I'm out to get my first deer this fall and need pointed to some online info on how to field dress and process at home.

More specifically I want to know the various cuts and their locations on the animal.

Check out Larry Metz - LEM products.

I am in the same boat as you.



There are a ton of videos on YouTube, on how to field dress, skin, quarter and the different cuts.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=gfrvMjWNwj8&feature=related



www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKdKI4x0_fk&feature=related



Recommend you get one of these also.



www.hunterspec.com/Updateable/update_display.cfm?pageID=2144&categoryID=15
ETA: Post link in local forum to see about linking up with a mentor.

There is a really great, inexpensive reference book called Butchering Deer.  I learned quite a few nice cuts in there.  And it has a decent field dressing section if I remember correctly.

I'm not sure how it stacks up against other books, but I have this one...

Dressing and Cooking Wild Game

...and have found it to be very valuable.

thanks for the info.  I've  cleaned lots of other critters but nothing large like a deer.  I''m a visual learner so some the videos on yo tube helped a lot.  some off those guys make it look so easy...   Cut out anus, open up like zipper, don't cut intestines, cut diaprham from cavity, dump out.  try not to gag.

best on field dressing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ewCVFkkyQC4

This link here is one of the best I've found on butchering  watch all the parts.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uzYGBNDc_xU&feature=channel

I highly recommend bringing some large zip-loc baggies to put the heart and liver into.  The former makes an excellent roast, and the latter is great for pate.

field dressing a deer is pretty simple.  If you have cut up a chicken, or skinned a squirrel, you probably already could figure it out.

Best way to learn, in all honesty, is to have a trusted friend, or a guide, show you step by step.

I got the DVD from kentucky afield.



https://secure.kentucky.gov/Mall/Store/7803440a42df458c815d9db55890b738/Cat/5b05c4cfbc2a4ce8a6c330dbbb10777e/



Very detailed from dressing the deer, removing all the cuts, and identifying all the cuts possible from the deer.

That is the way to go. 2 mins max AFTER you get started. Don't use TOO big of a knife. AG Russell used to sell a FishnFowl (or some name like that) that had a blade that was 3/4"tall and 5ish inches long with a rubbery grip. Perfect.

I carry a small gerber saw with changable blades for wood and bone.  It's not an absolute necessity, but it sure makes opening up the sternum a whole lot easier and safer than doing it with your knife.  It's also an invaluable survival tool.

I don't cut the sternum because all my kills are B+C or P+Y size animals. Yeah Right - I wish.

Anyway, I have found that I usually get cut on something when I reach through a cut sternum to cut the esophagus. I usually just position the deer so the guts are downhill and just reach through the diaphragm area and clean out the chest cavity. The blood cleans off quicker than the cuts heal. It really is a personal preference thing.

Good Hunting!

There is a pretty good paperback for cheap - Butchering Deer.

It does a good job defining the major cuts for roasts, steaks and stews/kabobs.

Field dressing section is not bad.

I usually string them up by the back hamstrings,skin them, cut out the backstraps, rear legs, shoulders, and tenderloins.  If they are big enough, I will take the ribs and brisket, too.  That way I can leave the guts in the deer and neatly dispose of the carcass.  (Unless they are mountable)

I let the quarters sit in the cooler over night, but not touching water, and process them the next morning.  Lucky my wife likes to help.  Then we vacuum seal them, label them and toss them in the freezer.

One suggestion.  Unless you have a large family, I recommend cutting the rear hams into sirloin tip roast (the part above the "knuckle") and with the upper and lower round, make round steaks about an inch thick and seal them 2 or 3 to a package - if they are really big package them 1 to a package.  A whole round roast from the upper and lower is just too big for our family of 3 and we end up wasting a lot or eating venison every day for a week.  Plus the steaks are perfect for Venison Marsala, one of my favorite dishes.

care to share your Venison Marsala recipe?

Sure

Two Round Steaks from a medium size deer or three from a smallish one will serve 3 to 4 people depending on side dishes and how hungry you are.

