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Processing your own deer

hickslawns

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
39,771
248
Ohio
I will be doing one in the morning. The last one I turned every bit of it into burger. I am giving most of this one to my foreman but I am going to try my hand at canning some of this deer to see how the family likes it. If they like it I will probably start doing more of this.
 

MK111

"Happy Hunting Grounds in the Sky"
Supporting Member
6,551
66
SW Ohio
I watched those videos and I will bet you 1 to 100 he has done a deer before and that was not his 1st.
Now I know what my problem is. I don't have one of those meat hooks. it wouldn't help any.
Frank
 

Huckleberry Finn

Senior Member
15,973
135
I watched those videos and I will bet you 1 to 100 he has done a deer before and that was not his 1st.
Now I know what my problem is. I don't have one of those meat hooks. it wouldn't help any.
Frank

He's got a friggin sharp knife too!
 

brock ratcliff

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
24,848
247
I've done a few hundred of 'em. I don't like to do it anymore. One reason I don't get too trigger happy. I have asked around here to see who does a good job, and the only answer I have received is no one. I don't want to get back meat with hair, dirt, bloodshot, fat in it so I guess I'm left to keep doing our's. I'd gladly pay someone local if I knew it would be done right.

Ric, that recipe looks good! I may have to try that.
 

Gordo

Senior Member
5,515
121
Athens County
I always process my own.

Believe it or not, I just finished deboning the buck I killed on October 11th about an hour ago.

For me, it's all about curing the meat properly and giving it time. Obviously I always take the backstraps, inner loins, neck roast, and all other meat not attached to any quarter and pop it in an extra fridge.

The quarters then go in to the fridge for a minimum of 7 days before deboning. I have let the quarters hang in the fridge for up to a month with no I'll effects. Sounds crazy, but the quality of the meat improves along with the actual cuts you choose to make. It is so much easier to slice and debone once the meet has cured, I urge everyone to give it a shot.

The buck I finished deboning today cured in the fridge for about 2 weeks. After that two weeks, I wrapped each quarter in plastic bags and placed them each in my deep freeze. I knew I was going to have time at the end of this week, so a couple days ago I removed the quarters from the deep freeze to let them begin to thaw.

This meet won't see the freezer again as I'm going to jerky all of it and spread it around to land owners and friends.

I used to rush through the process and never got the quality of cuts that I do now! I'll be building myself a small walk in fridge at our new house so I'll be able to hang the entire deer.
 

Jackalope

Dignitary Member
Staff member
38,859
260
For you guys that take them to a processor the next time you go in tell him what steaks and roasts and all that you want. But for the burger meat tell him to cut it up but don't grind it. I bet you'll be shocked at the pile of meat you see with all the fat, sinew, and junk that would have been ground in your burger. Take that home trim it and grind it yourself. Or trim it and use it for stew meat and kebabs.
 

Gordo

Senior Member
5,515
121
Athens County
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1352490715.374710.jpg

Todays take from just the hind quarters. All cubed up ready to be grinded for 'jerky snacks'.