Meat processors - experiences ?

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  • willtill

    The Dude Abides
    MDS Supporter
    May 15, 2007
    24,319
    I used to go to Austins Meat processing, but as was remarked earlier in this thread; you ain't getting YOUR venison back if you have it further processed into sausage/bologna/etc. You're getting other mishandled flesh from others in the field whom didn't take proper care of their kill.

    I like to hang my own in the backyard between two tree's on a hoist gambrel system I have. Skinning it is a lot easier while the carcass is warm, and it helps cool it faster. Then I debone it.

    One of my past deer hanging out back:

    o8bhol.jpg
     

    Derwood

    Ultimate Member
    Jun 2, 2011
    1,075
    DC area
    I'm all about doing it myself for the same reasons mentioned above, but I won't do it if the outside temperature is over 60 degrees or so. So for any deer I take early season, I take it to KS Cuts in northern Montgomery County. They do really good work. I got some jerky and pastrami made from a deer last year and it was so good.
     

    CrabbyMcNab

    Ultimate Member
    Feb 1, 2009
    2,474
    I’m addition to what others have said, if you are new to hunting, I recommend doing the first one yourself. You can learn a lot about the deers anatomy (muscle and bone structure) by processing. I’m in MoCo, you are welcome to bring one by here to process it. Don’t have a grinder though.
     

    onedash

    Ultimate Member
    Feb 24, 2016
    1,026
    Calvert County
    Out of the 16 deer I have shot in the last three seasons only one day was it actually cold. Usually I am drenched in sweat by the time I am done gutting it so I throw it in the truck, register it real quick on compass and straight to the butchers 24 hour cooler. I usually have it hanging in the cooler within 75-90 minutes from the time the arrow hits it. I did try butchering one once and wasted quite a bit of meat. The youtube guys that turn the deer into a skeleton in 15 minutes obviously have lots of experience.
     

    lazarus

    Ultimate Member
    Jun 23, 2015
    13,678
    I hate butterflied back strap. Butchers do that because they are lazy. Throw the back strap on the cutting board silverskin down and fillet it off like a fish skin. The silver skin tendon joining the butterfly is horribly chewy.

    Most butchers that butterfly it also do it thin and then you can only sear it or it will get tough quick. Deer is always better medium at most cooked unless is a wet cooked environment.

    To the OP, If you want to get someone to butcher your deer have a plan first on how you will use it. You can have them separate the hams into muscle groups for 6 roasts, cut out back straps and grind the rest. Or separate out shoulder roasts also. Ground deer can be mixed with 20% pork fat or 50-50 with 73% ground beef to make deer burgers that will not burn easily. If you don't many butchers will freeze and slice the hind legs as large steaks with the bone in and this is a poor choice of processed deer IMO. Deer is not a very good substitute for beef steak on the grill. Having the plan on how the butcher is to do it will make things much easier for you.

    I typically do 50/50 to make burgers (but I use 80% ground beef). I also make straight venison burgers. (For a pound) Just mixing in maybe a quarter cup of bread crumbs, about a tablespoon of milk and an egg white. Keeps it nice and juicy. Make sure to cook it medium well if possible.
     

    Archeryrob

    Undecided on a great many things
    Mar 7, 2013
    3,064
    Washington Co. - Fairplay
    Some people, Like my M-i-L cook straight deer burger, but use olive oil for the lubrication instead of fat in the meat. I married her daughter and got may ass handed to me for saying one time. "Why don't you cook like your mother?"

    I know, right! Its supposed to be me want her her to cook like my mother, not hers. But apparently it is still a Dick move. :lol2: Now I just remind her and my M-i-L about it and play them against each other when I can. :D
     

    BigDaddy

    Ultimate Member
    Feb 7, 2014
    2,235
    I don't have a good nose but I think raw meat has an unpleasant smell, as in real unpleasant. I'm a retired anesthesiologist so I have smelled a whole lot worse in my day, but I'd rather not do it. I have butchered a a couple of my own deer and one hog. A hog has a disgusting amount of fat, everywhere.

    I can believe that if you get sausage or bologna, it's not yours. I take mine the Hitchcock.

    After I retired, I had dinner with a colleague and we started telling war stories. He said he hated the smell of blood. Smell? I never smelled it or new it smelled. But raw meat smells.
     

    MeatGrinder

    Ultimate Member
    Jul 27, 2013
    2,379
    MoCo, Eastern edge
    Back when I first started I would take my deer to a processor, but once I learned to do it myself, never again unless I want something specialty.

    I typed up some instructions here on how I cut and process a few years ago.
     

    Melnic

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Dec 27, 2012
    15,282
    HoCo
    I use Clints
    Like Lazarus, it’s free time
    All but tenderloin is ground and we get Venison tacos for months
    No complaints


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     

    bigmanindc

    Active Member
    Nov 3, 2018
    463
    DMV
    So, I have decided I think this will be the year I'm going to take a crack at bagging my first deer. After many years of shooting, I did some digging around and found that there is 625 acres (Belt Woods NEA) available near me for shotgun hunting when it's in season. In the event I actually take one (going for a January hunt) have any of you used either Clint's Cut's in Mt. Airy or Ray Hitchcock in Severn ? They appear to be the closest to me. I'm looking quality wise - not necessarily the cheapest.

