OK, just in case I happen to get one this fall, wondering how you butcher, or have one cut up. have butchered deer for years now, and guesssing it is the same? problem will be hanging one if I get one. so, will probably have it done out in wyoming. any suggestions on how to have it cut up? do you have burger made up? or too gamey? may bring the scrap back and have it made in to slims and sausage if folks think it's worth it.
butchering elk
- Thread starter TLC
- Start date
gcan
Member
You are correct in your assumption that it is basically the same process as deer. If you are planning on making burgers out of the elk then most people add either some beef or pork fat since it is so lean it does not want to hold together on its own. I usually have some made without adding fat and the flavor is fantastic by itself. I also enjoy having some breakfast sausage made out of the elk as well. It really does not matter if its steak, roasts, burger, sausage, jerky etc. as long as you take proper care of the animal from the field to the table its all delicious. Good luck out there.
whiskeydog
Active member
don't bother hanging it...you can do all the butchering you need from the ground. this video does a pretty decent job of showing the method I use for elk/deer/antelope. in the video, the guy puts each quarter in a game bag. elk are so heavy, that if you want to take it a step further, just lay your game bag out on the ground and take the meat off the bone in the field to save the weight...it will help with cooling the meat too.
http://elk101.com/webisodes/gutless-video/
as far as having it processed...you can do all the same things with elk that you do with deer. it will just taste better
we do all of our own butchering and processing and add pork suet when grinding to make sure the meat will stick together when making patties and because it's so lean that it's cooks up pretty dry. we add the following percentages of suet based on what we are making.
burger - 7%
breakfast sausage - 7%
pepper sticks - 10-12%
bratwurst - 20%
good luck!
2rocky
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jul 23, 2010
- Messages
- 4,988
The main thing is you will tell the Cut and Wrap place. Roasts? How many steaks per package, thickness of steaks how much burger per pkg (1, 1.5 or 2 pounds). If you want Stew meat, and/or burger. Any specialty stuff like sausage, or jerky?
This is an example of a C&W order
http://www.obergbrothersnaturalbeef.com/cutandwrapform.html
http://highplainsadventures.com/PDF Files/McCulloughs Wild Game Cut Sheet.pdf
http://www.cllocker.com/beef-cut-form
http://jrmeats.com/images/stories/Buffalo_Deer_Elk_Processing_Excel_(2).xls
This is an example of a C&W order
http://www.obergbrothersnaturalbeef.com/cutandwrapform.html
http://highplainsadventures.com/PDF Files/McCulloughs Wild Game Cut Sheet.pdf
http://www.cllocker.com/beef-cut-form
http://jrmeats.com/images/stories/Buffalo_Deer_Elk_Processing_Excel_(2).xls
JoseCuervo
New member
Are you cutting it yourself?
If so, cut it off the bones, freeze it and ship it home. Then, wait until it gets cold this winter, and start setting out frozen boxes to thaw a bit so that you can cut and wrap.
I shipped 4 caribou back from Alaska once in 10-20-30lb chunks, cut and wrapped them when I had time.
If so, cut it off the bones, freeze it and ship it home. Then, wait until it gets cold this winter, and start setting out frozen boxes to thaw a bit so that you can cut and wrap.
I shipped 4 caribou back from Alaska once in 10-20-30lb chunks, cut and wrapped them when I had time.
devon deer
Well-known member
This is a timely thread, why do you guys do the gutless method?
Is it purely because hauling the guts out of an elk is difficult?
If i get really lucky and get one down i am just not sure i have the confidence to do the gutless method, even after looking at the video.
Cheers
Richard
Is it purely because hauling the guts out of an elk is difficult?
If i get really lucky and get one down i am just not sure i have the confidence to do the gutless method, even after looking at the video.
Cheers
Richard
Topgun 30-06
Active member
Try moving one of those big rascals around once and you'll see why it's easier to do the gutless method just the way they are laying a lot of the time when you walk up to them!
problem with hanging one? in most cases yep!.......although alot bigger than a deer the same holds true, gutless method is easier than you may think even if the video isn't that clear, +1 on deboning before bagging. unless you just like packing weight for the exercise
Straight Arrow
Well-known member
All the above is good info. 'Only exception for me is that I do not add suet or any other animal product to my elk, deer, or antelope burger. For tacos, spaghetti sauce, and other dishes there is no need for suet or additional fat, just don't overcook with high heat. Add egg and/or bread or cracker crumbs to your burger for hamburger patties or meatloaf. It works great to hold the burger together.
I always wonder why anything would be added which might detract from the great flavor of elk.
