Butchering your own animal

Coach Potter · Dec 3, 2023

I love the entire process start to finish. That old saying, “the fun ends after the kill” never resonated with me. Maybe I’m weird

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flybill · Dec 3, 2023

Well I almost got my first doe tonight! With my car.. had to break hard and meet to the right! Honking the horn and it froze in between the two lanes, south end of carnation! I've had more than a few close calls and this small doe wouldn't have done much damage but I am hyper alert for deer when driving from my years in MT and back country stuff..

BigSky_ 2 · Dec 3, 2023

Billy said:
My friend had a bill of over 800 dollars from the butcher for a nice size mule deer buck.

Wow, I'd find another butcher! Just had a whitetail skinned, cut into steaks, chops, burger, and wrapped for $125. But then I'm in Big Sky country.

Billy · Dec 4, 2023

Bone broth time:

Hind quarters and backstraps:

krusty · Dec 4, 2023

Billy said:
Bone broth time: View attachment 93524Hind quarters and backstraps:View attachment 93525

What a relief! When I first opened your post I thought I was looking at a Roswell alien autopsy.

Billy · Dec 5, 2023

Bone broth

TicTokCroc · Dec 5, 2023

Henny and Penny stopped laying, chicken soup time.

Billy · Dec 6, 2023

Billy said:
View attachment 93697Bone broth

Apparently these are not freezer safe

I had no idea and thought by leaving the lids off until frozen and leaving room at top they would be OK. Lesson learned. Wasn't a total loss thankfully but still a bummer...

Tom Butler · Dec 6, 2023

Billy said:
Apparently these are not freezer safe I had no idea and thought by leaving the lids off until frozen and leaving room at top they would be OK. Lesson learned. Wasn't a total loss thankfully but still a bummer...

That's a shame. I think the shoulder on the jar got you. I freeze grape concentrate, in WIDEMOUTH quart jars, filled 3/4 full, successfully. I use the white plastic reusable lids for this.

Zak · Dec 6, 2023

Billy said:
Apparently these are not freezer safe I had no idea and thought by leaving the lids off until frozen and leaving room at top they would be OK. Lesson learned. Wasn't a total loss thankfully but still a bummer...

Sorry that happened! I freeze soups etc in gallon ziplock bags. I don't fill them all the way. I press all the air out before sealing and then freeze them flat. They stack nicely and it's easy to break a portion off without have to thaw out the whole thing.

Billy · Dec 6, 2023

Zak said:
Sorry that happened! I freeze soups etc in gallon ziplock bags. I don't fill them all the way. I press all the air out before sealing and then freeze them flat. They stack nicely and it's easy to break a portion off without have to thaw out the whole thing.

That's a great idea!

Coach Potter · Dec 7, 2023

Billy said:
Apparently these are not freezer safe I had no idea and thought by leaving the lids off until frozen and leaving room at top they would be OK. Lesson learned. Wasn't a total loss thankfully but still a bummer...

Dang…

Chadk · Dec 8, 2023

krusty said:
And all of this is why I lost interest in hunting large animals a long time ago. A hunter from childhood, the 'enjoyment ledger' was becoming upside down.

I can well remember the day of hunting I came back to my truck skunked, and felt a distinct sense of relief that I'd bagged nothing, and didn't have a shitload of carcass preparation, butchering, and admixture ahead of me.

It's my favorite part!

Brute · Dec 8, 2023

Billy said:
Bone broth time: View attachment 93524Hind quarters and backstraps:View attachment 93525

Roasted bones for stock…you are my hero brah…

Brute · Dec 8, 2023

Billy said:
Apparently these are not freezer safe I had no idea and thought by leaving the lids off until frozen and leaving room at top they would be OK. Lesson learned. Wasn't a total loss thankfully but still a bummer...

Damn…

Jake Watrous · Dec 8, 2023

Tom Butler said:
That's a shame. I think the shoulder on the jar got you. I freeze grape concentrate, in WIDEMOUTH quart jars, filled 3/4 full, successfully. I use the white plastic reusable lids for this.

I had to switch to the no-shoulder jars for freezing for just that reason, but the shoulder less jars work great for soups and chowders.

flybill · Dec 9, 2023

krusty · Dec 9, 2023

Chadk said:
It's my favorite part!

Good! That means you're respecting the harvested game animal.

Billy · Dec 10, 2023

Ramon style backstraps with bone broth base

Chadk · Dec 11, 2023

Coach Potter said:
I love the entire process start to finish. That old saying, “the fun ends after the kill” never resonated with me. Maybe I’m weird.

I like the expression "now the real work begins" - but I don't associate that as "not fun". Just different. And depending on the pack out - possibly much harder work. But I don't do it because it is easy. That's what McDonalds and Walmart are for...