processing my own venison

Mitch

Mitch

Active Member
I haven't taken my deer to processor in several years now. I really enjoy doing it all myself. Probably doesn't taste as good as what the processor would send back BUT there is an amount of satisfaction I have knowing I did it myself. The deer that I shot, is the exact one i'm eating. Anyway.

I'd like to try some venison brats this time around. I have a great recipe, i'm just unsure as to where I can buy the casings. I have a Cabelas dangerously close to my house but they only have the kit, which includes the spices, casings and everything else you'd need. I just need the casings. What size casings are used for brats?

Any suggestions?
 
Last edited:
Okay.....I found some good stuff at LEM website. I like their products. May just order from them.
 
Let us know how they turn out. I processed a deer of my own once. We ground the entire thing and man what a job that was, as we had to beg, steal and borrow the various equipment and I had never done it before. We got forced into it as the local lockers where full and not accepting any more deer - so I had to do something. I learned a lot, but mostly learned that it's worth the $60 to have it processed!!!! For one person to do it by themselves that has never done it before it was a lot of work, a lot of time and I would prefer to not do it again.
 
Good thread Mitch. We process all of our deer. Have a great setup outside with sink, cutting boards, etc. Gonna be buying a vacuum sealer and replace my old school ways of using freezer paper. But, I would like to learn how to do venison brats as well. Will eagerly follow your thread to see how it turns out for you.
 
LEM is what my dad uses. You can pick those up at an academy if ya have one around.


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Triple C said:
Good thread Mitch. We process all of our deer. Have a great setup outside with sink, cutting boards, etc. Gonna be buying a vacuum sealer and replace my old school ways of using freezer paper. But, I would like to learn how to do venison brats as well. Will eagerly follow your thread to see how it turns out for you.
Click to expand...

You will wonder how you ever processed anything once you get a vacuum sealer! I use mine for everything ducks, fish, deer...


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Hope your brats work out great for you; I'd also look forward to hearing about the process and any tools needed. On the vacuum packer I'm not so hot on them. I have gone back to double wrapping in a plastic wrap and then placing them in a freezer bag. We had too many bags that leaked and of course the meat freezer burnt quickly then. That was over twelve years ago and maybe now they have made them more reliable or I just had a couple of poorly made ones.
 
Ive got LEM casings and brat seasoning for my next batch of venison. I have some meat from last year i intended to grind, but never got to it. Im sure its still good, but i am the primary venison eater here, so it takes a while to go through 5 lbs of brats! I mix in 50% pork, but i think a lot of guys do 30%.
I made LEM summer sausage with my deer last year and it was fantastic. Believe me, ive made some bad sausage in the past. Always mix in the hi temp cheese now.
As others have said, it's a chore. Plan on making a day of it so you dont stress about how much time it's taking.
 
Here's what I'm going to try:

2 # ground venison
2 # pork butt
1 large onion minced
1/2 tsp brown sugar
1 TBS kosher salt
1/2 tsp ground sage
1/2 tsp caraway seed
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp freshly grated pepper
2/3 cu. dark beer

I have an LEM grinder and absolutely love that thing. Here's what I typically do. The day I shoot a deer, i'll quarter it up and remove as much of the usable meat as I possibly can. All the meat gets thrown into an ice chest. One of those big coolers. The meat will sit in the cooler for a full week. Each day I will pull the drain plug and drain the water. Refill with fresh ice as needed. You will notice the bloody water on day 1-3 but towards the end the water should run clear when you drain.

After the desired time in the cooler is up, I debone and start utilizing the meat for however I want. The doe I shot in early October, I removed the tenderloins, backstraps, and heart. Everything else was ground into ground venison. I mixed my ground venison with bacon and beef brisket. AMAZING. The tenderloins, backstraps, and heart get vacuum sealed and tossed into the deep freeze. Love my vacuum sealer! When I de-boned the doe and ground everything up, it was a Sunday and literally it's an all day job! I was completely exhausted when I was done but so fulfilling! Such a sense of accomplishment knowing I took the best care of this meat I possibly could to get food on the table for my family. They love the ground venison and that's it. Everything else, like the brats, or the pepperoni sticks I made last year, are basically all for me :)
 
Cut the heart into thin slices.....marinade in Italian dressing over night and grill. It was good, but this year
I think i'm just going to fry it up in bacon fat, and use salt n pepper and that's it. Actually, I may have that tonight :)
 
I cut up my own small deer into steaks and roasts. I quartered my October deer the night I shot it, let it age in the fridge for 4 days, and then deboned and vacuum packed the meat.

Don't have a grinder yet, so I normally take trimmings to the processor for summer sausage and burger.

Yes it is a very rewarding feeling butchering your own deer. Being very in touch with where your food comes from is a deep experience that is hard to put into words. Not to sound like a hippy or anything.
 
For those considering their first try, Grant Woods (Growing Deer TV) has one of the best videos out there for breaking down a deer.
 
Mitch said:
Here's what I'm going to try:

2 # ground venison
2 # pork butt
1 large onion minced
1/2 tsp brown sugar
1 TBS kosher salt
1/2 tsp ground sage
1/2 tsp caraway seed
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp freshly grated pepper
2/3 cu. dark beer

I have an LEM grinder and absolutely love that thing. Here's what I typically do. The day I shoot a deer, i'll quarter it up and remove as much of the usable meat as I possibly can. All the meat gets thrown into an ice chest. One of those big coolers. The meat will sit in the cooler for a full week. Each day I will pull the drain plug and drain the water. Refill with fresh ice as needed. You will notice the bloody water on day 1-3 but towards the end the water should run clear when you drain.

After the desired time in the cooler is up, I debone and start utilizing the meat for however I want. The doe I shot in early October, I removed the tenderloins, backstraps, and heart. Everything else was ground into ground venison. I mixed my ground venison with bacon and beef brisket. AMAZING. The tenderloins, backstraps, and heart get vacuum sealed and tossed into the deep freeze. Love my vacuum sealer! When I de-boned the doe and ground everything up, it was a Sunday and literally it's an all day job! I was completely exhausted when I was done but so fulfilling! Such a sense of accomplishment knowing I took the best care of this meat I possibly could to get food on the table for my family. They love the ground venison and that's it. Everything else, like the brats, or the pepperoni sticks I made last year, are basically all for me :)
Click to expand...

You left out the ginger and the nutmeg. Hog casings on ebay. Bought from these guys before.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/401117056707?_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT
 
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