I would like to go hunting this weekend it's going to be in the upper70's to lower 80's.After field dressing. What are the right steps to take, in butchering a deer, so you don't get spoilage of the meat.Do you hang a deer for a period of time?I'm really not sure what steps to take. It's not like late season when at that time it's not as much of an issue,because it's cold outside, you don't really have to worry about spoilage. So if there anyone out there have some good Idea's or give me some detailed steps on what to do, Thanks for your help
I field dress them and don't worry about spoilage as long as I can get it to a butcher within a hour. If thats not possible I quarter or half it and put it in my 36 gallon cooler (you can get one at Wal-Mart for $50).
If its going to be that hot I try and get it home as quick as posible. Pack the chest cavity with ice and a bag between the back legs. tie it in with rope. When I get home I quarter it and put it in an old refridgerator I have in the basement. I leave it in there for a week and then butcher it.
I knew a guy that made a cooler . Made a frame out of insulated plywood and used an airconditioner to cool it. Worked pretty good.
I quarter mine asap. then place in a cooler. I put a grate on the bottom of the cooler. supported by 2x4's fill the bottom with ice then set the quarters on top of the grates. leave space between quarters if you can. I use a large 14cu ft cooler so I can spread them out.
then if time does not permit i freeze the quarters, at the end of the season
i defrost them all at once and spend a weekend making sausage.
I field dress it and get it home asap. Hang it and wash it out good with the water hose. Then skin it, quarter it and debone it. Then put the meat in the beer...I mean....garage fridge. :wink:
My cold weather and warm weather techniques don't differ that much. I immediately skin the animal, deboning as I go, and put the meat in a game bag. Then strap the bag to my pack and take it out. If warm weather I put it in a 120 quart cooler with ice; if cold weather, I hang the bags on a meat pole. Either way I try to get them home as soon as I can to finish processing them.
Gut it, skin it, quarter it, and put in in the ice chest as quickly as possible. I like the grate idea. I have read that it is best not to put your meat in water, but I always have since the ice melts when I throw warm meat on it.
They are refering to not using a lake, stream, or pond to clean the carcass as there are parasites and other organisms that will make the meat unfit to eat.
I generally don't gut anymore.I run a slice down the back bone and pull the skin back. Cut out the back strap on one side, and then take off the front and hind quarters, minus the lower legs, then turn animal over and repeat. I don't enter the cavity, until I go between the ribs and cut/peel out the tenderloins. Last is the neck meat and whatever grind may be left(not much). I like this method bcause it gets the meat cooling faster, and you don't mess with the gut and risk getting offal on the meat. I then get it, to a fridge or cooler and usually clean it up and finish deboning that night.
I generally don't gut anymore.I run a slice down the back bone and pull the skin back. Cut out the back strap on one side, and then take off the front and hind quarters, minus the lower legs, then turn animal over and repeat. I don't enter the cavity, until I go between the ribs and cut/peel out the tenderloins. Last is the neck meat and whatever grind may be left(not much). I like this method bcause it gets the meat cooling faster, and you don't mess with the gut and risk getting offal on the meat. I then get it, to a fridge or cooler and usually clean it up and finish deboning that night.
Tried Elkkat's method tonight on a whitetail, worked like a charm. I packed the entire deer in one trip - packing sure beats dragging. I put the quarters on ice when I got back to the SUC (sports utility car). Just finished up boning out the meat and it's in the fridge cooling down some more. I'll finish processing everything tomorrow. I'll never drag a whitetail again. Thanks for the great advice Elkkat!
Elkkat, can you explain the tenderloin removal better for me. I often cut mine up simalar to what you describe but leave the tender morsals. Do you use a saw to remove some ribs?
Water bad for meat? I have always soaked mine overnight to remove blood from meat. Should I not be doing this?
I just, take the muscle out behind the back rib and cut the end of the loin, then it will mostly peel out, with just a little help from the knife tip. Then cut the other end. Younger deer are tougher because the muscle is more tender, so be delicate. Just move the gut out of your way and you can get both loins from the same side. Some guys go ahead and just unzip em to make more room , as you don't have to worry about getting offal on the meat anymore.
I gut, skin, and quarter ASAP. If I don't have time to butcher it immediately, I put the quarters in my spare refrigerator until I can get to it later.
I think you are better off, keeping the meat dry. IMO you are just removing flavor, if you soak in water. I have put meat in plastic bags and put them in the creek to cool before, but the meat doesn't get wet.
I'll Field Dress It When I Get Home Skin It And Break It Down Into Primals Then Put It In Bag Into The Fridge In My Garage To Let It Cool Just Make Sure Not To Pile It On Top Of Each Other So It Can Cool Spread It Out Evenly.
I gut mine where it falls and hurry back to camp to skin and quarter it.. Like has been said before its always hot down here in Texas during bow season. Usually after quartering I pack it in ice and leave it I get tit to the butcher. I leave the water in as it helps keep it cool and takes any blood left in the meat out.. Steve
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