Once an animal is killed, in the field, immediately remove all internal organs and skin the animal. Leave the ankle tendons intact so that the hind quarters can be hung from a hook with ease. DO NOT allow the carcass to hang at temperatures above 38 degrees Fahrenheit for an extended period of time as the meat will start to sour.

 

Big game animals are normally butchered into 10 sections:

1. Two Front Shoulders - ground burger, ground jerky, or roast).
2. Two Loins or Backstraps - tender steak.
3. Two Hind Quarters - steaks or prime roasts.
4. Two Inside Tenderloins - most tender steak but small.
5. Neck Meat - ground burger, ground jerky, or sausage.
6. Ribs - Use as ribs or debone for burger or sausage.

Begin Quartering by removing the two front shoulders. Pull the leg bone away from the body and cut the connecting tissue between the ribcage and inside leg. Use long sweeping cuts until the shoulder detaches from the carcass. Repeat this same technique on the other shoulder.

These are the two long strips of meat on both sides of the spine. Insert the knife on one side of the spine at the hind quarters and cut forward towards the neck guiding the knife flat against the spine. Insert the knife 90 degrees to the first cut using the ribcage as a guide until the tip stops at the spine. Cut the loin free with slow intentional cuts using the spine and ribs as a guide. Repeat the same technique to remove the second loin.

Remove the hind quarters by cutting the meat between the thighs at the pelvis. Rotate the leg bone to locate the round hip socket. Cut the cartilage at the socket to detach the hip bone. Cut through any connecting meat to remove the hind quarter. To avoid the loss of any steaks, leave the ankle tendon on each quarter so that the processing plant will have something to hang it from. Perform this same technique on the other hind quarter.

These two thin strips of meat are inside the chest cavity on either side of the spine near the hind quarters. Feel for the outline of the tenderloin and remove by cutting the two ends near each loin.

Cut close to the bone and remove all the neck meat up to the base of the skull.

Use a bone saw to cut through the ribs on either side of the spine.
The above steps will prepare your animal for the deboning process. Treat the meat with care, i.e. DO NOT drag it through debris and expect it to stay clean. To help keep the meat clean, place each section into a game bag (cheesecloth) immediately after quartering it. Remember, this is your meat so take care of it!

Steve's Meat Market 5751 Olde Wadsworth Blvd. Arvada, CO 80002-2534 Phone: (303) 422-3487