Anyone Do Home Meat Processing?

[k0xxx]

My wife and I have been discussing adding an outbuilding just to do our own meat processing. Mainly it would be for deer, but also for hogs, chickens, etc. As of our last discussion, we were were talking about a small building (about 12x16) with a screened, concrete patio area attached for killing, scalding, plucking, etc.

We have an offer of a meat saw (looks kinda like a band saw) with a sausage stuffer, meat grinder, meat mixer, and a couple of scales at a really good price.

We would be starting as complete beginners. Does anyone here do this, and if so, can you offer any suggestions, opinions on cost/benefits, etc., to help us decide if we really want to do this? Would a 12x16 building be sufficient?

 

[roosmom]

K0xxx, Most people up here do their own processing. It is only those who dont have time or cant do it anymore who send it to someone. I guess some of it would be no knowledge. ANYWAY, my 1st cousin (he works at the hospital also) does processing. He has did pigs, cows and deer. He is coming up on his busy season. When I talked to him Friday, I commented that he looked tired and he said that he did 4 deer in three days plus worked full time. He has gotten to the point he has to take time off during deer season.
I think a good processor can make money. After he builds up his reputation he can make more.
If ou have any specific questions, I would be happy to pass them on to him for you. Let me know. Good luck.

I like your avatar!!

 

[dacjohns]

Your potential setup is way beyond what I do. Mine is all yard, garage, and kitchen processing.

Take a look at some of the smaller stores that still have butcher sections and compare their setup and space requirements with what you are thinking about doing. You should also get with your local health department or whoever is over meat processing and see what their requirements are if you plan on doing this as a business.

You might want a good butcher block and a stainless table. I heard the price of stainless steel has really gone up.

Some of the space requirements would be room to walk around the tables, room for all the other stuff (shelving, etc.), a place to hang and cool the carcass, and everything else I haven't thought about during this quick reply.

I think you need to at least increase the space by half if you plan on doing a large amount of processing. 12 X 16 might be enough if you have an attached walk-in cooler.

 

[roosmom]

Dacjohns, stainless steel, good thinking. Hey K0xxx, check out your local junkyard / salvage yard for stainless steel stuuff. I know ours has the old stainless steel sink with counter top attached (one piece unit!) from when the hospital kitchen was remodeled.

 

[patandchickens]

I know that I have seen sample layouts, advice on how to build and equip, etc SOMEWHERE (multiple articles, multiple places)... I will try to think of where but there is definitely a reasonable body of advice out there on the subject.

Have you tried googling? Or looking at the online index of Countryside or something like that?

Boy, where have I seen that...

Thinking,


Pat

 

[me&thegals]

k0xx--My husband does it all our the farm shop or our garage--Just some good knifes, an ice cream pail of warm, soapy water and an old table. He has processed many dozen deer and even an occasional hog or steer that way. We have done a couple in the kitchen, too, but I don't recommend that! Good luck!

ETA: My husband hangs the carcase from a skidsteer for easier maneuverability while he cuts off the skin, chunks of meat...

 

[Quail_Antwerp]

We do our own deer, too, but no fancy equipment for it. My DH has meet hooks he hangs the deer on in the minibarn where no animals can get to it. He lays down a tarp to catch any mess.

When he is ready to butcher he brings it in to my kitchen table and cuts it up. We soak the meat in water to pull the blood out and then I wrap the cuts and freeze it.

 

[k0xxx]

...

If you have any specific questions, I would be happy to pass them on to him for you. Let me know. Good luck.

I like your avatar!!

Thanks, for the offer. I appreciate it.

...

You should also get with your local health department or whoever is over meat processing and see what their requirements are if you plan on doing this as a business.

You might want a good butcher block and a stainless table. I heard the price of stainless steel has really gone up...

We're not planning to do it as a business. We're just looking to set up something that will be convenient and away from the house. We have been offered all the equipment mentioned in the first post by a friend that acquired it from a relative that passed away. Everything is clean and in great working order. He said, if we are interested, he'd take two hundred dollars for all of it. Otherwise He would sell it all individually, and I know that he'd get a good bit more.

Thanks for the suggestion on stainless steel, I will definitely look into that.

...

Have you tried googling? Or looking at the online index of Countryside or something like that?...

I have, but so far all that I have come up with is equipment. I guess I'll try rephrasing my search. Thanks!


I appreciate all of the info and suggestions. For a while we had been thinking about a screened area for processing chickens, since flies are so bad here. When our friend mentioned the meat equipment, we started considering processing deer, hogs, etc., and now the idea of a small processing building has taken a life of it's own. Next thing you know, I'll need a building with a loading dock...

 

[dacjohns]

$200 for the equipment? Buy it.

 

[Acre of Blessings]

For $200 I would buy it and then set it up in the yard the way you would like it to be in a building and then measure around it. This way you would know how much room you would need.

Not sure why I can't find deals like that :/