I am curious how many here do their own butchering at home. I dont hunt normally but I do periodically raise my own hogs or beef and butcher them myself. Also I do get a few guys from time to time bring me a road kill they need cut up quickly since I have a building set up permanently to do it in. Not much better eating than some homemade sausage or brats fixed on the grill.

 

i fillet my own fish and shuck some scallops does that count

 

I do with game but not cattle or pigs ! Not set up for that amount !

 

I do my own wild game, but like C.A.P I dont have the space or cold storage for farm raised, so I take them to a local butcher and let them do their thing

 

Yeah I know it can be labor intensive to some degree. At least I have most everything power. If I have a hog hanging already and skinned, by myself I can cut and wrapped and sausage ground and stuffed and have it in the freezer in a day. I still am lacking on the cold storage so I usually have to do my butchering when the weather permits. With hogs I like lots of sausage so I save the ribs, half of one ham, all the chops and some bacon and then grind the rest. I have a power cuber so I take the center of the ham and slice 3/4 inch steaks and then bone it and run it thru the cuber 2x rotating a quarter turn each run thru. Its ALMOST like the tenderloin sandwichs you buy at a restaraunt. What takes the longest is boning and grinding and stuffing the casings. But boy is that some tasty meat off of the grill.

 

Have to agree with you there on the tasty part!!
As far the boning, damn I hate that part, it does take alot of time, grinding isn't that bad, stuffing cases.... a pain in the arss, but the final product.... when done your way....... Well you just can't beat it with store bought!!

I do the Smoked Deer Sausage and Hot Sticks, the recipe we have now is alright its one of dads favorites, a 50/50 mix.
I think I am going to change it up a bit when we do the next batch of hot sticks, this next time around I am thinking less pork in the mix about an 80/20 ratio and bit more time in the smoker

 

We did when I was a kid my parents still do, but not so much since they can’t find time to hunt and live alone now. They still get a beef from one of neighbors only use an electric grinder did have a hand one a while back we made everything sausage etc. They have 4 deep freezes and 1 10'x10' walk in fridge, but some of it was storage for the orchard stuff they sell.