game cutting DIY course

[mud-dog27]

ok so not sure where to put this question and i searched a bit with no luck.
but ive decided im tired of payin butcher costs and i wanna start doin my own game butchering and i was wondering if anyone could recommend a good course they have taken or a good book

[swamper]

There are a few good videos out there that will help. The one I used when I started was "Get Cutting and Cooking" There were 2 tapes, one for the front quarter and one for the back.

All we did was set up a small TV in the shop and follow along. Now I cut an average of 15 critters a year for all my hunting buddies.

[000buck]

There are a few good videos out there that will help. The one I used when I started was "Get Cutting and Cooking" There were 2 tapes, one for the front quarter and one for the back.

All we did was set up a small TV in the shop and follow along. Now I cut an average of 15 critters a year for all my hunting buddies.



thanks for the tip!!

[thatskindafunny]

ok so not sure where to put this question and i searched a bit with no luck.
but ive decided im tired of payin butcher costs and i wanna start doin my own game butchering and i was wondering if anyone could recommend a good course they have taken or a good book
Hmmm, I have butchered my own deer and moose for many a year. You butcher your own deer say 100 lbs. and take over 40 lbs of scrap to the butcher to grind up for burger for about $20 bucks. Hmm he hangs the deer in his cooler for longer than you could, butchers it, freezes it, grinds the burger and gets rid of all the bones etc. and it cost you $60. Go figure. And he really does a better job that you. Now he got 27 roast out of a moose and we would of got about 16. The butchers are worth everything they charge in my opinion. That isn't kinda funny but the truth.

[Steeleco]

Swamper was kind enough to lend me one of his videos. I kept having to watch and work but it helped a whole lot. Now I just need more practice!!

[ROEBUCK]

i bought a dvd and with a little practice my meat turns out realy presentable now, i have saved a lot of money not taking meat to a butchers, you can easily prepare meat as good as butchers, but obviously it takes a lot longer to prepare than a butcher would take, but beats gettin ripped off or having meat stolen as i have been before.

[3kills]

back in the like the 80's grocery stores that use to cut carcass use to teach like a one week course type thing at night but i dont think u can find somethign like that i would maybe talk to a buther and see if he can teach ya a few things...the only couse i know of in bc is the one i took at TRU and unless u wanna make a livin out of cuttin meat its not worth the cost really i think...

[newhunterette]

I have a really good game cutting sheet - trying to get it so it is easy to read on a post
Ali

[3kills]

There are a few good videos out there that will help. The one I used when I started was "Get Cutting and Cooking" There were 2 tapes, one for the front quarter and one for the back.

All we did was set up a small TV in the shop and follow along. Now I cut an average of 15 critters a year for all my hunting buddies.


so u offerin to butcher mine when i come up there this year??? LOL

[brotherjack]

Here's a good place to start: [/URL][URL]http://www.team-asc.com/deerfield.wmv (http://%3Cfont%20size=%22-1%22%3Ehttp://www.team-asc.com/deerfield.wmv%3C/font%3E) - it's the fastest and easiest technique I have ever seen to get the meat off the bone and ready to make into steaks and such. It's how we do ours, and it works great for us.

Butchering your own is really pretty easy. It's just a big deer shaped piece of meat, and your goal is to cut it into smaller pieces of meat and eat it. It ain't rocket science.

[Sooke Hunter]

I have a book called "Dressing and Cooking Wild Game" which has a very good section on butchering and processing all types of animals including birds. It is par of the "Hunting and Fishing Library" collection. The book is written by Teresa Marrone. Some awsome recipes as well!! Anymore info....just ask and I will help you out.

[Steeleco]

There's also a DVD out that's called "Deer processing 101" It covers everything from field dressing to cutting and wrapping. Very good info.

[canadamoose1]

My only beef with the butchers is you don't always get "YOUR" moose but a mixed bag of several animals. Twice I've got 7mm bullets in my meat and I don't have a 7mm. Always make a point of shooting young moose (spikes or forks) so am quite annoyed when I have to chew for 1/2 hour and some of the gristle is an inch or more thick. Very few, if any of the game cutting butchers do one moose at a time and you get it divided up based on the weight of your moose when you take it in.
Have always done my own deer and did a moose once. Big job, took me 7 hours to cut and wrap. Never again! I now ask butcher when he's going to cut it and how I can be sure its only my moose not a mix. If he won't let me watch him cut and wrap, I'll go elsewhere.

[3kills]

brotherjack that was a good reference for sure...canadamoose1 i dont think its fair that u clump all game meat cutters like that i know tons of guys that cut game meat and they cut one animal at a time and they give u ur animal back sorry u have had bad luck with a few bad butchers but not all are like that....

[ROEBUCK]

you have to remember that butchers are running a business and keepin all animals separete must be dificult when time is money ,take the time to butcher it yourself it realy is rewarding and you can be sure its your animal your eating. imagine taking a nice animal to a butcher and another hunter takes a geriactric moose to the same butcher but has been a good customer for a long time whos gona get the trash!

[irishbandit1]

I worked at a custom cutting shop from the age of 13 to 19 my advice is check on line for info,ask your local butcher for charts on thr various cuts as well as how to tie a butchers knot for your roasts and check your local chapters for a how to book,regards,Bandit.

[ryanb]

I don't see what's so hard about it. I just looked up which cuts are where and what to use them for and went at it. Bought a handcrank gringer for $15 and went at it. What do you learn from a DVD or book?

