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Post by mstr2175 on Oct 23, 2013 16:24:18 GMT -5
So I recently killed my first deer and took it to MRC Deer Processing in Lebanon...guy only charges $80 for steaks, chops, and ground. Then $5 extra for jerky or sausage. I went ahead and got the spicy sausage plus the others. I have eaten deer loin, sausage, summer sausage and ground in all different ways. I think its absolutely delicious. Just wondering what suggestions any of the more experienced hunters out there have to offer? Not necessarily recipes but how to get it processed
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Post by Deleted on Oct 23, 2013 16:34:41 GMT -5
I like to have them add a little pork fat to my burger.
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Post by michaeladkins on Oct 23, 2013 16:35:14 GMT -5
The guy is real nice at MRC. We have used them on a couple deer, but now I do my own.
A friend had venison bacon done at his butcher. He gave me some, but I have not tried it yet. Actually, I just got a roast out the other night to smoke my own.
Other than bacon, most people just do sausage and jerkey, besides the normal.
I will let you know how the bacon turns out. I am excited about it.
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Post by mstr2175 on Oct 23, 2013 16:53:21 GMT -5
The guy is real nice at MRC. We have used them on a couple deer, but now I do my own. A friend had venison bacon done at his butcher. He gave me some, but I have not tried it yet. Actually, I just got a roast out the other night to smoke my own. Other than bacon, most people just do sausage and jerkey, besides the normal. I will let you know how the bacon turns out. I am excited about it. Thank you for correcting me. I put mcr, but yes it is MRC. That sounds pretty tasty tho. I would love to eventually do my own but for obvious reasons I did not with this one. How long do you draine the blood for when you hang them
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Post by beermaker on Oct 23, 2013 16:56:12 GMT -5
The following comments are based solely on my opinions and experiences. I process my own deer, including sausage and jerky making, so I have no cost prohibitions. I have gradually invested in equipment over the years and can do as I please.
Yearlings or very small does are cut into steaks and only scrap trimmings from the neck and leg quarters are ground.
I take the back straps and hind quarter areas from mature does and very small bucks. Depending on how the quality of the meat seems, I either leave straps and roasts whole, or cut and feed through the tenderizer. Front quarters and all trimmings are ground or saved for jerky.
Tenderloins from all of the above are removed immediately upon skinning, grilled to med-rare, and enjoyed with a glass of bourbon.
Average mature bucks are not good for much other than the back straps, jerky, and ground meat.
Old bucks are entirely ground, with the exception of maybe making jerky from the backs straps.
I make brats, breakfast sausage, salami, and bulk-burger from ground meat. I add 25% pork to all ground meat, no matter what the finished product will be. I also make "slim jims." I have found that adding cheese to salami and summer sausage is a waste of money. I rarely see someone eat a piece without cheese & crackers, which negate the expensive cheese in the meat.
Once again, this is how I do it. I am not suggesting that I have better ideas than someone else.
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Post by Hoosier Hunter on Oct 23, 2013 17:57:32 GMT -5
When I get a deer I take it home immediately and skin and usually let it hang overnight if cool enough. If not I quarter it and get in the fridge. Day two I'll start butchering. Most of mine goes into my jalapeno summer sausage that's made from scratch and give to friends and family. I really don't like the mixes you buy. The meat is cubed and then put into 5 pound vacuum sealed bags, frozen and use when needed. I also have made snack sticks, jerky, chubs & breakfast sausage. My ground is packaged with no fat or anything. If I need to add something I'll do at the time of cooking. Inner loins come right out of the deer, wrapped in bacon and grilled immediately. Back straps get butterflied and frozen. I'm sure I've saved thousands in processing costs over the years.
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Post by scrub-buster on Oct 23, 2013 18:01:55 GMT -5
I process my own and cut it the way I like. I don't do sausage. I mostly cut it into steaks, roasts, and small pieces for frying or barbecuing. I make my own jerky from roasts
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Post by HuntMeister on Oct 23, 2013 18:32:12 GMT -5
I too process my own and its steaks or chops and ground, straight ground with nothing added. Any type of hamber helper and chili gets the ground venison in our house. I really want to try some canned venison this year, I hear it is pretty good.
