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Post by esshup on Aug 19, 2019 9:55:32 GMT -5
I have done all of the following: -Killed, immediately butchered, processed and in freezer within 3-4 hours of harvest. -Let hang 3-4 days in the garage or barn in cool weather prior to processing (lows below freezing, highs maybe up to 40-45). -Killed out of state, quartered into cooler, iced and drained daily for up to a week prior to getting home and processing. -Killed in warm weather, quartered, double trash bag, put in deep freeze, thawed in cooler 3-4 months later, cut/grind/etc., refreeze. I really can't say that I've noticed any difference in meat quality between any of these methods. As long as it stays cool, away from bugs and sun, and is taken care of reasonably well I think it's fine. Ditto. I have found that if the animal hasn't been stressed (running, etc.) prior to the shot the meat is better, and if I can drop the animal in it's tracks so much the better. What they are eating makes a huge difference in how they taste. I've even had to leave them hang for a few weeks until skinning out and it was frozen like a rock. I try to wash out the body cavity with well water as soon as it's hanging - less meat wasted due to the coating of blood on it.
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Post by treetop on Aug 19, 2019 14:11:52 GMT -5
I have done all of the following: -Killed, immediately butchered, processed and in freezer within 3-4 hours of harvest. -Let hang 3-4 days in the garage or barn in cool weather prior to processing (lows below freezing, highs maybe up to 40-45). -Killed out of state, quartered into cooler, iced and drained daily for up to a week prior to getting home and processing. -Killed in warm weather, quartered, double trash bag, put in deep freeze, thawed in cooler 3-4 months later, cut/grind/etc., refreeze. I really can't say that I've noticed any difference in meat quality between any of these methods. As long as it stays cool, away from bugs and sun, and is taken care of reasonably well I think it's fine. That would make three of us At home I’ll 1/4 it out freeze it and cut it up in February
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Post by nfalls116 on Aug 19, 2019 20:19:18 GMT -5
Efficiency of the kill and field dressing are the main factors in my opinion.
It’s weird because I get mine done at commercial processor now and the only thing I notice different is how much more time I have.
I work in agriculture and fall/winter and spring/summer are the busiest times of year for me so I just prefer to work a day at my job and pay for the processing than spend a day processing the deer.
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Post by esshup on Aug 20, 2019 9:09:11 GMT -5
Efficiency of the kill and field dressing are the main factors in my opinion. It’s weird because I get mine done at commercial processor now and the only thing I notice different is how much more time I have. I work in agriculture and fall/winter and spring/summer are the busiest times of year for me so I just prefer to work a day at my job and pay for the processing than spend a day processing the deer. I'm with you on this. It took a long time to find a good processor and it would take me more than 8 hours to get a deer processed from start to finish - grinding burger, etc. since I'm a one man show. That's from hanging it to cleaning all the knives/table/grinder.
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Post by bullseye69 on Aug 21, 2019 18:06:29 GMT -5
Do what will work for you. But before that, get the hide off so it can cool down faster. I have done just about everything that has been mentioned on this post. But the meat that I have had from deer that the hide was left on didn't taste good at all. NASTY! Get it gutted ,washed out and skinned asap, then worry about what to do with it.
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Post by whitetaildave24 on Aug 21, 2019 18:10:48 GMT -5
I have left hide on and hanging in my barn for days and still not noticed any difference in the taste.
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Post by steiny on Aug 22, 2019 9:57:34 GMT -5
I have left hide on and hanging in my barn for days and still not noticed any difference in the taste. So long as you can get it cooled down there isn't anything wrong with leaving the hide on for a couple days. It actually helps keep that outside layer moist rather than dried out. However ..... They skin a whole lot quicker and easier when freshly killed and still warm.
