Care of Venison: Field to Freezer
The difference between delicious, mediocre and bad venison lies in the care you give it from the moment the deer goes down until the packaged cuts are in the freezer. Field dressing is an important first step, but there are other procedures you must follow to ensure that the meat stays in the best possible condition. These include hanging, skinning and proper storage.
Butchering
Butchering a deer requires a stiff, sharp boning knife. Keep it sharp throughout the process with frequent steeling. Another knife, perhaps your normal hunting knife, serves duty for cutting through connective tissue, especially in the leg joints. A meat saw is useful for quartering the animal, though a fine hacksaw will also work. |
