Poll: Have you ever processed venison at home?

[dewey]

I was fortunate to work in a grocery store meat department for my college years and became very good friends with my department manager.  He has his own deer processing place in his garage and takes care of my deer every year.  I know for a fact that he does every deer (about 100 or so a year) seperately so that way not to cross contaminate one persons deer and anothers.  Whenever I go hunting with him I will show up early and help him with cutting, grinding, skinning or cleaning because he always does a great job with my deer plus he is a great friend of mine.
 
 

[gunther89]

We cut up all of our deer we shoot.  It gets the whole family involved.  We normally will talk about past deer hunts while we cut it up or about how the season is going so far.  We also grind up our meat as well, used to do it by hand but now we have an electric grinder which works great.

[kribbz]

we do all of our own as well.  Most of mine goes towards homemade sausage so we simply bone it all out and put it in the largest ziplock we can.  I usually take a roast of the rear hock, both backstraps and the loins for steaks/jerky/fajita meat.  But mostly all my meat goes into sausage. 

[Squirrelhawker]

Yup. Home processing, unless we (pinch me) kill more than we can take care of in warm weather.

[Woods Walker]

Here's a tip for all you do-it-yourselfers......
 
If you don't already have one, GET YOURSELF A FOOD SAVER VACUUM SEALER!!!
 
These machines are the greatest thing since sliced bread. Not only does it cut way down on your butchering time, but the meat will keep 2 to 3 times as long when frozen with them.

[Powell1120]

My Father-in-law was a butcher for 24+ years, great teacher and very detailed. We process every deer we harvest. It is a fun time since the whole family gets involved, which also helps save time and a LOT of money.

[Wanderer]

My dad was a butcher and so was my grandfather.I used to work for them when I was in high school. My dad would butcher deer in Wisconsin during gun season, but he came to your house to do it. So for all the deer I killed in the 39 years I lived in Wisconsin, we butchered at home. I did my own in Tennessee too but the move to Alabama in 2001 turned me into a "take it to the processor" guy. It's just too hot there to butcher meat at home. Now that I'm in Indiana, I would consider home butchering again, but I took 2 to the processors last year.

[Ohio farms]

I had my first two deer done by a butcher, then decided to do it myself. I separate each muscle as best I can, removing the silver skin,fat, bones and grisel.  I freeze it in one pound packages by the size of the pieces. (the saddle and tenderloin is wrapped alone.  All the small scrap meat goes to ground meat. This way I can make whatever I want out of the meat, ie stir fry, goulash etc.  The neck goes in a crock pot.  No fat...not strong taste.  It is a lot of work, but so was getting the deer. 

[Ohio farms]

Love my Food Saver...

[Legnip]

ORIGINAL: Woods Walker

Here's a tip for all you do-it-yourselfers......
 
If you don't already have one, GET YOURSELF A FOOD SAVER VACUUM SEALER!!!
 
These machines are the greatest thing since sliced bread. Not only does it cut way down on your butchering time, but the meat will keep 2 to 3 times as long when frozen with them.

 
You should try the new vacuum bags by zip lock. There are several brands out there and it is simpler and cheaper than the vacuum sealers (we had three).
 
We process ours from soup to nuts and make steaks, jerky, summer sausage, brats, sticks etc...