Does anyone else butcher their own meat?

We butcher all our own meats here...deer, wild turkey, rabbits, squirrel and my chickens...in the past we've also done beef and lambs. Been doing it like that for 40 yrs now. I like to do my own chickens more than anything else...they are what I spent time, money and effort on so they mean a little more to me. And...yes...they've usually all have names and that doesn't change how I view them or how the meat tastes. They trust me for a good life and a good death, so I won't be letting the control of that out of my hands...I took steps to manage that they were hatched and I want to see that through and finish the the job.

I also like the idea that I am growing my own foods from the chick to the jar and it's pure, clean, free ranged meat~no meds..ever~ and I get to actually see that the raising, feeding and care is done properly. Also the butchering...I'm not real trusting about people who get paid minimum wage to butcher a faceless hunk of meat and how careful they might not be about hygiene.
 
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i understand your concern about sending things for someone else to butcher. i am fortunate that my friends own and operate the place i take my animals so i know they are kind to the stock that goes there and that their place is spotless. since it is just me now and no husband or extended family to help there comes a time when you do what you have to do. i also think it is extremely important to know what my meat has eaten and or been given. i can't tell you how long it has been since i have purchased meat at a grocery store. just the thought of it turns my stomach.
 
We unfortunately learned the hard way that not everyone who claims they know how to butcher an animal can actually do it properly. And turning your back can end up costing you dearly too. We've lost a good few pounds of meat that somehow made it to the off-cuts piles. Like the pigs' necks that suddenly got very short! I'd say if you have to send an animal off to butcher, make sure you can trust the people, make sure they are experienced and will do the job properly, especially the killing part.
 
Yay, this is the featured thread, and my first time with a featured thread.
Anyways over thanksgiving we went to see some friends in Wyoming and they have a butcher shop on their land. Thanksgiving morning, butchering while watching the parade.
 
Its been a while, but I need to decrease expenses here and I have been given 10 broilers, I need to tend to on a 50/50 basis. They really aren't ready, but I will do the 50% that is leaving today or tomorrow and finish off my share when they have more weight to them in a few weeks.
If I'm well into it, I might even hire out my services to hunters and farmers to get a little cash or meat without getting a 9 to 5.
 
My dad is a hunter and fisherman. I grew up eating squirrel, rabbit, grouse, fish and venison. I was also my dads helper in the butchering process as soon as I was old enough to actually help. It was a skill set that he taught me, that I am truly grateful for. I have taught more than one boyfriend how to gut a deer or fillet a fish, lol.
DH and I are talking about getting a couple of steers to raise for our own use and for family. But those will be taken to a local butcher for processing as we do not have the tools we need to do the job properly for an animal of that size. We like our venison boneless, but beef is a different story. DH skins and quarters the deer, then brings it into the kitchen for me to piece out, vacuum seal and freeze.
 
I know it wouldn't be ideal, but if I had to slaughter beef, I'd roll it onto a tarp for cleanliness and then begin by skinning one side and cutting off the limbs and beginning to remove some of the mid sections, then rolling it over, onto the other side and repeating the process. Naturally I'd want it to be winter and to have a very cold location to hang the limbs and large pieces, until I had time to finish all my work.
I just have a feeling, whatever I'd have to pay the butcher might be steep. I know how long it takes me to do my birds and pretty sure he'd want a lot for his trouble.
 
Chickens aren't my favorite. More and more of our meat is rabbit these days. I can dress out a rabbit in less than 20 min. I should be able to do it faster but there are several things that slow me down... the joints are hard to break down and i feel like an idiot the whole time. Also, the butt. I finally figured out how to do it---no videos really show you what to do. Anyway, if I were to make a rabbit wringer and some foot hooks, I think I could do it in 10 min.
 
We do the butchering with the balling twine but still it can take all night
 
So in about a week and I half my dad will be butchering 19 of my meat birds.
I was wondering if anyone else was at the spot in the summer where you will be butchering your meat animal? If so let us know.
 
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