Does anyone else butcher their own meat?

[NH homesteader]

We only have white tailed deer here.

 

[TAH]

We help some friends butcher up an elk, and got some of the meat. It was okay I say get a young elk, his was a older one so not the best tasting.

I have permission to finally get a moose tag next year. I have always wanted to hunt but haven't had the opportunity, so now since were AK might as well get my hands on my dad's gun and pull the trigger on something tasty, not just a target. I also really liked bear meat so I might try to get my bear tag as well, we'll see.

I have help butcher turkeys, chickens, quail, and rabbits. I have watched my dad do goat, and a llama, and help with pig. I love getting my hands dirty.

 

[Poka_Doodle]

Cool. Moose hunting sounds like fun.

 

[TAH]

Cool. Moose hunting sounds like fun.

I sure hope it is!

 

[NH homesteader]

OK home processors I have a question for you. How long is a turkey good in the fridge after butchering? We use shrink wrap bags. Trying to figure out when we have to process our turkey day bird and have it still be fresh.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Good question - guessing 3 - 4 days? But, that's just a guess. We processed some roo's a while back and I usually let them sit in the fridge for 48 hours...I forgot them for 4 days and they still smelled good. Froze them, but haven't cooked them yet.

 

[NH homesteader]

That's what I'm thinking too. It's going to be beautiful the next two days then get really cold so we wanted to butcher Saturday. I might have to freeze it for a few days. Ugh. I knew I should have ordered one of the fancy bags that keeps it 6 days in the fridge! Lol!

 

[lcertuche]

I think if you put it in an ice chest full of ice, salt and water it might keep as long as 6 days from the butcher day depending how big it was. The bigger the longer to completely chill. A couple of days in the freezer probably wouldn't make much of difference in taste though and it would be a shame if it spoiled.

 

[NH homesteader]

No it would be fine, we don't notice any taste issue with freezing meat. It more just seems absurd to put it in and take it out haha. Oh well, better than hand plucking. Our plucker would probably freeze and sieze up in the weather that's due next week!

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Butcher Sunday - cook on Thursday. Think keeping it in icy salt water for those 4 days would be ok.