Nicked The Guts, Wash Out?

[canopyboy]

So all the field dressing stuff and butchering stuff I can find tells that you don't want to cut the intestines, kidneys, etc.  But I can't find what to do if you do.  I tore the stomach a bit pulling out the cuts, and nicked the lower intestine cutting around the anus.  What do I do now before I start to follow the great butchering thread?

[Flyboy718]

Wash it out real good with water hose...if you didn't live so far away, I would come pick it up and eat it for you.

[frank bullitt]

Yes David, just wash out if you have water available! You could use snow or towel paper or rags if not!

It happens. What if you gut shoot a deer?

Just don't let it set with fecal or gut matter. It will "marinate" the meat, if not.

[slivrslingr]

Rinse with water then wipe everything down with vinegar, removes the blood as well.  The acidity of the vinegar kills bacteria.

[Dave Bulla]

Hose it out while hanging from the head if possible.  Then, fill a pot with lukewarm water and dump in about a cup of salt.  Stir till mostly dissolved.  Use a clean rag such as a wash cloth and wipe the insides down till they shine.  Let hang till it dries then if you got feces or gut on the hams where you split them down to the pelvic bone, I'd go ahead and trim about 1/2" of meat off that area.  I'm talking about when you split the pelvis, there is a portion of the hind quarters that you end up with "end grain" of the meat exposed.  That's the part I trim.  Any muscle that has the outer casing intact and has been hosed and wiped down should be fine.

In normal cases, I don't hose them out at all, I just do the salt water wipe down.  I don't believe in getting meat wet from plain water if I don't have a reason.

[calgarychef]

Dave is right, it's not too good to get the meat wet, it encourages bacteria growth.  Any time I get nasty stuff on the meat I cut that part off. It's amazing how deeply feces etc can work themselves into the meat and especially if carried on a stream of water.  I'm not saying never wash because sometimes it's pretty obvious that it needs it.

[frank bullitt]

Yeah, that was what I was told, no water!

Promotes bacteria!

I have butchered hogs and cows since a kid, and was a meat cutter in a grocery store, in the 80's!

Now they talk of wet aging meat!  

[canopyboy]

Well, I hosed it out that afternoon.  Had the whole thing in the freezer by nightfall.  Maybe next time I'll try to keep it dry and let it age.  

Thanks for the advice.  Good stuff.

[frank bullitt]

Good for you! Nothing better than doing it yourself! Weather and conditions dictate alot on how you process the animal.

The first one is always alittle daunting, but afterwords, it really builds confidence!

Now you can enjoy and share the bounty of the hunt, with family and friends!  And you can try out some of the great recipes posted here!

 

[Alfie]

If the gut's are ripped and stomach content comes out, you can wash it out with clean water, or just use the knife to cut away and clean the area of contamination.

One way is to blend a mix of 10% vinegear (not the wine made) into a spray bottle and just spray the inside of the animal, it wont give any taste to the meat but gives a acidic surface that kills of and prevents bacteria to grow, works like a charm.