Processing Moose Meat

D

Datkota

New member
Anybody have experience with process their own moose? Have a tag in North Dakota (once in a life time) and plan on butchering it on my own (big job). Plan on cutting a lot of steaks and roasts, but don't know the process of what part of the animal to cut them from and with what. Also plan on grinding up some for burger. What would a guy mix with the burger (pork, beef)? Tried to do a search on the internet, but could not find anything as far a butchering a moose. Maybe you guys from Canada or Alaska could help me out on this one. I have many years experience with butchering/processing deer and antelope, so I hope that experience will help a guy. Any help would be appreciated.
 
The butchering is pretty much the same no matter what it is. The muscle groups are the same for deer, mule deer, elk, moose, antelop, carribou, axis or whatever.

If you can process a deer, you should be able to do a moose. It is just bigger.

I put beef fat with my ground venison. Pork if I am making sausage. I like about 15% beef fat for the burger. You can buy beef trimmings from most any butcher. You can get it free from a lot of super-markets where they have trimmed it off of the steaks.
 
I'm not sure I'd tackle the job if I wasn't used to doing it. And, it's a once in a life time deal for you. It might be worth spending a hundred bucks and having a pro do it for you.

Randy
 
Both answers are great. Yes it is the same as deer, elk etc. But odds are it would be much nicer to pay for it to get done well and with out the work. I can cut up about my animals in about 1.5 hours (deer or elk). I actually prefer larger animals like the elk cause it is easier to find and see what your doing.

However, once in a life time, enjoy it!!!!! Let someone else take on the task.
 
If you want the job done right, you would be best to take it to a butcher. He is all set up to do it right. I would suggest that you have him vacuum pack the meat (roasts, steaks and ground meat) because it will keep longer, doesn't get freezer burn. Make sure there is plenty of room in you deep freeze, you are going to need it.

Good luck and let us know how it goes.
 
I have cut up 1 moose by myself and I emphasize the 1. Big job, lots of work. My wife just dropped a cow moose a week ago. It went straight to the butcher. Moose are a lot of work once they hit the ground, last thing I wanted to do was cut it up.

Good luck on the hunt.
 
Butchering big animals like elk or moose is no different than deer. I actually prefer to butcher an elk over a deer. Its easier to separate the muscle groups and make nicer cuts of meat with bigger animals like elk, for me. I prefer to do my own butchering so I can take out all the bones and trim up the meat how I like it.

I always mix 10% beef suet with my elk hamburger, and double grind it. Like YH, I use pork fat if I'm making sausage from wild game.
 
make sure you put vegetable oil into your chainsaw and get cutting. My assistant manager at the hatchery I work at in Alaska cuts them up with a chainsaw. One thing to think about if you take it to a butcher is to see if you will be getting the exact same animal back. I know of a few places that just weigh everything out and give you that much meat back, no necessarly your own either.
 
That is the exact reason I prefer to butcher/process my own animals, grew up that way. I want to know exactly what I'm eating and it is up to me to cut and clean it to my specifications (I'm picky). Thus the reason I prefer to butcher myself.
 
We just cut and wrapped a cow moose a couple weeks ago, and we're certainly not experts, but my brother and I have done quite a few deer and a couple of elk. It's no different. We had the help of my wife and sister in law, and with the 4 of us we did it in 2 evenings, just a few hours at a time. However, we did take in all the meat to be ground and had them wrap it too. That was only $50, and with no other deer or elk seasons going on at the time, we're sure we got our meat back.
 
Quote:
It might be worth spending a hundred bucks and having a pro do it for you



Quote:
I would suggest that you have him vacuum pack the meat (roasts, steaks and ground meat) because it will keep longer, doesn't get freezer burn.





Can you get a moose processed for $100? I'll bet you a $100 you can't get it vacuum packed for a $100.
 
If you choose to have a meat processor do it, CHOOSE WISELY! They are not the same and there are few things worse than poorly cut meat. If you want sausage or the like you will have to visit a processor.

What I've been doing (when time is short) is bone out the front quarters and ribs, and steak the backstraps and tenderloin. I take the hind quarters and boned out meat for processing. Since meat processors charge by the pound, I don't have to pay for bone.

BTW, my once in a lifetime moose was almost inedible.
 
once in a lifetime hunt deserves memorable meals later. spend the money, get a reputable butcher and enjoy.. chainsaw butchering would be a last resort. bone chips, fat everywhere.
 
if you like the mess then doit your self i sugest take it to the butcher their is alot of animal their and you have to despose of all the left overs in my neck of the woods you have to get a special permit to place animal waste/bones in the trash can..
 
Yellowhammer;
I didn't say how much extra would be charged to vacuum pack the meat, just that it would be money well spent. Beef, as an example, will keep about 6 months max if regular wrapping is used but up to 3 years if vacuum packed. When you think about the amount of meat he will get from a moose he wants it to keep as long as possible.

If he doesn't want to pay the butcher to do the vacuum packing he can go buy a vacuum packer and do that job himself (unwrap meat and repack with vacuum packer).

Considering all the stuff that a vacuum packer can be used for anyone doing their own game processing should give very serious thought to getting one. The only thing about mine that I am kicking myself about is that I didn't get the larger one when I bought mine.
 
I am with you. Unless you know an outstanding meat cutter don,t take a chance. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smiliesmack.gif If you don't already use one get a sawsall with a long pruning blade. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-003.gif
Frank
 


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