I always wonder why anything would be added which might detract from the great flavor of elk.
whiskeydog
Active member
Gutless method is faster, easier (once you've done it once or twice), and a hell of a lot cleaner. It's hard enough to make a deer stay balanced on his back while you gut him...no fun at all for an elk...and basically impossible for a moose...especially by yourself! additionally, if you're in griz country, i like to think that they have a harder time smelling the dead elk when the guts aren't laying all over the ground.
search the net...you can probably found a few other videos to make yourself more comfortable with it. it really is easier...
JoseCuervo
New member
Are you Scottish? Then you want to pack all the guts out with you for haggis and leave the meat behind....
Assuming you ain't a Scot, then it is real simple to do the "gutless" method. If it is red meat, cut it off the animal and stick it in a bag/pack and haul it off the mountain.
If it is disgusting looking or smelling, leave it on the mountain as it is guts and maybe some poor Scot will stumble along...
(*Note: The bigger the chunks of red meat you can keep them, the better for future processing. With a bit of skilled knife work, you can cut most of the meat off a hind-quarter and leave it all attached to itself, just removing the bone.)
devon deer
Well-known member
No ain't Scottish!
English matey, and proud of it, i dont eat guts!
But that is amusing.
My butchery skills are fine so boning out the meat will no problem for me, the gutless method is just something we don't do over here, but i will give the gutless method a go when i come over if i get very lucky.
Cheers
Richard
shoots-straight
Well-known member
The gutless method should only be used, if you need to bone the animal out on the kill site. If your dragging it out, or able to load it up to take to a butcher, removal of entrails is best.
sbhooper
Well-known member
If it is warm, the big bones in elk will hold lots of heat. That bone is just more throw-away weight to pack out. The sooner it is off the bone, the better it cools. There is no good reason to pack out heavy bones that are going in the garbage anyway.
Only add beef/pork etc. if you need the meat to stick together. The best meat loaf going is wild meat with no grease added. Same with spaghetti.
We grind bacon, cheap beef burger and wild game together and make bacon burgers that are the best I have tasted bar none. It is necessary to add a little grease of some type to help the meat stick together for the bar-b-que, but don't mix a lot. It does not take a lotof grease to help. Whiskeydog has it right.
Grease has to be added to summer sausage etc. so that it does not crumble.
I have packed out a lot of meat over the years. All I ever did was hang it while we were still in camp so that it was good and cool. We then just loaded it up and went home. If you have a long drive, have a big cooler and keep it iced and you will have no problem.
Only add beef/pork etc. if you need the meat to stick together. The best meat loaf going is wild meat with no grease added. Same with spaghetti.
We grind bacon, cheap beef burger and wild game together and make bacon burgers that are the best I have tasted bar none. It is necessary to add a little grease of some type to help the meat stick together for the bar-b-que, but don't mix a lot. It does not take a lotof grease to help. Whiskeydog has it right.
Grease has to be added to summer sausage etc. so that it does not crumble.
I have packed out a lot of meat over the years. All I ever did was hang it while we were still in camp so that it was good and cool. We then just loaded it up and went home. If you have a long drive, have a big cooler and keep it iced and you will have no problem.
JoseCuervo
New member
Why would you ever want to drag or haul a bone off the mountain that you didn't need?
Second that! Gutless is the only way to go. No sense in taking home a bunch of skin, guts or bones to stink a couple days later in the trash.
sweetnectar
New member
If you are an archery guy then the weather can be pretty warm in which I'd recommend getting it to a place with an industrial freezer. The typical kenmore freezer just doesn't freeze that much meat very fast. A good butcher is well worth it in my book. If the weather is cold outside then I wouldn't worry about cutting things up myself.
Devil Diver Down
Well-known member
I have talked to a couple game processors and they both told me the same--bringing them a whole animal or in the biggest parts possible (i.e. not boned out) will yield the most meat and typically better cuts.
It makes sense to me, but I don't have to worry about packing the extra weight of bones since I never seem to kill anything anymore.
Last time I field dressed a big animal I had never even heard of the gutless method. But I'm planning on giving it some first-hand tries this fall.
sluggo6850
Well-known member
cut up a deer in 15 min.
Here is a video of a butcher cutting up a deer in approximately 15 min. the guy is good with a knife!! http://youtu.be/xijmge8_NJw
Here is a video of a butcher cutting up a deer in approximately 15 min. the guy is good with a knife!! http://youtu.be/xijmge8_NJw
idnative1948
Well-known member
Did I miss something? Fall? When in the fall? When it is 48 degrees at night, or 18 degrees at night?
We have left the mountains dead of night to be at our butcher when they open at 7:00 during the season.
And have them hang quarters.
We have left the mountains dead of night to be at our butcher when they open at 7:00 during the season.
And have them hang quarters.
