it clean, no blood shot, etc. I’ll usually save the brisket meat, rib covering meat, diaphragm, flanks, etc. I am probably a bit OCD with my butchering, but I feel it is respectful to the animal and to utilize everything and waste little to nothing.

The rib meat is the only meat that gets a pass on trimming the fat or tallow.  I will pass on them if it is too fatty and just separate the largest strata of muscle for the grind. For a late season skinny deer I just throw them in as is.

I still find it funny that people are disgusted or turn their nose up by different cuts of meat (not talking organ meat).  The diaphragm is great meat and is quite good as steaks in larger animals, in beef it is called a hanger or skirt steak.  In deer most people trash it though it is great in the grind. It is also one of the easiest cuts to keep clean, there is a fascia on both sides that clean easily and don’t let bacteria into the muscle.

For reference, in AK you are required to salvage all meat, neck, rib, shank, etc. I have ate rib strips after the kill numerous times in camp, they are great!

I used to love liver and onions, and deer liver is the best. 

"This is the best" So again as not to insult my hosts, I took another rib and dipped it in the oil and took a bite........... Let's just imagine the worst wet dog smell you've ever smelled.... That's how it tasted. I could not swallow it.  I had to politely walk outside and spit it out.  My hosts were kind enough to not take insult, and they only chuckled and guffawed a little bit at my discomfort.  And later, that seal oil really stuck to the inside of my mouth. I could still taste it as I was playing basketball.

  been there, done that 

[Jonathan_S]

We would all be considered wasteful by our ancestors who split every bone for marrow, made tools, ate the intestines, slurped up stomach contents, and used the hide.

Its definitely easier to utilize fattier areas from a post rut buck that has no fat

[Bango skank]

We would all be considered wasteful by our ancestors who split every bone for marrow, made tools, ate the intestines, slurped up stomach contents, and used the hide.

Its definitely easier to utilize fattier areas from a post rut buck that has no fat

Depends on the ancestors, where they were, and how lean the times were for them.  The whole thing about injuns using the entire animal is largely a myth.  In times of plenty they were outrageously wasteful.  I assume the same goes for primitive european white cave dwellers.

[Jonathan_S]

Of course.

[TriggerMike]

I have before, but usually do not. Not a high enough yield for the amount of work IMO and I've never felt bad about it before.

[WSU]

JH - Skirt and hanger steak are different cuts.  I've only had hanger steak once but was very impressed!

[hunter399]

No rib meat here 

[j_h_nimrod]

JH - Skirt and hanger steak are different cuts.  I've only had hanger steak once but was very impressed!

Yep, different cuts, overall composing the diaphragm.  Years ago I remember going out for a nice dinner at a pretty upscale restaurant when I was about 18 and the server was pushing the hanger steak. He explained the attributes well but was a bit cloudy where it actually came from. I looked it up and have made it a point to utilize since on animals I butcher.

[dmoua]

I pack out the rib meat on bone with every animal I shoot. Great for soup such as Pho.

[Humptulips]

 

[h20hunter]

Ok those look awesome.

[3nails]

 Some interesting ideas on this thread with good discussion. After reading through all the posts I would absolutely not be surprised if "someone" on here isn't turning the civets they catch into a sandwich spread.