Any butcher questions?

[brentr]

See what happens when you make such a great offer?

My question for your husband is on equipment. I cut up my own deer, butcher my rabbits, etc. I'd like to get some good knives to make the process better. I've found that most butcher supply sites carry Mundial, Victorinox, and Dexter Russell knives. I wonder what your husband recommends of those brands (or others)? If he has a best price supplier recommendation that sells to the general public, I'd be most interested.

I can't break the bank, but would like to get some 5" curved semi-flex boning knives, and a good 8-10" butcher knife. Also want to get a good sharpening system, and a steel.

Thanks for any suggestions.

 

[sawfish99]

Thanks for the input

 

[fortheloveofgoats]

See what happens when you make such a great offer?

My question for your husband is on equipment. I cut up my own deer, butcher my rabbits, etc. I'd like to get some good knives to make the process better. I've found that most butcher supply sites carry Mundial, Victorinox, and Dexter Russell knives. I wonder what your husband recommends of those brands (or others)? If he has a best price supplier recommendation that sells to the general public, I'd be most interested.

I can't break the bank, but would like to get some 5" curved semi-flex boning knives, and a good 8-10" butcher knife. Also want to get a good sharpening system, and a steel.

Thanks for any suggestions.

Actually, I am very proud of my husband, and we both love to help others, so we think it's great! So everyone ask away! We just hope that we don't upset someone, if they don't agree with what he has to say. I will have my husband answer your question tomorrow, he is asleep right now. I just wanted to let you know, we see your post, and that you can ask away.

 

[fortheloveofgoats]

Thanks for the input

You are so very welcome!

 

[secuono]

SHEEP.

[I'm going to post that word first to help make it easier to remember what I'm asking about.]

I wouldn't know where to start.
I'm guessing you skin them after you hang them. Same way you skin a rabbit?
What is the next thing you do? Do you cut legs off or cut certain sections of meat off or wait w/all that until after gutting?
What organs do you toss or save, anything particularly hard to remove?
Do I need special bone cutters or anything like that?

 

[fortheloveofgoats]

See what happens when you make such a great offer?

My question for your husband is on equipment. I cut up my own deer, butcher my rabbits, etc. I'd like to get some good knives to make the process better. I've found that most butcher supply sites carry Mundial, Victorinox, and Dexter Russell knives. I wonder what your husband recommends of those brands (or others)? If he has a best price supplier recommendation that sells to the general public, I'd be most interested.

I can't break the bank, but would like to get some 5" curved semi-flex boning knives, and a good 8-10" butcher knife. Also want to get a good sharpening system, and a steel.

Thanks for any suggestions.

You have done some good research, and I'll just expand from there and I personally use a 5", and 6" forschner, semi flex boning knifes, and an 8" breaking knife. Those three knifes should be sufficient to process any carcass. I personally used Victorinox and the plastic handle is easier on the hands, and easier to clean. The best place to buy this stuff is going to be at the local market supply. As far as a steel, I personally use a coarse while I am butchering and a fine steel when I'm processing the carcass . Ceramic steels are great for a fine edge, but fragile. And finally you need a good tri stone sharpener. I hope that this helps, and if you have anymore questions, feel free to ask.

 

[fortheloveofgoats]

SHEEP.

[I'm going to post that word first to help make it easier to remember what I'm asking about.]

I wouldn't know where to start.
I'm guessing you skin them after you hang them. Same way you skin a rabbit?
What is the next thing you do? Do you cut legs off or cut certain sections of meat off or wait w/all that until after gutting?
What organs do you toss or save, anything particularly hard to remove?
Do I need special bone cutters or anything like that?

This is the order. 1. Kill animal 2. Bleed animal well, and cut off feet at ankle 3. Skin animal (it is the same basic concept, but a little more challenging. You need to "punch" the hide away from the carcass. In other words, try to use your clean hands to push in between the carcass and the hide and pull on the hide, it will come off. After that split the brisket down the center with a saw or saws all.) 4. Gut animal (I like to gut the animal while it is hanging by it's legs- as well as when skinning.) 5. Clean animal well (You can do this with a clean hose. Save liver, (but not if you puncture the bile sack) Also check for spots on the liver, spots are bad and you need to throw it away. Heart, and tongue. As far as the organs being hard to remove, grab a hold and rip them out, just don't puncture the stomach) 6. Hang animal in a cool, dry place, until ready to process, then cut and wrap. Only tools needed to butcher are a clean sharp knife, a saws all, and a skinning knife. Good luck and hope this helps!

