Game butchering. UPDATE Only 1 Tenderloin

Yup, skinned/dressed hook weight is pretty standard at the butchers I've gone too. That's for cutting to steaks/roasts/burger. Sausage is I think around 2.00 a lb based on 30lbs minimum per batch.

Cleaning up the carcass and getting rid of any shot meat/damaged areas before taking it to butcher is also a money saver. Otherwise yer paying the butcher to do it for you.
My butcher doesn't like larger animals (elk, moose ect) brought in whole and charges a 60.00 1/4ing charge. He also hates hair so charges 60 to skin a deer, 100 to skin a moose.
I learned fast to bring em in clean and quartered LOL
 
We cut and wrap our own. Prime steaks and roasts only. No bones, they go back to the coyotes, it'll be a tough winter for them.
Trim is bagged up and frozen until January or February, then it is taken in to the butcher and ground for sausage or just burger. I dont like the mess and fuss that grinding your own makes.

I dont like to use a butcher during or shortly after the season. You have no way of knowing that the game you get back is the one you turned in. I learned this when i found a pine needle in one of the wrapped cuts. There wasn't a pine tree within miles of where i killed that deer. Pool your trim with your partners and take it in in the late winter or early spring or just whenever you have time.
I dont expect the butcher to clean up the carcass either, I do a much better job of that and hairs will not be found in any wrapped stuff of mine. I can't believe the junk people will turn in or what the butcher will accept.

Hanging is pointless, it is either too warm or too cold and definitely too dry in your garage for this to be effective. Butcher as soon as you can once the body has cooled. Two or three days is lots.
Tenderloin is removed shortly after skinning, (while the game is still warm 99% of the time) and enjoyed either that evening or the next morning, with eggs.
I love fresh deer liver as well, but I only cook up the first one.
 
I'd say 90 bucks for a small deer sounds expensive especially if no sausage is made. I myself haven't paid for butchering for a few years. Last year's deer I butchered myself after watching a few you tube videos and I'll do the same this year.

I don't mind butchering but I hate wrapping. It is an art and probably takes years to get it right so there's no freezer burn. This year we bought a Food Saver so I'm looking forward to see how this works!!
 
PSE said:
I'd say 90 bucks for a small deer sounds expensive especially if no sausage is made. I myself haven't paid for butchering for a few years. Last year's deer I butchered myself after watching a few you tube videos and I'll do the same this year.

I don't mind butchering but I hate wrapping. It is an art and probably takes years to get it right so there's no freezer burn. This year we bought a Food Saver so I'm looking forward to see how this works!!
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Oh..... You'll like that!
 
PSE said:
I'd say 90 bucks for a small deer sounds expensive especially if no sausage is made. I myself haven't paid for butchering for a few years. Last year's deer I butchered myself after watching a few you tube videos and I'll do the same this year.

I don't mind butchering but I hate wrapping. It is an art and probably takes years to get it right so there's no freezer burn. This year we bought a Food Saver so I'm looking forward to see how this works!!
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I have the Game Saver model, works so good. You will love the Food Saver, vacuum pack air tight, no freezer burn..
 
Thanks guys.

I'm still very interested to see how many tenderloins I got, but I need to find an excuse to defrost the one very skinny tenderloin package I got.

We live in the Vancouver are in a small townhouse, so it's never going to be feasible to process game at home. And since single detached homes in the GVRD went up 30% in the last 12 months, we'll never own a home. So...

It doesn't seem like I obviously got ripped off (unless there is only one tenderloin, which would be the stupidest for of theft... The obvious kind), so I feel pretty good.

Cheers!
 
^ how ya planning on doing up that tenderloin? We slice ours (venison and also pork) about 1/4 inch thick and use a meat hammer to pound it down, then roll it in corn flake crumbs and quick fry in a cast iron pan.
 
two-dogs said:
^ how ya planning on doing up that tenderloin? We slice ours (venison and also pork) about 1/4 inch thick and use a meat hammer to pound it down, then roll it in corn flake crumbs and quick fry in a cast iron pan.
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Would you do that with filet mignon, too? :HR:

Venison tenders are a delicacy which should be enjoyed in an appropriate manner, IMO.

Prep:
- Leave the tender whole, but trim off all silver skin, fat, etc.
- Rinse with cold water
- Dry with paper towel

Season:
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Optional: garlic powder and/or thyme (but don't overdo the thyme!)

Cook:
- 2 options here, depending on season, available time, etc.