[ROEBUCK]

your right ryan it is simple and a confidance thing. but dvds can give you some real profesional insider tips on good meat presantation

[mud-dog27]

thanks for the info and Ali i got your email thanks and was able to see my buddies dad cut up the 2point my buddy got opening day and it seems alot easier now than previously assumed im still gunna look for a book or somethin just for that extra confidence though

[3kills]

you have to remember that butchers are running a business and keepin all animals separete must be dificult when time is money ,take the time to butcher it yourself it realy is rewarding and you can be sure its your animal your eating. imagine taking a nice animal to a butcher and another hunter takes a geriactric moose to the same butcher but has been a good customer for a long time whos gona get the trash!
i am a meat cutter not custom but i have done custom and its not tht hard to keep stuff seperate u just have to think a lil and tag and bag things....

[3kills]

mud dog if u have question just pm me i m a lil ways away to come give ya a hand but i can always try to talk ya through something

[ratherbefishin]

I have butchered my own deer for many years-I consider it part of the hunting experiance.I initially just used a lamb chart for direction.Haven't done a moose yet[mainly for the lack of the moose]but one idea is to go to the warehouse type stores and buy larger pieces of beef-inside /outside rounds,sirloin, etc and ,practise your technique on them-saves lot of money .I think getting a large meat grinder would be invaluable too

[swamper]

That was a good video clip. The one thing that my hunting group does is save the ribs from any animal that has not been damaged. Then once a year we have rib fest at my house. The last two years has been on boxing day. Last year I started cooking about 9:30 AM. We did about 35 lbs of assorted moose, bear and deer ribs. There wasn't a whole lot left at the end of the day.

[Wildman]

One of the grocery stores up here will still take our deer, but not moose.

[Mr. Dean]

There's also a DVD out that's called "Deer processing 101" It covers everything from field dressing to cutting and wrapping. Very good info.

x2

Fire it on a portable player and your set. The movie/lesson covers everything that a person needs from the kill to the plate.

[newhunterette]

was having technical difficulties trying to post my game cutting sheet in here so when y'all purchase the HBC Cook Book it will appear in the helpful information section but if u want a copy soon just send me a pm (of the game cutting sheet) Cook Book is getting there soon

Ali

[highcountry88]

Thanks for the vid Brotherjack.....that was good. We have butchered our own game for a couple of years (the first animals we REALLY butchered if ya know what I mean)...but even the first roasts and burger we still good. I do enjoy saving the money but I get a lot of enjoyment out of trying to make my own sausage.

One key point, don't rush your buthering and keep the meat clean of hair....

Swamper...that is a good point on saving all of the ribs from all your game and getting your buds together after the season for a big RIBFEST....I am going to try that...

[TGF]

I used to take all my meat to the butchers around town. Had a couple bad experiences one year like getting leaves and gravel in my meat which I was no where near when I got my moose and I go over my meat with a fine toothed comb. And at 43 cents per lb on a 1000 lb moose is a fair chunk of coin. Thats just the butchering then if you add sausages to that, it adds up fast.
I started cutting my own meat but was worried hearing stories like you have to cut this way or that way otherwise you will ruin it and your better to take to a butchers. I just cut into different muscle groups and sometimes I ended up with a huge roast that I just cut into smaller pieces. Everything turned out OK and I have been cutting my own and buddies moose for 8 years now. You do get a little better with practice however as one said on here, it really isn't rocket science.
The thing I like about cutting my own meat is I double wrap....1st with saran wrap tightly, then with freezer paper. Butchers won't do this for you as too time consuming so they might add more $$$ to your bill. I have heard that meat lasts 9 months in freezer and laughed as that is crap. I have taken meat wrapped 3 years previous and no freezer burn. Tastes yummy like it was shot the week previous. Most of my moose is used up within 2 years and its still nice and red. Butchers need to make money and the more they put through the more they make.
Another thing that peeves me with butchers is they weigh the testicles and penis with the weight of the moose. So you get charged for this but who is gonna eat something like that. I ask them to remove it prior to final weight and they say "Oh we can't do that....has to be on there for COs" Sure but that thing might weigh 5 lbs total.
The nice thing about a butcher is they can hang for you if warm out but if they are not busy they will grab your meat and start cutting before the next rush comes in. So your meat you wanted hung for a week is pulled out after 2 days and cut. You don't know any difference when you pick up your frozen meat 7 days later.
IMO, get yourself a video or DVD and you will never go back to a butcher.
If you truly enjoy the gathering of meat for the year it is comforting to know your getting your own meat that you harvested. Butchering is just another part of the enjoyable experience.

[harder rd]

I would love to butcher my own game , but I live in chilliwack and at most times of the year I have to hang my game in a cooler for at least 3 days most times longer. so what do you all do about hanging your game? have you all got coolers or do you just cutt your game right away? I have thought of asking my cutter if I could pay just for the cooler space but realy have no problems with his work and like his jerky samples when ever I drop by.

[newhunterette]

if we hang our meat at all it is put into my outside refrigerator - unfortunately that means beer becomes warm to keep meat cold - hehehehe

but on the most part u do not have to hang meat if u plan on cutting it right away yourself and get it packaged up and into the freezer in a timely fashion and sanitary conditions

the only time we have taken our meat to a butcher in Langley (won't mention name but it is common practices with them to mix everyone's meat together) we ended up with someone elses disgusting meat mixed with ours so after that decided to do it ourselves and if I want sausage or pepperoni made I have a dear place in aldergrove that will do it for me if I dont have the time - as for any jerky I make it myself

now if we have a bad cut of meat I blame the hubby - but so far so good never have had it - he does a great job cutting our game meat himself

Ali