Does Ivy League Students do this?

Dixie said:
A chef can cook all he wants but if the deer wasn't properly dressed and processed before cooking, it can cause problems. You want to get it eviscerated, skinned, processed, and frozen as quickly as possible. It also helps to not allow the deer to touch the ground once you start the processing.
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you ought to teach me.
 
KristinaB said:
All I know is, my brother "bagged and tagged" it, took it to a very reputable processing plant. Two weeks later (busy plant during hunting season), got the meat and it's all packaged properly. Taken home and put from a cooler with ice, straight to the deep freeze that was previously cleaned and sterilized. He then thawed properly and prepared dinner. I was the only sick one. He was mortified and saw to my needs as best as possible. (I love my big brother!)
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There could be potential problem at that particular processor. I would have called to file a complaint and possibly notify the health department so that they can inspect for potential problems. It may just be that the processors are not washing their hands often enough to prevent contamination. Usually it is a simple fix.
 
Dixie said:
There could be potential problem at that particular processor. I would have called to file a complaint and possibly notify the health department so that they can inspect for potential problems. It may just be that the processors are not washing their hands often enough to prevent contamination. Usually it is a simple fix.
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Columbia MO Health Department does major testing and inspections of all deer processing plants both before and during the hunting season. My brother did not feel a complaint was warranted as 12 of us ate from the same dish of meat he cooked. I was the only sick one. Each time it happened (5 times over 17 years) it was anywhere between 10-27 people at the table and still, I was the only sick one. (my daughter refused to eat the meat since she is a very picky eater) That tells me that it's not the processing plant or the cook. It's me and something with my system. We have eaten other meat from that plant with no problems. Beef and pork. This is the same processing plant that some restaurants use and when the state is having special tags for food banks, this is the one for a lot of places in Boone County. I would think, if it was a problem with the cleanliness or possible contamination, then more people would be sick and the agencies would not use their services.
 
Jiro said:
you ought to teach me.
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Before anything I use a wench to hoist the deer into the air so that it is not touching the ground.

First thing I do is open the deer from the private up to the sternum.
Then I remove the private parts by cutting a circle around them to make an island out of them then I toss those to the side.

Next I get into the body cavity and remove the intestines, stomach, liver, kidneys, lungs, heart, etc. I try to be careful and not cut or break open any organs as they are usually filled with bacteria that is harmful. This bacteria is used to break food down. Once the stomach is removed, I use a different knife to open the stomach and check the contents to see what the animal has been eating. Not for health reasons, but mostly for curiosity and how to set up a food plot that other deer in the area might be enticed to. I toss all the viscera to the side.

Next I skin the deer which is a long tedious process.

After it is skinned I process it by removing the head and legs. If it is going to be mounted, I leave a large cape of skin attached to the head so the taxidermist can mount it. I then cut the meat off the flanks and quarters then the tenderloins along the back.

Depending on how the meat will be used will determine how it is further processed. I can make deer steaks, grind it for deer burgers, dry it for deer jerky, or even finely grind it into what I call a chili grind for things like chili, spaghetti sauce, etc. There are various ways you can use deer meat.

When I am doing further processing I try to do it outside where it is cold so the meat doesn't get too warm. Once it's been processed I bag it, label it, and freeze it as quickly as possible. So far no one's gotten sick. My dad used to do it but his body isn't physically capable anymore. He's just old and wore out, LOL.
 
curious about the clean-up after bagging, labeling, and freezing.

1. what do you do with viscera?
2. what about blood on ground?
3. um... not sure what else

and... one adult deer - it's enough to feed how many hungry men?
 
Jiro said:
curious about the clean-up after bagging, labeling, and freezing.

1. what do you do with viscera?
2. what about blood on ground?
3. um... not sure what else

and... one adult deer - it's enough to feed how many hungry men?
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I take the viscera back into the woods so the animals there can feed on it. It doesn't harm them the way it harms humans.

The blood on the ground is caught by a plastic tarp that is usually thrown away after I am finished. Since we only get one deer a year, we can afford this. If I did this all season long I would probably build a small refrigerated building with a concrete pad and a drain. After each deer I would clean and sanitize it by flushing the blood down the drain and using a chlorine and water solution to clean all surfaces with a high pressure hose.

