Processing deer

[iabowhunter]

Do you guys process your own deer of send it off to the locker?

We will bone it out and then take it to the locker for ring bologna, except for the loins.

This year we are going to try to make our own jerkey. I bought a slicer at Cabela's bargin cave this summer and my buddy is buying a bradley smoker. Glad he has the money to buy one cause I sure don't.

We are also going to make up some deer brats. I bought a brat mix and have the meat grinder and stuffer. Just have to put down the deer.


I can't wait to climb up in a treestand!

It's going to be a good year!!!

[223reload]

I've been processing my deer since the first one I killed in 1978.,I make steaks,roasts ,stewmeat,fajita meat ,an keep a few chunks for jerky .
Its the only way to keep from getting ripped off and getting someone elses tough old buck or getting shorted.

[tiny b]

Always done it myself. Cut as much up into steaks as I can and the rest is either stew meat or ground up in sausage.

[iabowhunter]

I've been processing my deer since the first one I killed in 1978.,I make steaks,roasts ,stewmeat,fajita meat ,an keep a few chunks for jerky .
Its the only way to keep from getting ripped off and getting someone elses tough old buck or getting shorted.
That's why we are going to do our own. Sick and tired of getting ripped off at the locker.

[boswifedeb]

I've been processing my deer since the first one I killed in 1978.,I make steaks,roasts ,stewmeat,fajita meat ,an keep a few chunks for jerky .
Its the only way to keep from getting ripped off and getting someone elses tough old buck or getting shorted.

That's what we do. It costs too darn much and you don't even know for sure that you are getting your own kill. Bo skins it and debones it. He sends the meat in to me and I cut it how ever we need it at the time.

[CountryHart]

I 've always cut my own. I debone the hams and what makes pretty steaks i'll keep along with the back straps. Most of the rest i grind up with beef fat to make hamburger. I usually debone one and take to Carthage and have made into summer sausage. They put jalapino and cheese in it, and it's awsum.

[ozzyso44]

The Cabelas jerky slicer is a good machine. We bought one and do most of the deer into jerky, bag it into four pound bags so that when we thaw it out, we can just add a package of backwoods jerky mix and be done. The slicer is perhaps the best, the absolutely best purchase that has made my life easier.

THE KEY IS TO GET THE SIENE OFF.

[switchback]

I have done both depends on how we feel, my whole family hunts and if we get sick sitting in the cold we take em to the locker if not we do it ourselves. Here is something i learned if you are going to use a slicer or if you cut the jerkey by hand you need to put your meat in the freezer for a while so its stiff but not to hard youll know when its right. The reason for this is its hard to cut right with it bending a bloody and such, just a tip to make things easier. Plus after you clean that slicer a few times if your like me youll go back to cutting it by hand, with the slicers ive used theres not much time saved especially after clean up.

[Txbluecatman]

I've been processing my deer since the first one I killed in 1978.,I make steaks,roasts ,stewmeat,fajita meat ,an keep a few chunks for jerky .
Its the only way to keep from getting ripped off and getting someone elses tough old buck or getting shorted.

Thats why we have always done are own. There is only one locker that I have used in the rear instance that I want something special done and then only because I have known the owner for a long time.

[catfishrollo]

I gut, hang, skin, cut my own! Gonna make sure that what im eatin is mine!.... Isn't some city slicker's that forgot to remove the A-HOLE!! rollo

[iabowhunter]

I gut, hang, skin, cut my own! Gonna make sure that what im eatin is mine!.... Isn't some city slicker's that forgot to remove the A-HOLE!! rollo
LOL AMEN BRO!

...or someone cut the piss bag and never bothered washing out the body cavity.

When we do take boned out meat to the locker we find out how big of a batch they make ring bologna in. If they do 25 pounds at a time, we take them 25 or 50 pounds. Still doesn't guarantee that I'm getting "my" deer back.

I'm looking forward to making my own this year.

[catfishrollo]

My uncle has saws, I know a friend with the freezers, grinders etc! I feel when I kill something, I wanna tend it myself hands on. When I eat it, I feel I have given my total time towards the animal. I enjoy it more that way....rollo

If you ain't gonna eat it, or give it to charity... don't kill it!

[iabowhunter]

My uncle has saws, I know a friend with the freezers, grinders etc! I feel when I kill something, I wanna tend it myself hands on. When I eat it, I feel I have given my total time towards the animal. I enjoy it more that way....rollo

If you ain't gonna eat it, or give it to charity... don't kill it!
I like the way you think rollo!

The way prices of EVERYTHING are going up I think I'm going to fill my freezer with deer.

[LureheadEd]

I take 1 or 2 a year to a processor I know for cubed, grind, and sausage , but I usually have them already quartered and aged for 3 or 4 days... All the others I quarter and age in coolers for at least 7 days, sometimes 9 depending on the age of the deer and the shot. Everything is packaged in Food Saver type vacuum bags in proper size portions... It's taken 35 years for me to figure out to do it right, quickly to the coolers from the shot and properly aged to really appreciate some of the finest meat a person can get anywhere. I know how it's been treated and have no problem eating every bite...