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Post by deadeer on Oct 24, 2013 0:38:50 GMT -5
I too process my own and its steaks or chops and ground, straight ground with nothing added. Any type of hamber helper and chili gets the ground venison in our house. I really want to try some canned venison this year, I hear it is pretty good. You will NOT be disappointed with canned deer! One bullion cube or tbsp. beef base, 1/2 tsp canning salt, and onion if desired per quart and life will be good. It has totally brought a new found love of venison to our home now. So many uses and best of all it makes for a very quick meal. Good luck. Jay
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Post by steve46511 on Oct 24, 2013 5:21:50 GMT -5
Agree with the canned deer comments. I no longer do so but a buddy's wife does and it is very handy, very tasty, fast to add to dishes and tender.
I do think differently on the "big buck" or "old deer" being "not as good" with some saying tough or "gamey".
A LOT do not age the meat and hardly ANY processors do simply because "in and out" gets them the highest profit.
I live by "no meat shall be cut before it's time!" and older, bigger deer just take more of that...TIME!
When temps are cooperating, NO deer gets butchered here before a MINIMUM of 7 days hanging. Those weighing in over 160 or so, double that time. Shoot a 200 lb or bigger buck......its going to hang as long as I can let it with a close watch on temperature (of the MEAT, not ambient temps). When in control and ambient temps are not fighting me? 21 days for the big boys......and I'll cut steaks with a fork. FLAVOR of a properly aged deer wins, HANDS DOWN and I had customers of my shop driving 100 miles ONE WAY because of the aging process I used because "This is the only venison my wife will eat!!"
Lots think differently but for over 3000 deer and some 35 years now I have rules to follow for the best eating there is when it comes to venison.
1. LEAVE THE HIDE ON IT! Aging without will dehydrate the meat and make it the worst you have had to chew.
2. DISTILLED WATER ONLY! If you MUST wash out a carcass do NOT use ground water as is. It is NOT sterile (read a water test sometime) and introduces repeat INTRODUCES bacteria to your meat. Boiled water that is cooled works as well and preparing some pre season is a norm here because I hate buying 5 bucks of water but I WILL before using the hose.
LOTS wash out their deer with a hose and that is FINE......IF NOT AGING THE MEAT. Bacteria takes warmth and TIME to destroy.
Best option (if not gut shot) ..DO NOT wash it out and that is the preferred method for me on my deer and was in my shop too.
3. MOLD inside the ribcage is NOT ROT. Mold is a fungus, not decay and happens naturally in the PREFERRED conditions of dark, no air circulation conditions. Aging meat is an ENZYME break down, not rot, not decay, not anything detrimental and EVERY piece of beef you bought in the store hung 7 days BEFORE it was originally cut up, shipped all over creation and sat on shelves!! By the time YOU get it? 2 weeks old or so, count on it.
4. Wet aging and Dry aging. Dry aging is described above and the best of the best, IMO. "Wet" aging is the meat removed from the bones, BAGGED in sterile bags, all the air removed you can, sealed and tossed in the frig again.......for 7-10 days MINIMUM. (NO WATER.......NONE, do NOT wash it off). I have used this when temps outside was just too much to deal with and it works, just not as well and creates doubling handling of the meat because AFTER wet aging, I take it out and THEN cut steaks, roasts and grind the burger. Like good porterhouse steak? Buy that bright red one at the store, leave it sealed and toss it in the frig for a week or more before cooking it. THAT is "wet aging" meat.
