Breaking Down Deer - Some Basics
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processhead your work on the shoulders is great. In my opinion the hardest part of the carcass. What do you do with the bones? I’m wondering with the CWD concerns are you able to make stock or anything out of them? Of course looks like you got all of the meat off of them.
marzig20 said in Breaking Down Deer - Some Basics:
processhead your work on the shoulders is great. In my opinion the hardest part of the carcass. What do you do with the bones? I’m wondering with the CWD concerns are you able to make stock or anything out of them? Of course looks like you got all of the meat off of them.
I don’t do anything with the bones. They usually get put in the trash or if we are in camp, they get left for the coyotes.
What really helped me learn butchering and deer skeletal anatomy is lots of practice, going slow at my own pace. Often butchering is a mad scramble to get it done and get the meat cold/frozen. Having a work space that is properly set up and with refrigerator space large enough for a couple of meat lugs to hold bone-in quarters gives you the flexibility to bone out meat when you have time and to take your time to do it right.
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As I have deboned more deer and paid attention to the muscle groups, its becoming quicker every year.
HerbcoFood said in Breaking Down Deer - Some Basics:
As I have deboned more deer and paid attention to the muscle groups, its becoming quicker every year.
Exactly.
As I just replied to marzig20 -
HerbcoFood said in Breaking Down Deer - Some Basics:
As I have deboned more deer and paid attention to the muscle groups, its becoming quicker every year.
Exactly.
As I just replied to marzig20processhead I deboned one this morning. Looks like you’ve got it down pat.
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Just posting some pictures of recent deer butchering.
The deer was shot 36 hours ago and field dressed at that time. The carcass hung overnight in 28 degree outdoor temperatures and was just starting to freeze in some of the smaller parts.
The following morning (24 hours ago) I skinned it, cut out the back straps and quartered it before carrying it home and putting it in the refrigerator.
At this point, all the quarters and trim on this doe that fit in a single heaping full meat lug. As a point of comparison, the buck I shot earlier filled up 2 and 1/2 meat lugs.
This morning I broke down the hind quarters as pictured. There are many methods for doing this. Some guys will even bone out the entire deer while it is still hanging.
I am not really set up for that and do better with more conventional methods that allow me to work as much as I want and then take a break for a while.
Everyone has a process they like. This one work pretty good for me. YMMV.
Here is picture with the pelvis, femur, and shank bone removed from the hindquarter.
Next is a picture of the main muscle groups separated from the hindquarter.
Next is a picture of the muscle groups with some of the silverskin, larger tendons, and most of the fat trimmed.
This is normally where I stop with hind quarter roasts. The shank meat on the far left goes in with the sausage trimmings meat.
The hind quarter roasts are wrapped and frozen, ready for use as pastrami meat, or whole muscle jerky projects.Next up are whole back straps as trimmed off the hanging deer carcass. Also pictured below are the inner or “Hanging tenders” tenderloins. Probably the most delicious and tender part of a deer. They are delicate an dry out quickly. Best removed immediately while field dressing. These got removed the following morning and are already beginning to darken on the exposed side.
Not too much to do here. Trim off some silver skin and then I slice into chunks about the right size for cooking or grilling for two people. I use a fillet knife to get most of the outer silverskin off. I like to leave primals in the largest size possible and do all final slicing prior to cooking. My theory is that uncut meat just freezes and store better.
Next they get vacuum sealed, dated and labeled.
Front should deboning: I left the bone in the shanks for some osso buco . The rest gets boned out, fat and blood shot trimmed away and reserved for sausage or other grinding.
One of the shoulder blades took a direct hit from my arrow (2-blade Rage mechanicals tip). The arrow passed through the should blade bone, caught the top of the onside lung, took out the offside lung, and passed through the off-side rib cage. I am always checking the wound channels on deer I take, but won’t be posting pictures in the interest of decorum.
processhead nice description and pictures. I love that “football” roast from the hind quarter. It makes an amazing roast. I have processed deer both ways. Sometimes we bone out while it is hanging or sometimes I separate it out like you did.
