Venison processor never again

[Chef]

I'll be looking for a new processor next year. I was less then impressed when i picked up 40 pounds of meat packaged in blood soaked butcher paper. Everything was dripping in blood when i took it out of the bag.

. I'll do it for 50 bucks lol

[the blur]

I'll be looking for a new processor next year. I was less then impressed when i picked up 40 pounds of meat packaged in blood soaked butcher paper. Everything was dripping in blood when i took it out of the bag.

40 is not bad. I got 25 lbs from my last medium size doe.

[Jeremy K]

It's not the amount of meat I got back,I'm very happy about that ,my father in law paid the same price as me and everything came back vacuum sealed and not dripping in blood from a diffrent place.

[mlammerhirt]

This may have already been stated but.....Check out The Deer shop on Geneese next year......nice steaks.....all vac packed....they run a good operation for 70.00 a deer.

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Edited December 14, 2015 by mlammerhirt

[WNYBuckHunter]

$70 a deer? Good lord. So glad I do my own.

[mlammerhirt]

If your looking to fill a bunch of tags and stack the freezer 70.00 a deer will deff put a hurt on the pocket book...I myself have a young family that requires more time spent with them vs. Processing on my own. I try for one deer a year, and if the right situation presents itself I will take two like this year. To me the prep, processing, cleanup all needs to be accounted for and time equals money, and at this stage of life paying the processor just fits.

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[turkeyfeathers]

This may have already been stated but.....Check out The Deer shop on Geneese next year......nice steaks.....all vac packed....they run a good operation for 70.00 a deer.

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cooking up some cube steaks from there right now. They do great work

[Jeremy K]

I'm not set up at all to do my own, by the time I get set up and work and clean up I could have worked overtime at work and still come out way ahead of the 70 to do it myself.

[mlammerhirt]

cooking up some cube steaks from there right now. They do great work

There cube steaks are great...they will be on the menu this week.

My 19 month out was chowing down on Costanzas cheese slim sticks last night....the kid is hooked.

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[WNYBuckHunter]

I tend to do it at the same time as Im home anyway doing things like laundry or whatever. It doesnt take long to do, maybe 1/2 hour to skin and quarter and another 45 mins to debone and trim. After that it depends on what you are doing with it. I can vacuum seal roast, backstraps, etc  from one deer in just a few mins. If I grind, it takes maybe 1/2 hour including cleanup of the grinder and bagging up of the meat into 1 lb portions. So for the average deer, I have a shade over 2 hours of work, and Im home doing other stuff anyhow. I have no special setup, just a gambrel in the garage, 2 knives, a sharpener, cutting board, grinder and vacuum sealer.

 

I know where my meat was, how it was handled, that its actually my meat, and that Im getting all of it. More than worth it to me. Whatever works for you though, someone needs to keep the processors in business.

[Jeremy K]

I tend to do it at the same time as Im home anyway doing things like laundry or whatever. It doesnt take long to do, maybe 1/2 hour to skin and quarter and another 45 mins to debone and trim. After that it depends on what you are doing with it. I can vacuum seal roast, backstraps, etc from one deer in just a few mins. If I grind, it takes maybe 1/2 hour including cleanup of the grinder and bagging up of the meat into 1 lb portions. So for the average deer, I have a shade over 2 hours of work, and Im home doing other stuff anyhow. I have no special setup, just a gambrel in the garage, 2 knives, a sharpener, cutting board, grinder and vacuum sealer.

I know where my meat was, how it was handled, that its actually my meat, and that Im getting all of it. More than worth it to me. Whatever works for you though, someone needs to keep the processors in business.

I just like the thought of doing all the steps from scouting to processing,in do time I will take the last step,I'm sure you and the others will have plenty of tips for the rookies.

[The_Real_TCIII]

$70 a deer? Good lord. So glad I do my own.

 

It seems like 5 or 7 years ago every place jumped from $45ish to $70+, thats when I decided to do my own. the one I got Sunday had to go in, i wasnt going to be able to do it that day or yesterday so I had no choice. They also were about ten degrees light on yesterdays forecast so Id have been in real trouble

[dbHunterNY]

around $70 seems to be the going rate if you have it cut up around here.  add a little more to have bulk sausage made and then quite a bit more to have venison smoked products made.

[dbHunterNY]

I've processed deer since before I could legally hunt them myself. many ways to do it.  depends on your setup and what you've got.  I've learned for me it's a lot quicker to skin, debone, and have it sit in a climate controlled fridge right away then to let it hang.  hide pulls off easier, less hair slippage to get all over, and everything is less stiff and frozen.  if i wait it'll take me at least twice as long and be twice as messy.  I've seen the job some have done and am not a fan.  i don't take off quarters then debone them.  debone the whole thing with it hanging.  it takes me longer to dispose of remains and get the deer hanging then the actual processing.  skinning and deboning takes me about an hour to get it into the fridge to "age" .  trimming and packaging takes me a while, but I'm crazy meticulous and i can do that when i have time as it's sitting in the fridge.  I'm with the few who think 3 hrs to process a whole deer along with the associated setup and clean up is quick.

[Culvercreek hunt club]

  I'm with the few who think 3 hrs to process a whole deer along with the associated setup and clean up is quick.

in terms of manhours I would bet 5. We are pretty consistent with me and my buddy. From the hanging to  vacuum sealed to all cleaned up it is 2-12 hours for the two of us. 

[dbHunterNY]

in terms of manhours I would bet 5. We are pretty consistent with me and my buddy. From the hanging to  vacuum sealed to all cleaned up it is 2-12 hours for the two of us. 

 

i slow down a bit when trimming and packaging.  probably more because i can.  5 hours is probably about right.  maybe a little less if i "hurry" things along and don't do as much roasts and stew meat versus ground.  also i don't have much to "setup" knives are already sharp and equipment ready to use.  I've learned to just keep things moving versus actually hurrying though when using things like grinders and knives.  well being included but you do less of a hack job to fix when trimming and packaging.