# Deer processing advice



## nctoni (Nov 7, 2003)

This is my first year trying to learn to hunt deer. Starting rather late in life. While I haven't been successful in getting my own deer a friend gave me a small doe last week. I have quartered it up and it has been in a cooler for a week. I started cutting it up for packaging today. I don't really know what I am doing. Just watching some Youtube videos make it look easy. I can't afford a processor and I just want to do it myself anyway.
While I have been making small steaks, cube meat, slicing for jerky -my real reason for coming here tonight is for a little guidance on how much of that fat, silver skin, sinnew?, gooey stuff can be left on for grinding into sausage?
I was wanting to hear from those that make their own deer sausage please. Who would be willing to share their tried and true recipe? Do you make your own seasonings or buy a mix? I would like to hear about your Breakfast sausage and the snack sticks similar to slimjims. Is there a favorite place to buy the casings? Is one type of casing better than another? Do you put it in a dehydrator, oven or smoker or what?
What is your most favorite way to eat deer meat?
Thanks for hearing me. I hope that someone here can guide me thru this new process that I am undertaking. I want to thank anyone that helps.


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

I remove every bit of tallow I can on stuff I am going to grind same with silver skin and sewen as it will just clog a grinder up.

I don't buy caseings to make stuff like slim jims. 
Just make the venisom burger into 4 pound lots add in the morton quick salt, garlic in flakes form mustard seed and pepper. Mix it all together really well with my hands. put in the fridge covered 24 hours remove add liquid smoke, mix again make into rolls and bake for 1 hour on a preheated oved at 350f for an hour.

Look up my summer saugage post in the cooking section.

 Al


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## GTX63 (Dec 13, 2016)

nctoni said:


> While I have been making small steaks, cube meat, slicing for jerky -my real reason for coming here tonight is for a little guidance on how much of that fat, silver skin, sinew?, gooey stuff can be left on for grinding into sausage?


I have found the best method for removing the silver skin is to shove the meat into the freezer long enough for it to get hard.
With a good sharp filet knife, you won't have to fight trying to slice off the skin as much as the slightly frozen meat won't roll and slide.
It shouldn't matter as much for making sausage, but the silver skin is a meat sealer, so to speak. It prevents absorption of your seasoning. It can also be the reason your wife complains of the gamey taste.
I say it shouldn't matter, but I always try to remove as much of the skin as time and patience allow.


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## nctoni (Nov 7, 2003)

Thanks to you both. In this case I AM the wife. Just trying to learn and not waste.


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## AmericanStand (Jul 29, 2014)

They say the flavor is in the fat so fry up a teaspoon sized taste test. .


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## Cabin Fever (May 10, 2002)

As the others have suggested, remove as much of the silver skin, fat, and sinew as possible. If you want fat in whatever you're making, get some beef kidney suet or pork fat from a local butcher. Don't use the venison fat.


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## AmericanStand (Jul 29, 2014)

If you feed birds or want to they love the tallow.


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## nctoni (Nov 7, 2003)

AmericanStand said:


> If you feed birds or want to they love the tallow.


is that birds as in chickens?


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## AmericanStand (Jul 29, 2014)

Lol good for them too


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

Deer do not have any thing that deer hunters call fat it is all tallow same as sheep. Leaves a sticky coating in your mouth and plain awful.

Most people I know use pork fat when they want some greasey venison.
I much prefure pure unalderated venison.


 Al


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## Michael W. Smith (Jun 2, 2002)

Last year I started to can my venison using the oven method.

Cut the meat into small 1" or so cubes.
Pack the meat into clean, sterilized canning jars to within 1" - 1 1/2" from the top of the jar. (Use a knife handle or similar tool to use along the sides of the jar to get air bubbles out.)
Put in your spices 1/2 teaspoon of salt, minced garlic, Lipton Onion Soup mix, Montreal Steak Seasoning (whatever you like) in pint jars. Do not add any liquid.
Put in your spices 1 teaspoon of salt, minced garlic, Lipton Onion Soup mix, Montreal Steak Seasoning (whatever you like) in quart jars. Do not add any liquid.
Wipe the top of the jar and along the glass ridge to remove any meat residue, etc and put lids on and hand tighten the screw lid.
Place jars in unheated oven on top of a cookie sheet - with jars NOT touching each other.
Set temperature to 280 degrees, and "bake" pint jars for 4 - 4 1/2 hours.
Set temperature to 280 degrees, and "bake" quart jars for 5 - 5 1/2 hours.
When done, let jars cool down in the oven.
Remove jars after they are cool, verify the lids do not "pop" up and down with finger pressure. If there is no movement, they are sealed, and jars should be placed in a cool, dark place. If the lid "pops", put in fridge and use up within the next week.

WARNING - the oven method is really not suggested because of possible botulism spores. However, botulism spores are usually killed at 260 degrees. It is suggested that you use a pressure canner.

However, "oven canning" was used back in the old days and since I don't have a pressure canner, this is how I can my venison.

Canned venison makes a quick meal. Just heat and serve. My favorite is to make mashed potatoes, heat up the venison and add some flour to the venison juice to make a gravy. Put meat and gravy over the mashed potatoes, and dinner is served!