Cut upper round from lower round of each steak at the "tail" end (away from the bone end).  Trim all fat and especially the shiny membrane off.  Cut each resulting cut into 2 or 3 cuts about the size of veal cutlets (about 3 inches wide by 4 inches long).  If a buck or an older doe, you may wish to sprinkle both sides with Adolf's non-flavored tenderizer.  Place cuts on plastic wrap.  Cover with plastic wrap and beat with a tenderizing mallet until about 1/2 inch thick and cell structure is broken down a bit.  Dredge in flour and set aside.

Make Marsala Sauce

Ingredients (Use proportionately more if making more venison than described)
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup onion, diced
1 tablespoon fresh garlic, chopped
1/2 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced
3 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup Marsala wine (You might have to get at liquor store if sales are state controlled where you live)
1 1/2 cups of beef stock
Salt and pepper to taste

Add olive oil to heavy, hot saucepan.  Add onions, garlic, mushrooms and saute until mushrooms are tender.  Add flour and cook about 1 minute then deglaze pan with Marsala wine.  Add beef stock and cook until thick and flavors are blended.  Keep warm until venison is cooked and ready to serve.  (You can do these steps at the same time but you do not want the venison to be done before the Marsala sauce - better to keep the sauce warm for a few minutes)

Cover bottom of skillet with olive oil and brown venison over medium heat on both sides.  Then turn to simmer until fork tender.

Place one or two venison cutlets on plate and serve Marsala sauce on side or over top if you are wild.  Add sides of your choice.  Flat noodles or brown rice and grilled asparagus are good suggestions.  Complement with a stout red like a Zinfandel or a Cabernet.  Enjoy.

Let me know how it turns out.  We nailed this recipe the second time but it was very good the first time.

Here is an awesome link.

This guy did such a good job on this thread, I think it would be very hard to beat.  Lots of great info.

Wow thanks for the link.



Might be able to talk myself out of having my deer processed, and save me some money.



 

Your wecome.

It's not that bad to do.  Once you do your own, you'll never go back to a processor.

I got a quote when I was at the local butcher and they want $90 just to touch it.



 

The going rate around here (north central Ohio) seems to be $75 to $90 for just the basic cuts.  Anything like smokies or summer sausage runs the bill up pretty quick.

Oh yea, $25 a batch for summer sausage, same for jerky those are 10 pound batches. If I wanted ground for burger no batch charge but I had to pay $1.29 per pound for the filler they use.



As much as I would like to have the extras, I might just have to hold off this year.



 

If you have the means to do it yourself, it is nice.

Most of the time, I do not have the means (place), I usually send mine to the local processor (Amish) and they do it up. I think I paid $80 last year. (but he tenderizes it, and vacum seals it, and puts a quick freeze on it so we can transport out of state). I also have pork fat added to the ground burger (usually 5%) in 3LB tubes.



As previously mentioned, when you start adding summer sausage, polish sausage, breakfast links, and such, price GOES UP QUICK!!!

The summer sausage is always a nice "snack". I would recommend getting 1-2 sticks made up. It is really nice for parties around the house. I had about 10 made up last year. Jalapeno and Cheese, BBQ and Cheese, I will probably only get 3-4 made this year. The $25 per stick you mentioned seems a little high. I think I would hold off on that price also.

I can hook you up with a good, pre mixed summer sausage blend if you want.  It's easy to make, and really good.  I can get another arfcommer to back me up on the really good part.

By the way, I don't add any filler to the deer when I process them.  It can screw up your recipes later on when you are doing your mixes.  I like to start out with straight deer meat, and add what is needed when I'm preparing the food.

I think he was saying $25/batch, usually around 3 sticks.  Not cheap by any means.

I had an entire deer made into summer sausage before.  I love the stuff.

after reading, and then typing,

I went and pulled a Jalapeno and Cheese stick out of the freezer, and thawing it out now.

We also take some to the following season's deer camp.

It doesn't last long.

I also make up about 10lbs of jerky, and of course no deer camp is complete without some Braunschweiger http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Braunschweiger with some horseradish mustard, slice of onion, and I like a slice of tomato on mine.

Oh I love summer sausage and would love to have some made, I still might.



The $25 is per batch and a batch is 10-12 pounds, so maybe 2-3 sticks would be my guess.



