Need some info on butchering
10-17-2006, 03:28 PM
#1
Fork Horn
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location:
Posts: 460
Need some info on butchering
I am thinking about butchering my own deer in saving some money...but I was wondering if any of you guys have a chart or resource for making certain cuts of meat....I know generally where the parts are but a chart of like where the loin and inner loin and stuff of that sort...also what kind of grinder do you guys use?? cheap walmart ones work??
10-17-2006, 03:37 PM
#3
Spike
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location:
Posts: 94
RE: Need some info on butchering
There are various whitetail butchering charts available. I found this one at http://www.alfredny.biz/sportsmen/Whitetail-yield-chart.htmby searching on "whitetail butchering chart"... there were many more listed that you may like better.
I think it's mostly a trial and error sort of situation, but a chart is probably a good place to start for reference. Better yet, helping someone else who is experienced in it is even better.
As far as a grinder.. like statjunk said, get a good one otherwise you'll simply end up buying multiple ones and paying more than you should. The small motored cheaper units are made for very small time grinding and if pushed will burn out quickly.
Hope that helps!
I think it's mostly a trial and error sort of situation, but a chart is probably a good place to start for reference. Better yet, helping someone else who is experienced in it is even better.
As far as a grinder.. like statjunk said, get a good one otherwise you'll simply end up buying multiple ones and paying more than you should. The small motored cheaper units are made for very small time grinding and if pushed will burn out quickly.
Hope that helps!
10-17-2006, 03:38 PM
#4
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Cenral Illinois
Posts: 3,180
RE: Need some info on butchering
I do my own butchering, have ever since I started hunting, mostly because my dad/grandpa do all their own, so I just took after them. I use the grinder attachment for my Kitchen Aid mixer and it works very well. As far as a chart for the cuts of meat, I can't help you their. I learned from experience mostly. I would say your best bet would be to skin your deer, and kind of take a look at the parts. I know this sounds kinda stupid, but just kind of observe the carcass to see where the meat lies. You can always look at a diagram of a cow as far as cuts go, they are somewhat similar.
10-17-2006, 04:10 PM
#5
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: concrete jungle
Posts: 146
10-17-2006, 06:41 PM
#6
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: White Plains, MD
Posts: 77
RE: Need some info on butchering
Skinning and quartering a deer isn't a problem, it's the rendering the quarters into cuts of meat you can cook and still have it taste good.I bought a grinder from Cabela's and used this video as a guide ( http://wildharvestvideos.com/videos/index.html), I had no problems and used a vacumn sealer for cuts I wasn't going to eat in the next few weeks......no freezer burn useing that and they lasttill next season or longer. Having said that after the first couple of big bucks I decided it wasn't worth the effort and decided to just pay the butcher $60 or so to do everything on big one.....I'll still do yearlings or doe's but if it's a big buck it goes to the butcher.
10-18-2006, 07:25 PM
#8
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location:
Posts: 269
RE: Need some info on butchering
I wish this was posted monday becuase tuesday i just cut up a doe and i could have takin pictures.
The next deer i do ill try and do pics.
But for now.
Skin your deer and take out the back straps. (if your not sure where they are its the meat that goes along the back RIGHT next to the spine on both sides)
Then take off the shoulders just kinda flap them like a bird would do and you will kinda see where to cut.
Basicly just cut all the skin and what not thats inbetween the shoulder and carcase.
Then once your shoulders are off cut your carcase off from the hind quarters, Right where the spine meets the butt.
Then split the hind quarters in to two, and take one down.
Next clean it up by taking all the fat and other stuff off of it.
Next you will notice a peice of meat that kinda has a seam going around it and if you look at it it kinda looks like a FOOTBALL.
That there is a roast. run your finger around that seam and kinda loosen it up so you can see what you are doing. Then where the seam kind comes up CUT straight down to the bone.
Then just kinda cut that football peice of meat off the bone you hit.
THEN on the other side of that bone you have a BIG HUNK OF MEAT.
thats very easy to get out, just cut staright down like how you did the football one untill you hit he bone.
take that off and you should have this BIG SQUARE peice of meat that kinda wants to fall apart down the middle,
Do just that kinda pull it apart and cut it in half to make 2 SQUARE peices of meat, then on one you will have kinda like a tube lookin peice cut that off and you can use that as a roast or burger what ever you want.
But when you get that off you should have
1 footbal lookin peice
2 square peices and
1 tube lookin peice.
Those are all roast or can be cut in to steaks or jerky or what ever you want.
The rest of the meat on the bone gos for burger,
Repeat all that on the other quarter.
As for shoulders, there aint much on them as for roast so we just put all that for burger.
I hope this helps and if you have any questions let me know and i will try to help.
Mike.
The next deer i do ill try and do pics.
But for now.
Skin your deer and take out the back straps. (if your not sure where they are its the meat that goes along the back RIGHT next to the spine on both sides)
Then take off the shoulders just kinda flap them like a bird would do and you will kinda see where to cut.
Basicly just cut all the skin and what not thats inbetween the shoulder and carcase.
Then once your shoulders are off cut your carcase off from the hind quarters, Right where the spine meets the butt.
Then split the hind quarters in to two, and take one down.
Next clean it up by taking all the fat and other stuff off of it.
Next you will notice a peice of meat that kinda has a seam going around it and if you look at it it kinda looks like a FOOTBALL.
That there is a roast. run your finger around that seam and kinda loosen it up so you can see what you are doing. Then where the seam kind comes up CUT straight down to the bone.
Then just kinda cut that football peice of meat off the bone you hit.
THEN on the other side of that bone you have a BIG HUNK OF MEAT.
thats very easy to get out, just cut staright down like how you did the football one untill you hit he bone.
take that off and you should have this BIG SQUARE peice of meat that kinda wants to fall apart down the middle,
Do just that kinda pull it apart and cut it in half to make 2 SQUARE peices of meat, then on one you will have kinda like a tube lookin peice cut that off and you can use that as a roast or burger what ever you want.
But when you get that off you should have
1 footbal lookin peice
2 square peices and
1 tube lookin peice.
Those are all roast or can be cut in to steaks or jerky or what ever you want.
The rest of the meat on the bone gos for burger,
Repeat all that on the other quarter.
As for shoulders, there aint much on them as for roast so we just put all that for burger.
I hope this helps and if you have any questions let me know and i will try to help.
Mike.
10-18-2006, 07:32 PM
#9
Typical Buck
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Illinois
Posts: 978
RE: Need some info on butchering
10-18-2006, 08:17 PM
#10
Typical Buck
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 525
RE: Need some info on butchering
ORIGINAL: YooperMike
I do my own butchering, have ever since I started hunting, mostly because my dad/grandpa do all their own, so I just took after them. I use the grinder attachment for my Kitchen Aid mixer and it works very well. As far as a chart for the cuts of meat, I can't help you their. I learned from experience mostly. I would say your best bet would be to skin your deer, and kind of take a look at the parts. I know this sounds kinda stupid, but just kind of observe the carcass to see where the meat lies. You can always look at a diagram of a cow as far as cuts go, they are somewhat similar.
I do my own butchering, have ever since I started hunting, mostly because my dad/grandpa do all their own, so I just took after them. I use the grinder attachment for my Kitchen Aid mixer and it works very well. As far as a chart for the cuts of meat, I can't help you their. I learned from experience mostly. I would say your best bet would be to skin your deer, and kind of take a look at the parts. I know this sounds kinda stupid, but just kind of observe the carcass to see where the meat lies. You can always look at a diagram of a cow as far as cuts go, they are somewhat similar.