I'm sure this has been discussed here before, but what is the going rate for hog processing? In anticipation of the Ham Slam I have been doing some checking. The only set price I have gotten so far is $50 for pigs up to 100 lbs (hanging weight) and $.50 per additional pound. Smoking is another $.78/lb. I have not had this shop do any of my deer but I have heard they are pretty good. There is another shop that I have had do my deer & I have been happy with them (Her, actually) I just haven't had a chance to check with her for pricing. Thanks. -Tony
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Tony, The Corralitos Market here near Santa Cruz charges $.70 per pound for butchering, additional $.70 per pound for smoking, $.85 per pound for bulk sausage (20 lb minimum) and $2.15 per pound for link sausage (20 lb minimum). They have a large variety of sausage flavors and do real good work. Good luck at the Slam. Bob
I cut my cousins hog today after work and getting it done is well worth the money if you're not set up to do it. My Grandpa was a butcher and, being up in the years, could only coach us. It went pretty smooth but still took a couple hours. I will spend the money to have it done.
wmidbrook
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Hilmar meats (just south of Turlock) will process any hog/deer for $50. Just be sure to have the carcas cleaned up right, & real good like a farm kill.
They did a great job with my deer. They even grind as much as you want of it for that price.
Every other butcher shop in the area is $100 on up. One will hang it/age it for two weeks before touching it (a swiss butcher) and vacuum wrap it.
I run up to Lockeford Sausage company (east of Stockton) for any specialty processing. I also discovered Meranda's (sp?) meats in Sacramento--they also make outstanding peperonni and smoked sausages.
They did a great job with my deer. They even grind as much as you want of it for that price.
Every other butcher shop in the area is $100 on up. One will hang it/age it for two weeks before touching it (a swiss butcher) and vacuum wrap it.
I run up to Lockeford Sausage company (east of Stockton) for any specialty processing. I also discovered Meranda's (sp?) meats in Sacramento--they also make outstanding peperonni and smoked sausages.
GruntHunter
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I think maybe the prices here in Fla are a little better, but I still cinsider them expensive. We have a local guy who was a butcher for Publix Supermarkets. Hie prices for Hogs run from $25 (for a 125 lb live wt) and up. A 140 - 180 lb (live wt) hog might run $35 - $40. He will cut it most anyway you want it and even shrink wrap it on the styrofoam trays just like the supermarkets. The only sausage he will make is ground breakfast sausage. We use it in Meat Loaf, Chilli, Pasta Sause or in patties for breakfast. With the wild hog eat I try and remember to have him add some pork fat because it's so damn lean and dry for my taste.
BTW; he gets a flat $50 for deer. I'm not sure why the extra cost for deer.
Basically all we have to do is field dress (gut it out) and bring it in and hang it up in his walk in cooler. Tag it as to how we want it processed and he calls me when it's ready.
My brother-in-law up in N.Y. State get's their deer dome for about $25 and the butcher keeps the hide. He even brings me venison hot dogs! GREAT! ! !
$50 - $100 for processing meat is crazy ! You can buy it cheaper at the meat market! If they were charging those prices around here I'd either start doing it myself or let it rot! We are so over run with wild pigs down here that you could do that and the ranchers wouldn't care at all.
BTW; he gets a flat $50 for deer. I'm not sure why the extra cost for deer.
Basically all we have to do is field dress (gut it out) and bring it in and hang it up in his walk in cooler. Tag it as to how we want it processed and he calls me when it's ready.
My brother-in-law up in N.Y. State get's their deer dome for about $25 and the butcher keeps the hide. He even brings me venison hot dogs! GREAT! ! !
$50 - $100 for processing meat is crazy ! You can buy it cheaper at the meat market! If they were charging those prices around here I'd either start doing it myself or let it rot! We are so over run with wild pigs down here that you could do that and the ranchers wouldn't care at all.
GUNNER5569
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t man stick with michell she is the best
wmidbrook
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<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div>
After spending the better part of a day processing my own hog a few years ago(made 30 lbs of sausage, the rest steaks and roasts), my wife said "I'd rather have you spend more time with the family rather than spending the better part of a day processing your game"....why not, I can afford it and I make a better dad than a butcher. Besides, the butchers can cut the meat and wrap it a whole lot better than me.
I really think the worry a lot of hunters have about not getting all their meat back is blown way out of proportion. Pooling meat on batches of sausage is much more common and a good question to ask of a butcher...I'd rather my meat not get pooled so I ask that up front before carting a carcas into a shop.
Man, I'd give my eye tooth to have that much free time~! I work 50 - 60 hrs/week on average and commute 10+ hrs on average.
After spending the better part of a day processing my own hog a few years ago(made 30 lbs of sausage, the rest steaks and roasts), my wife said "I'd rather have you spend more time with the family rather than spending the better part of a day processing your game"....why not, I can afford it and I make a better dad than a butcher. Besides, the butchers can cut the meat and wrap it a whole lot better than me.
I really think the worry a lot of hunters have about not getting all their meat back is blown way out of proportion. Pooling meat on batches of sausage is much more common and a good question to ask of a butcher...I'd rather my meat not get pooled so I ask that up front before carting a carcas into a shop.
Speckmisser
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I never have and never will take an animal to a butcher (I will take some to Bobby Lee's Smokehouse for curing..yummmmm!!!)
