Who does process his own meat?

[A.S.]

I just finished de-boning my deer from yesterday!

My dad always did everything himself, guess he taught me well!

[Rod Witkos]

My wife was a northern Mainer and would never let me send a deer to the butcher. Her mother and sister come over and take care of it in no time. I get to clean up.

[Lefty]

I do all my own.  The last few years my daughter has help and I am passing in on to her.  She love to help and handles a knife very well now.  We grind our own burger, press patties and have started making our own jerky.

[Red Tailed Hawk]

I have been doing all my own processing since I started hunting at age 12.

I feel it is part of the completion of the hunt....

[bawana bowman]

Have never used a processor. Have always done the work myself. Kill it & quarter, chill backstrap and quarters overnight or up to 48 hours. Then cut a couple roasts, some medallion from backstraps. All the rest is ground either for burgers or sausage. Just can't see paying someone else to do such a simple task as this. And I know it is my animal, and how it was handled from kill to freezer.

[DanB]

I have processed my own game for the last 15+ years. While stationed with my wife in Japan, 2004-8, purchased a meat grinder and butchered wild game for several friends on base. Usually processed about 40 deer per year. Deer hunting in Japan was great!

[straitera]

Long ago, discovered roast recipe using coffee. Roast doesn't taste like coffee & takes the wild out of venison. Started processing my own deer then. Easy, fun, especially cheap including hamburger w/grinder. Tenderize backstrap steaks, dip in eggs & flour (w/pepper & seasonings), chicken fry to golden brown, slap good.

[Tom]

Have been cutting and processing mine for 25+ years, takes some time but you get out of it what you put in.No question about if your own or someone else's.

[PaddyMac]

I wish we had feral hogs. But don't you need a scalding tank for that?

[Nattybumppo]

Originally posted by PaddyMac:
I wish we had feral hogs. But don't you need a scalding tank for that?

We skin them just like a deer.

Personally I do mine while on my midwest trips because there just isn't an option. At home I have a good friend who does it for me. I feel confident about my deer being what I get back and I like his work.

[bornagainbowhunter]

I cut up my own also.  My family owned a packing house for years so I know the ins and outs.  The main reason I do it myself is because I am too tight to pay someone else to do it...

God Bless,
Nathan

[Hit-or-Miss]

I learned as a kid, watching my Grandfathers and my Dad. I inherited a bunch of skinning / butchering knives, meat saws, a scale, and an old wooden block / tackle / hoist set. If it's cold out, 40 or so, I'll let the deer hang in the garage with the hide on for 5 or 6 days. This year, as I tagged out on opening day and it was 65 to 70, we (my 7 y/o and I), did everything at once and my wife vacume sealed it up that night. It's not that difficult to do if you go slow and if you pay another to do it, you risk not getting the best cuts of meat. Nothing like fresh tenderloin, butter, onions and cold beer after the job is done!

[Bow man]

We do as long as the weather allows it if we take a deer when it is hot we have a local meet packer that leaves a cooler ulocked to bring in deer 24 hours a day.

Doing it your self is the way to go if you can though

[Killdeer]

straitera, you know that you are supposed to share with your family, here.

Coffee it up!
Killdeer