Deer processing questions

[swat1018]

I do it all. We vacuum pack the loins and backstraps. Everything else is turned to burger or boned for summer sausage. I also have a cuber, that I make cube steaks from, occasionally. I have a vertical stuffer that I use to pack all of my burger into poly bags. I'm convinced it's the best way, I think the meat would last indefinitely and is way quicker than plastic and freezer paper or vacuum packing burger. I've done it all 3 ways. Also, I don't add anything to my burger.

 

[Gravel Road]

I have found the opposite with vacuum sealing. I experienced freezer burn with meat wrapped in plastic wrap then wrapped in freezer paper. Last night I had some backstrap steaks I found from the 2015 season and they were still as good as the day they went into the freezer. You have to make sure the area the vacuum bag seals is clean to get a good air tight seal. I dont see how saran wrap could be better than sealing something in a vacuum. You have sucked all of the air out which is what causes the freezer burn.

Maybe the meat we've received through the years hasn't been cleanly sealed or something because it seems as if a pinhole develops or something because they fill with air. The wife wraps TIGHT with saran wrap and there is zero trapped air. If I said how many years the meat lasts, I'd be called a liar-lol.

But, whatever method works for each person is what they should stick with.

 

[Mahindra3016]

I have been using grant woods method for the last few years, I find this way to be the faster than sawing the deer in half and quartering, I will store the meat in gallon ziplock bags or reused gallon ice cream buckets in my extra refrigerator until i have time to process.

 

[DocHolladay]

I'm 43 and this is how my brother showed me to do it, when I killed my first deer at 11 years old. Have done it this way since. You can have one skinned and deboned in about 30 minutes once you've done it a few times.

 

[Chainsaw]

I'm 43 and this is how my brother showed me to do it, when I killed my first deer at 11 years old. Have done it this way since. You can have one skinned and deboned in about 30 minutes once you've done it a few times.

I'm with you on that Doc. In good weather especially, the deer can be completely deboned on the spot in less time than it takes to get it out of the woods.
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[DocHolladay]

The only thing I don't debone right away is the front shoulders. I tend to cut them off at the knee joint and separate it from the body and throw it in the cooler for later. The rest is boneless.

 

[Chainsaw]

The only thing I don't debone right away is the front shoulders. I tend to cut them off at the knee joint and separate it from the body and throw it in the cooler for later. The rest is boneless.

Absolutely, if the shoulders are not shot damaged that is exactly what we do also. Most of our deer though at least in early to mid season are shot in the point of the shoulder so shoulder meat is not always salvageable.

 

[buckdeer1]

Rarely gut a deer anymore,usually skin while warm and quarter it out put in spare frig then a couple days later chunk for burger or cut steaks.You should never let the meat get wet.A couple of the most important things is to get throat cleaned out of the neck meat and to cut all the lymph nodes out before grinding

 

[DocHolladay]

You should never let the meat get wet.

Been soaking/draining in ice and water for many moons with no ill side affects. Great flavor, tender and juicy too.

 

[Jeff H]

Rarely gut a deer anymore,usually skin while warm and quarter it out put in spare frig then a couple days later chunk for burger or cut steaks.You should never let the meat get wet.A couple of the most important things is to get throat cleaned out of the neck meat and to cut all the lymph nodes out before grinding

I've heard not to wash out the gut cavity as the moisture promotes bacteria growth. If deboning and putting on ice I think it would be fine as long as the temp stays below 40 degrees.
Having said that I dry age mine in a refrigerator that my neighbor lets me use. She's sweet and gets as much venison as she wants. I usually age it for two weeks and find the meat really has time to tenderize.

 

[Sam]

I do all the work. We bought a 3/4hr grinder from northern tool. It will grind up anything that i have thrown in it. Also got a vacuum sealer much better than zip locks. We take the back strap and tenders for steak and get a couple nice roast off the shoulders and the rest we make burger meat. I'm thinking abt trying one like Scott Rea this year. We don't add anything to the burger meat.