What about the meat?

[Lefty]

How do you process your meat from you game?
The times I’ve taken in elk for processing we have always had a bunch of burger. At home we don’t grind anything. The small pieces get labeled as stew or fajita. Meat that some processors would grind we label for the dogs, mostly tendons and fat.
The rest of the meat gets packaged as the location, loin, low rear leg, ham, front shoulder, neck pieces. Generally we freeze by full muscle group. We don’t cut the steaks as we package but after thawing when ready to cook.

[N5J]

I will only use a game processor if I’m guaranteed to get my own meat back! We have a local guy we use that is good…usually get our meat back in less than 24 hours after drop off. I’ve had some poor game processors in the past NEVER again. I know how I’ve taken care of my meat in the field so I want mine back! I like to keep some roasts and steaks back but usually make the rest into burger. I’ll make my own sausage and jerky…cheaper that way.

N5J

James

[Freebird134]

I've never used a processor before. Part of the hunting experience for me is carrying it through to the freezer (or smoker). This year, however, I'll probably try to use a processor because I am flying to our hunting spot and need the stuff packaged and frozen fast (so we can make our flight and take the meat). I'm nervous about using a processor, but it might be necessary this time. Unless we kill 2 bulls early and have time to butcher and freeze them at my parents house.

We are burger people. My wife didn't grow up on wild game, so she isn't always a fan of a roast, steaks, etc. Sometimes. But she can't really tell the difference between beef and game when it's burger and mixed with other flavors.

[Swede]

For me it is simpler to have a professional butcher process my elk. I have one that I use regularly. They are pretty good. I don't get a lot of surprises there. Over the years I have experienced quite a few surprises with different butchers. Probably the worst was when my son and I took our elk in, and asked for as many steaks as possible. The remainder was to be ground into hamburger. I think we got one backstrap made into steak and 95% of our elk he had an apprentice grind up. Most surprises from butchers are bad (90%). I had a good surprise last year. In addition to getting my elk back, I got a free antelope. I normally don't care much for antelope, but this was a very good one. I called the butcher about the mistake, but he was not willing to come 300 miles to pick it up, so my good surprise must have been a very bad one for someone else.

[Freebird134]

While we are on the subject, any of you Idaho boys ever use Double D Custom Meats in New Meadows (http://www.merchantcircle.com/business/ ... 8-347-3175)? I do think they changed ownership a few years back. I talked to the guy on the phone and he sounded very helpful and reasonable. But who knows? If anyone has used them or knows the outfit, let me know (PM me if you want to be private about it). Thanks!

[Goneelkn]

I had a good surprise last year. In addition to getting my elk back, I got a free antelope. I normally don't care much for antelope, but this was a very good one. I called the butcher about the mistake, but he was not willing to come 300 miles to pick it up, so my good surprise must have been a very bad one for someone else.

Would like to know what he told the other hunter!!

I usually take it to a butcher, since it's usually to warm for me to process. And the fact that i spend the entire season hunting or just chasing elk. Often thought about a propane freezer. Anyone else use one??

[ElkNut1]

Freebird, (Brandon) I'll send you a PM on the processor in New Meadows!

ElkNut1

[mattstanton]

I cut all of my own meat. I enjoy it. My wifes uncle has a mobile cooler so I can take my time butchering each quarter while the others hang and keep cool. I have a 3/4 hp grinder that makes short work of my burger and I freeze the stuff that I want made into pepper stick and summer sausage. That is the only part I do not do myself. Cinder butte meats here in central oregon does a great job on pepper stick and summer sausage.

[sockeye]

I process my own meat, My huntubg grounds are less than an hour from my house. I can hang in the garage and process at my own pace (faster when the weather is warm). Usually the daughter and wife help out also, I am able to hang the meat a while when the weather is cool.

[Swede]

Goneelkn: There are two possibilities on what the butcher said. #1 "We screwed up." #2 "The antelope was spoiled and we had to get it out of our cooler." I do not wish to hijack this thread, but which scenario do folks think was the most likely story. Are there other possibilities? I do not know what the antelope hunter was told. I just don't know how you fix a problem like that since it usually take years to draw an antelope tag in Oregon.

[BowElkDwn]

swede. I'm going with number 2 a butcher never likes to take the blame. If it is number 1 that is a really good butcher.

freebird134,
I have used that butcher. I think he is really honest and a good guy. For me he burgered too much of my meat. I like mostly steaks. It sounds like you like more burger than steak so he is probably a good choice for you. I think if you talked to him and told him what you want that he would do anything. You definently get your own game back when he proccesses it also so thats a big plus.