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## nctoni (Nov 7, 2003)

Michael W. Smith said:


> Last year I started to can my venison using the oven method.
> 
> Cut the meat into small 1" or so cubes.
> Pack the meat into clean, sterilized canning jars to within 1" - 1 1/2" from the top of the jar. (Use a knife handle or similar tool to use along the sides of the jar to get air bubbles out.)
> ...


Thank you Michael. I am experienced n caning meat with a pressure canner. But knowing what seasonings to use is a great idea.


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## GTX63 (Dec 13, 2016)

nctoni said:


> Thanks to you both. In this case I AM the wife. Just trying to learn and not waste.


Every year I would drop my deer off at the processor and pay them to give me fancy cuts and professionally wrapped and boxed meat.
The first couple of deer I processed myself were not anything I would want someone who knew what they were doing to be standing by watching.
I learned by error but I refused to throw any good meat away. So, while many of my "cuts" weren't things I could tell folks what they were, they still cooked up nicely.
If it was so bad I couldn't even hide it in a crock pot then the hound got it.
He didn't starve and neither did I.


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## AmericanStand (Jul 29, 2014)

GTX has a good point no matter what you do to it in the butchering process it is still meat. 
There are essentially two different ways to do it
The method the commercial bucher uses is designed for speed it makes pretty cuts but it does require quite a bit of equipment.
But someone with as little as a pocket knife can get the meat. 
Often in that case it’s more of a deboning and then slicing the larger muscles.
IF
You do that don’t forget there is some delicious marrow inside the lager leg bones.
They require a special tool to get to the marrow, I call it a hammer. But a rock will do and a Clean hacksaw is Probably best.


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## nctoni (Nov 7, 2003)

AmericanStand said:


> GTX has a good point no matter what you do to it in the butchering process it is still meat.
> There are essentially two different ways to do it
> The method the commercial bucher uses is designed for speed it makes pretty cuts but it does require quite a bit of equipment.
> But someone with as little as a pocket knife can get the meat.
> ...


I didnt know venison made good stock! Darn! I deboned it while quartering. That is good to know for next time. I have heard adding a little vinegar to the bones helps draw out flavor in stock. Thanks.


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## Fishindude (May 19, 2015)

With one doe, you just don't have all that much to work with, around here a doe only yields about 40# of boned processed meat so I would forgo trying to do anything special like jerky or sausage and just learn how to do a standard, straight up butcher job properly. 

For me that involves the following:
a. From each hind quarter I take the single large "football shaped" muscle and get a nice roast. The other large muscles in hind quarter are separated carefully, then larger pieces cut into steaks. Everything else is chunked up small for grinding.
b. The back straps are taken out whole, then cut into 1/2 lengths, trimmed of all silver skin then packaged whole. These are the best cut, I wrap them with bacon and grill rare.
c. The inside fish loins are also taken out whole and cleaned up. They are very tender and can be grilled rare or cross cut and pan fried and sauteed.
d. Anything below the knees on all four legs will be tough as heck and full of tendons. Some boil these down and make stock or strain out the bones and tendons leaving meat and broth behind. Some also just throw them out.
e. I don't mess with the between the ribs meat. Some add it to their grind meat.
f. Front shoulders, front legs and neck meat is all chunked up for the grinder.
In the end a big doe yields (4) back strap packages, (1) pack of fish tenderloins, (2) hind quarter roasts (4-6) packages of steaks and approx. 10-15# of ground burger.

Trim off all fat and as much sinew and silver skin as possible. I don't recommend adding anything to your ground meat, just use it plain and learn how to cook with fat free meat like venison.

I wouldn't screw around with sausage making until you've got a couple spare deer to grind up and try out. I've had good success with Italian sausage stuffed in natural hog casings and summer sausage in the synthetic casings. Venison makes pretty poor breakfast sausage in my opinion.


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

When I was still hunting at my folks with my brother, dad mom and a sister I bought a burkle meat saw. We would debone the meat place it in a freezer to stiffen up good and run it thru the saw. 
I still have the saw, bet I have not used it in 30 years now.
Kare is not big on steak nor venison roast. I cut mine all up for burger except the sweet meat and back straps. All the rest I grind in to burger pure unaltraded venison for things requireing burger line spegetti sauces, golash, mac and burger and chilli. I also make my summer sausage with it.

We now buy a half of beef two hogs and a sheep which we let the butcher do for us.
But I am not finishing off the last of the sauage we got last winter. I told Kare then I should wrap it again, she didn't think so so I didn't. Mistake on my part should have did as I thought. it taste ok but not much grease fries out of it like when fresh and about 4 months ago.

 Al


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## nctoni (Nov 7, 2003)

AmericanStand said:


> They say the flavor is in the fat so fry up a teaspoon sized taste test. .


teehee, i don't think that I will take you up on that!


