AMERICAN HUNTER
Whether you plan to do it yourself, or intend to use a butcher, here are some things to keep in mind so that you get the most out of processing your meat for delicious meals year-round.
Processing your own game meat can be very rewarding, and provides an opportunity to try parts of the animal that you’ve never tasted before—like the heart, liver and tongue. It can also be very time consuming, though, and if you don’t have experience butchering you can wind up losing a lot of meat. It is a worthwhile endeavor to take a class or two on butchering, or even watch video tutorials as a way to empower yourself to do it at home. That said, there is something wonderful about having a meat processor deliver the fruits of your hunt to you in nicely packaged portions for your freezer. Regardless of the path you choose, here are some things to keep in mind so that you get the most out of processing your meat for delicious meals year-round.
1. Keep it Cool
Once you have field dressed and skinned the animal, it should be cooled down as quickly as possible. This will prevent it from spoiling. This may seem obvious but it is particularly important if you plan to bring it to a professional processor because they won’t process the meat unless it’s in very good condition.