Do it yourself processing??

[DuramaxDude]

I was wanting to try and process all my deer myself this year but had a question to ask the DIY people on the GS. I was thinking I would just quarter and debone things as I go thru the season and just put it in the freezer than after season cut up steaks and grind up burger and sausage and package it all up and refreeze it. Will that be ok?? I wasn’t sure if freezing meat as I harvest it through the season and then thawing it to process it then refreeze it would harm anything???

[dpg481]

People do that all them time when they intend to produce large batches and its just fine. Personally, I process the meat fresh, but I am not afraid of letting it freeze.

[rladner]

you can certainly do this. The freezing (actually the thawing out) can have an adverse affect on the meat. Not sure you'll notice it, but when you thaw, do it in the fridge and do it slowly. That will help the meat stay better quality.

[ultralite09]

you can certainly do this. The freezing (actually the thawing out) can have an adverse affect on the meat. Not sure you'll notice it, but when you thaw, do it in the fridge and do it slowly. That will help the meat stay better quality.

Yup. Sometimes I will freeze leg quarters if I am too tired to process it all that day/night. Thaw in the fridge, itll take 3-4 days but this is the safe way.

[apc10]

What I do is quarter the deer up, put on ice, and bring them home from the ranch. When I get home, I cut my backstraps and tenderloins into steaks and vacuum pack them. If I want any other steaks or chunks out of the hams I do that. The rest is HB/sausage meat and is placed in large bags and vacuum packed until later in the year when I either need more HB or sausage or I get to the point where I have a big sausage making weekend.

[Strummer]

Thats what I do but I cut all my steaks before I freeze.

[RangerRick2012]

This actually helps me too. Got several hog quarters frozen. I want to thaw, grind and process into some good boudin. Thanks GS!

[sports]

I quarter my deer and keep them drained and on ice for a week or so. Cut backstrap up into steaks and freeze. Next I debone the quarters and chunk them up into grinder size pieces and freeze in 1 gallon zip lock bags. A full gallon bag ways in at about 8 lbs. I weigh each bag before freezing and write it on the bag before freezing. This helps me know how much sausage and burger I can make and how much fat I need to pick up. We usually get together in january and make all our sausage in one day. Check out mesquitecountrys thread in the recipe section for sausage recipes.

[Smart]

I debone all my deer after 4-5 days on ice. I chunk up everything that is to be used in sausage or bacon burger then freeze so that it will be ready to run through the grinder. That's less work for us on grind day.

All the muscle meat used for jerky is frozen whole and trimmed/sliced on the day we marinade and dry it.

[bowhunterchris]

This year I want to take one deer and not put it on ice. Shoot it, quarter it, debone it, and freeze it all in the same day.

[AntlerCollector]

No problem doing this. Save up your deer and do it all at once

[Bisch]

Your plan will work just fine!

Bisch