freemotion
Food Guru
Beekissed said:
'splain, please!
how do you field dress a deer
- Thread starter FarmerDenise
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'splain, please!
- Thread starter
- #12
FarmerDenise
Out to pasture
...
noobiechickenlady
Almost Self-Reliant
I had the same question on my journal. Bee graciously explains here: http://www.sufficientself.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=2425&p=4
Very cool method I am going to try this fall.
Very cool method I am going to try this fall.
freemotion
Food Guru
Ahhh! Now I understand. Do you skin domestic animals the same way?
Beekissed
Mountain Sage
Free, I'll be skinning Hitch this way when I butcher her out. Its just so easy and helps keep hair issues to a minimum.
I was thinking about butchering one's own animals and nearly everyone who finds out that I'm going to butcher my own bottle baby was appalled that I would do that to my own animal. They were fine with taking them to the butchers for theirs but could not imagine doing their own at home because of the "Awwwwww Factor"......
Which led me to thinkin'...which is always a road trip on an empty and winding highway!
Wouldn't it be nice if neighbors could butcher each other's home-raised animals so as to avoid the pain of killing a familiar face? I would have no problem butchering someone else's calf but I fear I will feel quite a twinge or two when I do my own. I will still do it but I won't say that it will be an easy thing.
I was thinking about butchering one's own animals and nearly everyone who finds out that I'm going to butcher my own bottle baby was appalled that I would do that to my own animal. They were fine with taking them to the butchers for theirs but could not imagine doing their own at home because of the "Awwwwww Factor"......
Which led me to thinkin'...which is always a road trip on an empty and winding highway!
Wouldn't it be nice if neighbors could butcher each other's home-raised animals so as to avoid the pain of killing a familiar face? I would have no problem butchering someone else's calf but I fear I will feel quite a twinge or two when I do my own. I will still do it but I won't say that it will be an easy thing.
freemotion
Food Guru
If a tear or two is shed, then the animal was raised properly, IMO! It had a good life and a quick and painless death. Not what happens when nature takes it's course....or when agri-biz gets involved.
noobiechickenlady
Almost Self-Reliant
Very true, free, but Bee does have a good point. That would be a great bartering tool, especially for those of us whose friends who really want to raise a few animals, but "just couldn't do it" Though, my friends who couldn't kill a named animal probably wouldn't be able to do my named animal. That may work out to my advantage though.
Hey, I'll do the deed if you'll give me the hide and/or a share of the meat.
I can't say it will be easy to slaughter my own animals, especially if they are just downright cute animals, like bunnies, but I don't think I'll have a problem with it. I had to put down my Lobo when he got deathly sick and I couldn't afford a vet bill. I cried while I did it and fell over sobbing when it was done, but I'd do it again in a heartbeat. And that was to prevent him from protracted suffering, not feed my family.
Hey, I'll do the deed if you'll give me the hide and/or a share of the meat.
I can't say it will be easy to slaughter my own animals, especially if they are just downright cute animals, like bunnies, but I don't think I'll have a problem with it. I had to put down my Lobo when he got deathly sick and I couldn't afford a vet bill. I cried while I did it and fell over sobbing when it was done, but I'd do it again in a heartbeat. And that was to prevent him from protracted suffering, not feed my family.
Beekissed
Mountain Sage
I can kill easier when it's to stop suffering. The chickens I have no problem killing, as I don't form a bond with them on purpose. Its still hard if it's one I've had for a long time and I've grown used to seeing their face.
The calf? I feel kind of sorry for the scruffy little thing and she is a very good animal....doesn't cause any problems and minds her own business. She's bigger and so will require a gun for killing. Its one thing to shoot an animal at a distance but to put a gun against their head and shoot is a little more sad for me. I can do it....but still a little sad. :/
The calf? I feel kind of sorry for the scruffy little thing and she is a very good animal....doesn't cause any problems and minds her own business. She's bigger and so will require a gun for killing. Its one thing to shoot an animal at a distance but to put a gun against their head and shoot is a little more sad for me. I can do it....but still a little sad. :/
- Thread starter
- #19
FarmerDenise
Out to pasture
Bee, that makes sense now, I mean the lawnmower thing. Great trick.
Farmfresh
City Biddy
I agree the actual point of death is sad. I try to kill quickly and painlessly as possible then I have to walk away during the "death throes". It gives me a chance to recover my composure.
When you "hang" meat it is to give the animal a chance to pass through rigor mortis. (See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rigor_mortis the section on Applications in Industry.
)
The best beef is dry aged. The process is supposed to occur between 36 degrees and freezing for best effect. (http://bbq.about.com/cs/beef/a/aa030301a.htm)
I simply refrigerate my chickens and other poultry for a couple of days before freezing them for a similar result.
When you "hang" meat it is to give the animal a chance to pass through rigor mortis. (See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rigor_mortis the section on Applications in Industry.
) The best beef is dry aged. The process is supposed to occur between 36 degrees and freezing for best effect. (http://bbq.about.com/cs/beef/a/aa030301a.htm)
I simply refrigerate my chickens and other poultry for a couple of days before freezing them for a similar result.
