Deer processing?

I take 8 to 10 deer a year. This year I am thinking of cutting a couple the way you would a lamb. (Lamb chops, rack of lamb, ect.) Have you done this? What are the disadvantages?

Bones!!!

And time.

A deer isn't a lamb.

I have not done this, but there is no reason why you cannot cut things such as chops off of a deer. I've seen a how to out there, but can't remember where it was.

Advantages, you can impress someone with deer chops.

Disadvantages, you have to gut, skin, and then butcher a deer. I usually skin, quarter, and don't gut the deer, sounds like a lot of work. The end product will not taste any better either, IMO. A bone in chop won't be much different than the boneless backstrap, same cut. It will look very pretty on a plate if you are trying to impress someone.

I've had Kuby's do it for me that way. They cut chops from the backstrap. Yum

I always gut my deer, but unlike most people I use the flank and meat inbetween the ribs too. I dont have a good meat saw(bandsaw) so I tend to make the boneless cuts, but if you know how to prepare it almost anything can be good eating.

matt

Think i will give it a shot this year on a couple exotic deer. Kind of board with the same old cuts.

So how do you get the tenderloins out if you don't gut the deer? And although I realize there's not much of it, you're also wasting the rib meat.

Someone showed me this and I haven't gut a deer since. After you skin the deer, remove the front quarters and backstraps. With the deer still hanging from the hind legs, locate the short ribs off the deer's "lower back" near the rump. Carefully make a shallow cut along the tips of the ribs, being careful not to nick the bowel. Then you reach your hand inside and curl your fingers back towards the spine. You're now holding the tenderloin. You just use your fingers to loosen and pull the tenderloin right out. Then you remove the back quarters and pitch the carcass. No guts, no mess, and less time.

Someone showed me this and I haven't gut a deer since. After you skin the deer, remove the front quarters and backstraps. With the deer still hanging from the hind legs, locate the short ribs off the deer's "lower back" near the rump. Carefully make a shallow cut along the tips of the ribs, being careful not to nick the bowel. Then you reach your hand inside and curl your fingers back towards the spine. You're now holding the tenderloin. You just use your fingers to loosen and pull the tenderloin right out. Then you remove the back quarters and pitch the carcass. No guts, no mess, and less time.[/quote]

+1

+2!!!
I can do this in khakis and make church Sunday morning without a drop of blood on me. But still a little drunk...