GAmagman

I have always taken my deer to the processor for butchering, but I would like to give it a try this year. I still will take my first deer to the processor to be cubed and ground, but after the first I would like to give it a shot. I was just wondering what equipment and supplies I have to have. I don't plan on going out and buying a vacuum sealer and all that for the first one. If things turn out well I'll do that. Thanks for any tips or comments. You guys are always a lot of help.

1dahunter

Its basically pretty simple a good sharp knife ( I use my fish filet knife) and a good quality grinder and I always buy the white butcher paper from my butcher and a guide of where to cut for certain cuts. Its not difficult at all. I dont have the gude any more but if you want one pm me and I will try to find one and post it or e- mail it to you. I hope this helps.

skeeter 7MM

Like stated the most important thing is keep a sharp knife or knives. Boning knives, fillet knives or kitchen knives will work. You can bone with field/hunting knives but I do prefer a bit of flex personally and use Victornoix Boning knives (which are very reasonable(25 bucks) and work well for skinning or even filleting). I steel my knives to ensure they retain a good edge while boning.

I don't vac pac my meat cuts, just sausage and jerky. Instead I use butcher saran then butcher paper or if no butcher saran I will double wrap in the butcher paper. Never had a problem with freezer burn in many years doing it this way.

To butcher just seperate the muscle groups or follow the bones, trim off fat, silver skin, etc. No need for a saw as all can be released with a knive! If you want ground and don't want the expense of buying your own grinder, simple take the ground cuts to the processor. Cubing and steaking is easily accomplished on your own. For me the front shoulder, lower muscle meat on rears, flank and rib meat are all grind cuts. Then I will add the clean trim from the backstrap, neck and rear hams. I cube the neck for stew and sometimes the rounds. The backstraps I cut into 1" thick medallions for steak. I take the sirloin cuts for steak as well. The rest is of the rear is either for minute steak or jerky in my case. One can if desired do round or sirloin tip roast as well from the rears. Most butcher shop or if you do a search online you should be able to find info on cuts and where they come from on animals.

It may take some time but it is rewarding in what you get back for the table.

Dirt2

I came onto this post wondering what sort of masochist would butcher himself.

But seriously, butchering your own game can be a rewarding experience. For me it really seals in that feeling of self-sufficiency that hunting does for a person.

Like Skeeter, I would pass on the vacuum sealer. I also wrap in Saran wrap first, then butcher paper. Meat I process is flat out delicious for at least 3 years after it's packaged. (That's another benny of doing it yourself, you can spend more quality time removing every last bit of fat and such that a butcher just doesn't have time to do. So you're finished product will stay yummy longer that a butcher's.)

Sharp knives and common sense are your best tools. (I'm a little short on both but I get by on pure effort!) I just follow the major muscle separations to make my cuts. Front quarters go 100% into ground meat, along with clean trimmings from elsewhere. This technique will give you roughly a 1:1 ratio of ground meat:steaks/roasts.

zekeskar

This should get you started:

Self surgery.

In case you don't know what orchidectomy is... well, let's just say the procedure would tend to raise the pitch of the voice for any man past puberty.

GAmagman

Thanks for the helpful posts, and the not so helpful ones too lol, Just wondering about buying butcher paper. Do all butchers sell it, or is there a better place to get it? Thanks for the help.

skeeter 7MM

GAmagman, here butcher paper can be bought at almost any Grocery Store or meat/butcher shop's.