DIY

[NYSuperSportsman]

been cutting deer since I was 8. Its really not hard and once you get the hang of it, you can get it done in a few hours. I also have a grinder and vacuum sealer. Makes things better and faster! 

[RangerClay]

Anyone process thier own deer? Trying to learn how, don't really have too much money to have it done professional everytime, plus would really like the satisfaction of doing it on my own.

 

Been processing my own for over 20 years.  The best part is the satisfaction that you know where your meat has been, that every part of the deer will be utilized, and that it is cut EXACTLY the way you like it.

 

There will be some investment.  Buy TOP quality knives and a sharpener, a decent electric grinder and a large cutting board.

 

After you cut your first couple deer you will realize how easy it is.

Edited March 7, 2014 by RangerClay

[Nowak8510]

Great advice guys, thanks

[reeltime]

agree with a lot of the replies here,  if you are in the market for a grinder from personal experience I will say that this is one tool you do not skimp on.

  L.E.M makes a good grinder, get the medium to large grinder. those little

99-150.00 grinders are a waste of money and time.   I found one 25 years

ago at a closeing sale at a grocery store, got a good buy on it and have

never been sorry for buying it. if it will fit in the grinder throat it will grind it.

 

if you get a grinder protect the blades!! do not reassemble the grinder after cleaning it to store it. after I clean the auger, throat, tray, blade and screen I

boil water and then rinse everything down with clean boiling water then set the pieces on a dish strainer to finish drying, with the boiling water any residual

water generally dries off almost immediatly.

 

I do all my butchering first, I put all the burger meat in a couple tupperware bins, then have 2 extra bins to grind into when I am grinding I am focused on

that. keep the grinder head tight so the screen against the blades is tight,

before I assembly the grinder I give the blade, screen and auger a quick

shot of cooking spray. feed the grinder steady and do not allow long lapses

in time without meat being ground.  If you choose you can grind twice, you will

 need a meat stuffer, it should be just about the size diameter of the grinder

throat.

 

for cutting I use a  fillet knife with sweedish stainless steel, it holds a razor edge and the blade is a little flexible to follow the contour lines of the bones

and muscle lines.  if your cutting steaks ALWAYS cut against the grain of the

meat.

 

 I use a 4x4 sheet of luan that I set on the kitchen table. and any meat that is going to be further processed into steaks or stew meat we use a regular poly

cutting board. any of the burger meat gets put into the burger containers during

the processing. steaks, roasts, and tenderloins go into seperate containers.

 

 

we skin our deer different than most. (unless its going to the taxidermist)  we hang them from the head, use a knife to cut around the front leg knee

joint and seperate at the joint, dont even need a saw fo that. then cut from

there up the inside of each leg towards the neck then up the neck to just under

the head.  your cut will look like an upside down Y. From there I cut around

the neck and then peel the skin down to the chest.

 

 

I cut through the tendon on the rear leg just above the knee jointand fold the leg up to get the joint line more visibleI then cut around the leg at the joint

severing the connective tissue around the knee and the interior tendon within

the joint.  then bend the leg backwards and finish removal.  once both are done I cut up to the interior thigh on each side.  then I finish skinning down and when

I get to the tail I just cut the tail off at the base.  seems that skinning from

the neck down seems to help with less hair on the meat.   I use a propane torch ( like a plumber uses) to burn off what little hair there is on the meat.

 

I cut down along the last rib to the backbone on each side, when you look at the body cavity your cuts should end just about at the start of the tender loins.

I cut right to the backbone and then cut through the spine with a saw,,

when I do the upper half  I cut around the neck just below the hair line all the way to the spine and then saw through the spine.

 

I second the suggestion to vaccum pack the meat. certainly not the cheapest way to package meat but by and far its one of the best ways to package.

wny is right, freezer burn is almost eliminated when done right.  I have had

lobster meat in the freezer for 3 years and its just like it was when we processed it.

 

good luck.

 

 

 

Edited March 9, 2014 by reeltime

[Lawdwaz]

If you put all that stuff in the chest cavity, how do you save the ribs?

One big azz soup kettle takes the entire Shabang.............grins

[NFA-ADK]

After helping my brother in the butcher shop many years ago with many deer I came to the conclusion that this was something I did not want to do. 

 

I can see it's benefits.  A good flexible boning knife and freezer packing, great advice.  Youtube has enough video to get you started. 

 

Good Luck, hope you have a bunch to try on this year!!!

[dbHunterNY]

lots of good advice given so far.  vaccum sealers are the way to go.  you won't process a deer the same as a shop does it.  every cut is just how you'd like it.

 

I take the meat off the carcass and bone in biggest sections possible, as soon as possible.  easier than skinning and cutting up a partially frozen or real cold deer.  i put the meat in meat pans in the fridge covered with plastic wrap for few days or so.  meat will drain but don't let it set in blood/liquid.  you can get absorbent pads from a butcher that you see in packages you get at the grocery store.

 

good flexible 5-6" narrow boning knives with good grip and a skinning knife/hook are handy.  a 5" meat hook helps too but isn't needed.  boning knives I've come to like are linked below.

http://www.wasserstrom.com/restaurant-supplies-equipment/Product_219088

 

an easy to use sharpener I've come to like is below and you're going to realize you'll need it and if you use it to touch up the blade a few times throughout the process it'll make your life easier.

http://www.ems.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3657122&emssrcid=PPC%3AgooPLAs%3A20614725885All_products&utm_source=gooPLAs&utm_campaign=Product+Listing+Ads&device=c&network=g&matchtype=&gclid=CJ7a_6LC4L0CFa1j7Aod0RMAxQ

 

Food saver vaccum sealers or the like are best and stuff keeps a long time, not getting freezer burn.

