First one

[cdmckane]

My wife shot a button buck yesterday at 4pm thinking it was a doe.  No biggie, gonna be some tender meat.  Looking at the overnight temperatures and not wanting to part with $75, I called a buddy of mine who has cut his own deer for years, and asked if he'd guide me though it.  Well, he came over tonight after work and in less than an hour, we had it boned out, cut up, and in the freezer.  Not sure if I'll ever take another deer to be processed again if the temps are good.  Won't really have a choice if it's warm.

I'm kind of digging the fact that it was harvested, dressed, skinned, cut, and processed all on our own property.  We saved all the trim to do one big grind at the end of the season.  I hate cleaning the grinder so I use it as little as possible.

[GreeneHunter]

Cutting one up yourself for the first time is an excellent experience , you'll enjoy the Venison that much more !

[wolc123]

I hope she saved the liver, it don't get much better than that.  Livers are tough from 1-1/2 year and older bucks, but the BB's will almost melt in your mouth, and the flavor is better than black angus or Herford calf liver (I have had a bit of each over the last month).   Please don't say she let the coyotes have it.   

[Lawdwaz]

One of the BIGGEST advantages to processing your own venison is (as you noted) the mere fact that no other venison will be mixed with yours.  That is HUGE IMO......

I've seen many deer that haven't been gutted properly, guts NOT washed out and deer that have been left with the hide on in warm temps WAY too long.

Congratulations on doing the first of many deer!

One thing.....what grinder are you using?  I got a big Cabela's 3/4hp grinder after the season last year.  I am VERY impressed with it and will say it was worth every penny. 

[cdmckane]

Well I can positively say that SHE did not let the yotes have the liver.  I did as she only participates until it's on the ground then once it comes out of the freezer..  I don't eat organ meat and that's fine with the wife. 

Edited December 6, 2016 by cdmckane
added info

[cdmckane]

6 minutes ago, Lawdwaz said:

One of the BIGGEST advantages to processing your own venison is (as you noted) the mere fact that no other venison will be mixed with yours.  That is HUGE IMO......

I've seen many deer that haven't been gutted properly, guts NOT washed out and deer that have been left with the hide on in warm temps WAY too long.

Congratulations on doing the first of many deer!

One thing.....what grinder are you using?  I got a big Cabela's 3/4hp grinder after the season last year.  I am VERY impressed with it and will say it was worth every penny. 

Right now we have the Kitchen Aid grinder attachment.  I'm going to upgrade to a LEM unit probably next summer, or maybe even before the season is over if the overtime works out, but that will mean less time for hunting.

[wolc123]

Too bad about the liver, you don't know what you are missing.  BB liver is better than BB tenderloin by a smidge.  Folks are scared of liver because they think it is a filter that screens toxins out of the blood, and they don't want to eat them toxins.  It is really a tastey "seperator" that sends the toxins out one way and returns the clean blood to the circulatory system.  Liver is also a great source of iron.       

[growalot]

Congrats..and in warmer weather just skin  and quarter it up ...make sure you have some bottles of frozen water in the freezer...I use juice,quart milk bottles and even water bottles ..buy your self a big cooler..or two smaller. That way it doesn't sit in melted ice and you can do a leg or shoulder a night. Just rotate frozen bottles out as they melt..wash/ bleach out side and stick in the freezer again.