Cost of processing

[Baroque Brass]

A couple of weeks ago I got a nice doe. We quartered it and packed it in ice for a few days to drain, then made the tenderloins into cubed steak. I took the hams and shoulders to the processor to make into patty and smoked link sausage. They notified me that it’s ready, at a cost of $134.70! That’s about twice what I was expecting to pay. I’d hate to see the cost of processing for and entire deer that hadn’t even been skinned.

 

[kmckinnie]

A couple of weeks ago I got a nice doe. We quartered it and packed it in ice for a few days to drain, then made the tenderloins into cubed steak. I took the hams and shoulders to the processor to make into patty and smoked link sausage. They notified me that it’s ready, at a cost of $134.70! That’s about twice what I was expecting to pay. I’d hate to see the cost of processing for and entire deer that hadn’t even been skinned.

Can I have a pack of that sausage. Sounds good !

 

[Buford_Dawg]

Got phone call yesterday a deer I dropped off last week is ready. 120.00 out the door, that includes most of deer in deer sausage with tenderloins sliced thin. Processing is costly nowadays, likely go back to doing it myself.

 

[kmckinnie]

When we make sausage at the house it takes us several hours with just the hams. We cut it off the bone. Get the film of the meat. Cut it til we have good lead meat. Mix in the seasons. That’s about 10 bucks or more. Grind it and tube it. Takes us 3 to 4 hours. We take our time. The casings aint cheap either.
So what does he have to pay help.
12.50 a hour times 2. And they do it in 2 hours. That’s no clean up.

Just think. U saved yourself all that trouble.

 

[Whit90]

When we make sausage at the house it takes us several hours with just the hams. We cut it off the bone. Get the film of the meat. Cut it til we have good lead meat. Mix in the seasons. That’s about 10 bucks or more. Grind it and tube it. Takes us 3 to 4 hours. We take our time. The casings aint cheap either.
So what does he have to pay help.
12.50 a hour times 2. And they do it in 2 hours. That’s no clean up.

Just think. U saved yourself all that trouble.

It is a lot of work aint it?! Ill be happy when my boy is old enough to help speed up the process. It is nice knowing that your meat is clean and your getting to eat your deer, though.

Nothing against take a deer to the processor, but ever since I started hunting as a young'n I always thought it was just part of hunting, and still do. Love putting that food on our table and I was the only one who messed with it.

 

[Baroque Brass]

Can I have a pack of that sausage. Sounds good !

Sure! Where ya at?

 

[jNick]

At the beginning of this season I dropped the first deer off quartered out to be turned into burger. I was shocked when the $45 dollars I usually pay had magically turned into $110 this year. It’s $150 to drop the deer off untouched and have it done how ever you want, so I just started doing that.

After racking up a $700 processing bill so far this year, I ordered a meat grinder last week that arrived yesterday and we will be processing one tomorrow on our own.

 

[decatur dawg]

The cost went up slightly at our local processor. It definitely is some work processing your own deer, but well worth the effort in my opinion. You know it is your deer, the yield is always much higher, and we ground most of it so I can dictate the quality and amount of fat. It helps having an extra basement fridge to age it while I slowly work through the process. I still have not done my own sausage which is next on my to do list!

 

[Crakajak]

The cost went up slightly at our local processor. It definitely is some work processing your own deer, but well worth the effort in my opinion. You know it is your deer, the yield is always much higher, and we ground most of it so I can dictate the quality and amount of fat. It helps having an extra basement fridge to age it while I slowly work through the process. I still have not done my own sausage which is next on my to do list!

The key to running the meat thru the grinder is keep it just above freezing.

 

[NCMTNHunter]

Sounds in the ballpark to me. I kept a few roasts plus the backstraps and tenderloins off of 4 deer and took the grinding meat to a processor. 15 lbs of summer sausage, 15lbs of snack sticks and the rest ground was about $400.

 

[NCHillbilly]

It is a lot of work aint it?! Ill be happy when my boy is old enough to help speed up the process. It is nice knowing that your meat is clean and your getting to eat your deer, though.

Nothing against take a deer to the processor, but ever since I started hunting as a young'n I always thought it was just part of hunting, and still do. Love putting that food on our table and I was the only one who messed with it.

Yep. To me, the working the meat up part is more important and satisfying than the scouting and killing part.

 

[kmckinnie]

We do it. I smoke some on the smoker at times also. I ran this twice it’s extra fine.

 

[JB0704]

Yep. To me, the working the meat up part is more important and satisfying than the scouting and killing part.

Same here. It's every bit as satisfying as putting up vegetables from the garden.

 

[NCHillbilly]

Same here. It's every bit as satisfying as putting up vegetables from the garden.

Sometimes I just open the freezer and look at it.

 

[kmckinnie]

Sometimes I just open the freezer and look at it.

I have to but it’s to decide will a hog fit in there

 

[NCHillbilly]

We do it. I smoke some on the smoker at times also. View attachment 1273367View attachment 1273368View attachment 1273369I ran this twice it’s extra fine.

I do most of my breakfast sausage from pork butts, but we do a lot of brats and Italian sausage with deer. I have never made deer summer sausage, I want to try that next.

 

[Lilly001]

The processor I use is about a mile from my cabin.
He charges 90$ to skin, gut, hang, and basic processing.
Add 3$ pound for standard sausage.
He raised his fee by 15$ from last year but he added a large aging cooler to his building.
He ran out of freezer room for a week this year so he’s planning to add another freezer this next year.
He does about 2,000 deer a season.
His place is modern and clean.
Ive watched most parts of his process and I’m confident that I get my deer back in good, packaged condition.
Ive done my own deer in the past and I’m willing to pay to avoid that task.

 

[HavocLover]

First and foremost, I get the impression you're moreless taken back and surprise, as opposed to complaining and I'm not trying to argue by any means... just playing the devils advocate.

Did you ask why the cost was so high? I've heard that some of our local processors aren't doing sausage at all this year due to not being able to get much fat. When it used to be easier to get. That could be a factor.

Also, just like us, cost for them is going up too. In every aspect. The materials, the help, dumpsters, etc. Not to mention them losing out on business. The last several years the local processors here have been full and remained full from around Halloween through to Christmas at least. I've asked and they've told me, "seems like a good problem to have but its not. Its not that 'business is booming.' Its that the deer on average now are 130lbs, when used to a good buck was around that weight." So its not like they're just killing it... They're pressed for space cause the size of the deer, therefore hindering their income cause they have to stop taking deer in. Gotta think, that flows downhill too and might spill into overall cost. If I'm assuming I'm losing out on X amount due to being full, that might make me go up a little on my margins to absorb what I'm losing out on.

Again, I didn't take your post as complaining, but looking at it through a broad lense... Kinda funny sometimes with this economy. Prices of everything are through the roof and we are quick to blame the guys in Washington. And by all means, they are the ones to blame... but whenever a little man bumps his prices up to keep up, we are sometimes quick to be all up in arms about it. Hes just trying to stay afloat like the rest of us. It isnt fun for anyone involved and I can promise ya, he prob struggled just as much with the thought of jacking up his prices.

 

[Jason C]

Hunting is done got way to expensive!

 

[Dutch]

Grinder with cubing attachment will pay for itself quick.

I use a #8 Lem Big Bite and have the Lem cubing attachments for it.