A single adult deer can feed our family of four for about 2-3 months depending on how we use the meat and how often we eat it. Lately we have been eating deer once or twice a week.
 
Jiro said:
this is why I want to learn how to prepare deer after hunting it.
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I think the first step in the process Dixie's mentioning is: As soon as you shoot the deer, you need to cut it's scent gland.
 
Jiro said:
what do you mean by that? afford this?

cuz of hunting permit?
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I think she meant the tarp to catch the blood. If they got more than one deer a year, then buying/throwing away tarps would become expensive.
 
LoveBlue said:
I think she meant the tarp to catch the blood. If they got more than one deer a year, then buying/throwing away tarps would become expensive.
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tarp's expensive? it's like $10
 
Jiro said:
tarp's expensive? it's like $10
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I have seem some for $1 or $2, but I don't know what size you would need. What about these plastic sheets, like they use on Dexter? They wouldn't be that expensive, I think.
 
Jiro said:
what do you mean by that? afford this?

cuz of hunting permit?
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Usually it is due to the cost of the hunting permit. I have heard of some in Missouri being somewhere around $150-200, but I am not sure.
 
The hunting license here in AR costs $60 per resident. Non-residents have to purchase a out-of-state permit and license that totals around $200 altogether. Since Arkansas isn't exactly a deer mecca we don't see many out-of-state hunters here during deer season. However it's different for East Arkansas in duck season. People come from all over to hunt the flooded timber here. The duck licensing, stamps, and permits are more expensive.

Also I think Jiro was thinking of the doe permit. You cannot purchase a doe permit, the state issues these by random drawing of hunters holding a current and valid hunting license and hunter education card.
 
Dixie said:
The hunting license here in AR costs $60 per resident. Non-residents have to purchase a out-of-state permit and license that totals around $200 altogether. Since Arkansas isn't exactly a deer mecca we don't see many out-of-state hunters here during deer season. However it's different for East Arkansas in duck season. People come from all over to hunt the flooded timber here. The duck licensing, stamps, and permits are more expensive.

Also I think Jiro was thinking of the doe permit. You cannot purchase a doe permit, the state issues these by random drawing of hunters holding a current and valid hunting license and hunter education card.
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I'm just uncleared about your comment - "Since we only get one deer a year, we can afford this."

what do you mean by that?
 
Jiro said:
I'm just uncleared about your comment - "Since we only get one deer a year, we can afford this."

what do you mean by that?
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Well for one, a tarp from walmart costs about 5-10 dollars per tarp (the cheap ones). If we were doing this throughout deer season we would have to purchase hundreds of these to meet the speculated demand. Because of where we live we don't need pools of blood around here as that attracts predators. It's normal for a typical deer processor to do 200-300 deer every year. Some do more if they are in high demand. That's a lot of expense. I don't like laying deer in the blood of another deer for fear of cross-contamination. It's also cheaper to just use a cheap tarp than to try and build some type of fancy drain to catch the blood. I try to keep things simple.
 
Dixie said:
Well for one, a tarp from walmart costs about 5-10 dollars per tarp (the cheap ones). If we were doing this throughout deer season we would have to purchase hundreds of these to meet the speculated demand. Because of where we live we don't need pools of blood around here as that attracts predators. It's normal for a typical deer processor to do 200-300 deer every year. Some do more if they are in high demand. That's a lot of expense. I don't like laying deer in the blood of another deer for fear of cross-contamination. It's also cheaper to just use a cheap tarp than to try and build some type of fancy drain to catch the blood. I try to keep things simple.
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Im now confused... whos "We"

But anyways:
1249686298walmart.gif
 
posts from hell said:
Im now confused... whos "We"

But anyways:
1249686298walmart.gif
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If it ever became an actual business it would have to be a family business. One person can't do everything. That would imply a 'we'. Sorry to cause confusion.
 
Dixie said:
If it ever became an actual business it would have to be a family business. One person can't do everything. That would imply a 'we'. Sorry to cause confusion.
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Alright - Ever consider including tarp costs into the service fee? That way you dont have "high expenses"...
 
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