How to process a deer Part 2 deboning

This is part 2 of 3 of how to butcher your deer

After your deer is skinned it can be aged or butchered right away.
You will want to cut the internal tenderloins out before aging since they tend to dry out and then are no good.
They are tiny on this little deer almost not worth messing with.

I am pointing to them here:



After the tenderloins I start on the backstraps. This is the best part of the deer.
Take your knife and make a cut straight in on both sides of the backbone.
From the rear hips to the front shoulder/ neck area. Next cut in from the side, right along the top of the ribs and remove the backstrap.

Like this:


Repeat on the other side and you will end up with two pieces of meat like these.

MMMM filet mignon.....



Next it's time to start on the front shoulder. I grab the leg and pull it away from the body and start cutting at the thin meat and fat holding it on.

Like this:


It should come off in your hand with ease.
Repeat on the other side and you are ready to take them in and bone them.

Start by cutting the meat off the bones, keeping the muscle groups together.

Like this:


And this:


Until you end up like this.



Now it's time to get the rear quarters.
Take your knife and cut around the hip by the pelvis.
You can see I left a little too much meat on the carcass.

Like this:



Keep working your knife around the joint until it comes free.

Here is the inside view.


Then we take the rear quarters in and debone them like the front ones.

Like this:

A lot more meat on a rear quarter than on a front.

After you have it deboned you are ready to cut and package.
I will go over that in part 3

As I said this is how I was taught and how I've done it most of my years.
I don't like ribs and have never bothered with them on a deer or elk.
Some folks really like them but I'm not the one to ask about them.

Still clinging to my God and my guns
Randy