Codger_64
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- Joined
- Oct 8, 2004
- Messages
- 62,324
I'm pretty inexperienced. I have only shot one deer. I cleaned it out and skinned it my self, but took it to a meat processing company that we like. They do an excellent job on the meat, their jerky and pepper sticks are the best I have ever had.
I helped butcher an elk a while ago, but we had "adult" supervision. He just handed us quarters, and told us to take off the major muscles, trim, and cut into steaks.
My neighbor hangs a couple beef every year in the cold to age in his garage, then processes them. He promised to call me over to learn this year. He will typically butcher one, sell the meat, and it pays for another one for his family. He literally never "pays" for his beef, because he has this skill to do it for others who don't know how.
I would like to learn more about the process my self. I know it is not rocket science. My real questions are just on what cuts of meat should be cut up in what way to take advantage.
I make my own jerky on a smoker. The next deer or elk I shoot I am going to make a fair amount of the jerky in my back yard, though I don't have a big smoker. Just a grill with a side box.
When you get a helping hand for photo's please post them up. The more I can learn, the better.
I did not buy a deer tag this season.
You are correct, it isn't a difficult thing to learn and to do. It just takes practice to learn. And I am not a hog or beef butcher either, though I have done it.
I didn't buy the big game license either. I may yet though before the season is over. I have some health issues that make hunting difficult at best.
But I get a cut of every deer I process, so I have plenty of deer meat. In fact, while the jerky went pretty fast, I still have a few tenderloin butterfly steaks in the freezer from last winter. I chicken fry them the bake with nions and gravy the way some folks do liver, and in fact, deer liver is good that way. Just be sure to soak and rinse it several times to get all of the blood taste out. I made just over 150# of venison jerky last year. That is finished dry weight. Five pounds more or less makes one pound of jerky. And then there were all of the other cuts, reserving tenderloins for myself.