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Just posting some pictures of recent deer butchering.
The deer was shot 36 hours ago and field dressed at that time. The carcass hung overnight in 28 degree outdoor temperatures and was just starting to freeze in some of the smaller parts.
The following morning (24 hours ago) I skinned it, cut out the back straps and quartered it before carrying it home and putting it in the refrigerator.
At this point, all the quarters and trim on this doe that fit in a single heaping full meat lug. As a point of comparison, the buck I shot earlier filled up 2 and 1/2 meat lugs.
This morning I broke down the hind quarters as pictured. There are many methods for doing this. Some guys will even bone out the entire deer while it is still hanging.
I am not really set up for that and do better with more conventional methods that allow me to work as much as I want and then take a break for a while.
Everyone has a process they like. This one work pretty good for me. YMMV.Here is picture with the pelvis, femur, and shank bone removed from the hindquarter.
Next is a picture of the main muscle groups separated from the hindquarter.
Next is a picture of the muscle groups with some of the silverskin, larger tendons, and most of the fat trimmed.
This is normally where I stop with hind quarter roasts. The shank meat on the far left goes in with the sausage trimmings meat.
The hind quarter roasts are wrapped and frozen, ready for use as pastrami meat, or whole muscle jerky projects.Next up are whole back straps as trimmed off the hanging deer carcass. Also pictured below are the inner or “Hanging tenders” tenderloins. Probably the most delicious and tender part of a deer. They are delicate an dry out quickly. Best removed immediately while field dressing. These got removed the following morning and are already beginning to darken on the exposed side.
Not too much to do here. Trim off some silver skin and then I slice into chunks about the right size for cooking or grilling for two people. I use a fillet knife to get most of the outer silverskin off. I like to leave primals in the largest size possible and do all final slicing prior to cooking. My theory is that uncut meat just freezes and store better.
Next they get vacuum sealed, dated and labeled.
Front should deboning: I left the bone in the shanks for some osso buco . The rest gets boned out, fat and blood shot trimmed away and reserved for sausage or other grinding.
One of the shoulder blades took a direct hit from my arrow (2-blade Rage mechanicals tip). The arrow passed through the should blade bone, caught the top of the onside lung, took out the offside lung, and passed through the off-side rib cage. I am always checking the wound channels on deer I take, but won’t be posting pictures in the interest of decorum.processhead good tutorial. The only way you get better is by practice as you state. My mother-in-law and her mother taught me about boning out and roasts. I have gotten better over the decades and have taught many more how to do it
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Just posting some pictures of recent deer butchering.
The deer was shot 36 hours ago and field dressed at that time. The carcass hung overnight in 28 degree outdoor temperatures and was just starting to freeze in some of the smaller parts.
The following morning (24 hours ago) I skinned it, cut out the back straps and quartered it before carrying it home and putting it in the refrigerator.
At this point, all the quarters and trim on this doe that fit in a single heaping full meat lug. As a point of comparison, the buck I shot earlier filled up 2 and 1/2 meat lugs.
This morning I broke down the hind quarters as pictured. There are many methods for doing this. Some guys will even bone out the entire deer while it is still hanging.
I am not really set up for that and do better with more conventional methods that allow me to work as much as I want and then take a break for a while.
Everyone has a process they like. This one work pretty good for me. YMMV.Here is picture with the pelvis, femur, and shank bone removed from the hindquarter.
Next is a picture of the main muscle groups separated from the hindquarter.
Next is a picture of the muscle groups with some of the silverskin, larger tendons, and most of the fat trimmed.
This is normally where I stop with hind quarter roasts. The shank meat on the far left goes in with the sausage trimmings meat.
The hind quarter roasts are wrapped and frozen, ready for use as pastrami meat, or whole muscle jerky projects.Next up are whole back straps as trimmed off the hanging deer carcass. Also pictured below are the inner or “Hanging tenders” tenderloins. Probably the most delicious and tender part of a deer. They are delicate an dry out quickly. Best removed immediately while field dressing. These got removed the following morning and are already beginning to darken on the exposed side.
