skeeter 7MM

Butchering is not as hard as one may think and very rewarding. Really all you need is a couple of sharp knives and ziplocs. Remember there is always a grinder pile so even some missed meat will not be wasted, just through it in the grind pile and over time/practice it will get smaller. I have butchered all my animals for years and only on the odd moose have I not just used a knife. You see following the bone structure makes it possible to not cut with a saw. However if you want chops(with bone in) it is best to split the deer down the center of spine and take your chops from the back strap area. To debone ( I find the best flavor is bone out) take the front shoulder, you go under the shoulder blade, release the connective tissue and viola you have the shoulder. I use the top portions of the front shoulder for jerky and lower leg for grind. Other uses are roasts. Then off to the rear ham, where you follow the pelvic bone down to the hip socket then release the tendons and fat from the ribs back, around the hip joint you will have to release the connective tissues a slight twist will allow you to see what needs to be detached. The rear hock can be deboned in on large piece of meat for a hip of deer on the BBQ, jerky or follow the major muscle groups for roast and steaks...choices are unlimited. Then go to the torso portion of the deer. I should mention I like to remove the tenderloin first, these are easily removed while the deer is hanging and best to remove as soon as they have been exposed to the air(so if you hang then take these precious peices of meat out asap). I then remove flank steaks and neck meat for stew, jerky or grind. Off to the pay dirt(at least for me) the back straps!!!! A boning or fillet knife works well here, just follow the back bone straight down (go from neck to hip or vice versa) then at the opposite end you started cut lateral and feather the blade along the rib/back bone structure(away from the spine), you' ll find the meat will almost roll out with minimal cutting. Like filleting a fish really. What you' ll be left with is 2 solid pieces of meat, personally I cut my straps into 1" thick medallions. However you can make a rapped roast, cutlets, jerky or minute steaks as well with this choice meat if desired. I then cut out the rib linings for grinding. Final task is to remove silver skin and fat as best you can from all the meat prior to freezing. I have found that double wrapping is the best insurance againist freezer burn, be it butcher(paper) wrap or ziplocs...I always wrap in saran wrap then place in a ziploc, remove the air and seal.

To ensure you have great tasing meat remove as much of the fat and hair as possible. A trick for removing hair from a skinned carcass is vinger and water, then wipe down with a Clean dish towel. If lots of hair you' ll need to replace the water and towel. It works wonderfully and no it does not taint the meat. This process should be done immediately following the skinning process & prior to deboning. Also reducing the amount of silver skin will provide tender eats.

As far as hanging my father was a butcher, I have 5 friends who are butchers still and others butchers who all say wild meat does not require an aging process. In fact the longer it hangs the more shrinkage and the less meat you get out. In most cases I will let hang overnight and cut immediately the following morning, in some cases I have cut the meat up immediately to this day I have yet to find a differenc in the tenderness, flavor or quality. The only benefit to waiting is I find it easier to cut a deer that is fully cooled and has a bit more firmness but I will never let it hang more than 24 hours. As to leaving the hide on, unless you can cool that meat throughly, your better to remove the hide asap. Meat will rot from the inside out, starting at the bone this is called " green rot" . I have been told by butchers it is essential to release the body heat of an animal asap, this includes gut removal and skinning. Like everything the choice is your and most do what they know.

Good luck and have fun!

445 supermag

Last year for Christmas my wife got me a couple vhs movies and one of them was Dan Fitsgerald movie Processing wild game. It showes the whole process of harvesting field dressing and caping and butchering all parts and wrapping for the freezer. It is an awesome film and by watching atleast 30 times I cannot wait to get my dear this year and do it my self. I got Butchering set for processing my deer its from outdoor edge and the kit is awesome and the knives are SHARP.

Good luck

Brian

jerseyhunter

Everyone has good advice for you but if I may interject. After Cutting the deer into manageable pieces, 2 front quarters ,2 hind quarters,mid section and whats left of the neck and brisket. I throw these into bags that your groceries come in. If its cold out side 25-35 I' ll leave them on my butchering table, I like to partialy freeze all the muscle sections prior to slicing into steaks,cutlets or medalions. This makes it easieier and gives it a professional looking job not ragged Although is not neccessary for the stew,kabobs or burger meat. As for the cuts of meat: Stew meat and Kabobs from the front quarters, Steaks,Roasts,Stew, Kabobs from the hind quarters, Rolled Roast, Soup meat/bones, burger from the neck. Chops,medalions,Loin roasts and spare ribs from the mid section.Also you can make corned venison and pastrami from muscles in the front and hind quarters. I would highly reccomend the pastrami and the corned venison is great also but tends to be a little dry since there is no fat. So very easy to do it should be tried by all. I hope I didn' t forget any thing other than a sharp knife makes a big differance in the outcome. Also if you take you time skinning there won' t be much hair and what is left will come off when you take the connective tissue off. Also rinsing with cold water before the final slicing of the steaks won' t harm it at all,in fact it helps to get rid if the blood and bacteria while butchering and keeps the counter and tools clean and germ free. I' m not saying scrub the meat just a rinse with cold water. as far as aging I believe you shouldn' t butcher the deer until the rigor mortise has subsided or vanished or left whatever the correct teminology is.

CASEYMTN

WHO_ELSE
I' VE BEEN LOST IN THE ADIRONDACKS!
YOU DIDN' T TELL ME WHAT IT IS. IF IT IS A SAUSAGE, THEN IT IS WHAT WE CALL VENISON KEILBASA

Tomster

A friend does my butchering. He will usually produce cubes, tender loin, back straps, london broil, football roast, and big roast. I wrap up everything using the food saver. Plus I purchased an electric meat grinder for $5 at a yard sale in Vermont which I use to grind up some of the cubes. He likes the colder weather to start the butchering. To remove the hide, he usually let' s it sit overnight if temps go into the freezing. The meat generally does not freeze solid that first night with the hide on. After that it' s another story. We usually hang the deer by the neck and use a come a long to raise the deer off it' s feet. Than make incissions around the neck, cut off legs with hack saw, and peal down the hide from the neck down. Than he removes the loins and straps, quarters the legs, and cubes whatever else he can get in a big bowl. The most IMPORTANT thing you do is to remove the film that covers the meat. This is what gives the meat that gamey taste.

Good luck and good eating....

Tom

NorthernHunter

I live by my own rules which seems a lot of other hunters have the same beliefs...
If weather dictates and it' s too warm (i.e. Sept/October), I skin and butcher ASAP and then into the frig. If the weather is cool, I like it to be below 45 degrees in the shade, I will let it hang with skin left on for a day or so. I don' t like to skin and then it hang as it' ll dry out.

NE Hunter

Bratwurst is like a hot dog on steroids