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## nctoni (Nov 7, 2003)

Fishindude said:


> With one doe, you just don't have all that much to work with, around here a doe only yields about 40# of boned processed meat so I would forgo trying to do anything special like jerky or sausage and just learn how to do a standard, straight up butcher job properly.
> 
> For me that involves the following:
> a. From each hind quarter I take the single large "football shaped" muscle and get a nice roast. The other large muscles in hind quarter are separated carefully, then larger pieces cut into steaks. Everything else is chunked up small for grinding.
> ...


Yes, this was a small probably 100 pound deer to start with. I am getting some packs of "steaks" from the back strap, we ate the tenderloin already first thing. One shoulder and the neck were somewhat ruined in gunshot. I cut up a lot for something like stew meat and grinding burger. Most of the messy stuff I am canning for dog food. Not much there but I am happy.
Thanks for all the information


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## GTX63 (Dec 13, 2016)

I usually retrieve my deer with the front loader of my tractor. I'll hang the deer from the loader and skin, gut, etc.
I always have to watch our Collie, as he will sit patiently by and watch me....and the buckets as they fill...and the pile of organs.
He especially like to help by making sure the lid is tight on the cooler and doesn't come open with repeated nudges from his snoot.


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## nctoni (Nov 7, 2003)

GTX63 said:


> I usually retrieve my deer with the front loader of my tractor. I'll hang the deer from the loader and skin, gut, etc.
> I always have to watch our Collie, as he will sit patiently by and watch me....and the buckets as they fill...and the pile of organs.
> He especially like to help by making sure the lid is tight on the cooler and doesn't come open with repeated nudges from his snoot.


Ha,Ha,Ha. I hope that you paid him well by giving him some of it! Do you use the heart and liver? Or should I put that in the dog's portion?


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## GTX63 (Dec 13, 2016)

A short story.
My neighbor is 66. His grandson was coming over a few years ago for his first hunt. He was 17.
My neighbor outfitted him with a shotgun, slugs, range finder, gear, etc. They both hike out to their stands.
Now, grandpa is an old school hunter. Quiet, alert and stealth.
Grandson immediately pops out his cell phone, ear buds and starts texting. Later he is gaming. Grandpa furrows his brow "But whaddya do?"
About 45 minutes into the morning grandson puts down his phone and starts to nod off. A few minutes later appears a nice 6 point buck. Grandpa nudges grandson awake "Hey! To your left. Get ready."
About that time the buck jumps and starts a sprint from left to right in front of the boy. Still groggy he pulls up the shotgun and drops the deer at a full run from 75 yards. One slug right thru the heart. Reminder-this is his first hunt...
Grandpa doesn't know whether to hug the kid or be pissed, lol.
Now, as they are bringing that deer back up on their atv, I am on my property working on my own deer.
"Hey" my neighbor says, "I know you don't eat the heart, but you know it is supposed to be a right of passage for a young man to take a bite from the heart of his first kill. Would you mind if we had the heart from your deer?"
"Not at all" I said. "I'll bring it over asap" I replied.
So I remove the heart and lay it on an adjacent picnic table. I walk over to the shop to get the water hose and a plastic baggy and when I get back, I realize I left the garbage bag full of the gut pile laying on the ground. So, I grab it and carry it back to the trash bin.
"Did you get that heart?" yells my neighbor, with his grandson standing next to him looking a little sheepish.
"Yeah, I'll be right back".
I go back to the bench and it is gone. I look high and low and in between. Nothing.
Then here comes that Collie trotting along with dirty front paws and what looks like messy lipstick.
He laid down and pretended to be nonchalant, looking at me out of the corner of his eye the whole time.
My dog is a terrible liar.


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

GTX63 said:


> My dog is a *terrible liar*.


LOL
Most aren't nearly as good as they think they are.


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## AmericanStand (Jul 29, 2014)

Both hearts and livers are quite good eating so is brains tongue and kidneys and a couple of organs that that doe doesn’t have!


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## AmericanStand (Jul 29, 2014)

nctoni said:


> teehee, i don't think that I will take you up on that!


In spite of what some of the others have said it’s one of those things it’s very individualized
It wouldn’t be unusual for one person in your family to absolutely love it while everybody else thinks it’s totally disgusting like I said try a tiny piece. 
A teaspoon size piece will be more than enough to know if you like it or not


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## nctoni (Nov 7, 2003)

AmericanStand said:


> Both hearts and livers are quite good eating so is brains tongue and kidneys and a couple of organs that that doe doesn’t have!


I breaded and fried the heart tonight for supper. I thought it was pretty good. Husband only took a small slice and said it was too salty. Oh well, more for me tomorrow! Thanks for all the comments!


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## AmericanStand (Jul 29, 2014)

Lol
It sounds like you’re having fun with it and that’s far more valuable than the price of meat.


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## GTX63 (Dec 13, 2016)

nctoni said:


> I don't really know what I am doing. Just watching some Youtube videos make it look easy. I can't afford a processor and I just want to do it myself anyway.


Just rereading your OP this morning and I wanted to say some things in the above sentences jumped out at me.
The last three words of the first sentence "...I am doing", and the last part of the last sentence "...I just want to do it myself anyway."
That kind of attitude will separate the average guy or gal from 90% of the rest of the herd.
Good for you and congratulations!


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