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Deer processing kit recs
Posted on 7/31/22 at 2:05 pm
Posted on 7/31/22 at 2:05 pm
Will process deer at home this season for the first time. Intend to end up with green and smoked sausage. Have used Benoit’s in Addis for years and love it, but want to try my own.
What is best at-home processing kit, including a smoker? Best defined as plenty good enough to get the job done, but doesn’t have to be fancy or the most expensive. I intend to use a 45/45/10 deer/pork butt/bacon ratio for sausage.
TIA.
What is best at-home processing kit, including a smoker? Best defined as plenty good enough to get the job done, but doesn’t have to be fancy or the most expensive. I intend to use a 45/45/10 deer/pork butt/bacon ratio for sausage.
TIA.
5
Posted on 7/31/22 at 2:09 pm to MAEFIELD
We made the Best ground meat this past winter.
3:1 Ratio deer to brisket.
Bought a brisket cost fifty dollars. So what. We used them black & white checkered meat tubes from Academy. Weighed in 1 lb with a freon scale.
It is the best. I think i still have about 20 + tubes left. We been eating tacos & spagetti sauce.
3:1 Ratio deer to brisket.
Bought a brisket cost fifty dollars. So what. We used them black & white checkered meat tubes from Academy. Weighed in 1 lb with a freon scale.
It is the best. I think i still have about 20 + tubes left. We been eating tacos & spagetti sauce.
This post was edited on 7/31/22 at 2:12 pm
Posted on 7/31/22 at 2:16 pm to EF Hutton
Presume you put the combo through a grinder, right?
Posted on 7/31/22 at 2:21 pm to MAEFIELD
Yes made separate bowls
Deer, and brisket.
Then filled a 3rd bowl with a 1/3 cup measure scoop. 3 deer, 1 brisket, 3 deer, 1 brisket.
Put a lil extra brisket in some & marked the tube - for greasy hamburgers.
Mixed by hand. Stuffed the tubes by hand.
Used tiny zip ties from home depot.
Deer, and brisket.
Then filled a 3rd bowl with a 1/3 cup measure scoop. 3 deer, 1 brisket, 3 deer, 1 brisket.
Put a lil extra brisket in some & marked the tube - for greasy hamburgers.
Mixed by hand. Stuffed the tubes by hand.
Used tiny zip ties from home depot.
This post was edited on 7/31/22 at 2:23 pm
Posted on 7/31/22 at 2:25 pm to MAEFIELD
Check the brand LEM, the make good grinders and processing tools like mixers.
Posted on 7/31/22 at 3:44 pm to MAEFIELD
How much sausage do you anticipate making at a time?
This post was edited on 7/31/22 at 3:46 pm
Posted on 7/31/22 at 4:05 pm to Loup
Prolly less than 10-12 lbs of deer meat, I’m now at Parris Island and our deer are about 60% the size of those we hunt in West Fel. When combined with pork, 25 pounds of sausage.
Posted on 7/31/22 at 8:13 pm to MAEFIELD
Posted on 7/31/22 at 8:56 pm to MAEFIELD
Man 25 pounds of sausage is not very much, I might explore those kitchen aid grinders if you have a stand mixer.
Before I bought my lem, I was looking at the smokehouse chef ones, now it looks there’s quite a few options
Before I bought my lem, I was looking at the smokehouse chef ones, now it looks there’s quite a few options
This post was edited on 7/31/22 at 9:00 pm
Posted on 7/31/22 at 10:25 pm to LEASTBAY
quote:
I have one of these Meat grinders, it has been excellent.
solid price and recommendation on the 1 HP grinder.
I have a 1 HP LEM and process 4-5 deer per year for family and friends. Mostly burger and sausage. OP, get 3-4 of the 25# or 50# meat tubs. They cost around $15 each and are perfect for deer processing. Most people cold smoke as you don't need to spend crazy money. You can easily improvise of DIY based on the pics below. 