I was just talking to the wife and I'm going to check with the butcher and see if I can just take the meat in and have sausage made. That way I could save the $90 prepossessing fee if I butcher the deer myself.



 

If your butcher doesn't do that, I can give you the name of a place that does, and they have very good summer sausage.

I will keep that in mind.




The only thing that the filler would go in is the ground I would use for chili, spaghetti, hamburger helper and a like.  Basicaly a replacement for buying burger in the store.



 

The only thing I consider getting done at the processor is jalapeno venison sticks.  They rock.  About $10 a bag (a bag probably has about 20 -25 8 inch sticks).  I usually drop off a couple of shot up shoulders and some shank, get 3 or 4 bags of them, quite a bit.  Bags are vacuum sealed.  I just freeze em and use one for an ice block when I go in the field.  When it thaws, we eat it.

Yeah, anything past med rare when you take it off tends to end up overcooked.  I think maybe people don't realize how much more it cooks after you take it off.

Thanks for your input.  We'll do it up TN style.

No problem. Glad I could share.

This thread got me to craving some deer. Had to go throw some butterfly steaks out for tomorrows dinner. Already thawed out some summer sausage. guess that will be lunch snack.



Hard to believe we are only 6 weeks out from Bow season.

Yeah, deer season starts here August 15 and runs through Jan 1.  We are so overrun that there is no limit on bucks and does are two per day on either sex days.  Need a doe tag if you want to harvest one on buck only days - 4 for $20.  We do have some primitive weapons and bow only dates in certain WMAs but firearms season goes the whole year.  You can also bow hunt or primitive weapons hunt any time on private land.  The only rub is if you like to hunt on the ground, you pretty much have to use a shotgun and 00 Buckshot.  Means you have to get within 40 or so yards in these thick swamps around here.  (Waders and snake boots are a must.)  

I can hardly wait for next Saturday.  We are down to about 12 packages of venison, mostly shoulders and sirloin tip roasts.  That boy and his buddies can sure put it down.  I will be glad when its cold enough for stew again.

Good hunting

As far as cleaning them or dressing them Ive tried quite a few and now do my own. I hang the deer from the rack and position a heavy 55 gallon drum liner under it. I usually lift the deer just high enough for the deers shoulders to come off the ground and let the feet and head rest on the ground. Then I put the bag under them and begin work. I use the butt out tool and remove the anus and tie it off. I then proceed to cut the membrane surrounding the guts and then dump them out into the bag if its a buck I cut his pecker off before removing the guts. If not I do the does mess with the guts. I start my incision at the sternum and go north. then i open the membrane into the chest and dump the reall mess and scoop it out and not cut the sternum in half. I reach down and cut everything out and drain it all and wash off with water. Next i usually lift it up and hang in off the ground and quarter and skin it. or let it sit overnight and quarter it the next day only when its cold. then i put the hide legs and carcass into the 55 gallon sack and haul it off and dump it in the ranchers trash pit.(a.k.a. great varmint hunting site ie coons, foxes, bobcats, and the occasional mountain lion.)

tools I use a buck nife with a gut hook, rapala fillet knife for skinning and quartering (good because of flexability)  and a sawzall or electric chainsaw lubed with cooking oil to cut bone.

very informative. found it funny how he was very technical, using works like "anus," "penis," etc, then towards the end he goes "you dont have to worry about in turds up in there"

Pecker, cornhole, would have fit with the "turds" comment.

Thanks for the links, its been to many years since I went deer hunting.

your hot links need work... just saying...



 

Have no idea how that happened.



Here you go.



www.youtube.com/watch?v=gfrvMjWNwj8&feature=related



www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKdKI4x0_fk&feature=related



Recommend you get one of these also.



www.hunterspec.com/Updateable/update_display.cfm?pageID=2144&categoryID=15





ETA: fixed in my original post.

In the new link maker, you do not select http:// from the drop down menu. Just type it in the second box with your cut and paste link. That will prevent it.



 

Having been part of many a deer skinning I can whole heartedly say gut and skin it yourself and let a good proccesor take care of the rest. Cutting out tendons and grinding gets REALLY old quick.