Butcher - would you be ok with this?
Elk
I finally got into last year’s elk. This is the second package of steaks. Would you be happy with these cuts from your butcher? These are backstraps.
***would you expect them to be trimmed and cleaned prior to packaging and leaving the butcher?
not back straps
those are eye rounds, sliced.....at least 1 is
still yummy though, what's the beef?
You can do alot with that batch, you may have to cut away some sinew but I like the looks of them there steaks... they almost look like small roasts, mmmm!
Those are not eye of rounds. Definitely thick sliced backstraps. Nothing wrong with those if you don’t mind the silver skin rind on it. They wouldn’t be wrapped in my shop like that. The rind, sinew, any fat would have been trimmed off if that’s what you are asking.
I should have been more clear. As butcherboy stated, I would expect them to be trimmed and clean before packaging and leaving the shop.
butcher, i definitely trust your judgement....but how does 3rd piece have silver skin around it if backstrap?
This is what I expect.
This is what I expect.
Ishot, the small piece on the 4 right has silver skin running through it. The 2 pieces you see on the outside connect about 1/4 of the way through it. I think it’s because they didn’t pull the backstraps apart and just started cutting. There was also some dirt that I didn’t photo.
If they cut all the silver skin and dirt off, customers bitch about getting shorted.
Backstraps have a layer of fat on top. Peel that off then there is always a layer of silver skin on top of the meat that needs to be trimmed off. Closer to the end of the strap there is a second piece of meat connected to it by a piece of sinew. If this piece isn’t trimmed off and just cut through for steak, it will have the backstrap part with a second piece connected like a tail and sinew running through the middle.
Pretty common for butchers to do trying to make less trimming and “larger” sized steaks. I make sure everything is cleaned up nice and I have been known to send it back to the cutter for further trimming.
Sounds like you need to take up butchering. No offense, but there's more than one way to skin a cat. If you are particular, don't take your meat to a processor. If meat is to be kept frozen for a while, it's actually a good idea to leave some silver skin on to protect it from freezer burn. Only takes a second to trim off.
Nah, I'm with you, I wouldn't care for it but they are all about production. They most likely wouldn't cut their own as a finished product like yours but it's OK if it's for a customer!
This is why I process my own, I'm picky though! (grin)
ElkNut
I do my own backstraps. I cut them into 6-8” chunks and wrap/freeze.
When I pull one out to eat, I’ll let it thaw, then do the trimming/cutting.
Sometimes I make little steaks, other times I make a rare roast on the grill with it.
I guess I’m one of the few butchers that take pride in what I do. Our motto is to trim it right so your wife can open a package of meat and be happy about how it looks.
Also, leaving the silverskin on won’t protect it from freezer burn.
I like the silver skin on until I thaw it to prevent freezer burn. I also leave them in 6-8 inch chunks for the same reason.
I guess I got spoiled by my old butcher in Fort Collins. They came out grill ready. Wish they were still open.
I butchered an antelope last year and it came out great, so I’m giving an elk a try this year.
Unfortunately, that’s how mine usually look from the butcher, but I usually do my own back straps.
Enjoy it John, it’s not difficult to do at all. I actually wish more hunters would cut their own WG and then I could slaughter and process more domestic and concentrate on making all of our specialty products to sell.
Do it yourself next time!!!!
Fall gets busy for me. Especially if I start with antelope, then elk then deer.
Most times I quarter the animal and freeze what I can for Processsing later. Take to the processor what I can’t freeze.
But never, never does the processor get the backstraps or tenderloins.
A little Ethiopian brat would trade his mom for those.
Count your blessings.
I always process my own game. I don't usually take the silver off my back straps until I thaw them to eat and trim the silver when it is about half thawed. I think it is easier at that time and my puppies really expect the trimmings. Nothing I process though is packaged with any hair or dirt on it. It is clean as a whistle.
Oh Man! I slowly inched down to the picture and thought I was seeing finger tips.
^^^ you don't know how ironic that sounds to me right now...
:^)
That is about typical for what to expect. Hard to find a good butcher.
Do all the trimming, cutting grinding, and wrapping myself. Have made my own jerky for over 30 years.
Used to take meat in for sausage but it was rare to get any really good sausage. Used some of the off the shelf seasonings and they were a little better.
Have been mixing my own sausage seasonings for the last several years. Make my own pastrami, summer sausage, breakfast sausage, chorizo, German links, and Italian.
I never give backstraps, or tenderloin to the butcher. Too easy to do them myself, and vacuum pack them.
I don't mind trimming out all the other steaks from the butcher after they thaw (sirloin, round steaks, shoulder steaks).
I say not bad at all. Takes a minute to clean them up and as has been said, if the guy trims them all up than customer says you shorted them. I would not have much of a problem with them, as far as dirt that sounds like you did not take great care of the meat to begin with. Shawn
I would be pissed if took 8-9 months to get my meat back!! How far is the processor from your house! Mounts can take less time...geez
I wouldn't care about how they are trimmed, but I'd be pissed they pre-sliced them!!
Nobody touches my wild game except me, though. A few hours cutting to get everything exactly how you want it is well worth it.
We do our own. We get picky on silver skin trim at the start, but as time goes we get less picky and trim it when we cook it. Can't tell the difference on the meat flavor, just time now or time later. Takes a minute or so when getting ready to cook, takes many many minutes at butcher time. Same result, just when to spend the time.
The processor does not process my tenderloins or backstraps. Elk backstraps are cut into four large pieces, deer are in half or left whole. I never cut backstraps into steaks until after it's grilled as one larger piece, say 4 or 5 steaks wide. It's much easier to prevent over cooking. I like med-RARE.
We always cut them how the customer wants. A majority want them sliced 3/4”. Some want them left whole, cut in 1/2, cut in 6”-8” pieces. Tenderloin’s are always left whole. Most of the time the tenderloins are covered in guts because they either don’t know to gut an animal, or, they don’t know how to do the gutless method correctly
Butcherboy I bet you have lots of stories about animals dropped off. My old butcher used to tell me at least one story every time I dropped off my animal about turning someone away for an animal that was beyond help.
Yep, I’ve just about heard every story out there and I still get amazed every year. I take pictures every year but I had so many I just end up deleting them. I throw away or turn down about 6-12 every year. Sometimes whole carcasses but mostly pieces here and there that had up to the equivalent of whole animals.
I always do my own backstraps and tenderloins at camp like Cnelk then send the rest to the butcher.
Not eye of round on #3 or others since the "silver skin" is very thin on the round, even on elk.
I've never paid to have anything cut but I like to filet the sinew off while the strap is whole. Have to do a bit of trimming after that but it saves more meat and work.
If I'm on the road and need a meat cutter to process my animal because it's going to be a while before I get home, I don't give them the backstraps. There's no reason to. You did all the work when you pulled them off the spine. Take a sharp knife and pull the silver skin off like you're taking skin off of a fillet of fish, then slice the steaks how you want them.
I have given the loins to the meat cutter, but I just ask them to cut them into thirds and package them whole and I'll do the rest.
