- Joined
- Feb 28, 2006
- Messages
- 3,494
Hi Mikel,
Sounds like you're going to have FUN! Looks like about everything's been covered. Killing, bleeding, skinning, gutting, dismembering, cooking and eating. I've raised a few sheep and lambs. Never butchered a lamb, but have done some sheep.
Just go slow and be careful and use sharp knives. Have cordage on hand to hang with, thus make sure you have something to hang from. Think through managing your parts and wastes, before you start, so you'll have everything you'll need. If at possible make sure you have plenty of water at hand to rinse the carcass/meat when you're through slaughtering and butchering. Save the heart and liver. They're great sliced and fried up with onions (and bacon too, if you want) at breakfast time!
Definitely make sure you don't cut into the stomach, bladder, intestines or otherwise let the fermenting GI juices, shit and urine get loose. Some folks tie off the anus and esophagus so nothing can get out. I've never done that. I always found the bladder to be one of the trickier aspect, especially if it's a male. Slitting the abdominal cavity open is tricky to. That's when you're most likely to nick something you don't want to.
Do like Carl says and check that liver to make sure its a good solid color and not splotchy, which can be a sign of disease, thus indicate the animal is not good to eat. In fact, start scoping the animal out for signs of good health prior to purchasing and slaughtering it. Make sure it's got bright eyes (not dull or glassy), is active and in good form (not listless and droopy), etc.
I have always preferred to chill the flesh down well before cooking. Will you have a cooler and ice? A trick I learned with sheep and game is to soak the meat in ice water with rosemary sprigs (the more the better). We always grew a lot on our farm so had plenty. The meat will keep for days in the herbed ice water and the flavor mellows so most anyone who eats meat will enjoy it.
Read and talk as much as you can. If you've done deer, then you shouldn't have any problem. If it's all new to you there are many little tricks and steps that you'll want to learn as much about as possible. things like, slitting between the leg tendon to hang, slitting without poking or cutting the guts, jointing, cutting the hide from the inside out (not the other way) so as to minimize hair on the meat, etc. Sounds like you'll have one of the important parts covered...a sharp knife. It's a walk in the park from there!
All the best, Phil
Sounds like you're going to have FUN! Looks like about everything's been covered. Killing, bleeding, skinning, gutting, dismembering, cooking and eating. I've raised a few sheep and lambs. Never butchered a lamb, but have done some sheep.
Just go slow and be careful and use sharp knives. Have cordage on hand to hang with, thus make sure you have something to hang from. Think through managing your parts and wastes, before you start, so you'll have everything you'll need. If at possible make sure you have plenty of water at hand to rinse the carcass/meat when you're through slaughtering and butchering. Save the heart and liver. They're great sliced and fried up with onions (and bacon too, if you want) at breakfast time!
Definitely make sure you don't cut into the stomach, bladder, intestines or otherwise let the fermenting GI juices, shit and urine get loose. Some folks tie off the anus and esophagus so nothing can get out. I've never done that. I always found the bladder to be one of the trickier aspect, especially if it's a male. Slitting the abdominal cavity open is tricky to. That's when you're most likely to nick something you don't want to.
Do like Carl says and check that liver to make sure its a good solid color and not splotchy, which can be a sign of disease, thus indicate the animal is not good to eat. In fact, start scoping the animal out for signs of good health prior to purchasing and slaughtering it. Make sure it's got bright eyes (not dull or glassy), is active and in good form (not listless and droopy), etc.
I have always preferred to chill the flesh down well before cooking. Will you have a cooler and ice? A trick I learned with sheep and game is to soak the meat in ice water with rosemary sprigs (the more the better). We always grew a lot on our farm so had plenty. The meat will keep for days in the herbed ice water and the flavor mellows so most anyone who eats meat will enjoy it.
Read and talk as much as you can. If you've done deer, then you shouldn't have any problem. If it's all new to you there are many little tricks and steps that you'll want to learn as much about as possible. things like, slitting between the leg tendon to hang, slitting without poking or cutting the guts, jointing, cutting the hide from the inside out (not the other way) so as to minimize hair on the meat, etc. Sounds like you'll have one of the important parts covered...a sharp knife. It's a walk in the park from there!
All the best, Phil