    Thanks for any opinions or advice in advance !

    Just wondering if anyone has ever hunted there and what they thought about it? On a side note BassPro just had a deer processing seminar this past Sat, was very informative but also very intimidating for a newbie like myself.
     

    ted76

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Jan 20, 2013
    3,151
    Frederick
    I have not used Clint's Cuts personally, but some of my friends highly recommend them. I will probably take my next deer there, since I don't have the room to butcher one where I live now.
     

    HogCommander

    Active Member
    Aug 10, 2013
    411
    Texas Hill Country
    Just a note of encouragement for anyone thinking of processing their own. I had my first few deer processed but then decided to do it myself and couldn't be happier. My first attempt resulted in smaller steaks/roasts and more stew meat but it gets much easier with a little practice.

    I leave tenderloins whole and cut backstraps into thirds or fourths for steaks. Hind quarter muscles get separated into roasts for the smoker (all knife work to this point). Everything else gets ground for chili, burgers, etc.

    Started off using plastic wrap and freezer paper but quickly decided to invest in a vacuum sealer and a meat grinder. This season I've added a sausage press and look forward to trying it. It's a bit time consuming but wouldn't have it any other way!
     

    Archeryrob

    Undecided on a great many things
    Mar 7, 2013
    3,064
    Washington Co. - Fairplay
    What size sausage press did you get? I use a 5# and it's still difficult to stuff snack sticks, but works. I have been told 10# and 15# units don't develop the correct pressure for the small casings and really stresses the gears, but have not tried it myself personally. I know a 19mm casing on a 1/2" tube is hard to crank enough on a 5 pounder.
     

    Antarctica

    YEEEEEHAWWW!!!!
    MDS Supporter
    Sep 29, 2012
    1,728
    Southern Anne Arundel
    Just wondering if anyone has ever hunted there and what they thought about it? On a side note BassPro just had a deer processing seminar this past Sat, was very informative but also very intimidating for a newbie like myself.

    Seeing it done 'right' shouldn't be an intimidator, even though I'm sure there was a lot to learn and it was a worthwhile experience. There are lots of ways to 'skin the cat', and I'm sure I do a lot wrong. Even doing parts of it 'wrong' or not the right way, I think you'll still do a lot better, and walk away with more and better meat than taking it to a butcher.

    And I'm not trying to be a downer on butchers by any means. Its like hiring a mechanic to fix you car vs doing it yourself - But end up with a repaired car, but when I do it myself, the whole approach is different - I clean parts, paint rusty stuff, buy new hardware if it needs it, etc. A mechanic won't, and can't afford to do those things and remain competitive. He's gotta bust it out and move on to the next one, because no customer is going to want to pay for all those 'details' of doing it right/as best as it can be done. Same goes for hacking up deer.

    Like cars, take you time and do it right, and you can end up with a better product, even with less knowledge/experience.
     

    Striper69

    Ultimate Member
    Jan 31, 2014
    1,400
    Iowa
    A guy who was trying to butcher his own deer today lamented that there isn't a deer processor around our area. I also found that to be the case when I first came back to retire here. If someone wanted to pick up some extra money he would advertise at the camp there. I may try it after I get better at processing deer.

    I did take mine to a guy in the next town but I wasn't really impressed with the results.
     
    Last edited:

    Striper69

    Ultimate Member
    Jan 31, 2014
    1,400
    Iowa
    What is everyone's opinion about aging the deer meat for a few days?

    I thought it was for the meat to be more tender? I saw that one poster said it affects the flavor.
     

    inkd

    Ultimate Member
    Aug 4, 2009
    7,512
    Ridge
    What is everyone's opinion about aging the deer meat for a few days?

    I thought it was for the meat to be more tender? I saw that one poster said it affects the flavor.

    I always hung mine for 4 or 5 days before taking it to be butchered. I believe it does make a difference in tenderness.
     

    Archeryrob

    Undecided on a great many things
    Mar 7, 2013
    3,064
    Washington Co. - Fairplay
    We have a cooler, so we tend to hang deer a day or two just to cool them, maybe three. Put them butchered and into buckets and into the fridge with wet paper towels over them. They can sit in the fridge a day or two until its convenient for me to grind or seal the roasts. Our "aging" is mainly for the convenience of butchering when we would like too and not have too.

    Personally I think you would have to hang it 10 days or more to really tenderize it. I think it make a huge difference to wait 36 hours and make sure rigor mortis was finished. Many times I break it down the next day and let it sit in buckets in the fridge for a day or two and can't tell it's any more tender than if I gave it a week and I have tried both.
     

    Derwood

    Ultimate Member
    Jun 2, 2011
    1,075
    DC area
    I either butcher immediately due to the heat or let it hang a few days if it's cold out. It's much easier to do if it has aged a few days in the cold. I've not an opportunity to do a side-by-side tenderness comparison of hanging vs. not with deer, but I have with geese. The goose I hung for three days was significantly more tender than the one I did not. I got the idea from the LL Bean Cookbook which has a lot of good tips on this subject.
     

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