Low Maintenance Euro?

[TX_Diver]

Shot a Javelina yesterday and looking to do a Euro on it.

I've boiled/simmered an elk before and that was a pain. If I'm not in a hurry is there an easier way that doesn't requiring standing over a nearly boiling pot for awhile? Put it in a plastic tote with some sort of cleaner mixture? Other?

Local options are $300 which seems high for a euro but maybe that's what people want these days?

 

[GrayGoose]

Maceration, several threads on the topic if you search it. Stinks but about as low effort as it gets.
Wear gloves.

 

[blkqi]

Not sure about down your way, but on the west coast you can put the head in a crab pot and drop it onto swarm of sand fleas for a free cleaning.

Other than that, I would say boiling is pretty low maintenance already. I would not stand over the boiling pot - just let it cook.

 

[Caseknife]

Some guys use a dedicated Sous vide cooker in a tub of water and dawn dish soap. The hard thing the javelina will be the degrease process, will take a lot longer than deer and elk.

 

[Bugger]

I tried boiling one and it came out pretty yellow from the grease and I couldn’t get it out. Next one went to the beetle guy and turned out great. I’ve heard of guys hanging them up in a tree away from scavengers and letting the bugs and sun do their magic with a little cleaning at the end. You still have to clean it up like you would a boil and hang the jaw separately so you don’t lose it tho.

 

[justinspicher]

I paid $225 for a euro to be done on both an elk and a mule deer. The place is in New Mexico, not sure if that is too far for you. Let me know if you are interested and I can get you the info.

 

[WCB]

get as clean as you can by hand...then hang in tree

 

[TX_Diver]

get as clean as you can by hand...then hang in tree

I live in west Tx… there are no trees here

@justinspicher where in NM?

 

[justinspicher]

@TX_Diver,

They are a small place out of Aztec, NM.

 

[WCB]

I live in west Tx… there are no trees here

@justinspicher where in NM?

Cholla? Throw it on top of an old building or shed roof....bury it in a fire ant mound etc. Done all the above and after a solid couple summer months its pretty much done. I just do one quick degrease

 

[TX_Diver]

Cholla? Throw it on top of an old building or shed roof....bury it in a fire ant mound etc. Done all the above and after a solid couple summer months its pretty much done. I just do one quick degrease

Fire ants crossed my mind yesterday.

There are no shortage of them behind the house (or in general in this area).

 

[BigredRusch]

Note that leaving a skull out in the elements will probably bleach the antlers too.

I left my first blacktail out for a year. The skin and tissue were pretty much melted off, but the antlers were bleached and lost the west coast dark timber buck brown

 

[TX_Diver]

Note that leaving a skull out in the elements will probably bleach the antlers too.

I left my first blacktail out for a year. The skin and tissue were pretty much melted off, but the antlers were bleached and lost the west coast dark timber buck brown

No issues for this one as it's a javelina.

 

[BigredRusch]

Forgot about that part. Good point.

 

[180ls1]

Throw the head, hair and all in a 5 gallon bucket then cover with sand/dirt and forget for a year.

Everything but the bone will be gone.

 

[atmat]

Got a compost pile?

 

[Laelkhunter]

Red ant pile. Put a large wash tub inverted over it to prevent animals from carrying it off.

 

[TX_Diver]

Red ant pile. Put a large wash tub inverted over it to prevent animals from carrying it off.

I think that's what I'm going to try. Red ants are plentiful here!

Does it matter if I remove the eyes, etc. prior or just let the ants do the work?

 

[Slickhill]

Put it in a 5 gal bucket of water. If you have any horses close by drop a turd in with it, lots of bugs in a horse’s gut that will get the bloom going. Set it in the sun away from the house as it’s going to get ripe. In a week or 10 days depending on temps you can gently dump it out and hose off the goo.

After it’s cleaned off wash the bucket out and put the skull back in with fresh water and dish soap to degrease. Some heat helps and you can use a tank heater or deicer. Deer and elk usually a week will have the whitened up, pigs and bears take a little longer. I haven’t degreased my javelina yet but it doesn’t seem as greasy as the average pig.

Depending on if the nose or anything else seems loose at the halfway point you might want to let it dry and shrink up for a few days before degreasing, it’s easiest not to have to glue a jigsaw puzzle back together. Be sure when you rinse everything off you don’t lose any teeth, gather them up and put a dot of glue on them in the sockets after degreasing.

Sounds like a lot to explain but you really will only have an hour or two’s work in it and the finish quality is better than boiling.

 

[TX_Diver]

Put it in a 5 gal bucket of water. If you have any horses close by drop a turd in with it, lots of bugs in a horse’s gut that will get the bloom going. Set it in the sun away from the house as it’s going to get ripe. In a week or 10 days depending on temps you can gently dump it out and hose off the goo.

After it’s cleaned off wash the bucket out and put the skull back in with fresh water and dish soap to degrease. Some heat helps and you can use a tank heater or deicer. Deer and elk usually a week will have the whitened up, pigs and bears take a little longer. I haven’t degreased my javelina yet but it doesn’t seem as greasy as the average pig.

Depending on if the nose or anything else seems loose at the halfway point you might want to let it dry and shrink up for a few days before degreasing, it’s easiest not to have to glue a jigsaw puzzle back together. Be sure when you rinse everything off you don’t lose any teeth, gather them up and put a dot of glue on them in the sockets after degreasing.

Sounds like a lot to explain but you really will only have an hour or two’s work in it and the finish quality is better than boiling.

this is a new one… makes sense.

I have a donkey… close enough to a horse I assume.

For now leaning fire ants but seems like I could always switch to this if needed.