Any butcher questions?

[fortheloveofgoats]

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

. I personally hang my lambs about 7 - 10 days at work. It sounds like you have a pretty good system, if you are planning on aging the meat in the fridge i suggest only wrapping the meat once, loosely, place in a container. this will be a good way to let the meat age ( rigor to loosen) as long as you drain the purge as often as possible. After the meat has aged to your desire, ( 5-6 days is a guess for the fridge) then double wrap it with freezer paper and put in freezer. Thats how i would personally do it in your position. good luck!!!!

 

[enggass]

Newbie here - I know that it is best for there to be little or no stress for the hog at slaughter time - that it can affect the quality of the meat. Also, I have read it is best to hang the hog for 24+/- hrs after slaughter/skinning/splitting to improve the quality of the meat.

So my first question is, how much will my meat suffer if I take it to the butcher for slaughtering/packaging?

I have a local butcher that charges $40 for the slaughter, then .50/lb for cutting and vacuum packing. No waste disposal fees...

When I do go this route what should I keep in mind? What questions should I ask or what specifics should I request, ie. what scrap to keep etc., etc... ANY advice appreciated. I want go informed.

Thanks!

 

[SuburbanFarmChic]

Check out the butcher prior to taking the animal there on a butchering day. The one we use in Hagerstown, MD is great. You drive up early in the morning, there is no noise, no clanking, no animal distress sounds. They have some sheep/goats in a field nearby that are casually making breakfast time noises. Birds chirping. The animals are gently led up a ramp and into a holding pen/area and then they are gone. Super fast, super quiet, no stress.

We loaded up the pig the night before and he slept the WHOLE way there. I had to wake him up at the butchers to get him out of the van. That was some TASTY pig, I'll tell you. Relaxed as heck.

 

[fortheloveofgoats]

Newbie here - I know that it is best for there to be little or no stress for the hog at slaughter time - that it can affect the quality of the meat. Also, I have read it is best to hang the hog for 24+/- hrs after slaughter/skinning/splitting to improve the quality of the meat.

So my first question is, how much will my meat suffer if I take it to the butcher for slaughtering/packaging?

I have a local butcher that charges $40 for the slaughter, then .50/lb for cutting and vacuum packing. No waste disposal fees...

When I do go this route what should I keep in mind? What questions should I ask or what specifics should I request, ie. what scrap to keep etc., etc... ANY advice appreciated. I want go informed.

Thanks!

Yes, you want to hang your hog for at least 24 hours before processing it if you do it your self. My suggestion if your worried about how your hogs will react to being kept in a holding pen is to go and check out the plant where your hogs will be slaughtered and processed. And the more human contact that the hogs have had usually equates to less stressed out hogs in my meat plant. Just make sure that they separate your hogs from others that might want to fight. also make sure that they are fed and watered before, that also helps with some stress. But typically i don't see stress affect very many animals work............. o, in my area its about 45$ to slaughter hogs and about the same for cut and wrap.

 

[Happy Holler]

I was wondering where did you learn to butcher. A school or working for a butch
er? Thanks.

 

[bonbean01]

A question...what are the best cuts to ask a butcher for a lamb?

 

[animalmom]

We are going to have 5 Nigerian Dwarf goats processed by our butcher in October. We would appreciate your advise on:

1) does one age goat like one ages a steer, in other words do you hang goat like you do beef? We've had this butcher do two steers for us and he ages them as long as he can based on the fat ( I think that is what he said).

2) These goats are wethers, 2 - 3 years old. Is it reasonable to think the tenderloins will be tender and that we could get a couple roasts out of them? The balance of the meat will be done as 3 lb packages of chunks so we can make our own sausage later.

3) Anything special we should know about getting goats processed?

I think you are doing a great service for us backyard herders and look forward to your reply.

AnimalMom

 

[fortheloveofgoats]

I was wondering where did you learn to butcher. A school or working for a butch
er? Thanks.

Actually the whole thing started out (for my husband) at Albertson's. He was 17 going on 18 and became a journeyman. Then from there he went to a cute and wrap small business, and worked there for I think about 7 years. Now he is at a business where they have a kill floor. So he now knows how to kill, skin, and cut. What's great about this new job is he is also getting to learn all about the smoke house, and the seasonings. He is very happy. So am I. I get to help kill on Sundays. Last Sunday, we did 25 hogs! All from fair.

 

[fortheloveofgoats]

A question...what are the best cuts to ask a butcher for a lamb?

I will ask my hubby when he gets home.

 

[fortheloveofgoats]

We are going to have 5 Nigerian Dwarf goats processed by our butcher in October. We would appreciate your advise on:

1) does one age goat like one ages a steer, in other words do you hang goat like you do beef? We've had this butcher do two steers for us and he ages them as long as he can based on the fat ( I think that is what he said).

2) These goats are wethers, 2 - 3 years old. Is it reasonable to think the tenderloins will be tender and that we could get a couple roasts out of them? The balance of the meat will be done as 3 lb packages of chunks so we can make our own sausage later.

3) Anything special we should know about getting goats processed?

I think you are doing a great service for us backyard herders and look forward to your reply.

AnimalMom

I will ask my hubby when he gets home. I am pretty sure that I know the answers to these, but I want to make sure.