Posted on 8/1/22 at 6:23 am to MAEFIELD
Processing your game is a lot of fun and very personally rewarding
You can get almost everything here at academy
Grinder: LEM Mighty Bite
Stuffer: LEM Mighty Bite 5lb Stuffer
Accessories: Various size Meat Lugs
I have 4 big stainless mixing bowls that I like to use for meat as well
Get a big cutting board, at least 30x20"
You will need a food scale too. Should be able to measure grams (seasonings) to pounds (meat).
sausagemaker.com is an excellent place for seasonings, casings, tools, etc
I smoke all my sausages on a Char Griller Offset Smoker like this. Smoke on cold days at 150* for about 4 hours
You can get almost everything here at academy
Grinder: LEM Mighty Bite
Stuffer: LEM Mighty Bite 5lb Stuffer
Accessories: Various size Meat Lugs
I have 4 big stainless mixing bowls that I like to use for meat as well
Get a big cutting board, at least 30x20"
You will need a food scale too. Should be able to measure grams (seasonings) to pounds (meat).
sausagemaker.com is an excellent place for seasonings, casings, tools, etc
I smoke all my sausages on a Char Griller Offset Smoker like this. Smoke on cold days at 150* for about 4 hours
This post was edited on 8/1/22 at 7:37 am
Posted on 8/1/22 at 7:05 am to MAEFIELD
quote:
Prolly less than 10-12 lbs of deer meat, I’m now at Parris Island and our deer are about 60% the size of those we hunt in West Fel. When combined with pork, 25 pounds of sausage.
That's not that much. My dad uses something similar to this and it works fine for those amounts.
Amazon link
The LEM brand that somebody mentioned earlier is good as well. If you're making sausage it'll make your life a whole lot easier if you get a stuffer instead of attempting to use the grinder to stuff links. I have a Hakka 11 lber that'd be overkill for you. 5 lber would be fine.
amazon link to stuffer
I use a Masterbuilt 30" electric smoker with a pellet tray for my sausage. I can easily hang about 15 lbs worth in it. After 5 years of use it's starting to fall apart so I'll be upgrading to a 40" soon.
I process 6 or 7 deer and 10 or so hogs a year, getting set up to do it myself paid for itself pretty quick. I have a 1 HP weston. I freeze trimmings and grind everything at the end of the year. I made around 130 lbs of ground meat last year, it took me almost as long to clean the grinder and stuffer as it did to grind/stuff.
Oh, get a ground meat packaging kit. Ef Hutton mentioned the bags and zip ties. A stuffer and a taping machine makes it go a lot quicker.
LINK
Posted on 8/1/22 at 8:23 am to Loup
Thanks for all the recs. Ordered a LEM grinder yesterday. Will turn to smoker / stuffer next.
Should have clarified, 25# at first turn, but likely more through rest of season. More importantly, looking long term to get this figured out so that it becomes the norm. I have an XL green egg, will use it to smoke until I am permanently back in LA and can build a smoker.
Should have clarified, 25# at first turn, but likely more through rest of season. More importantly, looking long term to get this figured out so that it becomes the norm. I have an XL green egg, will use it to smoke until I am permanently back in LA and can build a smoker.
Posted on 8/1/22 at 8:53 am to MAEFIELD
I don’t think you’ll be disappointed. I have a lem #12 big bite that I’m really happy with. The tenderizer attachment is sweet too.
I use one of these to cold smoke in my egg. Works really well for me.
Amazen smoker tray
I use one of these to cold smoke in my egg. Works really well for me.
Amazen smoker tray
This post was edited on 8/1/22 at 8:56 am
Posted on 8/1/22 at 9:07 am to bigbuckdj
For any of y’all who don’t want to do it yourselves, a good friend of mine just opened a processing shop in independence. Called FitzLee’s.. dude has been doing our deer for as long as I can remember and he finally opened himself up a store. Y’all give him a shot if you don’t want to do it yourself
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