How to Cut Up the Hind Quarter of Venison?
Venison is a fun change from the usual beef, chicken and pork found in most kitchens. If you are the happy recipient of a hind quarter of a deer, you are in for a nice treat from some delicious cuts of meat. Venison is leaner than beef and can have a gamier taste since it is not grain-fed. If you cannot find a butcher to cut up your deer for you or if you just want to give it a try on your own, here are a few step-by-step instructions. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Sharp knife
- Cloth
- Hack saw
- Work table
- Butchers paper for wrapping
- Masking Tape
- Pen
- Large container
Instructions
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1
Make sure your knife is well sharpened and you have a way of honing it during this operation. Keep a rag handy for wiping your knife clean and another for wiping out any bits of bone. Have a clean container nearby for tossing the cut portions of meat into when you get them ready.
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2
Lay the hindquarter on the work surface in front of you. You should be looking at a skinned carcass with two legs. You will need to cut this in half, right down the backbone. Use your knife to cut away the meat until you get to the bone and then use your hacksaw to cut through the bone. Keep the bits of bone cleaned up with your rag.
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3
Set one leg aside while you cut up the other. Cut from just behind the tailbone diagonally towards the front bottom edge of the hindquarter. Now run your knife straight down on either side of the spine, and then from the front of the hindquarter, just above the spine flat across to the end of the tailbone. This will be your sirloin and tenderloin cuts.
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4
Separate the spine from the rest of the rump carefully with your sharp knife. This will be your rump roast, which you can cut into smaller portions for smaller roasts or even smaller for stews or grinding.
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5
Look at the leg portion left over. At the top of the leg, there is a thich amount of meat surrounding the bone and it gets thinner as the leg progresses. You can cut straight across if you want venison steaks. To do this, simply use your knofe to cut through the meat until the bone is exposed and then cut through it with your hacksaw. Wipe away any bone fragments and set aside.
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6
Bone out the shank by using your sharp knife to cut away the meat from the bone. Use the tougher meat for grinding and stew meat. Of course, your dog will love the bone for a chewing treat.
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7
Repeat Steps 3, 4 and 5 for the other section.
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8
Wrap all the meat in the butcher paper and tape and label it. Freeze it immediately. Any meat that you are grinding can be packaged in freezer bags.
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Resources
- Photo Credit http://bestpracticeguides.org.uk/pics/carcass_venisonSupply02.jpg
