When I was growing up we raised 50+ meat chickens, 2 hogs and turkeys to feed our family. Our local butcher showed up to dispatch the hogs then hauled them away to process, cut and wrap them en route to our freezer and table.
As I understand it, these days you need to get in line months in advance to have a steer butchered.
I realize many of us have experience butchering deer/wild game. Greg and I didn’t grow up hunting so we’re trying to learn that as we practice on our plentiful hog population.
However efficiently processing a cow into the cuts we typically expect takes some know how, some space, some tools and several hours.
We have enough beef roaming around Sand Hill to feed all of us for many years…so much so that we’d have to guard them if times got tough. However, not processing them right here seems like a point of failure.
I’m a softy when it comes to critters. I like them when they’re walking around, and when they are on my plate. I’m not a huge fan of that transitional process.
Nonetheless, I like to eat so I want to desensitize myself to that part of it and learn how to honor an animal’s sacrifice to feed my family by not wasting any of it out of ignorance.
We all D.I.Y. a lot of things…considering that people have been butchering their own meat since the fall of man, why can’t we DIY this process too instead of being dependent on some FDA approved processing facility.
Is anyone interested in having someone come and teach us how to process cattle so we can all learn and co-op the processing of beef as needed?
Meat Processing Training
The following podcast discusses the problems with depending on a limited number of butchers and meat processors. The guest took it to heart and now travels around training people how to be their own butcher. It’s a great discussion about DIY butchering.
Decentralizing Meat Processing with Josh Phoenix – Epi-3110
Josh is an independent butcher, entrepreneur and agorist. After stumbling into a career at a full service meat processor and learning a dying art, he stepped away to help individual ranchers and homesteaders process large livestock at home.
He currently is working to navigate the state’s stance on professional processing, while offering consultations and training for those looking to learn home processing as Liberty Meat Solutions. In addition to consulting, he runs a live broadcast and podcast by the same name, and is launching Renagade Butcher seasonings through crypto-only crowdfunding.
He joins us today to discuss decentralizing meat processing, self processing on the homestead and ton of other cool stuff, including gear, tips, cooking and more.
Chicken Processing
In addition to processing beef and hogs, we could collaborate on poultry processing. For example, we have a plucker, and it makes quick work of a batch of chickens. A small group of volunteers can put away a lot of birds in a hurry.
The next time someone has birds to process, please let the group know so anyone who wants to help and and/or learn can come and participate.
Also, if you’re considering getting some laying hens, you’re welcome to come and see the four different coops we have, and others might be willing to show off their coops and discuss the pros and cons.
Or if you just have a few to do, this method is very fast and simple.
The complete Beef Process
Hogs
Let’s not overlook all the free-range organic pork running around here. These nasty vandals are living their best life out here in the wilderness. Lean pork of this quality would cost quite a bit in a natural food grocery store.
Once I get my tractor back from the mechanic, I’ll be ready to start processing hogs again.
If you’d like to practice with me, you’re welcome to it.
James Hagler and I dressed out three small hogs in about an hour on my birthday. From start to 30 pounds of meat chilling in the freezer only took a couple hours.
