ABQ Butcher

[penningt0n]

Looking for a good/trustworthy meat processor in or near Albuquerque, NM. Anyone have any recommendations?

I've heard that some will process and give you the meat from other peoples' animals and I'm trying to avoid that.

Thanks in advance!

 

[swavescatter]

In for advice.

 

[jolemons]

I use green valley and they do a great job imo

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

 

[Tndude]

I drew the unit 29/30 NM aoudad tag. Any advice on areas to hunt? This will be my first trip to the area.

 

[Danomite]

I second the Green Valley recommendation. They can make great summer sausage in various flavors with trim if you want.

 

[JLane330]

I have used Green Valley a couple times early in my hunting career, and that's what drove me to do processing myself. I don't think their quality is very good, and the amount of meat I got back was very low (confirmed by processing several elk myself the last few years). I won't use them again.
Another to avoid is Heads and Tails in Magdalena. TERRIBLE quality and WAY over priced.
There are a few others in Abq and surrounding areas, but I don't have first hand experience. I'd recommend doing it yourself. Yes, a ton of work, but you can decide on the quality, packaging, cuts, etc.

 

[penningt0n]

I have used Green Valley a couple times early in my hunting career, and that's what drove me to do processing myself. I don't think their quality is very good, and the amount of meat I got back was very low (confirmed by processing several elk myself the last few years). I won't use them again.
Another to avoid is Heads and Tails in Magdalena. TERRIBLE quality and WAY over priced.
There are a few others in Abq and surrounding areas, but I don't have first hand experience. I'd recommend doing it yourself. Yes, a ton of work, but you can decide on the quality, packaging, cuts, etc.

I would definitely like to get to a point where I am able to do it myself. However, I'm a newbie hunter (4th year hunting and first elk hunt) and just don't have the experience or resources to do it myself as of right now.

With that said, what would one need in order to diy?

 

[GrayGoose]

I would definitely like to get to a point where I am able to do it myself. However, I'm a newbie hunter (4th year hunting and first elk hunt) and just don't have the experience or resources to do it myself as of right now.

With that said, what would one need in order to diy?

You could always butcher yourself to get things into steaks, roasts etc. And then take your grind to a butcher to process into burger, sticks, etc.

Main things I can think of that you'd need is space to butcher, a cooler or fridge to keep the meat cold. My basics include a decent boning knife or two, a big cutting board, a couple of large meat meat totes, and an 8 foot folding table.
Then wrap in saran wrap and freezer paper. I bet you can get this all for $150 or less.
Best way to learn is to just do it and watch a couple YouTube videos along the way.

 

[penningt0n]

Thanks everyone. I ended up filling my tag (picture attached) and went with Green Valley. So far its been a good experience. One day soon I'll get my own setup but for now I'll have someone else do it.

 

[butcherboy]

I love it when someone says a meat processor is way over priced! Lol To me, it means that person is saying that the workers at that shop don’t have the right to make a decent living like everyone else. They don’t have the right to put food on the table for their family. Also, most people have no idea the cost of commercial meat processing equipment, freezer and cooler costs, electricity, workman’s comp, insurance, taxes, supplies, carcass disposal, employee wages. The higher the cost of running a business then the higher the prices will be. I get not wanting to use someone because they may not do as good as a job as you are expecting. Also, the higher price should mean higher quality of work as well. It’s been my experience that some people will love the completed work and others won’t and that automatically means they do “bad” work.

I have no affiliation with the processor’s mentioned so can’t speak for their quality or lack there of. I’ve mentioned it before and will again, after 30 years I’m so glad I quit processing WG.

 

[Minute_of_Antelope]

I agree with the take that I didn’t get much back from Green Valley.

Like, they were fine, I guess? If you don’t have anybody else, then they will work. But they were definitely the reason I learned how to process my own.

 

[hunting1]

I believe Green Valley went out of business.

 

[Pony Soldier]

An option might be to ask to watch or help someone doing their own. It's not hard. I cut and my wife or rest of the family wraps. Be it pork , beef or elk I cut it all the same. Boneless - steak, roasts or burger meat. I have the burger ground by a commercial shop in the off season. It diminishes the mixing.

 

[butcherboy]

Green Valley didn’t go out of business. She closed her shop and trying to sell it. If not then I’m sure she will just keep it closed and possibly sell off equipment.