Processing questions

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Okhunt!

Marksman
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Hey Yall

Wife and I are doing our own processing this year instead of paying $100-$150 per deer. The processor we use is great but we usually get 5-6 deer per year and we could use that money for hunting equipment and/or our own processing equipment.

Our plan is too buy a chest freezer and freeze the full deer after harvest and process it after it ages a few days. My questions are:

1. Has anyone used a chest freezer for aging?
2. Can I get 2 deer in a 7 cu ft. chest freezer (minus head and lower legs).
3. If not, what size do yall suggest?

Thanks for all info.
 

deerwhacker444

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Do you suggest just cooling it a certain temperature?
I put any boned out meat and quarters in pillow cases, then in ice chests and cover with ice. Prop up so it drains properly and doesn't sit in water, leave for 5-7 days, then process.

Seems to work fine but I might have to add ice once or twice depending on weather.

I bought a cheap Northern Tool grinder to find out if I could do it or not, figured I'd get a better grinder when the original purchase quit working. It still works after 6-7 years. Not the fastest or best, but it works and has payed for itself many times over. Cousin has a Cabelas 3/4 HP grinder, it's a beast..
 

makeithappen

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I have mine quartered up in a cooler on ice as we speak. I just drain it twice a day and add ice as needed. I'll process it on Thursday or so. Does wonders for the taste. I'd second the "don't buy a cheap grinder". They gum up and are slow as hell. I have yet to get a better one as this one still works and I enjoy the pain, apparently.
 

Master Carper

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I use a meat grinding attachment on my Kichen Aid and after seven years and five deer a season, it works just as good now as the day I took it out of the box.

I have a big metal rack in the bottom of my homemade cooler, that keeps meat 3" off the bottom, so it never touches the water. I'll keep my de-boned deer on ice for 7 days then I'll process it. Depending on outside temps, I might have to add ice to it one time, but the inside temperature of the cooler averages 35 to 40 degrees. Several meat butchers that I have talked to, say that is the perfect temperature for aging deer, and that they will sometimes age beef at the same temperature for 30 days. Unless it's an old stinky buck, most meat regardless of cut, will be fork tender when properly aged, with no gamey taste whatsoever.
 

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