Not too much to do here. Trim off some silver skin and then I slice into chunks about the right size for cooking or grilling for two people. I use a fillet knife to get most of the outer silverskin off. I like to leave primals in the largest size possible and do all final slicing prior to cooking. My theory is that uncut meat just freezes and store better.
Next they get vacuum sealed, dated and labeled.
Front should deboning: I left the bone in the shanks for some osso buco . The rest gets boned out, fat and blood shot trimmed away and reserved for sausage or other grinding.
One of the shoulder blades took a direct hit from my arrow (2-blade Rage mechanicals tip). The arrow passed through the should blade bone, caught the top of the onside lung, took out the offside lung, and passed through the off-side rib cage. I am always checking the wound channels on deer I take, but won’t be posting pictures in the interest of decorum.processhead Great job with the very detailed pictorial & information. That is a terrific presentation & is very valuable.
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Back when I was having back problems, I was going to an old osteopathic doc that still did spinal manipulation. He told me what he needed to do to help me. I said, oh you need to loosen the connection between my sirloin pin bone and my spine. He just sat there for awhile shaking his head and then looked up and said I think your right but I don’t know how to even respond to that.
Anatomy is the same in all mammals, even us. Once you learn how to break down a carcass you can break down any species.
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Just posting some pictures of recent deer butchering.
The deer was shot 36 hours ago and field dressed at that time. The carcass hung overnight in 28 degree outdoor temperatures and was just starting to freeze in some of the smaller parts.
The following morning (24 hours ago) I skinned it, cut out the back straps and quartered it before carrying it home and putting it in the refrigerator.
At this point, all the quarters and trim on this doe that fit in a single heaping full meat lug. As a point of comparison, the buck I shot earlier filled up 2 and 1/2 meat lugs.
This morning I broke down the hind quarters as pictured. There are many methods for doing this. Some guys will even bone out the entire deer while it is still hanging.
I am not really set up for that and do better with more conventional methods that allow me to work as much as I want and then take a break for a while.
Everyone has a process they like. This one work pretty good for me. YMMV.Here is picture with the pelvis, femur, and shank bone removed from the hindquarter.
Next is a picture of the main muscle groups separated from the hindquarter.
Next is a picture of the muscle groups with some of the silverskin, larger tendons, and most of the fat trimmed.
This is normally where I stop with hind quarter roasts. The shank meat on the far left goes in with the sausage trimmings meat.
The hind quarter roasts are wrapped and frozen, ready for use as pastrami meat, or whole muscle jerky projects.Next up are whole back straps as trimmed off the hanging deer carcass. Also pictured below are the inner or “Hanging tenders” tenderloins. Probably the most delicious and tender part of a deer. They are delicate an dry out quickly. Best removed immediately while field dressing. These got removed the following morning and are already beginning to darken on the exposed side.
Not too much to do here. Trim off some silver skin and then I slice into chunks about the right size for cooking or grilling for two people. I use a fillet knife to get most of the outer silverskin off. I like to leave primals in the largest size possible and do all final slicing prior to cooking. My theory is that uncut meat just freezes and store better.
Next they get vacuum sealed, dated and labeled.
Front should deboning: I left the bone in the shanks for some osso buco . The rest gets boned out, fat and blood shot trimmed away and reserved for sausage or other grinding.
One of the shoulder blades took a direct hit from my arrow (2-blade Rage mechanicals tip). The arrow passed through the should blade bone, caught the top of the onside lung, took out the offside lung, and passed through the off-side rib cage. I am always checking the wound channels on deer I take, but won’t be posting pictures in the interest of decorum.processhead Holy Cow!! This is my kind of post. Too bad I don’t hunt
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Well done Paul! Very similar to the way I do it. Last week, I cubed everything but loins into 4x3" chunks and zip locked till I got home to my #12. Ended up with 51lbs ground off the buck. Plenty for bambi dogs. My new pressure canner comes Monday and my next one will be all in jars.