[riverdawg-1]

i aleays do my own, loins, a few steaks and jerky and grind the rest. I also always quarter it and put in the bottom of fridge for 3-5 days.
chip

[catfish kenny]

Aint no locker here....road kill or not ...I can skin a buck or run a line:wink:shoot I am from Iowa bro:wink:

[Mike81]

Do everything myself 99% of the time, on very rare occasions I'll drop one off if I for some reason don't have time or it's too warm and I want to get it in a cooler fast. But if at all possible, I butcher it myself.

[smokey]

When I was frist on my own,I didnt have a freezer,much less the money to have someone else do for me. I Mom showed me how to can meat. One year I had 107 qts of deer.Now I make my own berger and jerky,But still can one deer.
smokey

[John(Bullhead)Hagen]

:big_smile:Did our own since the start,but we allways did our own pork to.We make our own Salami and it is easy to do the same with ring balona.Use a copany called Excalibur Seasoning in Pekin IL. the have mixes for 25 pounds on up for as much as you need.Use LEM. for your caseing and you are in bussiness.Need any help email me and i will gladly show you somethings.Soory about your smoke house you can have one like ours which is three foot square and five foot long enough room for 50 three pound rolls of Salami for around 100.00$We do eight hams in it at one time,all electric with thermosat EMail jhagen12@sbcglobal.net

[kennylee]

I process my own, I debone everything and break down the muscle groups and wrap them whole, this makes them easier to wrap plus I can cook them whole as a roast or cut them into steaks. But the front shoulders I leave the blade bone in and cook them whole on the grill over med. heat, it save a lot of time processing and they are great cooked this way. I usually take 20 lbs to the butcher and have summer sausage made.

[thegavel]

Awesome to see that so many of you process your own...

I come from a family that doesn't hunt much for a variety of reasons... Where would a guy find information and learn to process his own deer?

[bigcatmaniac]

Well, My dad owned a commercial processing plant for three years and we did everything from cattle to deer. We were one of the busiest because we would always let the deer "hang" so the meat would be nice and tender. Before we bought that place we processed our own, and now that we dont have it anymore, we cut our own up. Its a lot of work running a processing plant and like said before, most of the people that take deer there have made a "mistake" and either cut something they shouldnt have, left something that should have been removed, or shot it so many times that there is not much left.


Good Luck this year guys and gals.

[iabowhunter]

:big_smile:Did our own since the start,but we allways did our own pork to.We make our own Salami and it is easy to do the same with ring balona.Use a copany called Excalibur Seasoning in Pekin IL. the have mixes for 25 pounds on up for as much as you need.Use LEM. for your caseing and you are in bussiness.Need any help email me and i will gladly show you somethings.Soory about your smoke house you can have one like ours which is three foot square and five foot long enough room for 50 three pound rolls of Salami for around 100.00$We do eight hams in it at one time,all electric with thermosat EMail jhagen12@sbcglobal.net

I am very interested in building a smokehouse!!! I'll be sending you some email shortly. Thanks!

I get a bunch of stuff from LEM. They sell good products.

Chris...Request a catalog from their website. They send it right out. It's loaded with stuff gives you a chance to look everything over. Makes for good reading material in the bathroom right along sid ethe Cabela's catalog. Scheels sells LEM equipment if you want to have an up close and personal look at it.

[boswifedeb]

Cheez, thanks for the website. I just ordered a catalog for my husband.

[LureheadEd]

This is why I do my own... Port side ham from a 2 1/2 yr. old doe , neck shot at 32 yds..... Butter and garlic in a pan 4-5 mins. each side on med low heat... Aged 7 days last December, in the fridge since Thursday night...Seasoned at noon ...Oh, my wife's tomato-cucumber-viadalia salad and smashed baked taters...And my Mom's German tater-cucumber salad....Heaven on Earth...
http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL1457/6268493/20590188/335351393.jpg

[iabowhunter]

Sounds good. Looks good. When do we eat brother?

[Trevor1]

I've always processed my own, wouldn't trust a processor with my deer. If you plan on making your own jerky, a meat slicer is a very nice accessory. It really helps to keep the meat a consistent sized cut. We've always put the meat scraps that would be used for grinding and put it into a gallon sized freezer bag and freeze it, then cut it with the meat slicer you'll get various lengths of jerky but it will pretty much be the same thickness. The one thing about processing your own animals is you can process the meat however you like it.

[LureheadEd]

I was sprinkling some teriyaki on my wife's and the bottle top came off... About a 1/4 bottle hit the bowl...Simmered the meat for 6 mins on the 1st side, 4 on the other...Forgot the onions...http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL1457/6268493/20590188/335365089.jpg

[riverdawg-1]

that looks good! can't wait, season opens in less than 2 weeks.
chip

[Angler4life]

I have always processed my own deer for a couple of reasons. First of all, you don't know the treatment that your deer has went through at other processing places. I've seen some pretty bad ones where the deer have been piled up for days without having time to cool out. Secondly, I also want to know that the deer that I am receiving is the deer that I shot. At least when I process my own, there is no question of what my deer has been through. I also make my own jerky. I use a meat slicer to cut the meat into 1/4 inch strips. I marinate it in the fridge for twelve hours. The marinade is a mixture of Soy Sauce, Worcestershire Sauce, Liquid Smoke, and sometimes a little brown sugar. After marinating for 12 hours, I use a Cabela's dehydrator for 12 hours. This is my favorite way to make it, but I have made it in the oven before. Just make sure to keep the oven door cracked for best results.