5. Last but not least GET THE HEAT OUT of the carcass. Ice packed and replaced till it will not melt (in bags) in the carcass, on the carcass, however you can get it in contact. Some laugh at me but I will take the head and feet off and drop the whole thing in a deep freeze TILL ALL BODY HEAT IS GONE. The HIDE will protect it like you will not believe but ALSO, KEEPS THE COLD IN after the deer is really chilled. I do not let it freeze but it wouldn't hurt a single thing if I did. It would take DAYS to thaw out to temps you could stand handling. Use the hide for what it is intended, insulation. GET THE HEAT OUT, ASAP. THEN age the deer.
Keeping the MEAT just above freezing 35 degrees or so is best, no more than 38 but it takes a LONG TIME for ambient temps to warm up a properly chilled deer and takes little ice to maintain it. Warming up and not ready to butcher? drop it back in the freezer or stick it in an old frig. HIDE ON is MANDATORY for best results.
2 cents and yes, I do realize many of the things I feel deteriorate from having good venison are done by many on a regular basis but the kicker is?? You weren't going to age the meat. Butchering ASAP erases all worries of decay and has the same effect for possibilities of getting great, tender, flavorful NOT gamey venison.
I offer this only for a suggestion for those interested in GOOD meat.......to try it. I cannot guess the number of people that came back asking HOW DO YOU MAKE THIS MEAT SO GREAT!!
God Bless (off to the woods!)
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Post by featherduster on Oct 24, 2013 6:06:13 GMT -5
I think this sums it all up! BEERMAKER SAID: Tenderloins from all of the above are removed immediately upon skinning, grilled to med-rare, and enjoyed with a glass of bourbon. STAY HUNGRY MY FRIENDS.
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Post by Genesis 27:3 on Oct 24, 2013 6:20:04 GMT -5
I'm not a drinker but I agree that it's hard to beat back straps out of a deer, that was just on the hoof a few hours before, and grilled to perfection! Boy am I getting hungry!
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Post by sarge3739 on Oct 24, 2013 7:40:51 GMT -5
So I recently killed my first deer and took it to MRC Deer Processing in Lebanon...guy only charges $80 for steaks, chops, and ground. Then $5 extra for jerky or sausage. I went ahead and got the spicy sausage plus the others. I have eaten deer loin, sausage, summer sausage and ground in all different ways. I think its absolutely delicious. Just wondering what suggestions any of the more experienced hunters out there have to offer? Not necessarily recipes but how to get it processed Let me know how MCR works out matt. I will probably end up using him instead of archers, ive heard good things so far.
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Post by moray on Oct 24, 2013 16:05:08 GMT -5
Do you have an address for MCR? I would like to try him unless anyone has another place closer to Hamilton Co. other than Archers. Thanks
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Post by HuntMeister on Oct 24, 2013 17:05:36 GMT -5
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Post by mstr2175 on Oct 24, 2013 17:29:27 GMT -5
Just to comment what is posted about mrc..^^^ I have been on and off the phone with them a couple times today because my deer is ready to be picked up. They close at 10pm tonight. So not sure if that needs to be updated or not but I will mention something to them tonight when I pick my deer up
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Post by moray on Oct 25, 2013 14:41:16 GMT -5
Thanks HuntMeister! I tried to do a search before I posted and came up empty.
Thanks again
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Post by mstr2175 on Oct 25, 2013 16:04:25 GMT -5
Just thought I would let everyone know I had a great experience with mrc. If your around them then I highly recommend them. Their spicy breakfast sausage is amazing. I also just grilled up my fest deer steak I got from them. Marinated in Italian dressing for 2 hours. Season with S&P. Seared on high for 4 minutes each side to med rare. PERFECTION.
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Post by Jamie Brooks 1John5:13 on Oct 27, 2013 12:27:39 GMT -5
I live by "no meat shall be cut before it's time!" and older, bigger deer just take more of that...TIME!
Steve, this is a wealth of information and I for one really appreciate it! Thanks! Do you have a butcher shop?
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Post by steve46511 on Oct 27, 2013 14:01:41 GMT -5
Sorry if I was unclear. My shop was close several years ago after 15 years of being in operation.
God Bless
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