From: vanetten@unix.cie.rpi.edu (John S. Van Etten)
Newsgroups: rec.hunting
Subject: Re: Venison Processing
Date: 27 Jul 92 15:24:32 GMT
Organization: CIE, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY
Originator: hunting@osnome.che.wisc.edu

Keith Hudson writes:

>Chris Barnes asked how many of us process our own deer...

[stuff deleted]
>He had the machine shop where he worked make a bone saw (out of old 
>bandsaw blades) and several other butcher "devices", bought some large

OK, now you folks have all got me curious about something.  It seems
that most people that posted followups to Chris' post have mentioned
all kinds of stuff about bandsaws and bone saws and such.
     I butcher all of my own deer myself (and usually do so for most
members of my hunting party, although they always help me with the
task).  When I was young (and that goes back a while) I was taught
that you *never* leave bones in venison and even more so than that,
that you should *NEVER CUT A BONE* in venison.  All the bonedust (?
vs. sawdust) makes the meat taste downright horrible, and leads to a
very "gamey" flavor. :-P  As such, we always de-bone the meat before
butchering it.
     The process.  Basically, the deer is hung and gotten out of its
jacket ASAP (all that talk about letting it hang to cool for several
days is a bit off the mark as well -- no offense to anybody that has
been taught to do so).  A cut is made completely around each back
quarter just above the knee.  A cut is then made following the pelvic
gurdle around at the other end.  Following that, a cut is made between
these two, which follows the thigh bone.  Seperate this last cut and
slice the meat away from the bone, all the way around the thigh bone,
working back and forth along it lengthwise.  The whole back quarter
will come off as one huge chuck of meat.  Make sure somebody is
holding it while you're doing the cutting, because it's heavy and will
drop to the ground (it you must work alone, put a nice clean garbage
bag or piece of plastic under it on the ground where it will fall).
Next the backstraps are taken off, and the rest of the meat is deboned
in a similar manner, by slicing fully around both ends and then
slicing lengthwise along the bones.  Don't worry about being too fussy
with the job, anything left on the bones can be trimmed off and thrown
in a sausage grinder later.
     Other tips.  All that stuff that they used to teach us about
using at least 15 different knives all sharped to a razor's edge and
keeping a whetstone around is all cowdung, too.  Get one of those nice
new electric knives for the job.  Works better than any bandsaw I've
ever seen, and you don't have to let the meat hang outdoors for a week
to stiffen up so you can use it.  You'd be amazed how nice those
electric knives will slice up raw meat.  And all this "wrapping" stuff
can go the way of the Passenger Pigeon, too.  It's 1992 people, let's
stay in touch. :-)  Get some of those Zip-loc (or other brand) Freezer
bags (the thick ones that have white patches on them where you can
label them).  Put the meat in there.  Steaks, roasts, ground stuff, it
doesn't matter.  Put in whatever you need for a meal (hint -- get the
cook's advise on this, if it isn't you).  Now get as much air out as
you can.  It's easy.  Just push the stuff into one end and basically
roll the baggie up on itself, then seal it and label it.  You're all
set.
     Final words.  The whole process takes me about 2 hours by myself.
It takes not much more than an hour if somebody lends a hand (and
they'd better, if it's their deer ;-).  That's the time from when the
deer is hoisted into the tree to when the baggies go in the freezer.
Of course, it may take a little bit longer until you learn the little
quirks of the process and how make your setup the most efficient.
Also, don't forget to cut all the "extra" meat off, between the ribs
and such, to throw in the sausage grinder with a little beef suet and
maybe some pork.  Makes great burgers and sausage (add seasonings).


John

--
******************************************************************************
               John S. Van Etten     vanetten@unix.cie.rpi.edu
       Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute  1000 MIPS GaAs F-RISC Project
       --"If sand didn't irritate oysters, there would be no pearls"--
Newsgroups: rec.hunting,alt.archery