We do all the work ourselves. Some hunters, after they tag out, take their game to a butcher for all the processing and packaging. We choose to do all that ourselves, at home. Our first year we started out with a manual meat grinder and learned quickly how to appreciate the modern technology of the electric meat grinder the following year. We package our finished cuts in butcher paper, not food savers. We have a food saver that was gifted to us, but are mainly using it for jerky and pepperoni. The butcher paper keeps the meat well frozen, without freezer burn, for atleast a year. I have a couple pounds of ground and a roast from last years hunt that I just cooked up and it's still perfect!
Once the guys bring the deer back, it gets hung and the meat is harvested. Then they bring it all inside, I prep/clean the kitchen surfaces, and the two of them trim off all the shit not fit for consumption. Everything gets divided out into roasts, steaks, stew, and ground. As they fill their trays they bring it all over to my "work station", the covered kitchen table. I grind the ground and then package all the meat, regardless of cut. The ground and steaks get package per pound and the roasts are packaged per decent sized roasts. Then its freezer time! It's basically like a three person assembly line from start to finish.
I serve deer (I know lots of people call it venison, we just don't) three times a week for dinner and the we have leftovers for lunches and such. Last year, both Hubbs and KoasterRider brought home one each and the bulk of the meat lasted us for over 7 months. I saved about 10 lbs to have a little here and there until this hunting season started.
Deer loin from last week's buck
~ Slathered with montreal steak spice rub, wrapped in bacon
~ baked at 350F for about 1 hour.
served with mashed potatoes and veg on the side
Hunting has become part of who we are and brought us closer as a family unit, providing for one another. It's a very authentic experience hunting and harvesting your own food. We pray for the life the animal gave and we thank God for the blessing of feeding ourselves from the land. The meat we are able to harvest from legally and ethically hunting is 100% organic, wild, and pure. The money we spend on hunting is also a few hundred dollars less than if we were to buy regular store bought beef, not even the organic stuff. The quality time with each other and the bonding between my two guys and the friends we've made are priceless. For all of these reason and many more, we are proud hunters.
If your curious about hunting and want to know more, I included links in a previous post...check it out: We Interrupt This Marriage for Hunting Season!
A nice buck and good processing skills! You know, I was just thinking about butcher paper earlier this week. I remembered how when I was a kid, you'd go to the butcher shop for your meat and it would be given to you wrapped in butcher paper. Quality, biodegradable butcher paper. No plastic wrap or styrofoam then. And our world was better for it. What I did NOT know is that butcher paper is good for freezers too -- no freezer burn, that's amazing!
ReplyDeleteIt was a trial and error thing our first year, but now we have a great system. I was shocked the first year when the butcher kept the meat good after the 1 year mark in the freezer. I guess its true about the old ways of doing things...if it ain't broke ;) its been a cool learning experience
DeleteAnd I hope your husband gets a moose too! You'll eat well this winter between deer and moose!
ReplyDeleteWe're so excited for the moose hunt too! Here's hoping! KoasterRider is hoping for his first buck this season. I'll keep ya posted
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