Poll: Have you ever processed venison at home?

[Ben Sobieck]

The results from the latest home page poll. Did you think more or less people would've processed venison?

[Michael Denehy]

I do not process my venison at home.  I leave that to a professional butcher because of the convenience and my own lack of skill.  I would like to learn how to properly butcher my own animals, though, as I know I would save alot of money and find the entire hunting process more rewarding.  However, as it stands now I am pretty sure I would end up wasting alot of meat if I went into this without training.  I did not have hunting parents so this skill was not passed down.  I have been scrubbing the 'net looking for butchering classes in my local area.  When I find one I will attend it.

[Patriot]

I do everything at home except the actual grinding of the meat.  Here is a stage by stage process (with photos of course).  It is by no means a perfect display or a detailed account, but should give you the general idea.

Feel free to PM me if you need more details.

1. Kill deer, hang up (be sure not to cut the achilles tendon or it will all fall down)

2. Skin deer from the top down

3. If you want to save the hide, be sure to salt it and get it cool ASAP.

4. I lay down freezer paper on a table to keep meat from getting dirty (my father-in-law pictured here).  All meat is double wrapped in freezer paper.  Burger scraps are also double wrapped and frozen until I am able to get them to the butcher.

5. Backstraps!

6. T-loins!

7. Remove front legs

8. Remove meat from front legs

9. Remove rib cage, place on table and remove as much scrap meat as you can

10. Steaks!

[msbadger]

Patriot...Great tutorial...one thing missing though...the neck roast....We use the neck roast to make crock-pot barbicue venison sandwiches....mmm...mm
 
Which brings up a ? ...How many of you cut out the esophigus(sp?) when gutting your deer...we always do

[dtrain56]

no
 

[Patriot]

Please provide more detail on the neck roast.  Is it solid meat....or more of a meat / fat layer situation?
 
I do cut out the esophogus as far up as possible during the "field dressing" process.

[paulie]

Neck roast[:'(]!

[buckhunter21]

[:D]Way to lay it out step-by-step there Paul...You're a big geek!

[Gil]

There is a well illustrated bulletin from Cornell Cooperative Extension called "Venison: Boning, Freezing, & Cooking".  I used it many years ago when I started butchering my own deer at home.  I believe it is still available.  The website is http://www.dnr.cornell.edu/EXT/ext/publications.htm#deer
but the bulletin does not appear to be downloadable.  It's well worth the time to contact them and ask for it.

[msbadger]

meat layered in connective tissue....but when put in a crock pot for 12 hours with spices... wine and what I consider the throw away sauce .....tissue is broken down...I then cool and separate meat from waste and fat...reheat in desired BBQ sauce....served to many ppl even those that say they don't like venison and they love it....