Those who process their own deer

[Hoyt03]

I always like learning how everyone else does their deer processing, get new ideas etc. Would anyone like to share their processing approach, where they start, what they cut up, what they get made out of it?

I know there was a pretty good online clip floating around here last year that showed how some butcher processed his.

Look forward to seeing some responses on this and hopefully learning a new trick or two.

[wtnhunt]

Re: Those who process their own deer

Due to temps, we usually do not have the liberty of letting a deer hang here. Have been able to let just a few hang and only for a couple days. I start by skinning the deer, of course after normal field dressing. Then quarter it get the loins and inner loins out and let it set in the ice chest filled with a ice and brine mix. Change the water out at least once a day for 4 or 5 days depending on how quick I can get to it, and keep ice on it. When we cut it up, we bring the ice chest in and debone all the meat at the kitchen sink, also cut away all of the non red meat(all the white junk and filmy stuff gets thrown out). The hams get cut into steaks usually, little pieces too small for steaks and the shoulders what we cut away from the bones gets ground. Put everything up in food saver bags as we go and label with date and year. The meat for ground goes in big tupperware bowls with lids into the fridge until I am ready to run the grinder. I like to plan out when I am going to grind meat so I have everything I need to make my sausage and ground burger meat all at one time. Less to clean up. Usually make sausage(italian and breakfast) while I have the grinder out. For jerky, I leave our ground in the freezer a minimum of 45 days.

[Airman312]

Re: Those who process their own deer

For me, the backstraps and inner loins get cut into steaks. The rest gets ground using the deer's own fat. I don't care for beef fat and a deer's fat is quite tasty with the ground in my opinion. We make up a lot of burgers and wrap with the food saver. I share a lot of my kills with my in-laws (returning the favor) since my father-in-law has health problem and doesn't hunt anymore. We also do some cubes for stews!!

[GWSmith]

Re: Those who process their own deer

This pic shows the basics of how I do my deer.

I dont make any sausage so those type cuts end up as burger.

Also removing the silver colored Fascia from the outside any muscle group and making sure you cut acrossed the grain will make any cut much more tender to chew.

I would have mentioned the inside tenderloins...LOL...but they dont last long around here after being cut into small steaks...always the first to go

Almost forgot to mention that I quarter them up and put them under Ice for 4-5 days. I'll add a Gallon jug of SunnyD to the cooler which removes any gamey taste. I top off the Ice with standard Table salt. After the 2 day I just drain off the water and replace the Ice if need be during that time.

[otdrzmn04]

Re: Those who process their own deer

neck and front shoulders into roast, sometimed i leave the backstrap whole to smoke and sometimes cut into steak, rear hind quarters into steak....all steak is trimmed really well

[Guest Finn]

Re: Those who process their own deer

I take the backstraps out and bone everything else for hotdogs, brats and bacon.

We try let them hang for a couple days, depending on the weather.

[preacherman]

Re: Those who process their own deer

[ QUOTE ]

I take the backstraps out and bone everything else for hotdogs, brats and bacon.

We try let them hang for a couple days, depending on the weather.

[/ QUOTE ]

hotdogs and bacon? I have never heard of that; but it sounds good. How do you do it?

[Dogg6]

Re: Those who process their own deer

I've been doing this since the I was 12. I've got my 2 girls helping too. They are 9 and 6 and they have been helping from the age of 3. They started with a butter knife, then a pairing knife and eventually a good knife. Now on to the cuts. Backstraps- cut into steaks or leave in 8 to 10" sections, great for the grill this way. Hind quarters- cubed up and canned(this is a great breakfast replacement for bacon. Just fry it until the juices are gone and enjoy with eggs or whatever.) Front legs, ribs and neck go in for hamburger. We grind all our own adding beef talow. We also smoke all our own bologna and knuckwurst. This is a good thing to teach the kids, just have to keep an eye on them. My girls love to help with this.