ALMOST BEEKEEPING - RELATED TOPICS > FARMING & COUNTRY LIFE
Butchering and Meat Processing - My way.
NigelP:
Yes, it sucks. I'm fortunate as I work farmers markets selling honey amd by default have access to ethically reared outdoor meats from other sellers, It makes a huge difference, both in my appreciation of the meat and most-times the quality and flavour is amazing.
The15thMember:
Before I proceed with my questions, thank you, thank you again, Alan. My mom wants to know if you can fly across the country to come over and teach us! :wink: :cheesy:
Question 1: Our major concern with attempting your unorthodox method is that, having very little experience in this department, we will be very slow. Like skinning for example, is going to be way harder than a rabbit and will probably take us very long. In reading about this, I've heard people say that it's important to get the guts out quickly because they hold a lot of heat, while you seem to favor the skin and bones as the bigger reservoirs of thermal energy in the carcass. I think your method makes complete sense for someone who can, as you mention, go through this process in under an hour, but we undoubtedly cannot. I also feel like if we go through the whole butchering process like we do a rabbit (guts, then skin, then quartering, as opposed to skin, quartering, guts), just due to familiarity with the process, we may work more efficiently. Considering our inevitably slow speed, would you still recommend your method, as far as cooling the meat goes, since we are definitely NOT fast enough to have the guts out in 45 minutes if we do it your way?
Question 2: What is your opinion on leaving fat on the meat? I've seen several people mentioning that the fat gives an off flavor to the meat, both with deer and with goats. Has that been your experience?
Question 3: Mom is particularly interested in cooking the tenderloins and the loins/backstrap the same day. What would be your recommended method of cooking that cut? If you have a recipe you'd be willing to share, we'd gladly take it.
CoolBees:
--- Quote from: The15thMember on October 12, 2021, 08:03:54 pm ---Before I proceed with my questions, thank you, thank you again, Alan. My mom wants to know if you can fly across the country to come over and teach us! :wink: :cheesy:
--- End quote ---
I'm happy to help if I can - but I ain't flyin' nowhere these days
I am going deer hunting this weekend, if y'all want to fly over here and watch me cut one up. :shocked: :cool:
--- Quote from: The15thMember on October 12, 2021, 08:03:54 pm ---:Question 1: Our major concern with attempting your unorthodox method is that, having very little experience in this department, we will be very slow. Like skinning for example, is going to be way harder than a rabbit and will probably take us very long. In reading about this, I've heard people say that it's important to get the guts out quickly because they hold a lot of heat, while you seem to favor the skin and bones as the bigger reservoirs of thermal energy in the carcass. I think your method makes complete sense for someone who can, as you mention, go through this process in under an hour, but we undoubtedly cannot. I also feel like if we go through the whole butchering process like we do a rabbit (guts, then skin, then quartering, as opposed to skin, quartering, guts), just due to familiarity with the process, we may work more efficiently. Considering our inevitably slow speed, would you still recommend your method, as far as cooling the meat goes, since we are definitely NOT fast enough to have the guts out in 45 minutes if we do it your way?
--- End quote ---
I totally understand. It's no problem to do it like you would a rabbit, it just takes longer and it's more of a mess. My process has evolved thru the years - to what it is today. As long as your done in a few hours, you'll be fine.
Gutting takes [me] less than 60 seconds - when I start that way. One cut from privates to sternum. Flip the animal upside-down. Grab hind legs - give a couple firm shakes to drop the guts out. Lay carcass on its side, and cut out diaphragm, cut esophagus, pull large intestine loose - done. ... but ... now you've got blood (and hopefully not guts) everywhere - before you start. ... so I reversed the process. That's all.
--- Quote from: The15thMember on October 12, 2021, 08:03:54 pm ---
Question 2: What is your opinion on leaving fat on the meat? I've seen several people mentioning that the fat gives an off flavor to the meat, both with deer and with goats. Has that been your experience?
--- End quote ---
So - very good question. I don't like the fat either. It does give off flavors that I dont prefer. When processing the de-boned meat, I trim off all fat (with the exception of whitetails if the fat is very hard and white - sometimes)
--- Quote from: The15thMember on October 12, 2021, 08:03:54 pm ---
Question 3: Mom is particularly interested in cooking the tenderloins and the loins/backstrap the same day. What would be your recommended method of cooking that cut? If you have a recipe you'd be willing to share, we'd gladly take it.
--- End quote ---
I'm lazy. I always try to get someone else to cook ... which is to say, I'm not a Chef. I've had many excellent goat dishes - none of which I've cooked myself.
My "old standby" has always been Salt, Pepper, and a little Garlic ... but with goat, specifically, there are much better recipes - I don't know them unfortunately.
gww:
Though it is a little wastefull, I no longer save the ribs and the tiny bit of tender loin inside a deer does not tempt me to gut them. I do believe in skinning and deboneing as fast as possible and chilling the meat as quickly as possible. If you deside you want to gut, it is helpful to cut around the but hole before you start so that the guts can fall lose and be pulled out easier. If I gut hanging, I will place one hand inside the animal and keep it between the stomach and knife while gutting. When you start from the back and then reach the rib cage, as long as your knife is put through at an angle towards the head, you are safe at that point cause all you might cut is the lungs or heart.
I hunt where I also clean and so take a atv or tractor and get the animal to the house as soon as possible and start my work. I am not afraid to eat breakfast and then clean but agree that faster is better. Fat and tallow and bone are the things that will give the quickest off taste and I try to remove all with in reason.
I do not worry about the guts being in the deer causeing a heating problem as long as I get to cleaning fairly fast. I used to gut immediatly where the deer dropped but find I get less dirt and hair with the way I do it now plus for what you get, the work is no longer worth it to me though it used to be and I did not want any waste.
making or using a single tree to keep the back legs spred is helpfull for the way I hang and clean deer.
Good luck
gww
Acebird:
Coolbees where did you learn your methods? I am not flying anywhere either. My wife just got caught in the Southwest snafoo Sunday.
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