Meat processing course

[Ericmoore195]

Been looking into classes to learn to process my own meat and haven’t come across much other than YouTube videos or online “classes”. I learn best hands on. That being said does anyone know of any classes/courses that teach game processing?

 

[EdP]

No. The Meateater videos have been very helpful for me. Still learning.

 

[LostArra]

How close are you to a college? I would check on a class in the animal sciences/ag department or meat lab?
I took Game Processing fall semester in college (Univ Wyoming). Best college class ever. In the Ag Department . The classroom part was not easy but the lab was terrific. We processed everything from bear to elk to pronghorn to trout and game birds. Plus we cooked, smoked and prepared sausages, steaks and roasts.

 

[Ericmoore195]

I’m on the eastern shore of Maryland. I had honestly not thought about that. I saw Penn has an online class but that was really it

 

[Todd10]

I would stick with the videos and get hands on with your own game. I didn’t have the best looking cuts when I started but the meat still tasted great. The Bearded Butchers have some extremely detailed processing videos for both wild game and domestic animals. You’ll become better with each animal you process yourself and I’m sure you’ll enjoy the meat regardless of how nice the cuts look. Just my two cents.

 

[huntcookwrite]

If you’ve got a butcher shop near you, ask one of the butchers if they do any private butchery classes. I did a whole hog with a butcher and actually seeing how he made the cuts and having him walk me through made a huge difference in my speed and confidence.

I ended up paying a couple hundred dollars but that included the whole hog and I got to keep all the meat — so it ended up something like $10/pound for the meat plus a “free” butchery class.

Any four legged animal is going to be pretty similar so don’t worry too much if it’s a pig or a lamb or whatever. The cuts will transfer.

 

[Tod osier]

Been looking into classes to learn to process my own meat and haven’t come across much other than YouTube videos or online “classes”. I learn best hands on. That being said does anyone know of any classes/courses that teach game processing?

I'd suggest going with videos and just going for it by yourself. What I've seen of commercial butchers' work does not translate well to home butchering (they are going for speed not yield or speciality cuts).

If you really don't want to go it alone find a couple local guys to watch and help them do their own. Most guys do pretty bad jobs and only know how to do it one way, so I'd want to watch a couple and pick and choose (not saying I'm great - I do a beautiful job, but DAMN am I slow). There is no real harm in doing a crappy job, you still get the meat, just more will be grind.

The bearded butchers on how to break down a deer hind quarter (as suggested already) is gold for a new butcher. Prioritize getting the backstraps off nicely and the hindquarters broken down cleanly and the rest pretty much is foolproof on a deer.

 

[Trimbandit]

Find someone that does it and ask if they would mentor you.
We are processing 2 elk this afternoon and would have offered to have you over but you are on the other side of the county.
Processing yourself is fairly intuitive. The hardest part is the initial cost. Meat grinders are not cheap. Vacuum sealers are fairly affordable especially if you have a costco close.
You probably already have sufficient knives. Add some large cutting boards and you are set. Everything should pay for itself after a few animals when you about processing fees.

Side note, I have heard some folks say they don't want to take away from "family time" because we already get so little. My advice is to involve anyone old enough to handle a knife. Even littles can write on the vacuum bags. You will be glad you did as the years pass.

Good luck

 

[wapitibob]

Separate every muscle, following the seams, and go from there. Once you do that, the worst you'll end up with is a tough steak or roast..

 

[North of 60]

Two different important stages here, and like most things, the more you do it the easier it gets.

First is skinning, go gutting or gutless (now my preference), and removing as much meat as possible after backstraps and quartering.

Second is what takes me a lot more time after the meat is aged a bit. Similar to wapatibob, I remove all fascia and lymph nodes as i separate out by muscle where feasible. The hind quarters are relatively easy to separate out muscles as they are larger.

Elk are easier to me than deer as the muscles are bigger.

The paying a butcher to watch a pig processed is a great idea as are the youtube videos suggested...some of those are bound to be good.

 

[Weldor]

Best video I've seen is Venison the easy way. If you watch ebay his wife releases some CD's every once in awhile. My tape is so old the color has faded out. Do it his way and there is nothing left for the Ravens.

 

[BRTreedogs]

You are over thinking it.
Cut it apart.
Cut off the stuff you don’t want to eat.
If it looks like it’s a roast or steak then it is, if it doesn’t look like that grind it into burger.

 

[Speaks]

The meat eater and bearded butcher youtube videos are decent. I learned myself without too much trouble. Gets better every time.

Might be able to find someone local to show you. It can be real handy to have an extra set of hands while you do it.

 

[Ericmoore195]

I appreciate all the replies, I definitely have the space, time and tools needed. Deer season is nearly over but if I put one more in the freezer I’ll make my first attempt at it. Much to my wife’s dismay I’ll be doing it in my kitchen .