With a little practice, that butchering can fly by. I can usually have a hog from skinning pole to freezer in under 2 hours, and I only butcher about one per year. I have butchered a BUNCH of whitetails, though, so with a little warm-up my muscle memory kicks in. They all come apart the same basic way.
I don't make sausage right there on the spot, though, which does save some time. I package my "grinding meat" and label it, then make batches of sausage as I want it.
At any rate, it shouldn't take all that long, and you DO get the cuts you want. You also get to choose what gets thrown away and what gets kept, which is a big deal to me. I don't know that so many processors are literally dishonest, but I've seen how much "marginal" meat some of those guys throw away.
With a little practice, that butchering can fly by. I can usually have a hog from skinning pole to freezer in under 2 hours, and I only butcher about one per year. I have butchered a BUNCH of whitetails, though, so with a little warm-up my muscle memory kicks in. They all come apart the same basic way.
I don't make sausage right there on the spot, though, which does save some time. I package my "grinding meat" and label it, then make batches of sausage as I want it.
At any rate, it shouldn't take all that long, and you DO get the cuts you want. You also get to choose what gets thrown away and what gets kept, which is a big deal to me. I don't know that so many processors are literally dishonest, but I've seen how much "marginal" meat some of those guys throw away.
wmidbrook
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I've butchered lots of sitka blacktails--it's true that it doesn't take long especially if you do most of it in roasts and carve up some of the roasts into steaks upon thawing. A fellow can carve up a smaller blacktail into roasts and a bag full of trim in less than an hour.
Equipment is key for nicely cut steaks and chops IMO. I spent $50 to butcher my Idaho buck in Oregon a couple years ago. The butcher has a part time shop in Merlin Or close to Tule Lake. I watched while he processed the buck. Those commecial saws and grinders are the key for a speedy and very nicely done job. Spending the $50 (for the cold storage and butchering job) opened up a couple days worth of time to do some duck huntin' on the way home.
In fact, a fellow could save lots of $$$ just by buying an unprocessed side of beef and butchering it themselves. If I get back into it or use camp time for processing, I'll leave the Kitchen Aid meat grinder on the shelf and get a real one like a 1 horsepower + Cabelas grinder...the grinding was what took forever.
A commercial meat saw would be nice to have as well for having grocery-store-like steaks. (my ability to cut a straight line is like my ability to draw a straight line...non-existent).
I've averaged 2 deer or pig a year over the last 5 years, and I could have bought a shotgun or rifle for the amount I've spent on butchering alright....or better yet, a commercial meat saw/grinder.
Equipment is key for nicely cut steaks and chops IMO. I spent $50 to butcher my Idaho buck in Oregon a couple years ago. The butcher has a part time shop in Merlin Or close to Tule Lake. I watched while he processed the buck. Those commecial saws and grinders are the key for a speedy and very nicely done job. Spending the $50 (for the cold storage and butchering job) opened up a couple days worth of time to do some duck huntin' on the way home.
In fact, a fellow could save lots of $$$ just by buying an unprocessed side of beef and butchering it themselves. If I get back into it or use camp time for processing, I'll leave the Kitchen Aid meat grinder on the shelf and get a real one like a 1 horsepower + Cabelas grinder...the grinding was what took forever.
A commercial meat saw would be nice to have as well for having grocery-store-like steaks. (my ability to cut a straight line is like my ability to draw a straight line...non-existent).
I've averaged 2 deer or pig a year over the last 5 years, and I could have bought a shotgun or rifle for the amount I've spent on butchering alright....or better yet, a commercial meat saw/grinder.
huntducks
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Speckmisser
I'm with you it does not take long to do a deer, pig or even a elk if you know what your doing buy a book on cutting meat along with a few good knives, I made my own smoker and do my hams and bacon, I have a electric meat grinder and do my own sausage cased or patty I have a vacume sealer, I do the same with my grind meat seal it up and grind it 1-6mo later.
When I lived in MO. a few years ago I shot 2 deer and had them processed there $55 for both and that included skinning, $45 if you brought them in skinned, for $5 they could skin it.
Your right a processer will not make a attempt to save meat, I always get 15-20 lbs of scrap that I cook up for my dogs they love it.
Many years ago I knew a guy who raised GSP and every 6mo or so he would head out to the desert and shoot burros, I made several trips with him, he would cut them up and feed them to his dogs, this was back in the late 60's before they protected them I learned my meat cutting from him.
I'm with you it does not take long to do a deer, pig or even a elk if you know what your doing buy a book on cutting meat along with a few good knives, I made my own smoker and do my hams and bacon, I have a electric meat grinder and do my own sausage cased or patty I have a vacume sealer, I do the same with my grind meat seal it up and grind it 1-6mo later.
When I lived in MO. a few years ago I shot 2 deer and had them processed there $55 for both and that included skinning, $45 if you brought them in skinned, for $5 they could skin it.
Your right a processer will not make a attempt to save meat, I always get 15-20 lbs of scrap that I cook up for my dogs they love it.
Many years ago I knew a guy who raised GSP and every 6mo or so he would head out to the desert and shoot burros, I made several trips with him, he would cut them up and feed them to his dogs, this was back in the late 60's before they protected them I learned my meat cutting from him.