 

Like i mentioned above a couple meat pans that take up a shelf in your fridge are handy.

 

it's a bigger investment and depends on what you're doing with it but a grinder for ground venison will be on the wish list.  hand crank ones work for a deer or so a year but you'll want to upgrade eventually or borrow someones.  smaller commercial ones from say Hobart like I use will last lifetimes but isn't necessary.  don't go with a plastic case cheap one though opposed to good metal crank one.  you're just wasting your money as it won't last.

 

also check out the videos in the link below.  they go into processing.

http://www.cwd-info.org/index.php/fuseaction/about.video

 

like the others this comes from experience.  dad processed deer and i grew up watching until i was old enough to help out more and more (20+ years).

[dbHunterNY]

...oh yea if you grind your own, plastic ground meat sleeves that hold a pound or more work well along with tape ties that come with them.

[dbHunterNY]

....I do all my butchering first, I put all the burger meat in a couple tupperware bins, then have 2 extra bins to grind into when I am grinding I am focused on

that. keep the grinder head tight so the screen against the blades is tight,

before I assembly the grinder I give the blade, screen and auger a quick

shot of cooking spray. feed the grinder steady and do not allow long lapses

in time without meat being ground.  If you choose you can grind twice, you will

 need a meat stuffer, it should be just about the size diameter of the grinder

throat....

 

yup i grind last.  also ground venison is real sticky and messy if it warms up at all.  keep everything real cold for this part and it will save you grief.  when grinding the meat twice trickle the once ground stuff into the grinder.  don't stuff it.  you'll actually grind much faster.  first time around cut meat into thin strips (thin enough to fit into the grinder) and let it feed and pull through.

[dbHunterNY]

another thing it helps to have a bucket of warm soapy water and a towel with you.  you can periodically rinse stuff off on your hands or knives that starts to dry.  also I like to touch up the edges with soapy water on the blade.  finishes the edge nice and it cleans any residual metal off the blade.  wipe both sides off quick on the towel.

[Deerslayer]

Few tips, If early season & still very warm out, you should butcher ASAP, if it's cold out (below 40 degrees), you can age your deer longer, lots of people hang them for 2 - 3 weeks sometimes if below freezing. Skin comes off 100% easier if done immediately the day of kill, I know some people who skin them & let them hang for days, but you will have to trim all the dried up stuff on the outside & you'll lose some meat there.  When you are butchering, try to keep as little of the meat out of refrigeration at a time as possible, especially ground meat, this will keep bacteria levels at their lowest.  As far as the boning out goes, like everyone says, piece of cake you just need to watch someone else do it once & you'll do fine.  Good luck this season!

[stoneam2006]

I have done it multiple times while in college short on cash with my dad growing up....to me I'd rather pay someone with good refrences to do it and right....i found a guy locally who does it with his sons and brothers who will make anything you want for 70 bucks....i had 3 different kind of sausage, 3 different kinds of dogs, few roasts and loins all cut by him for same price. ...couldn't beat it. Do have to send dogs out to be done tho....hunts in canasaraga....spelling? That did cost a bit but fantastic product.

Edited September 15, 2014 by stoneam2006

[Five Seasons]

Plan on doin it myself as well. Aint gotta be pretty it all comes out the same exit hole

 

less about what it looks like and more about efficiency with less waste and time. Cutting parties are where it's at. Doing a single deer on your own can take some time. My rule is 2 or more and we're cutting. A lone deer goes to the butcher. Needs to be vacuum sealed. When you add grinding and pork and tools it's cheaper but there is some initial investment.

[Culvercreek hunt club]

Our hunting party does at least 10 deer a year. Can buy a lot of processing equipment for that kind of cash. Turn on a game, have a few beers and laughs and have at it. With 4 of us in a process line it goes pretty quickly now.

[fasteddie]

This might help

[crappyice]

I have done it multiple times while in college short on cash with my dad growing up....to me I'd rather pay someone with good refrences to do it and right....i found a guy locally who does it with his sons and brothers who will make anything you want for 70 bucks....i had 3 different kind of sausage, 3 different kinds of dogs, few roasts and loins all cut by him for same price. ...couldn't beat it. Do have to send dogs out to be done tho....hunts in canasaraga....spelling? That did cost a bit but fantastic product.

Who is your guy at that price and where is local?

[stoneam2006]

Local is Farmersville ny south of Buffalo about a hour and half....i have his number if anyone's interested can pm me for it. ...just a local guy jason I think is his name

[crappyice]

Thanks but a bit out of my travel range...love the price range though

[stoneam2006]

Yea couldn't beat it....very professional for a guy with a full time job to. ...all wrapped and labled and pork fat mixed too seasoned perfectly great for the money he will have my business as long as he's open. ...

[Muzzle man]

There's no wrong way to cut up deer , how ever you want to eat it , the biggest thing is to get all SILVER SKIN off as if you want to grind it the grinder will plug unless you have good electric one , also it's nasty