How did you learn/resources for processing your own game.

[CB1]

Rather than hijack another thread on processing game thought I would start a new one. How did you learn and what resources would you recommend to process your deer? Not really talking about field dressing but more on the actual butchering and cutting into serving sizes.

I have been processing my own deer and really enjoy it. My family usually took it to a processor so I have been learning mostly on my own (reading, YouTube and just doing it). I will start with deboning and separating into individual muscle groups but once I get here I’m pretty much winging it. I usually leave most of the rear as roasts then cut steaks out later. Back strap I usually cut in half and freeze whole and grind/jerky the rest of the deer. Well except shanks, those stay together since they are great in the crock pot. Nothing too fancy in my butchering process currently.

I understand there is a lot of personal preference but thought this could be helpful for someone getting started or to pick up some tricks from each other.

 

[duckhunt]

I just did alot of trial and error. Debone the meat and looked at it. This looks like roast, this steak, grind this and that. Of course backstrap is self explanatory. After a few years its still not perfected but I'm getting better.

 

[duckhunt]

Also YouTube is a valuable resource.

 

[TOGIE]

watched rinellas white tail break down a few times

but really, just pull it and cut it apart like it looks like it wants to be taken apart, meaning by muscle group. don't overthink it. i don't even know what cuts are what, i just turn all hindquarter cuts into roasts that can later be unfrozen and cut into steaks. most front quarter into grind cause i like hamburger and italian sausage.

but everything pretty much shows you how to take it apart once you start working it.

 

[wa_archer]

Like Togie said above, I mainly learned the same way. I have then refined over the years based on what cuts I use for what recipes. I will start out with a filet type knife and get all the dried surface and silver skin,tendon off which helps clean it up and make a better finished product.

 

[chuckchili]

I agree that YouTube is a good source... Bearded Butchers do a pretty good full deer butchering video (not the best video quality), I've watched Rinella's rear quarter breakdown video and others. Those are just guides, people have to get your hands in there to really figure it out. I'm the same as everyone here, I separate into large muscle groups by seams and keep/freeze whole until I decide what to do with them. I've been keeping at least one, if not both, deer and antelope front quarters whole for the Hank Shaw Barbacoa recipe and I have two large freezer bags full of just shanks for a rainy day.

 

[morley.tyler]

I was lucky to learn as a child. I was helping skin deer at 6 and cutting them up around 8. Lots of holes cut in hides and fingers over the years.
Meateater crew has a good book on butchering and as previously mentioned, YouTube has some worthwhile tutorials.

 

[NMGuy]

My dad was a butcher, so I learned from him. My mom worked in the meat market as a meat wrapper, so she was familiar with the process as well. Watching the two of them in tandem processing a deer was a thing of beauty. I'll never be anywhere near as good or efficient as dad, but I'm very thankful he taught me. It was a very proud moment for me the first time I told him to sit down and relax while I butchered his deer for him.

My process is about the same as yours. Wash the meat and break the rear quarters into roasts and package them, split each backstrap into 2-3 pieces and package. Wife doesn't care much for venison steaks, so most of that gets sliced and turned into jerky. The rest gets cut into chunks to grind.

My mom and dad would grind anything that wasn't good for steaks and mix it with pork fat (used to be really, really cheap) and some seasoning to make sausage (similar to breakfast sausage). That stuff made a hell of a good burger.

 

[88man]

payed attention to my dad and uncles growing up.

 

[np307]

The Lord put seams in the meat for a reason. I watched a few videos on youtube, couldn't tell you which ones, and then I figured it out from there. Always good to remind yourself that the worst case for screwing up the roasts is that you can still use it for stew or ground.

 

[get-n-birdy]

By doing.

It's one of the funnest things ever imo.

 

[Steelsearchin]

Old man was a butcher and he had my brother and I wrapping meat about the time we started school. He's far from a teacher, but we learned a ton by watching him... "Just follow the natural seams" has always been his mantra. I'll never be as fast as him, but I learned keeping hair off in the first place is easier than pulling or burning hairs off later!!

I'll give another vote to the bearded butcher youtube videos, but nothing works like first hand experience. I helped a kid from church with two last year, before he tried one on his own. After doing one solo he said he wants to do another one at my house this fall!!

Twenty years ago Dad called me up and asked what i was doing. "Cutting up a buck at Rick's..." i told him. "You guys drinking?" "Yup..." "You know cold beers and sharp knives don't mix!" I joked with my dad and brother last fall that I'm pretty sure I wouldn't know how to cut one up without a cold one or two after doing it for 20 years!!

The first one or two are fun, but after that it becomes work for me. My son turned 10 this year, so he'll be helping out more which will be nice. We save the grinding, sausage, and snack sticks for after season has ended and its nice to extend the hunt a bit that way.

 

[Emerica8212]

I’m a chef by trade so before I ever hunted I was breaking hogs, sheep’s, primals of beef, fish in round.

I have had the privilege of living and working all over the country and have learned a lot of different methods for butchering and preparing things which is a lot of fun to translate into wild game.

I’ve noticed I do things differently then I see a lot of guys doing. It’s cool to see the differences in training, experience skill come out.
For example, I carry a 7 inch semi flexible boning knife in my pack because I am so used to that type of blade for butchering that I would rather have that than the surgical type blades I see 90% of people using.

 

[pointingdogsrule]

Taught by my dad... way long ago (1960's). We were too poor to take it to a processor. I can not ever think of taking a deer to a processor.

 

[2rocky]

Meat Science class in College, and a semester working at the meat lab. I sincerely regret not paying more attention and valuing the knowledge during that time. It did however reinforce I did not want a career in Meat science.

 

[ssmusicman]

Learned from my dad way back when. Like to think we've improved on the process over the years. Nice thing with north American big game is they are all pretty much come apart in the same manner.

 

[HSi-ESi]

The Scott Rea Project on youtube is fun too. He's got a great perspective from across the pond that is fun. Some cuts you may not be used to....

 

[golfer]

Worked at a meat cutting shop for a few years. Did few hundred a year. When I was done there I really dreaded it, but later on it paid dividends. Great skill to have and will save a lotta money for a guy. Doing it yourself I personally think you’ll be a lot more picky with your cuts and know exactly what your getting.

 

[Hunting Wife]

Just learn by doing. Everyone’s process is different, and often determined by what they like to cook/eat.

 

[peterk1234]

I bought a book. Then modified things over the years as I got better at it. I waste almost nothing now