Meat Processing

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Shelsmiles
Posts: 265
Joined: Mon Aug 31, 2015 9:19 am

Meat Processing

Post by Shelsmiles »

We begin our meat bird processing in the morning. We have about 50 birds to process, shrink wrap and freeze. It will be the first time using the new plucker and the new style shrink bags so I hope it goes well. We will be having chicken for dinner this weekend. Lol.

Does anyone else here raise and process their own chickens and have any advice or tips to share?

When we are done with birds, we have deer meat to process and then a pig to process. That should pretty much fill our freezers for the foreseeable future.
RecoveringDreamer
Posts: 346
Joined: Thu Aug 27, 2015 10:00 pm

Re: Meat Processing

Post by RecoveringDreamer »

Wow. You will be set.

I am raising rabbits for meat, but I haven't gotten babies yet, so no butchering experience yet. My dad said he would help me butcher as long as he didn't have to kill them. When I get kits, we are having his active-hunter friend over to show us some tricks to do it efficiently in exchange for a portion of the meat. I'll also give Dad some as well, so the first time I won't have a lot of meat, but I'll get good experience to get started.

Following this in hopes to glean some tips from others. :)
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blondeinbuffalo
Posts: 939
Joined: Fri Aug 28, 2015 5:37 am

Re: Meat Processing

Post by blondeinbuffalo »

I would have to go vegan if I had to kill the animals. I just don't think I could do it. dh just got some deer bologna from a coworker and he loves it. I have not tried it but he says it is the best bologna he has ever had. I have never heard of deer bologna! cj
colonialgirl
Posts: 1835
Joined: Sat Aug 29, 2015 2:01 am
Location: Central Illinois

Re: Meat Processing

Post by colonialgirl »

Me too CJ. I cannot even cut up a chicken.

I feel hypocritical - but I don't intend to quit eating meat and I cannot stand to think about where it comes from. So I just stick my head in the sand and pretend the little animals died of natural causes.
Shelsmiles
Posts: 265
Joined: Mon Aug 31, 2015 9:19 am

Re: Meat Processing

Post by Shelsmiles »

Well, we have processed birds, pig, and deer. We have been processing our own meat for a long time but not chicken for very long. Our freezers are full.

Have you processed rabbits, or any meat, before? We don't raise rabbits, but we do hunt them and I have a bit of experience in processing them. My neighbor raises domestic rabbits and we do some trading now and then. Domestic rabbit is very good meat, we enjoy it.

Do you use freezer bags, vacuum pack or use freezer paper to package your meat? I would suggest since you are just starting out to use freezer paper unless you already own a vacuum sealer. Double wrap it and be sure to use the freezer specific tape - it matters. I like to try to make my packages nice and flat so they lay well and stack well in the freezer.
NancyCrary
Posts: 9
Joined: Thu Sep 06, 2018 1:18 am

Re: Meat Processing

Post by NancyCrary »

Have you used them? What was the result?
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