I have been cutting my own meat up lately just because I like as many steaks and chunk meat as I can get. Not too many butchers will go through the time to chunk what really should be burger. If they did it would probably cost you an arm and a leg.

[foxvalley]

I also like to cut up my own meat. I'll take the qtrs./bags of meat somewhere to get frozen for the 26hr. ride home. I like to spend extra time separating meat bundles and trimming everything up etc. Just a few times doing it yourself,the money you save can get you a really nice meat grinder.

[Freebird134]

Thanks for the response Bowelkdwn. I PMed you for a little clarification.

Elknut...I eagerly await your PM

[2OArchery]

We've been cutting our own meat for as long as I can remember, and my dad too. We only recently used a processer as the last couple of years we started bowhunting. Obviously the weather is much warmer, and the processer is in town less than an hour from camp, and he keeps it in his cooler til we head home, sometimes up to a week.

[Wyo67]

Any thoughts/comments on aging the meat? Going to try and process my own elk this year (assuming I get one down ) Is it worth the hassle to try and age it in a refridgerator? Or should I just do it as soon as I get home?
I don't have any issues processing deer or antelope, just haven't tried to break down that big ole elk yet...
Mike

[Goneelkn]

Swede,
Either way it's a shame, especially if it takes years to draw that tag. It would have been a question i would have asked him. What happens if he does that to you?

I had a butcher in Craig Co that i used. Two brothers just opened a butcher shop. The first year i tried them, it was great. Best processing i ever had. Then two years later,(next year shot a cow right before i went home and did it myself at home) i took another bull in and it was the worst job. Tried twice to contact them and the didn't even have the respect to return my email or phone call.

[>>>---WW---->]

Goneelkn: Brothers Processing is usually the best in town. I know them well as I life in the Craig area. Guess everyone can goof up once in awhile though. They told me one time that they process over 2000 elk every year. I know the locals have to wait a few days because they realize the out of staters need fast service so they can be on their way home.

Personally, I do my own processing. I have an old refridgerator in the garage that is plenty big enough to store quarters in if I take the shelves out. I also have a grinder and a tenderizer. So there is now reason for me to pay for processing.

[Goneelkn]

Goneelkn: Brothers Processing is usually the best in town. I know them well as I life in the Craig area. Guess everyone can goof up once in awhile though. They told me one time that they process over 2000 elk every year. I know the locals have to wait a few days because they realize the out of staters need fast service so they can be on their way home.

That's what i thought. I know they are busy at that time, but to not even return an email or a phone call to discuss?? I'm sure it was one of the "temps" they have in for hunting season. Most of my steaks were almost an inch down to a quarter inch on the same steak! Alot of elk fat left in the burger(easy to tell elk fat from added beef or pork fat, which i don't want any added). And i never want it back in a day or two. I usually give them at least a week to process.

Do you stay around there to hunt or go somewhere else??

[elkaholic]

Any thoughts/comments on aging the meat? Going to try and process my own elk this year (assuming I get one down ) Is it worth the hassle to try and age it in a refridgerator? Or should I just do it as soon as I get home?
I don't have any issues processing deer or antelope, just haven't tried to break down that big ole elk yet...
Mike

I process all of the game I get in the year. I have a standup freezer that I layer the meat and blankets in during the day. At night I pull them out and either hang or lay on a blanket on the concrete depending on bugs and temp. I do this for 5-7 days then process the game. I have had good experiences doing this and haven't lost any to spoilage or flies. If I get concerned I will sprinkle chili powder on the meat.

Works great but I usually have a lot of room in my two freezers come hunting season so I can use one for aging.

[PRIMAL-ARCHERY]

I do all my own processing. Between me and the brothers and my dad we can make short work of just about any animal. I think if you plan on hunting for years to come its worth learning and doing yourself. I couldn't possibly afford to pay someone to do it for me. Plus its nice knowing exactly what's going into your meat. We do pigs,beef, and about any wild game we get our hands on.

[caperoll/Scott]

Every time I have used a butcher it has been nothing but bad. I learned to cut my own meat along time ago. I'm not the fastest at cutting meat but I know what i'm getting when I take a package of steak out of the freezer. A friend of mine told me about doing a vinager wash on the meat after it's cut. I started doing this a few years ago and I could not beleave the differance it made on the textuer and the taste. It adds a little more time to the cutting and wrapping but it's worth time. Caperoll Scott