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Can I Butcher?

Not sure where you are located but this saddle hunting community is so supported I'm sure there are people here who would be willing to help you out and actually show you.
 
I agree with everyone, you can do it. I use a low-middle of the ground grinder and it works great. Key is to have slightly frozen meat. I had a vacuum sealer that my GF's mom had and gave to me, but you could also "butcher wrap" it and it would be just fine.

A few things, I am sure have already been pointed out: (1) sharp knife. I like the havalon with the big blade and the exchangeable surgical blades. (2) do not cut yourself while processing the meat; go slow and steady. Some guys like to hang an animal, but I prefer on the ground. That video of the butchers is outstanding. Watch that again and again!
 
I grind about 70% of every deer. We haven’t bought ground beef in 6 years now. A good grinder is worth the investment. The nice thing about grinding is that your cuts don’t have to be pretty!
What grinder are you using?
 
I want to butcher my own deer so I can take more does and have plenty of venison and not worry about paying a butcher. I have no friends who hunt let alone butcher or show me how. I’ve watched YouTube videos and it doesn’t look too tough, I have some questions though:

1. I can’t find a GREAT DIY video for newbs. Any suggestions?

2. Do I have to have an expensive meat grinder or will the $100 one I saw in the bass pro add get me by? Should I buy once cry once? Or is it ok to use cheap equipment if I’m only doing a handful of deer per year?

3. Do I have to have a vacuum seal or can meat last over a year in nothing but a zip lock?

4. Can I just skip meat grinding and only butcher steaks? I don’t want to waste a lot of meat bc it’s not fair to the animal. But can I substitute the excess cubes as little cubes for frying or something or do you have to use that type of meat for the grinder?

Sorry for all the questions. I’m just trying to figure out if I can teach myself to butcher on a budget without wasting meat.

1. Google bearded butcher butcher deer.
I was lucky to have a grandfather that ran a locker plant I learned a lot helping there as a kid.

2. Buy once cry once. Or watch auctions. I found a grocery store closing and got a great deal.

3. Vacuum or wrap in freezer paper.

4. If you skip grinding I suggest doing stew meat type cubes. I have done this often and it goes great in chili or fajitas.

Extra tip. Remove all fat and white skin from meat while butchering. It’s a pain and feels like a lot of waste but it is worth it in the end product
 
Thanks so much man. Im def gonna butcher this year. I’ve watched a ton of bearded butcher videos.

do you age your meat? How do you do it?
 
Yeah those bearded butchers are great. They really go through the process of breaking down an animal beautifully.
I "learned" by once breaking down a cow. My PhD Supervisor was also a cattle farmer and asked me if I wanted to help him one weekend. Breaking down a deer after dealing with that huge steer is way easier. Also, the meateater show has an episode which is as detailed as the bearded butchers. I was cleaning my first kill of the season here at the house and the guy that hunted with me had never done it, claiming he did not know how to do it. My GF was out there and told him "watch the meateater, I am pretty sure that after a few seasons of half watching that show I could breakdown any animal in north america!"

The reward of doing your own meat, even though it's time consuming, is worth it to me. I like knowing that my knife, my vacuum sealer, etc was the only thing that touched the animal after my arrow passed through it. I am also super new to hunting and maybe that novelty will wear off, but I sure hope it doesn't. Finishing the animal yourself feels to me, almost like my obligation as part of being a hunter..

Sharp knife, vacuum sealer, good grinder... although I find myself not grinding as much as I did last year. I recently cooked a whole shoulder - GF and I crushed it. Perfect slow cooked Autumn meal. And I cook the ribs like .. .ribs... so tasty!
 
My wife bought me the Outdoor Edge DVDs years ago, and I found this thread on Tradgang: https://www.tradgang.com/tgsmf/index.php?topic=108907.0 the "deer cut up along". Both were very helpful. I use a vacuum packer year-round for leftovers. Tonight's dinner was ribs and chicken from a summer smoker session which we vac-packed.

I'll also suggest pressure canning. I got into it after a freezer crapped out on me with 2 partially-butchered deer inside. It's a lot of work but totally worth it. Download the USDA guide and watch some Youtube videos... in that order, there are a lot of unsafe people online and the USDA guide is the standard for safety.

Hanging is a whole 'nother topic. There is a Meateater podcast with a beef scientist who discusses hanging and dry-ageing meat. IMHO there are a lot of people who hang deer wrong, but I don't eat their venison so who cares.