[petersoutcats]

30 + years of butchering my own game. I like to have control from first shot to the dinner plate. I skin and let cool, hang/age for a few days depending on the temps, de-bone (never use a saw), and remove all the talon and hair. I usually cut steaks, roasts, stew, & a big jerky stack especially when I'm getting tired of cutting.:smile2:
Later in the winter I pull out a Jerky stack from the freezer and almost thaw completely I then slice thin, let marinade for day or two, and make real smoked Jerky in my wood smoker for my Catfishing Adventures.

My secrets:
Always try to thaw meat slow in refer, Trim meat well, I cook my steaks in bacon grease, after rolling in flour, add salt and pepper to taste, then add a little of worchshire sauce maybe a few capers on top. I mostly eat steaks:wink:

[Jacksmooth]

I have alway done my own deer except bolona up until about 3 yrs ago. I make my own bolona now now also. I use the nesco gardenmaster dehydrator for my jerkey. It usually only takes about 4 to 6 hrs to dry depending on the thickness. I hand cut all my jerky with a long knife. The long knife makes it easier to cut.

[john catfish young]

I've been processing my own deer for years. I watched a video called venison processing the E-Z way and a professional butcher shows how to make all the proper cuts of meat. I have everything from butterfly backstraps, to roasts,to steaks, to ground burger. Its the only way to go. Everything is boneless and labeled just like the pro's. Do it yourself!:wink:

[FISHSKINNER]

I always process my own deer. There's no way I am going to risk getting someone's else gut shot deer that they carried around in the back of their pickup for three days in eighty degree weather. And yes I have seen that happen around here way to often. It just about makes me sick thinking about such wastefulness.

[cats4uandme]

they say pictures say a thousand words.

two meat grinders, meat slicer, twine for roast tying, boning knives, food grade gloves, meat lugs, seasonings, casings, soy protien additives, ect........

i fillet deer like a fish. i watched a seminar and bought his how to video. i take the entire deer off the bone in two peices. and then remove parts from inside out mostly by hand. then after its all seperated i make my cuts. roasts steaks chops and grinding meat for sausages. i make my own brats, and summer sausage, and snack sticks, trail bologna, hot dogs, jerky.

only buisness lockers get from me is i buy fat from them to mix. beef for burger. pork for sausages.

[dust777man]

I process my own. I have a cuber and grinder. It is a whole lot cheaper to do it myself plus alot of processors I just don't trust with my deer.

[massa_jorge]

i always process my own deer and hogs. it's more satisfying to eat something you did the whole process yourself, i think.

[cats4uandme]

i always process my own deer and hogs. it's more satisfying to eat something you did the whole process yourself, i think.

thats a big 10-4. i even got into taxidermy and now bucks go from feild to wall and table and never see another hand but mine.:wink: very satisfying.

funny how when me and the family took deer to the locker in the small town close by here years back all the meat we got back looked dark like liver. and when i do mine the frozen and thawed meat looks like red beef. i had two different buddies confirm the same story. 2 seasons ago. there was a pile of deer in the parking lot of the locker in this town. it was 50 degrees give or take. and 2 days later they were loading them into a truck to take to another locker cause they were backed up. two different guys confirmed the same story.

[Scott Daw]

I was just given a meat grinder by my wifes grandmom so Im hoping to process my own deer this year. Should be easier to get my wife to let me since its normally $85 per deer and now we have a house so we cant "offend" a neighbor when we were in a mobile home park last year (lot rent & mortgage was cheaper then a 2 bedroom apt. helped us save for our 3 bedroom house w/garage)

[Kutter]

now we have a house so we cant "offend" a neighbor when we were in a mobile home park last year

What's the sense of having neighbors if ya can't offend them now an then?:wink:

[Scott Daw]

Thats what I say. But she on the other hand..........

I think its more of the if I see what it was like while it being processed, I wont eat it again syndrome.

[cats4uandme]

thats great tom. hope my season goes just like that this year.:wink:

my grinder would be smoking.

[cats4uandme]

tom. im looking for something like this lmao.

[kennylee]

Now I see why Tom needed that new trailer hitch crane, I bet your back was aching,lol.

When I lived in Arnold about ten years ago I keep my deer processing low key in the garage, but now that i'm living in crestwood I have a carport and I would expect a visit from the police if I had them layed out like that, but then i've had visits from the police for cutting my grass too late in the evening, if you can believe that.

[Kutter]

I have actually had Arnold try to cite me for having weeds over 18 inches tall. I had to explain that it was buckwheat I planted to put nutrients into my garden. One would think the exact 65' X 35' shape of the plot of "weeds" would have been a dead giveaway. I did let them know that I intended to plant corn in there come the following spring and to warn them that it just might get over 18" tall.