Butchery

[Squanto Airi]

Thread for any tips and tricks on butchering and processing animals for meat.

 

[Happy Little War Painter]

I just got done culling some chickens, rabbits, and turkeys and wish I took some photos to show.

I do have more chickens, ducks, and a pregnant rabbit ready for the end of the season.

Later this fall I can make an article write up with photos if I remember/am reminded.

But please ask questions I will try my best to answer them.

I have no experience with large game or hunting.

 

[10 Little Niggers]

Check out Scott Rea on YouTube. Good resource.

 

[Troonos]

Buy Victorinox butcher knives; you can't do better for the price.

Learn how to sharpen knives.

Buy a countertop vacuum sealer and a huge roll of bags.

Get a large plastic sheet for your countertop, as marble, granite, and metal will all dull your knives quickly. Don't bother with a cutting board; you'll just get annoyed with the small work area.

Buy a pack of Kevlar knit gloves and a box of nitrile gloves; wear the nitrile over the Kevlar, as the Kevlar is cut-resistant and keeps your hands warm against the cold meat, and the nitrile keeps the Kevlar dry.

Learn some basic bovine/porcine/cervine anatomy. It helps a lot knowing the shape of the bones you're cutting around, and where certain muscles you don't want to damage are covered in protective connective tissue.

Don't try to hold on to every cut whole. If that particular steer's/deer's sirloin has shit marbling, just throw it in the grinder with some reserved fat.

Sanitize your work surface with food-safe disinfectant, and don't forget to wash your hands.

 

[Internet-Based Lobotomy]

YouTube is a good resource and there's plenty of people showing their best tricks of the trade. Some methods work better than others and you'll find what works best for you over time. I'm assuming you're already proficient at dressing but if not learning to field dress properly is important as you'll need to remove organs without getting bile all over your meat as it will aid in spoilage. For me personally I have access to a hose in the off chance of that happening and a chain pulley for hoisting dressed animals into the air for the further skinning and processing phase.

 

[Balldozer]

I've gotten really efficient at birds, I'll make a write up of tips and tricks later on specifically for small scale homestead stuff. I do chickens, ducks, turkeys, quail on a regular basis. Joel Salatin is a great resource for "I need to learn to process a chicken right now."

 

[Squanto Airi]

I've gotten really efficient at birds, I'll make a write up of tips and tricks later on specifically for small scale homestead stuff. I do chickens, ducks, turkeys, quail on a regular basis. Joel Salatin is a great resource for "I need to learn to process a chicken right now."

You got that writeup? I suck a spatchcocking, so a brotha needs to know