Forestry & Wildlife
Alabama hunters harvest more than 200,000 deer per year. While most hunters choose to take their deer to local deer processing businesses, some hunters may opt to do it themselves. A little preparation on the front end can go a long way toward ensuring a safe eating experience. It all begins with clean and sanitary equipment, hands, and clothing when harvesting your deer.
The Deer Processing Video Series is great for both new and seasoned hunters who are interested in taking the next step in making sure their harvest reaches the table. Whether you want to save on processing costs or you simply want the feeling of accomplishment and independence, these videos are a great resource.
What to Expect
The Deer Processing Video Series, created by the Alabama Cooperative Extension System forestry and wildlife and food safety teams, includes food safety guidelines to best prepare hunters for both during and after the hunt. These videos will also discuss the proper caring and butchering techniques needed to get the most meat and the best flavor from your deer.
Beginning with proper sanitization procedures, this video series provides step-by-step instructions for processing your deer from start to finish. From hanging and skinning a deer to making choice cuts from major muscle groups, these videos will make processing your own deer safe, fun, and easy. You will also learn which packaging materials are best suited for freezing, what needs to go on the label, and the storage time for venison in the freezer.
- Safety Guidelines to Prepare You for the Hunt
- Food Safety While Handling the Deer
- Hanging the Deer for Skinning
- Skinning the Deer
- Removing the Shoulders of the Deer
- Removing the Backstraps or Loins
- Removing the Inside Tenderloins
- Removing the Hindquarters
- Shoulders
- Cutting Loin into Steaks
- Cutting Tenderloins and Hindquarters
- Different Cuts for Hindquarters
- Making Cubed Steak
- Making Ground Meat
- Packaging and Labeling of Deer Meat for the Freezer