ALMOST BEEKEEPING - RELATED TOPICS > FARMING & COUNTRY LIFE
Butchering and Meat Processing - My way.
CoolBees:
There are many different ways to butcher and process large animals. At the "shouted" request of 15th, I'm posting the way I do it ...
I do all of my own butchering and meat processing - from pulling the trigger (or releasing the arrow) to smoking the sausages and drying the jerky. From Bear (just got one 2 weeks ago), to Deer, to Elk, to Antelope, to Cattle, to Pigs, etc. We made a roast in the slow cooker over the weekend - Bear and Elk - Amazing!
For the record - I will not eat any meat with a "Gamey" flavor. I throw up at the smell of it - instantly. ... and unfortunately, many people have "gamey" meat because they don't handle the meat properly - which is as simple as killing the naturally occurring bacteria in the meat as fast as possible. This is done by "chilling" getting the meat below 40 degrees as fast as possible. The bacteria begin attacking the meat the moment the animal dies - the bacteria then begin to "outgas". It is the "outgassing" of the bacteria that is the source of the "gamey" flavor. ... or at least, this is my understanding of what occurs.
My meat never has a Gamey flavor.
As to actual processing - there are many ways to do it. Here's how I do it:
Note - All deer & goat species have the same internal body/bone structure, when it come to processing.
Note - Work in a clean environment. Wash your hands - regularly (I keep a bucket of warm soap water at hand). Don't let dirt get on the meat or body. Wash the carcass with a garden hose if needed (but I try to avoid this unless necessary - bacterial loves water, so its a catch-22).
Note - I've found I prefer to work with the animal on a table, rather than hanging it, although I've done plenty both ways. I do all my hunting de-boning on the ground on the field - using the skin as the work surface.
Note - I am usually backpacking the meat back to the truck. I don't eat bones, so I don't carry bones out of the field. I de-bone every animal right where it dropped.
I skin the animal first. I do not "gut" until the end. Do not (try not to) pierce the gut outer lining while skinning.
Then i remove one front quarter by lifting the leg and cutting along membranes between the ribs and the quarter, from the brisket up towards the backbone. There is no bone connection here - so it separates easily.
Then I remove the hind quarter in the same basic manner - you have to figure out the Hip joint, by cutting the tendons to separate the quarter at the hip ball joint. Follow the bone lines along the backbone to remove this quarter.
Then I remove the backstrap on this side of this side of the animal.
Then I flip the carcass and repeat - the animal has not been gutted yet.
Now you have a carcass that has only the ribs and backbone and guts. Here's where I gut the animal. I open the gut membrane and pull the guts out - cutting membranes where necessary to separate from the body cavity. Try not to pierce the guts themselves. Cut the diaphragm loose (this is where you get into the blood) and pull everything out from that end. Then pull the large intestine loose - from the other end. Everything should come out in a relatively neat package.
Now I can get the Tenderloins out. If your keeping the ribs, cut them right along the cartilage connection at the backbone. Now shave any other viable meat from the bones that you can find. I eat the heart. I throw out the lungs. You should now have an empty backbone (with or without ribs).
Now take each quarter, lay on (cleaned) table, and de-bone. Bag the de-boned meat from each quarter separately and chill or freeze. Once you've de-boned a few quarters, you see that the front shoulders have a specific unique set of cuts, and the hind quarters have their own set of unique cuts. These cuts are the same for all big game animals - except pigs and bears are a little different. You'll get used to it.
Actually "Processing" the meat - making Steaks, Roasts, and Ground meat, can be done any time you want - later. Freeze the meat if your not going to Process immediately.
I Grind any part of the animal that I can't make into Roasts, Steaks or Ribs. Often, I shave the ribs with a knife to remove all meat, and grind - rather than keep the ribs themselves. I grind the Hocks, Tendons, and all smaller pieces of meat.
I use the Ground meat to make burgers and sausages.
Hope this helps - lmk if I can answer more detailed questions.
CoolBees:
15th, to your question regarding Goats: I've never specifically done a goat. However, Antelope is in the goat family. The Goat family is especially susceptible to "gameyness" - you have about 1/3rd of the time frame to prevent "gamey" meat, as compared to a deer, elk, or cow. So, the first rule (imho) is - from the time to goat dies, to get the meat off of the bones as fast a reasonably possible, and get the meat cooled down as quickly as possible. The bones hold heat (and therefore bacteria) longer than any other part.
BTW - I LOVE properly handled Antelope meat. Most people hate it because it wasn't handled correctly - in which case, yes - it's nasty.
NigelP:
An interesting topic. Here in UK butchering yer own is a big no no. Any butchering/killing an animal has to go thought regulated abattoirs. All our livestock is tagged and registered.Big brother is watching over us...
It;s driving the small producer's, who sell (or sold) their produce at Farmers market's, out of business. UK is mainly all Bed and Breakfast pigs (read battery chicken equivalent) in the effort to produce cheap meat. Just think small barn with overpowered numbers of of pig constantly squealing and fighting each other 24/7.
CoolBees:
Some additional notes:
Sharp Knives make all the difference. I keep several handy from the start. All my knives are razor sharp - I can shave with them. A dull knife makes for a slow, tiring, day. With a sharp knife, I can walk up to an animal, and walk away 45 mins later with the entire animal de-boned, and the meat packaged in bags. I cannot stress the importance of good knives enough.
I've heard of people "soaking" meat in a brining solution (water, salt, vinegar, etc). This is done to get rid of the gamey flavor. ... it isn't needed, if the meat has been handled properly.
I've seen people hang a deer for 2 weeks or so - if the temps are hovering in the high 20's to low 40's. I've done it, but I don't do it any more.
I take very few pictures of animals I've hunted - because time matters for proper meat - I walk up and start cutting. When I see people bringing a deer home in their truck in the afternoon (that they shot in the early morning), I cringe. ... but, as long as they are happy, and they don't invite me over for dinner, it's all good.
I suppose: That I should mention how many animals I've processed. ... here goes ... the ones I've taken: 182 deer (Whitetails, Muley's, & Colombian Blacktails, combined), 14 Elk, 8 bears, 14 wild pigs, 1 antelope, a few dozen (purchased) cattle, PLUS every one of the animals taken by other people in my camp ... another 400 in total maybe?
CoolBees:
--- Quote from: NigelP on October 12, 2021, 06:12:00 pm ---An interesting topic. Here in UK butchering yer own is a big no no. Any butchering/killing an animal has to go thought regulated abattoirs. All our livestock is tagged and registered.Big brother is watching over us...
It;s driving the small producer's, who sell (or sold) their produce at Farmers market's, out of business. UK is mainly all Bed and Breakfast pigs (read battery chicken equivalent) in the effort to produce cheap meat. Just think small barn with overpowered numbers of of pig constantly squealing and fighting each other 24/7.
--- End quote ---
That really sucks Nigel. I enjoy processing my own meat. I like to get a good look at it. I can see if there are tumors, parasites, etc. ... I won't eat meat from a store. I've been to the slaughter houses. I've seen how its done for mass production/consumption. (I worked cattle for a year when I was a teenager). ... in my humble opinion, my meat is soooo much better. It's too bad the UK has done that.
I've seen the pig farms like you describe. A German neighbor kept pigs like that when I was a kid. ... just NASTY!
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