Shoot a small deer and cut it yourself. It's intimidating if you've never done it before but the best way past that is to just do it.
 
Shoot a small deer and cut it yourself. It's intimidating if you've never done it before but the best way past that is to just do it.

That is exactly what I told my buddy who has hunted his whole life and never even gutted a deer. He brings it to the Processor with guts in.... Only way to really learn is to get them hands bloody.
 
That is exactly what I told my buddy who has hunted his whole life and never even gutted a deer. He brings it to the Processor with guts in.... Only way to really learn is to get them hands bloody.
wow,i didnt think you could do that. I was lucky to have a friend that showed me everything from gutting to butchering to sausage making. We do it every year and it all is part of hunting for me.
 
wow,i didnt think you could do that. I was lucky to have a friend that showed me everything from gutting to butchering to sausage making. We do it every year and it all is part of hunting for me.

I agree - it;s part of it for me, too. In fact, it's sort of a part of the neighborhood I live in. I travel home from the lease with the deer packed in ice (if temps warrant) and then I skin and quarter in the driveway. I will usually have between 3-7 people out there for 1) a reason to congregate and 2) to grab a piece of meat.
Down here in GA, some processors will allow you to bring in with guys, they just charge you an extra 30-60$.
 
Here’s a cool follow-up, one year after this original post I have officially butchered my first deer.

It was not perfect but it was an awesome experience and I had a great time.

Thanks so much to everyone who PMd me and responded to this thread with advice and resources.

To anyone who is thinking about making the jump I say do it. Over time it’s more cost effective but for me the benefit is it truly enhances the experience. Now I have a new appreciation for shot placement, my cooking preferences get to be complimented by my own cuts and butchering style, it is a full circle journey that is really rewarding...

scout - train - hunt - kill - butcher - cook - eat... be fulfilled and repeat.
 
Here’s a cool follow-up, one year after this original post I have officially butchered my first deer.

It was not perfect but it was an awesome experience and I had a great time.

Thanks so much to everyone who PMd me and responded to this thread with advice and resources.

To anyone who is thinking about making the jump I say do it. Over time it’s more cost effective but for me the benefit is it truly enhances the experience. Now I have a new appreciation for shot placement, my cooking preferences get to be complimented by my own cuts and butchering style, it is a full circle journey that is really rewarding...

scout - train - hunt - kill - butcher - cook - eat... be fulfilled and repeat.
Awesome!
 
hoping it's OK to tack this on since it looks like the OP's questions are answered, any recommendations on knives? I started looking (after watching bearded butcher videos) at the 6 inch victorinox boning knives on amazon, its the flexible vs stiff that i'm wondering about. leaning towards a semi stiff or stiff blade because i have some fishing fillet knives should i need a flexible blade. anyone have suggestion? i just want something that cuts well and holds a decent edge. cheaper is better but ill spend a little more to buy once cry once. i could use a skinning knife reccomendation as well.


EDIT: disregard, i missed the whole dang cooking forum section this is in. i've got some reading to do, these questions have been answered already.
 
hoping it's OK to tack this on since it looks like the OP's questions are answered, any recommendations on knives? I started looking (after watching bearded butcher videos) at the 6 inch victorinox boning knives on amazon, its the flexible vs stiff that i'm wondering about. leaning towards a semi stiff or stiff blade because i have some fishing fillet knives should i need a flexible blade. anyone have suggestion? i just want something that cuts well and holds a decent edge. cheaper is better but ill spend a little more to buy once cry once. i could use a skinning knife reccomendation as well.


EDIT: disregard, i missed the whole dang cooking forum section this is in. i've got some reading to do, these questions have been answered already.

Knives are important in that you need knives to butcher but not worth stressing out over. My first deer I cut using whatever kitchen knives I had on hand. Now I have a few boning knives (including the Victorinox you are considering) and 2 4" Rappala fillet knives. I also grab a large slicer / cimetar from the kitchen for steaking larger muscles. In a pinch I'll just use a cheapo Mora to do everything, but the tiny fillet knives get more use than I ever would have expected. I have a few "meat totes" which are nice but mostly use large dishpans from the dollar store to stash meat before I vac-pac and freeze it. Off-season my knives, steel mesh glove, and sharpeners stay in the stack of totes/dishpans waiting for cutting time.
 
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