Author Topic: Deer Processing at home  (Read 657 times)

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Offline Drew25

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Deer Processing at home
« on: February 01, 2004, 05:10:36 AM »
Hi all...just wondering: when you grind your deer, are you really meticulous about removing all silverskin, etc., before it goes into the grinder?  What do the commercial processors do?  I know it doesn't take them NEARLY as long as it takes me and the wife to do a deer (several hours, mostly just for meat preparation).  Maybe we're overdoing it a bit, is my guess...?

what do y'all do?

Offline jhm

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Deer Processing at home
« Reply #1 on: February 01, 2004, 05:27:09 AM »
Drew :  In answer to your question YES I do remove it and as far as the commercial guys go they arnt the ones who will be eating it so that should explain the reason I do it, and as far as their speed goes if you did as many animals as they do and had the equipment to work with they have you would be faster. :D    JIM

Offline whitecloud

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Deer Processing at home
« Reply #2 on: February 01, 2004, 07:48:58 AM »
It takes my son and I two hrs or less from pole to freezer.We do remove All bloody areas,silver skin,and bone.Ribs are quarter sectioned  for the gill.My wife does the wrapping(usually).We save all grinding to do at a later date to save time on clean up.(still using hnd grinder.grindngs are made into jerky 90% of time.GOTTA LOVE THAT JERKY GUN!!!!! :wink:

Offline newfalguy101

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Deer Processing at home
« Reply #3 on: February 01, 2004, 09:51:42 AM »
I am not as picky with the meat that I grind as with the steaks, I guess I figger if'n itsa goin to be ground up anyway...........


The commercial guys dont have time to be as picky as the "average Joe" because they have bunches of animals to process, and, in reality, the silver-skin wont hurt you, its just tough.

When I process my critter, I quarter it and put it in the fridge, then I spend the next 2 to 4 evenings doing all the boning and cutting steaks, then the last thing I do is all my grinding ( I use a hand grinder, cuz I am too cheap to buy an electric :grin: ).

Look at it this way, YOU are not overdoing it, you are doing it the way you feel it should be done, as long as you are happy with the final product.
Trust in the LORD with all your heart,mind, and soul...........but......Front site, press, repeat as needed

Offline longwinters

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Deer Processing at home
« Reply #4 on: February 01, 2004, 10:42:52 AM »
I always do my own.  I want each piece of meat as close to perfect as possible.  Like the others have said, no grizzle, silver skin, bloodshot sections etc.... I either grind my own (with a hand grinder . . . boy we're a cheap bunch )  or I wait until most everybody else is done getting their venison processed and then take mine in for grinding.   I have had "professionally processed" venison before and have not  been impressed.  I want to be proud in what I serve my family or others.


Long
Life is short......eternity is long.

Offline Drew25

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Deer Processing at home
« Reply #5 on: February 01, 2004, 10:54:34 AM »
Thanks a lot...one more question, tho...

What sort of "fat" mix do you use?  10% beef?  15% ?  None?  Pork fat??

I'm just a curious kid, today.

Offline Snowshoe

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Deer Processing at home
« Reply #6 on: February 01, 2004, 01:09:11 PM »
I too am very picky with my venison, trimming it right up. I have a #10 grinder that I cut the handle off and ground the end to fit inside the pulley from a dryer. A 1/4 hp electric motor is all that is needed to drive the grinder, but watch your fingers. Next year we want to get the next size bigger to speed things up. We double grind it all, mixing in 1/3 pork that is not too fat. I plan on getting a side of beef next fall, so that is what will be used to mix with the venison. It gives me a lot of satisfaction to have my own ground meat and sausage all winter long.
Snowshoe

Offline IATRKYHNTR

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Deer Processing at home
« Reply #7 on: February 01, 2004, 02:13:55 PM »
I work in a small locker in S/E Iowa. I did a lot of the deer cutting this year. The "silver skin" isn't anything to worry about much, there is no way you can remove all of it form the meat, and if you cut round steaks it is imposable to cut it out of them. The things that give the meat a gamey taste are these; Age of the animal, carelessness while it is field dressed, letting it hang to long or in to high of a temperature, and freezer burn. When we work up a deer we try to remove all fat, blood clots, damaged meat, bone, and shrapnel from the bullet.(bone, lead, and broad head blades can and will ruin a grinder blade) We also try to make the cuts of meat as eye appealing as possible. when we grind the deer meat we mix it with either beef trim, pork trim (trim is fat and meat), or suit.(100% beef fat) The amount mixed in is up to the individual customer, some want 2:1 mix, (2 part deer to 1 part add in) some want 1:1, some want 1:2, and some don't want any thing added. We hand mix the chunks of meat in the grinder tub and grind once, then we put that grind back in and  hand mix it to give it eye appeal and a better blend. Our small grinder can hold 100-150 lbs in the hopper, our big grinder/mixer can hold 250-300 lbs. Once it has been ground twice we package it per the customers request. that is how we handle all deer that we butcher. The meat that any one brings in that they have boned out we do not do anything to but grind. (we do look for any bone, bullets or anything that NEEDS to be cut out)

We at our locker take great pride in everything that goes out or doors, and won't let anything in or out that will tarnish our name. I know that there are some so called professionals out there that just don't do a good job, and it is those people that give the rest of us a bad name.

OK, I’m done babbling now. If any on has any questions about cutting up there own deer I will be more then happy to tell you what I can.

IATRKYHNTR
(Nathan)
The west wasn't won with a registered gun!!

Offline Drew25

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Deer Processing at home
« Reply #8 on: February 01, 2004, 05:56:42 PM »
Thanks to all for the info...I appreciate your time.

Drew

Laissez les bon temps rouler!