Thread: meat questions

In NZ we are not obligated to take any meat, so unlike Canada and the US, we dont spend hours taking every little piece of edible meat. Takes a bit of getting your head around, but the reality is you are often miles from your vehicle or camp or pick up point. And the human body can only carry so much. If you shoot a meat animal and want to take as much meat out as possible, then the above posts have pretty much detailed it - remove as much of the excess weight as possible, cool the meat down, and get it in to a cooler as soon as is practical.

For most of my deer, I take the backsteaks first, so easy while its still sitting up a bit. Then both back wheels. If its a big yomp to get out, I skin and short bone it. If its a bloody big yomp, then I fully bone it but leave the meat as one big lump until I get out. Then if I figure I can carry more then I take the tenderloins by going through from the back under where the backsteaks use to be. And lastly take the front legs boned out. Hang it as long as you can until putting it in your pack and I use old pillow cases for that. If its gonna be a bit of a bloody mess from the carry out, I reluctantly use a plastic bag over the pillowcase. With our game animal population as it is at present, theres no need to feel compelled to take everything if its gonna compromise your ability to walk out.

Once I get it home I place the meat in single layers on a rack over an oven tray so that the blood can drain away. Several trays for the whole job. In to the fridge or a chiller and leave it until you think its suitably aged or the wife gets ratty with the meat taking up her good fridge space. Then break it down and freeze.

the only thing I do differently to Husky is that I vacuum pack the meat in heavy plastic bags in fridge before freezing - yeah never bother with the front end - I might if I head shot an exceptional eating animal such as a big dry red hind - I get a local home kill to mince for me and mix in some really fatty beef - usually they will donate some beef fat - if I had mutton flap's would use that to