good butcher for game animals
- Thread starter kuntao
- Start date
Dunno where you get that it takes all this space from. You can strip a pretty big deer down to about two large steel salad bowls full of boneless meat, and rearrange the contents of the fridge to make room for it. After that, it's a matter of working through the various bits and chunks. Leave the bones in the bush for the critters. Moose, maybe not so much, but...
Gonna say that not being able to do it yourself is a mindset, not space issue.
That said, I have hauled my share of deer off to a butcher, just because I didn't want to do it myself. If you find one that you can live with, it's OK. I have had pretty poor results, since I moved away from the Edmonton area. YMMV. Once I started cutting my own, and packing only meat in the freezer, having to guess at how much food is in each frozen package from the butcher is a minor PITA.
Cheers
Trev
Trevj
Well lets just say Vic is top shelf. Last time he packed all the ground deer in 1 lb bags. Sausages 4 to a bag or what ever you want. He is the guy I go to to get all my sausage supplies and mentoring. You will not "meat" a nicer guy.
having said that, last year I started de-boneing my deer. I was amazed how easy it actually is. Mind you I have a garage to hang it up in. In fact my mom bought me a top of the line vacuum packer for my 50 th birthday. This year everything will be pepperettes or sausages. Tried the roasts, my family isn't that crazy about it so a bit got wasted. Nothing goes to waste when I make my sausages or pepperettes. In fact I have to hide the pepperettes so they don't disappear.
I still my deer to Vics if it is too hot to hang in my shed.
EDIT
I learned from this video http://www.scout.com/outdoors/hunti...e&hootPostID=727424549dc2fa13d3f309e195e1d544
Well lets just say Vic is top shelf. Last time he packed all the ground deer in 1 lb bags. Sausages 4 to a bag or what ever you want. He is the guy I go to to get all my sausage supplies and mentoring. You will not "meat" a nicer guy.
having said that, last year I started de-boneing my deer. I was amazed how easy it actually is. Mind you I have a garage to hang it up in. In fact my mom bought me a top of the line vacuum packer for my 50 th birthday. This year everything will be pepperettes or sausages. Tried the roasts, my family isn't that crazy about it so a bit got wasted. Nothing goes to waste when I make my sausages or pepperettes. In fact I have to hide the pepperettes so they don't disappear.
I still my deer to Vics if it is too hot to hang in my shed.
EDIT
I learned from this video http://www.scout.com/outdoors/hunti...e&hootPostID=727424549dc2fa13d3f309e195e1d544
Glock4ever
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Edmonton, AB
I am with Trevj on this one. I always gut, skin and quarter the animal 1-2 hrs after death. I have a couple of iceboxes that I throw the parts into and debone at home. Deer isn't that big and I generally end up with 2 backstraps, 2 tenderloins and 4 quarters which I de-bone in the kitchen. It is actually pretty fast and doesn't require much space but a great deal of patience from the wifey. I took my deer to a butcher once and I definitely didn't get my deer back - the sausage I got back was rancid and the butcher admitted that he didn't have time to keep track/separate my meat from another hunters so he just went by weight. NEVER AGAIN! Paying for somebody else's shabby field dressed meat is on my short list of things never to repeat...
It's stories like this (and there are many) which convinced me to DIY all my butchering. I don't have much space (kitchen table) and I had no knowledge at all. I just you-tubed it. After a couple of deer, I didn't need the you-tube anymore, and after several more I am getting better and faster.
If the OP really just wants a butcher to deal with it, then I would recommend at least asking a few (diplomatic) questions.
Seems a common enough thing out East, never heard of it anywhere I had actually taken a deer to. Personally, I try to take the best care I can of the carcass and meat, and put the best food I can into my freezer, and I personally would not consider having meat done by someone that does not deal with MY meat separate from anyone else's.
There are some great videos on Youtube. Check out the Scott Rea Project vids. Old school Butchery using a knife, cleaver, and a hand saw. Very clearly demonstrating that one does not need a huge space or a lot of tools to do a great job themselves.
The vid posted in Yomommas link is pretty decent and straightforward, and there are several along those lines out there. Stripping a carcass bare is pretty easy if you let it be.
. Of late, I have been packaging up larger chunks to save time, and I can break them down into a couple days meals or make burger from them, or anything in between, when I feel the need. My processing usually covers a couple evenings, and I do the bigger cuts first, then steaks, stew, and burger last. Been chunking up the backstrap and find that it is really easy to cut it into steaks once it is thawed, or...A good butcher that does a great job is a pretty good find. If you can find one!
Cheers
Trev
Try to do it yourself.You are not going to be the best at it the first time but practice makes perfect.I have been a meat cutter for 23 years and have no problem giving people pointers.I used to cut game for people but got sick of the bad apples that would bring me game that was rotten,complain about price,or try to get me to do animals that were clearly poached.
If you want to get sausage made,bring the meat back at the end of the season.Alot of places are to busy during hunting season to do separate batches so they will combine a bunch of peoples meat and then divide it up.
If you want to get sausage made,bring the meat back at the end of the season.Alot of places are to busy during hunting season to do separate batches so they will combine a bunch of peoples meat and then divide it up.
My butcher retired last year he did one for me because I always drop in to visit. the other deer we brought to another butcher near the Hamilton airport, I was told his sausages were great. They were very greasy and not to mine or my hunting buddies father liking either.
We will try Viks meat this year if we get one.
I plan to butcher one myself this year If the temp is cool enough. My hunting buddy doesn't want to but if I get a deer I,, be doing it myself
We will try Viks meat this year if we get one.
I plan to butcher one myself this year If the temp is cool enough. My hunting buddy doesn't want to but if I get a deer I,, be doing it myself
Glock4ever
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Edmonton, AB
I only use a sharp folder with a relatively long blade (4.25") and I can take a deer from the hoof to 4 quarters and 4 juicy bits in about 30 mins. When I get home, I will work each quarter in the kitchen one at a time keeping everything refrigerated except the quarter I am working in the kitchen. Removing the sheath and de-boning is actually very quick and I can do two deer done in one night. It is hard on the lower back but it makes me feel better to feed my family meat that I know is fresh from the field. I have tried a lot of tips/tricks and the best way I found to get game to taste amazing is to get it into a cooler on ice ASAP. I have tried all sorts of things but the end results were either plain nasty or borderline rancid. Some folks recommend aging - I tried both skinned/skinless methods and I won't EVER do this again nor would I recommend it to anybody unless they have the proper meat refrigerator IMO this just rots the meat. If you don't mind the wait a butcher can be a great asset but you really need a good one that isn't willing to mix the meat. Since that incident with the sausage I don't like letting the meat out of my sight. The effort and cost of hunting isn't worth the effort of not finishing the job all the way IMO. Regardless, I hope you find whatever works for you.
BigUglyMan
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- New Scotland
Yup...another vote for doing it yourself. It's the only way to ensure you end up with a quality end product. They only thing I farm out is sausage because I haven't had time to learn how to do it myself. I've processed animals from deer to bison myself and never regretted the decision. I have, on three occasions, taken animals to a butcher and each time I've regretted it. Take he time and learn to do it yourself. I wouldn't hesitate to process a deer in an apartment, knowing what I know now.
