Well IF I ever kill a deer I'm planning on doing my own processing. I got a hand crank grinder for Christmas this past year. It isn't very big, but it will work. I was planning on keeping the backstraps, tenderloins, a roast or two, and then turning the rest into ground hamburger. So here are my questions: 1. Do I need to cube my meat before I put it in my grinder? 2. How do you store your ground meat? (what type of bag, etc) 3. Do you mix beef/bacon/etc with your venison? Any other tips would be greatly appreciated guys
Don't necessarily have to cube it, but you do need it small enough to shove through the grinder. It makes it easier. Plastic wrap, then heavy freezer paper, and tape the crap out of it. Always label/date the package as well. I don't, but it depends on what you plan on using the ground meat for. I use mine mostly for tacos/burritos, spaghetti, or anything that calls for normal ground beef, so it really doesn't need the extra fat. Have your wife help. I always cut the meat up/process it, while the g/f packages it. Just make sure the packages are tight.
1. As was stated, not necessarily cubes but chunks that fit. I have found it grinds better if it is well chilled as opposed to room temp. 2. I store it in 1 and 2 pounds packs. I put the meat on a length of saran wrap and then roll it up like a cigarette/tube. Twist the ends and lay them along side. Gets all of the air out. I also vacuum pack it in bags but, if you can't do that, the rolling it in plastic wrap and freezer paper works well. 3. Don't mix anything with it. If it ever needed extra flavor or fat I would at that at the time of use. A lot of the cuts off of the back leg and backstrap I just wrap and freeze whole. The only meat I usually grind are the small pieces that you really can't roast, grill or cut into steaks.
1. Do I need to cube my meat before I put it in my grinder? I cut mine into manageable chunks. If it's sinewy, cut across the sinews because long strands clog up the grinder faster. 2. How do you store your ground meat? (what type of bag, etc) Meat ground for chili goes into gallon sized ziplocs. I make big batches of chili at a time. Smaller portions get wrapped really well in plastic wrap. 3. Do you mix beef/bacon/etc with your venison? I buy fatty beef brisket and grind it in with the venison. 10-25% beef depending on what I'm using the ground meat for and depending on how much fat the beef has. I mix venison with pork butt if I'm making certain types of sausages.
x2. The only difference is I vaccuum seal the burger. Like Hooker mentioned, make sure as much of the air is out of the bag. Freezer burn helps cause the "gamey taste" people refer to.
