butchering my first one

[Old Cane]

Well, everyone I usually have do my deer for me (I split it with them) was either out of town this week or too busy to do one. It's warm here, close to 70. Got a doe yesterday, small one and thougt if I'm ever going to try it this would be the one.

Got her cut up, bagged and brought home. I feel like I was having to filet her. Is there a trick to getting the silver stuff off? I thought it would pull off easy but no luck. The meat was still sort of warm. Only did a little then put the rest in the fridge. Also, the slick, snotty membrane just about would not pull off. I got tired doing about 10 pounds. Does it really need to come off too? Like I said this is my first time. I've never really watched. Does this slimy film freeze and cook away?

I've done such a bad job I think I'm going to grind the whole thing. Any tips? I've heard refridgerating in a pan (no cover) for a day will let it pull off easy. Any other ideas?

[New Hampshire]

OK, here is how my buddy and I do it.  First "secret" tool you already alluded too.....a nice sharp fillet knife.  The silver skin HAS to come off unless you like chewy, funny tasting membranes   .  Your gonna loose a bit of meat no matter what, but the miniscule loss is worth it.  And the white sinewy stuff?  We try to get the majorit of it off, but we will not gett to the point of trying to remove it lest we be there all night.  Just get the big chunks off and you should do good.  The meat is better when cooled.  It tends to be stiffer allowing you to get cutting easier.  What we do is take off quarters, tender loins, backstrap and kneck (if its big enough and worth out while.)  The rest we toss.  All the useable meat goes into a cooler (or coolers) to rest for 24 hours either in the freezer (lid closed......we want to cool not freeze.)  This usually cools it up perfect for handling.  Try not to freeze the meat until you get the silver skin, bones and majority of sinew off.  
Hope this helps.
Brian M.

[longwinters]

N.H gave good advice.  Get yourself a 6" filet knife (with sharpener).  When I get done with a deer the meat is perfect.  No silver skin, tallow or bone.  Every piece of meat is perfect.  You will get 3 roasts out of each hind quarter, you can see how the roasts separate just by feeling with your finger how they attach to the leg bone.  Then you have the filets both inside and outside of the spine.  Finally the front legs are good for sausage etc... and the neck fileted off of the neck bone.  Be sure to cut the wind pipe out etc...  Once you get the hang of it you can do a deer from taking the hide off to in the freezer in about 3 hours or a little less.  Oh, be sure to get any hair off of the meat.  It is a real turn off for people to be eating your venison and end up with a hair stuck between their teeth. :lol:

Long

[goose7856]

Also, make sure there is no "fascia" or the "white shiny stuff" on the meat....doesnt taste good, and if you process your own, itll mess that up 2......