DIY Processing - Trimming for grind

[Union Co. Boy]

I'm guilty of OCD trimming. I don't have any white in my meat that going to the table. I do feed the trimmings to the dogs. I freeze bags of it and feed them with it about once a week until it's gone.

 

[catman529]

I may try it some time just to see, but I like the way my ground turns out.

 

[megalomaniac]

Put me in the camp of half frozen as well... much better product.

A few mentioned cooking it before feeding to dogs. Why is this?

 

[catman529]

Put me in the camp of half frozen as well... much better product.

A few mentioned cooking it before feeding to dogs. Why is this?

Good question. Every dog I've given deer meat to ate it up raw like candy. BigA's dog even stole a tenderloin out of my hand one time and swallowed it whole

 

[UCStandSitter]

Half frozen is the way. Especially if adding beef fat for burger grind. The fat will straight up melt if not.

As for trimming, I am compulsive. The wise older gentleman that taught me the ways of the processing jedi beat it into me and that man doesnt waste a single scrap. A good processing job is just that, A JOB. A lot of work if done properly but I find the meat tastes a lot better if I follow his sage wisdom instead of cutting corners. The beauty of everyone processing their own though is they can do whatever floats their boat. I like there are still some areas in this country where free men are allowed to make their own decisions and do what is right for them and theirs.

 

[gatodoc]

Good question. Every dog I've given deer meat to ate it up raw like candy. BigA's dog even stole a tenderloin out of my hand one time and swallowed it whole

My lab gets diarrhea every time I feed her much raw deer meat. I've got no problem feeding it raw cause I know how it's been handled by me but it busts her loose. I guess it's the change in diet doing it...

 

[rukiddin]

I'm OCD about silver skin and tendons. I remove it all. Like mentioned earlier, it is a job but I'm yet to taste any burger from a processor be as good as mine.
As far as what to do with scraps. Coons, possums and skunks gotta eat too.

 

[timberjack86]

If you have no tried partially freezing the meat and grinder head then youll be amazed how much better it grinds. Probably a little more food safe too.

This!! As I collect my grind pieces they go in a stainless pot. When the pot is full or when I'm done they go straight in the freezer for about an hour and then I grind them. Meat grinds so much faster when it's half frozen.

 

[jejeffrries71]

My dogs eat it raw. Never seen a dog start a fire, so figured raw is best.

I'm with you. I don't see any point in cooking for a dog. If they won't eat it raw, they must not be that hungry. If they won't eat it raw, well, maybe they are not really dogs anyway.

 

[jejeffrries71]

Big bite grinder eats all the silver skin like it's nothing. I trim off the thickest pieces of silver skin and fat, and don't worry about the rest. Use the fine grind plate and it shreds it all up.

You'd be surprised how much good ground meat can come off a shoulder that was shot with a rifle. Trim away the bloody parts around the wound channel, cut off the meat in chunks and cube it up for the grinder. Paper towel will help clean up clotted blood on the meat. Neck meat is good for that as well, just remove the wind pipe and some of the thicker sinew.

You just start with the fine plate? I always ran it through twice - once on coarse then on fine.

 

[redarm]

Not sure if anyone commented on this but if I can see through it, I grind it.

 

[larry ipock]

I've been self processing for several years now. I always feel guilty about the amount of meat I discard because the time trimming to the amount of clean meat doesn't seem... worth it. Do yall trim meat of all fat and silver skin before grinding? All the meat I vacuum seal or run through my grinder has very little to none on it. Which means I have a lot in my discard pile.

I've been thinking about cooking the discard pile for dog food. Anyone do that?

My wife has been doing it for decades

 

[Huckfin]

Ive noticed that warm meat can get mush where super cold to almost frozen comes out with just a better texture, IMO.
I once read the directions on my grinder and it suggested doing this, lol. Directions sometimes pay off.

Directions/Instructions are just another mans opinion, Lol.

Just kidding, I think your spot on.

 

[Pilchard]

I don't know what it is called but there is a scientific term that applies to grinding meat that isn't really cold. It has something to do with the meat being smeared rather than ground on its way through.

 

[Hit&Miss84]

How so? My grinder eats it as fast as I can feed it. End result is always good, how does partially frozen meat affect it? I've never tried it

It keeps fat from sticking or smearing and makes the meat cut cleanly. Just like cutting almost frozen vs warm meat with a knife. I'm guessing the leaner the meat the less difference you will notice. Butchers recommend 32-34 degrees for grinding.

 

[philsanchez76]

I've been self processing for several years now. I always feel guilty about the amount of meat I discard because the time trimming to the amount of clean meat doesn't seem... worth it. Do yall trim meat of all fat and silver skin before grinding? All the meat I vacuum seal or run through my grinder has very little to none on it. Which means I have a lot in my discard pile.

I've been thinking about cooking the discard pile for dog food. Anyone do that?

Im a bit OCD too and trim a lot off. We have 3 dogs who are all over 150 pounds so we use EVERY bit of the deer that we don't eat for them. They eat all the bones except the skull, they eat all the guts, except the intestines and stomach and they eat all the trimmings off my good meat. The only bit of the deer I throw away is the hide and the skull if it's a doe. I tried tanning the hides before but that was ALOT of work so I don't do that any more.

 

[DntBrnDPig]

I keep it semi frozen as well before grinding. I do it because most of the sausage making books / videos / old timers tell you to do the same thing. I haven't experimented any other way.