For many years, back in the day when I simply could not afford to drop my game off at a processor, I learned to do the processing at home. As a youngster, I watched my dad butcher hogs every winter and learned the basics skills necessary to transform game into ‘meat’ ready for the freezer.
My duty was to haul water for scalding the hogs before scraping and do the ‘grunt’ work. As a young boy I didn’t relish hog killing day but looking back I did learn the skills that would later serve me well.
By the mid-seventies I had a family and money was tight, but I always managed to go hunting a few times and usually killed a deer. By the eighties I was regularly butchering several deer and when wild hogs became numerous, the training I received from my dad became really helpful. I found myself not only processing my own deer and hogs but also as many for friends as my busy schedule allowed.
Then in my mid-thirties when I was juggling a career of surveying with outdoor writing, I found I had little time to process the fruits of my hunts and often let the professional processors do the work. After retiring from surveying when I was in my early fifties, I had plenty of time to learn more about home processing. I purchased a sausage stuffer and began with an old hand crank meat grinder. I learned how to make everything from pastrami from deer hams to smoked links from wild hogs.
About that time, I began using a Smokin Tex electric smoker and with that first small unit I cranked out hundreds of pounds of smoked links, cured hams and salami. I tried smoking the meat with my wood-fired smoker but found it challenging to keep the temperature right and frequently overheated the links. With my electric smoker, I simply added hickory or pecan wood, set the thermostat at about 190 degrees and let the smoke and low heat do the work!
I still often use the services of wild game processors but also look forward to doing the work myself. I thoroughly enjoy getting a buddy or two to come over and help with the process; it’s a great way to spend a clear cool late winter’s day. I can’t say my finished products is any better than what the professionals “crank out” but I do enjoy spending a day cutting up steaks, grinding the less tender cuts and making sausage. There’s something very gratifying about doing the work yourself.
Rather than buy all the seasonings in bulk and create my own blends, I prefer ordering premixed spices from Butcher Packer Supply www.butcher-packer.com.
This company offers everything for the home butcher. Through the years, I’ve ordered everything from the heavy-duty syringes for pumping cure into hams to the casings used to make smoked links. I begin by going on the website and deciding exactly what products I wish to make.
For beginners, I suggest making bulk breakfast sausage and ordering a kit with perfectly blended spices. Making bulk sausage is as simple as grinding the meat, adding the proper amount of fat and mixing everything together.
I prefer an 8-20 mix of lean to fat. Years ago I thought I wanted sausage made from only lean game meat but after that first batch, I learned that adding fat is necessary for not only flavor but to bind the sausage together so that it results in a fried patty. There are many different blends for making bulk sausage and I usually crank out not only farm country sausage but a few pounds of chorizo as well. I’ve usually make a few pounds of Italian sausage for spaghetti.
Planning is necessary when home processing game and usually begins with perusing the website and deciding the products I wish to make. Once the seasonings arrive, I simply defrost my game meat and go to work. The initial cost can be minimal with a hand crank grinder and one of the economical sausage stuffers. If your first product is bulk sausage, all you really need is a grinder and large bowl for mixing. You can then use butcher paper to wrap your sausage in increments suited to your needs; I usually divide the bulk sausage into one-pound packages and freeze and defrost as needed.
As your game processing skills grow you might want to begin curing and smoking hams or bacon which can be accomplished with either the dry cure method or brining. I’ve used both and prefer brining hams because I can place the plastic container with brine in the frig and don’t have to worry about temperature. The dry cure method works well also but it’s important to insure the meat remains cool during the curing process.
For your inauguration run, I suggest you begin by cutting your steaks, roast, etc. and use the trimmings to grind for sausage. As your confidence and skill increases you will probably wish to make more sausage and specialty products. Just remember to remove all venison fat before grinding. Use the more tough cuts for sausage but trim all the fat and silver skin off the surface of the cuts. This will not only greatly improve the flavor but make it run through the plates on your grinder much easier.
7th ANNUAL OUTDOOR REVENDZOUS is planned for March 28 at Top Rain Cowboy Church in Greenville, Tx. Come join Luke, Larry Weishuhn and fishing and hunting guides for this fun annual event held outside on 20 beautiful acres of church property.
This year, we welcome Pyramyd Air www.pyramydair.com as the title sponsor. Everything is free! Come enjoy the campfires, free fish fry, live music, chuck wagon cooking and booths offering everything from jewelry to fishing lures! For booth information, contact the church at 903-217-3778 or email Luke at lukeclayton1950@gmail.com. Booths are free, just give a donation the churches outdoor ministry if you can.
Listen to Luke’s weekly radio podcast “Catfish Radio with Luke Clayton and Friends” just about everywhere podcasts are found.