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What you didn’t cover was how you use the legs to use them in some sort of Blair Witch project like my daughter does. She likes to make a pile of rocks and lay the legs next to them for the neighbors to see. I kid you not, she wanted me to bring home the legs for her to see. I let this sit for a few days…
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I like your daughters creative thinking.
When I process at home, I have to be careful where I leave the leftover parts and pieces. My dog has a habit of sampling various parts and scattering them around the yard. -
The first deer I helped process was for my brother in law. He had three very young sons that were intrigued and intently watching the whole process. When the first leg came off the oldest boy proudly picked it up like a trophy and went outside and marched around with it. Second leg came off and his middle son grabbed it and did the same. Youngest son just shook his head no when offered either of the two remaining legs. However when the head came off he was barely able to pick it up but he grabbed it by both ears and ran out to his brothers. My brother in law said oh great, now the whole neighborhood is going to think I’m raising a bunch of savages over here. All three boys grew up to be avid and ethical hunters.
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processhead do you know what the approximate boneless yield as a percentage would be on a white tail doe? My neighbor brought over 8 pounds of trim that we’re going to make summer sausage out of next week. He had already taken it to a locker before I told him I could’ve butchered it for him. He seems to think he got ripped off because it was all in one box. He had to run so we couldn’t talk very long so I don’t know the dressed carcass weight or what the total weight of product he picked up. I’m estimating that best case scenario depending on muscle damage that a 120 pound doe will yield around 60 pounds. This would easily fit in one heavy duty box like their boxed beef comes in.
Looking at the trim through the vacuum bags I can see a lot of silver skin and bone guard that’s going to need further trimming. I won’t know until it thaws and I can get into it. Do you remove the silver skin when it’s going to be ground?
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processhead do you know what the approximate boneless yield as a percentage would be on a white tail doe? My neighbor brought over 8 pounds of trim that we’re going to make summer sausage out of next week. He had already taken it to a locker before I told him I could’ve butchered it for him. He seems to think he got ripped off because it was all in one box. He had to run so we couldn’t talk very long so I don’t know the dressed carcass weight or what the total weight of product he picked up. I’m estimating that best case scenario depending on muscle damage that a 120 pound doe will yield around 60 pounds. This would easily fit in one heavy duty box like their boxed beef comes in.
Looking at the trim through the vacuum bags I can see a lot of silver skin and bone guard that’s going to need further trimming. I won’t know until it thaws and I can get into it. Do you remove the silver skin when it’s going to be ground?
marzig20 I always tried to remove mine as best I could when I used to be able to & as most all here, did all my butchering, grinding, etc. myself as could not afford the shop I found after the first go round or so, & could not create the nice, perfect, bone in cuts like the butcher with my set-up I also discovered. However, in trying to remove as much silver skin as possible, I did not do it at the expense of the meat, so there was still a good bit in there for the ground product, which was everything for the most part, but the back strap.
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marzig20 I always tried to remove mine as best I could when I used to be able to & as most all here, did all my butchering, grinding, etc. myself as could not afford the shop I found after the first go round or so, & could not create the nice, perfect, bone in cuts like the butcher with my set-up I also discovered. However, in trying to remove as much silver skin as possible, I did not do it at the expense of the meat, so there was still a good bit in there for the ground product, which was everything for the most part, but the back strap.
calldoctoday I still try to get as much silverskin off but am not as picky on trim pieces either.
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marzig20 I think your yield estimate of 50% is very close for an adult doe. Could be less if there was inedible meat or smaller deer.
Most people have unrealistic expectations on the amount of boned, trimmed and packaged meat they will get from a deer.I try to trim the exposed silver skin on loins and bigger roasts. For trim that is getting ground I won’t do much trimming other than excess fat and tendons.
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processhead that’s what I’ve been trying to tell him. Seems like from the way talks he has mostly gotten bucks in the past. He got this one in archery season and I think had a choice of either. He’s out now trying for a buck in Illinois shotgun season. Told him we’ll cut his next one up.
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