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Post by treetop on Aug 22, 2019 17:03:19 GMT -5
I have left hide on and hanging in my barn for days and still not noticed any difference in the taste. I also never remove the hide till I butcher yes they do skin a bit faster if done right away but I never cared for the crust you get I hang upside down and put a bag of ice in the rib cage all the water will run down the neck and out the mouth maybe wrong but I’ve done for years
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Post by treetop on Aug 22, 2019 17:16:18 GMT -5
Efficiency of the kill and field dressing are the main factors in my opinion. It’s weird because I get mine done at commercial processor now and the only thing I notice different is how much more time I have. I work in agriculture and fall/winter and spring/summer are the busiest times of year for me so I just prefer to work a day at my job and pay for the processing than spend a day processing the deer. I’m with you on taking it in i always did one of the biggest reasons I quit was when they make burger snack sticks summer sausage you tell them you want 20lbs of burger they take 20lbs of meat from your deer and throw it in with 2 or 3 hundred lbs of every body’s deer and grind away and pack up 20 lbs and give it to you
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Post by nfalls116 on Aug 22, 2019 17:45:03 GMT -5
Efficiency of the kill and field dressing are the main factors in my opinion. It’s weird because I get mine done at commercial processor now and the only thing I notice different is how much more time I have. I work in agriculture and fall/winter and spring/summer are the busiest times of year for me so I just prefer to work a day at my job and pay for the processing than spend a day processing the deer. I’m with you on taking it in i always did one of the biggest reasons I quit was when they make burger snack sticks summer sausage you tell them you want 20lbs of burger they take 20lbs of meat from your deer and throw it in with 2 or 3 hundred lbs of every body’s deer and grind away and pack up 20 lbs and give it to you That may be right but I didn’t get to really taste my deer ground up before I got it but today I’m cooking tacos and it’s going to be delicious now if it’s my deer or sams down the road I don’t know but until I have a bad experience I’m gonna keep doing it through them I suppose. But The second I actually get a deer that isn’t mine. Then I will be on board that same wagon.
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Post by beermaker on Aug 22, 2019 17:51:12 GMT -5
I've seen how my closest friends and hunting buddies handle deer, both immediately after the kill and right up to the mouth of the grinder, to realize that the only person touching mine is myself. Well, my brother is just like me but isn't geographically close. No way in any sort of hell that I would go to a commercial processor that "batches" meat. I fully understand that's the only way they can economically make sausage, salami, etc. That's why I make my own. I have a few local friends that make salami with me, but we do each person's batch individually.
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Post by nfalls116 on Aug 22, 2019 18:27:43 GMT -5
I've seen how my closest friends and hunting buddies handle deer, both immediately after the kill and right up to the mouth of the grinder, to realize that the only person touching mine is myself. Well, my brother is just like me but isn't geographically close. No way in any sort of hell that I would go to a commercial processor that "batches" meat. I fully understand that's the only way they can economically make sausage, salami, etc. That's why I make my own. I have a few local friends that make salami with me, but we do each person's batch individually. Well the people who take their deer where I go all handle their deer with great care.
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Post by deadeer on Aug 22, 2019 22:13:15 GMT -5
I've seen how my closest friends and hunting buddies handle deer, both immediately after the kill and right up to the mouth of the grinder, to realize that the only person touching mine is myself. Well, my brother is just like me but isn't geographically close. No way in any sort of hell that I would go to a commercial processor that "batches" meat. I fully understand that's the only way they can economically make sausage, salami, etc. That's why I make my own. I have a few local friends that make salami with me, but we do each person's batch individually. Well the people who take their deer where I go all handle their deer with great care. That's good. Think positive.😉
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Post by treetop on Aug 23, 2019 12:52:52 GMT -5
I’m with you on taking it in i always did one of the biggest reasons I quit was when they make burger snack sticks summer sausage you tell them you want 20lbs of burger they take 20lbs of meat from your deer and throw it in with 2 or 3 hundred lbs of every body’s deer and grind away and pack up 20 lbs and give it to you That may be right but I didn’t get to really taste my deer ground up before I got it but today I’m cooking tacos and it’s going to be delicious now if it’s my deer or sams down the road I don’t know but until I have a bad experience I’m gonna keep doing it through them I suppose. But The second I actually get a deer that isn’t mine. Then I will be on board that same wagon. I’ve never had a bad experience with the guys that did my deer they do a inspection on every deer that comes through the door as they come in and will turn you away if they don’t like something My biggest reason was cost after I looked what I could buy some of the stuff for and I can use it for other stuff
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Post by whitetaildave24 on Aug 23, 2019 22:11:14 GMT -5
I don’t know if any processor that don’t add your meat to others for the ground/sausage mixture. I don’t trust others enough for that to be a benefit for me. I butcher and trim the meat and my wife grinds as we go, so it isn’t that bad for us.
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