 

[brentr]

See what happens when you make such a great offer?

My question for your husband is on equipment. I cut up my own deer, butcher my rabbits, etc. I'd like to get some good knives to make the process better. I've found that most butcher supply sites carry Mundial, Victorinox, and Dexter Russell knives. I wonder what your husband recommends of those brands (or others)? If he has a best price supplier recommendation that sells to the general public, I'd be most interested.

I can't break the bank, but would like to get some 5" curved semi-flex boning knives, and a good 8-10" butcher knife. Also want to get a good sharpening system, and a steel.

Thanks for any suggestions.

You have done some good research, and I'll just expand from there and I personally use a 5", and 6" forschner, semi flex boning knifes, and an 8" breaking knife. Those three knifes should be sufficient to process any carcass. I personally used Victorinox and the plastic handle is easier on the hands, and easier to clean. The best place to buy this stuff is going to be at the local market supply. As far as a steel, I personally use a coarse while I am butchering and a fine steel when I'm processing the carcass . Ceramic steels are great for a fine edge, but fragile. And finally you need a good tri stone sharpener. I hope that this helps, and if you have anymore questions, feel free to ask.

I'd be grateful for a little more detail:
-what is a tri-stone sharpener? And do you have a brand recommendation/where to get one?
-coarse/fine steel: what are the butcher/cutting benefits of each and if you could only have one, which would you choose?

Thanks.

 

[fortheloveofgoats]

See what happens when you make such a great offer?

My question for your husband is on equipment. I cut up my own deer, butcher my rabbits, etc. I'd like to get some good knives to make the process better. I've found that most butcher supply sites carry Mundial, Victorinox, and Dexter Russell knives. I wonder what your husband recommends of those brands (or others)? If he has a best price supplier recommendation that sells to the general public, I'd be most interested.

I can't break the bank, but would like to get some 5" curved semi-flex boning knives, and a good 8-10" butcher knife. Also want to get a good sharpening system, and a steel.

Thanks for any suggestions.

You have done some good research, and I'll just expand from there and I personally use a 5", and 6" forschner, semi flex boning knifes, and an 8" breaking knife. Those three knifes should be sufficient to process any carcass. I personally used Victorinox and the plastic handle is easier on the hands, and easier to clean. The best place to buy this stuff is going to be at the local market supply. As far as a steel, I personally use a coarse while I am butchering and a fine steel when I'm processing the carcass . Ceramic steels are great for a fine edge, but fragile. And finally you need a good tri stone sharpener. I hope that this helps, and if you have anymore questions, feel free to ask.

I'd be grateful for a little more detail:
-what is a tri-stone sharpener? And do you have a brand recommendation/where to get one?
-coarse/fine steel: what are the butcher/cutting benefits of each and if you could only have one, which would you choose?

Thanks.

A tri stone sharpener http://www.google.com/products/cata...a=X&ei=NS_lTq-4NMmuiQLmnsivBg&ved=0CGgQ8wIwAQ
You can get a semi coarse or a semi fine, and that would work for both. Typically I have a finer edge on my processing knifes, than my butchering knifes. The finer the edge you want, the finer the steel, and stone you want to use.

 

[ShadyAcres]

And it's also just a personal choice thing. I don't hang anything I process. We do not have a walk in and we have 3 big dogs and are in a very residential neighborhood. Nowhere to leave a carcass.

I could break them down and use the fridge but I'd rather get it all done in one day due to time constraints.


Now for people that similarly don't have a place to hang or it's not good weather a back up fridge that you can put the meat in to rest for a couple days works just fine I've heard.

I plan on processing a couple lambs in a month or 2. Did one a couple years ago and he went straight to freezer and was fine, but imagine it would be better if aged. As I also have nowhere convenient or safe to hang I plan on cutting and wrapping and then to the refrigerator. After all, it works on my chickens? My question is how long? I think I saw somewhere that typically lambs are hung in meat locker for 10 days. Is that about right? Are there any other concerns that I should be aware of? Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Paula