Pan:
1) Heat a good quality frying oil (peanut, grape seed, avocado, etc.) in cast iron skillet until almost smoking (heat will need to be turned down slightly part-way through frying to prevent too much smoke)
2) Fry the tenderloin on one "side" for 1-1.5 minutes
3) Roll it over and fry it for 1-1.5 minutes
4) Roll it to one of the uncooked edges, holding it with your fork if necessary, and cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute.
5) Roll it onto the final uncooked side, again holding it if necessary, and cook for a final 30 seconds to 1 minute.
6) pour 1/4 cup of dry red wine in the pan and slam a lid on the skillet, then removed from heat and let stand 10 minutes.
7) slice into 1/2" thick medallions and enjoy

Charcoal Grill:
1) Prepare and start your charcoal grill (preferably with natural lump charcoal)
2) Let the grill heat up nice and hot, then brush the grate clean
3) Grill the tenderloin on one side, lid on, for about 2-3 minutes
4) Turn the tenderloin to the opposite side and grill it, lid on, for another 2-3 minutes.
5) Remove from grill and wrap tightly in 2 layers of tinfoil and let rest 10 minutes (set on a stack of newspaper or a wood cutting board, not a cold surface)
6) slice into 1/2" thick medallions and enjoy

Note: for larger tenderloins (moose, elk, etc.) or for deer backstraps, increase frying/grilling time on each side accordingly.

These methods will typically result in a rare to blue rare centre, a band of medium rare, and a thin layer of flavourful "crust". If you prefer it less red, then add time as you see fit. It will not be nearly as delicious if it is cooked too much.
 
two-dogs said:
ironsighter said:
Would you do that with filet mignon, too? :HR:

lol! I was/am going to be asking on how to do a prime rib roast (beef) at home and get it to turn out like the awesome ones at fine restaurants. If that is possible!
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No problem:

Step 1) Forget everything anyone ever told you about how to cook prime rib. It's wrong.

Step 2) Read this entire web page http://amazingribs.com/recipes/beef/prime_rib_roast.html

Step 3) Do it. Exactly as he says.

Step 4) Wrap your head with duct-tape before eating, so your head doesn't explode from the excitement.
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I have been schooled in the last year or two on hanging venison...unnecessary.
My stepdaughter is well on her way to being a meat inspector ( works at Deerview) and my son married into the rival butcher shop...both shops are in agreement it's a waste of time. Beef is the only thing that benefits from hanging.
And don't worry, almost everyone looks at me like I've been 'painting in a closed space' when I say with the Butchers tell me of wild game.
And please don't pound the loin, it's a beautiful cut. I agree with Ironsighter's method of cooking it wholeheartedly.
 
tokguy said:
I have been schooled in the last year or two on hanging venison...unnecessary.
My stepdaughter is well on her way to being a meat inspector ( works at Deerview) and my son married into the rival butcher shop...both shops are in agreement it's a waste of time. Beef is the only thing that benefits from hanging.
And don't worry, almost everyone looks at me like I've been 'painting in a closed space' when I say with the Butchers tell me of wild game.
And please don't pound the loin, it's a beautiful cut. I agree with Ironsighter's method of cooking it wholeheartedly.
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I agree totally with you! In another thread, I was real surprised on just how many folks think they need to hang venison like one hangs beef! Sorry man, but I'm still gonna pound loin, ok-ok not all the time then, I'll try some new ways, it's just that it's tradition around here, and does taste so good with the corn flake crumbs and A1 sauce and it was the only way that my wife would eat venison other than hamburger.
 
Bartledan said:
Thanks guys.

I'm still very interested to see how many tenderloins I got, but I need to find an excuse to defrost the one very skinny tenderloin package I got.

We live in the Vancouver are in a small townhouse, so it's never going to be feasible to process game at home. And since single detached homes in the GVRD went up 30% in the last 12 months, we'll never own a home. So...

It doesn't seem like I obviously got ripped off (unless there is only one tenderloin, which would be the stupidest for of theft... The obvious kind), so I feel pretty good.

Cheers!
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I live in Vancouver too. I lived on Kitchener Street a block and a half from Commercial drive for three years. Only had a little Toyota Corona sedan so didn't get up-country much at the time but on one occasion I brought home a spike buck and with no place to hang it, just kept it in the trunk of the car for a few days before taking it into the apartment to butcher. I had skinned it in the field. I had an upright freezer but before butchering when we wanted to eat a piece we'd go down to the underground parking, pull out a haunch or whatever and cut and saw away at it on the trunk of the '71 Corona. Got a few strange looks.
 
I too have been cutting my own of late, I suggest the Scott Rea Project on youtube as a reference, old school knife and a few strokes of the saw kind of butchering, and quite well presented.

If you are pressed for time, weather is too hot to not get it into a cooler, or the like, you pretty much pay what the man asks and then go see what beef is at the grocery store for comparison purposes.

Finding a good butcher that does not charge a whole lot is a great find!

Sausage costs a bunch. It's a fair bit of work and time in the shop, as well as the profit to be made from selling you the makings that go in additional to the venison or whatever it is you provide. Yep, you can do all this yourself, but not everyone will or has the circumstances aligned.

Sometimes ya gotta just pay the man.

Cheers
Trev
 
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