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Processing my own

Ckwilli

Ckwilli

Well-Known Member
SH Member
Joined
Oct 15, 2019
Messages
1,294
The last decade or so I’ve gotten into processing my own deer. I picked up a grinder and a stuffer and the rest is history. The only two things I wished I had was a cuber and a slicer. I like to make venison pastrami and have been using an electric knife to slice it. Well today my in-laws show up and tell me they picked me up something at an auction! I’m excited to say the least. I’ll probably buy a whole ham and slice it too. Any tools that you guys use to make processing easier/
more enjoyable?
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I wish I had meat lugs! And room for them in a refrigerator lol
 
Horn said:
I wish I had meat lugs! And room for them in a refrigerator lol
Click to expand...
I don’t have lugs but I do have a plastic tote that I use. I’m really wanting to buy a used upright freezer and a temp controller to make a deer cooler.
 
My favorite tool is a Chicago Cutlery five inch semi flexible boning knife I picked up at a yard sale in the 70's. It is carbon steel and holds an edge really well. I usually can bone and cut up an entire deer with only a few swipes on a ceramic stick.
 
designated meat tubs with tub liners make for easy clean-up.
a large butcher block table or extra large cutting boards are just nice.
foot pedal for grinder.
I just bought a mixer that I can attach to the grinder motor for adding seasonings, fat, etc to the ground prior to putting in meat bags.
 
Vacuum sealer is a must for me. I used to process all of my own, but I have become friends with a local butcher and he treats me too well price wise not to take it to him. Good timing because since having kids I wouldn’t have time. Maybe in a few yrs once their attention span is longer than 10 seconds
 
4" Rapala panfish fillet knife.

Knife sharpener to touch-up said fillet knife.

Carving fork to pin silverskin to my board while I fillet it off.

I used plastic dishpans from the dollar store before I got a meat lug.

Seal-A-Meal setup. I got one of the nicer ones, with the roll of bags and such, so I'm not restricted on how big a bag I want to use.

My focus is slow-cooker dinners rather than grind so I don't do as much sausage and burger as some others. When I do make sausage, I wind up making 50# or so, between various batches and cut generously with pork and beef.

I want a bigger grinder, and a meat mixer.
 
A meat mixer! Great call! Probably my next purchase
 
Horn said:
A meat mixer! Great call! Probably my next purchase
Click to expand...
I'm never satisfied with the results I get mixing by hand. One of my mentors uses insulated PVC ice fishing gloves for mixing meat by hand. He can sanitize the gloves and keep his hands warm. Much better than wearing thin liner gloves (that don't keep your hands warm) under nitrile gloves (that rip so your ineffective liner gloves get gunked up anyways).
 
I have a hand mixer that holds 16 pounds easily and it sure saves a lot of time and mess. I have to be careful not to get the mix too cold but otherwise it's super.
 
Make it more enjoyable???

Get that teenager in the background to do the work while you sit back, sip on a whiskey and watch on with enjoyment.


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MNFarmHunter said:
Make it more enjoyable???

Get that teenager in the background to do the work while you sit back, sip on a whiskey and watch on with enjoyment.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
lol, they pitch in and help quite a bit. Last season I got the in-laws helping too.
 
NimbleTimbo said:
designated meat tubs with tub liners make for easy clean-up.
a large butcher block table or extra large cutting boards are just nice.
foot pedal for grinder.
I just bought a mixer that I can attach to the grinder motor for adding seasonings, fat, etc to the ground prior to putting in meat bags.
Click to expand...
I’ve thought about a foot pedal. That would be nice
 
Horn said:
A meat mixer! Great call! Probably my next purchase
Click to expand...
mine has 50# capacity and hooks up to the grinder. just have to adjust so it fits all level. tilts fully to dump into meat tub. if you are cutting in some pork or beef fat it sure helps mix it evenly and saves some energy. no more freezing hands either. highly recommend
 
The mentors who taught me sausage making, taught me to link my sausages as they came off the stuffing horn. It worked but I was never satisfied with the process. Figured out a "butcher's braid" and never looked back. I use a hand crank stuffer and stuff the whole casing in one go, then go back and link it all up.

 
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