Debone or just Quarter?

[Ace of Spades]

We bone them out, no need to pack the extra weight and boning them out only takes a short time.


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[Ross]

Used to just grab and go bone now depending on difficulty will bone part or all of it out in often keeps things easier just to strap on and go but bone ain’t to

 

[jmez]

Bone out for me. I don't want to carry something out I'm just going to throw away. If your pack has a functional compression system balling up and falling to the bottom of the pack is a non issue.

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[archer60]

First trip out is the head/cape & straps, they go out immiediately, next 2 trips are de-boned meat, let them hang overnight, don't have a grizzly prob in NM....as long as its all out in 24 hrs....much much cleaner, no bone to dispose of at camp/lodge....if there are 2 of us its a much easier pack....

 

[Danny Hoey]

Bone out for me. I don't want to carry something out I'm just going to throw away. If your pack has a functional compression system balling up and falling to the bottom of the pack is a non issue.

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You’re missing out on some tasty stuff.....

 

[jmez]

No thanks.

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[Salmonchaser]

50 elk +/- all but a couple were packed. I have done it both ways I don’t bone it out.

 

[Newt]

You’re missing out on some tasty stuff.....

Whats the tasty stuff?

 

[5MilesBack]

It is EASY to take the bone our of the REAR quarter. Front, not so much.

I think just the opposite, the fronts are easy. There's only so much meat on the fronts, and after you cut and pull the front legs off it comes off easily and into a bag. The rears take a bit more time and effort.

 

[MallardSX2]

I always de-bone. I dont like the additional weight.

I sometimes do some quick trimming as well to shed another pound or two.

 

[txhunter581]

I think just the opposite, the fronts are easy. There's only so much meat on the fronts, and after you cut and pull the front legs off it comes off easily and into a bag. The rears take a bit more time and effort.

I don’t want to end up with a lot of small pieces. The bigger the cut surface area of meat, the more I lose to trimming when I process. I can take the rear bone out quickly and that quarter is still in one big chunk. With the front quarter (especially the shoulder blade) I end up with lots of small pieces and lose more meat to drying/trimming/ dirt

 

[5MilesBack]

With the front quarter (especially the shoulder blade) I end up with lots of small pieces and lose more meat to drying/trimming/ dirt

I grind most all of mine so not a big deal. Deboning it actually helps with keeping it all clean for me, cut it off.......put it in the clean bag. Get it all in the cooler asap, and it's all pretty well ready to grind when I get it home.

 

[TripleJ]

It all depends for me. If I'm close to the road, I don't take the time to bone it out usually. If I have the choice and the time, I really prefer to quarter it, bag it, and let it hang long enough to cool out. The bones can really help cool it out over time. I then bone out the quarters while they are hanging and it's really simple and clean. My last 2 bulls, I was by myself and too far from the rig, so they got boned out immediately. It's actually pretty quick to bone out the quarters, especially the rears. You can slice down between 2 muscles clear to the bone and darn near get the whole ham off in one piece if done right, kind of like filleting a fish. I use the skinned out ribcage as a cutting table for working on, it keeps everything clean.

 

[Danny Hoey]

Whats the tasty stuff?

Blade roasts, shanks, osso bucco. I haven't tried making bone stock yet but I'd like to.

 

[treillw]

You can't eat bones.

Carry a small tarp to debone on and keep things clean. Pack the deboned quarters in snow while you're taking care of the other parts of the animal. Most of it will be cold by the time you are finished - can't get any fresher than that.

If you need to hang meat, hang the first deboned quarters you packed in snow - they will be the coldest. Pack out the warmest meat and spread it to cool when you are to your destination.

Use bags that have some structure to avoid the blob effect. Stone glacier bags work well for packing. The warmer it is outside, the more bags you need to allow things to cool. The more you can keep the meat spread with greater surface area, the faster it will cool. I can't see the bone helping the meat cool. I've found it to be the warmest part of the meat.

There may be some scenarios where keeping the bone in is beneficial, but this is what I typically do.

 

[cnelk]

I’ve said it before. There is no right or wrong way - bone in or debone.

Just have your mind made up when it’s time so you’re not dicking around wondering what you should do.

 

[GregB]

Bone in then when I process it I put the bones in the oven on low for a few hours and give them to my dog.

 

[elkocd]

I’ve said it before. There is no right or wrong way - bone in or debone.

Just have your mind made up when it’s time so you’re not dicking around wondering what you should do.

I agree with this and would add the situation probably dictates the best choice. Sure, if I am close to the truck(which is never) I might leave it on the bone. But the reality is the situation, how far you're packing the elk and how should answer your question. If you're packing an elk 3+ miles without pack animals you'd be a fool to pack bones. It's all about getting that meat off the bone, cooled and to a cooler asap. Leaving bone in may mean an extra trip or two if you're solo. No way that is worth it. You can bone an elk in a manner that is clean and gets the meat cooled quickly. The only elk meat that I've ever seen spoiled was around the hip joint from being on the bone in warm weather. I've never once seen bad meat from being deboned and that includes pack outs that lasted 48 hours.

 

[@fulldraw]

Blade roasts, shanks, osso bucco. I haven't tried making bone stock yet but I'd like to.

I have... it’s delicious.

 

[Lytro]

I'm confused by the people saying bone will help the meat cool faster. Can anyone explain why they think this is accurate? I feel like it's the exact opposite in warm weather. Deboning will create an open channel through the hind quarters for more heat release/air circulation. I don't get too concerned about the fronts since most of the meat is on top the blade. The only meat spoil I've ever heard of is from bone souring and moisture causing bacteria growth.