Proper Field Dress Info

[Buck-eye]

I just took my hog to the butcher and got a half hour lecture regarding my skinning and what not. He was cool about it, and only trying to help. (For those who were not there) I hung my pig, skinned it, quartered it, and threw it in the cooler - with some muscle from One Track and Speck, and Hoghunter714 and Pitdogs saws. Apparently, that system caused a lot of bacteria to form on the pig. There was still some grass and a teeny bit of hair in the cooler. But, you cannot wash the meat right?

What he suggested made sense. It requires a few frozen 2 liter bottles.

Gut the animal
Hang it
Skin it
Keep pig whole
Stuff Frozen 2 liters in the torso
Put pig in black plastic 55 gallon trash bag
Put a bit of ice in trash bag
Close up tightly
Wrap trash bag in wet sheet

This apparently helps to cooling process to work as its own frig. Good to know from here on out. I lost about 40% of my yield due to my way. DAMMIT MAN!

 

[HOGHUNTER714]

I love using the 2 litter bottle method. Someone showed me that a few years back and I have adopted that ever since...Superduty thought I was crazy when he saw my bottles this past weekend...

 

[Speckmisser]

Good tips! Wish I had all that stuff when I dress and handle my critter... but mine usually ends up in pieces in my cooler anyway, usually within a few hours of harvest (except when I'm in a hell hole... which is almost always).

Bottom line... keep 'em cold, and keep 'em clean.

How in the world did you lose 40%, though? I sometimes think those processor folks are a little too picky. But I guess they stand to lose a lot more than their lunch if something bad gets through.

 

[Arrowslinger]

If you have clean water, wash 'em. I also use a 3M Scotchbrite pad to remove the leftover hair on the carcass/meat before placing it in a cooler.

 

[One Track]

That butcher is over-the-top. You did a great job "field dressing" that hog. It was clean as a whistle when it went in the truck. As for skinning and quartering, it was done very nicely as well.

The only thing you might have done, was spend more time removing hairs. Other than that, it stayed cold and clean.

Don't let it get to you.

 

[Mel Carter]

I think this is one of those issues where you'll get several different opinions. I've heard the same thing, don't wash the meat, but then I've heard you can wash it.

I've done both, and have never had a problem with the meat I washed.

Normally what I do, is pack the carcas with ice, then wrap a tarp around it. Seems to work real well.

I don't think you did anything wrong with the way you took care of your hog.

 

[SDHNTR]

I call bullpucky on that butcher Joe. Some oldtimers feel it is their BS obligation to give us whippersnappers a lecture no matter what. Unless the animal is already completely ice cold you NEVER want to put a carcass inside a plastic bag. That will prevent it from cooling for sure as it cannot breath. Also do what you can to keep the animal dry. Moisture breeds bacteria. I use the water bottle trick or if I have to I will put the ICE inside the plastic bag.

I will only wash an animal off if I have to. Like with a gut shot. Then you want to let it hang in a cool place for a while to let it dry. Then you can put in a cooler. The worst thing you can do is put a warm carcass in a sealed location (plastic bag or cooler) without letting it cool first. This only causes condensation that leads to more bacteria. If you have to immediately transport an animal, you can submerge the quarters in ice water for a brief period to completely cool the meat AND the bones, then hang and dry the meat before putting it in another cooler.

Remember that heat and moisture will ruin meat. Keep it as dry and cool as possible and let it BREATHE.

 

[grtwythunter]

I use ice bottles too and they work great. I don't know if I'd be stuffing my hog into a trash bag with ice though. When that ice melts, it'll be water, and meat sitting in water will cause bacteria to form just as fast as whatever he thinks you did wrong.

Also, I would never hesitate to wash a carcass that needs it. I've done it for many years. Just make absolutely sure it is dry and water does not sit in the carcass. I usually pat them down with paper towels after rinsing.

Scott

 

[Speckmisser]

Curiosity getting the better of me now...

Joe, how did he "see" bacteria forming on your hog carcass?

Anyone... feel free to answer. This is an honest question.

 

[DukeMaster]

I shot my hog this past sunday morning and did pretty much the same as you regarding skinning and quarting. Except maybe I got it home in my 150 qt cooler with 5 bags of ice in about 6.5hours. When I got home I transfered the meat from my cooler to a refridgerator. I just dropped off at the butchers and they said it was in great shape. Also, it was in the high 80's where I hunted. Unless you tainted the meat somehow I think he's yanking your chain. But 40% loss seems really high.

 

[ooja]

I just got back from a buffalo hunt with a friend. He was the hunter, I videotaped and snapped digital pictures. At my suggestion, we brought along 2 big coolers and 2 medium coolers with about 50 frozen water bottles. After the kill, the guides began processing and then began gently urging us to skip going to the butcher. They skinned, gutted and quartered it, and it all fit into the coolers, with frozen 2 liter bottles underneath, beside and on top of the meat. They convinced us to go home and butcher that bad boy in the kitchen! They said that their local butcher had been known to withold meat. He told a story that the butcher returned 2 milk crates worth of meat for a 150# hog. Then they had a 275# hog butchered, and still got back 2 milk crates full of meat. Both hogs were head shot. He called the butcher on it, and the butcher actually gave him some meat by the end of the conversation.

He emphasized how expensive buffalo meat was and told us it would be too great a temptation for the local butcher in his opinion. I am not saying your butcher took meat from you, but I am saying that we butchered A WHOLE DANG BUFFALO, and we don't know jack about butchering. You can do it too! It was not too bad (it was a meat buffalo, under 1000 pounds), took a real long time, but came out great. The loins were out of this world. The guides told us that those ice bottles were the only way to go. If we didn't have them, they would have sent us to the butcher for sure. Definately go with the bottles, and consider butchering your own. I will from now on.

 

[grtwythunter]

One little side note, and I'm in no way accusing your butcher, but I've run across more than one butcher that skims some of the better stuff for themself. There's one here in town that is famous for it. That's why I butcher my own now. I hope that's not where your 40% loss is going.



Scott

 

[SierraExplorer]

Originally posted by Speckmisser@Jun 9 2005, 12:25 PM
Curiosity getting the better of me now...

Joe, how did he "see" bacteria forming on your hog carcass?

Anyone... feel free to answer. This is an honest question.

Chopper has told me to ALWAYS make sure you cut out/ remove the esophogus (sp?)

He says that is where most of the bacteria comes from that tains the meat.

 

[outdoorplay]

Buck eye were did you take you pig?????

I have only had that problem once before and I told the guy to have a nice day and took it to Phil's and that’s were I have been going ever since.

I hope he wasent after some of your meat

 

[Bishop]

Another question for those that know. Will bacteria form if the meat is on ice at very cold temperatures? Dosen't bacteria need warm moisture to grow?

 

[Speckmisser]

Bishop,

Bacteria grows BEST in warm temps, but it can grow right on down below freezing. That's why you have worries about salmonella on chicken, and e-coli on beef, even after it's been frozen (often frozen more than once).

I've heard some folks believe you can kill bacteria by hard-freezing, but that's unlikely unless you have a super-cold freezer... like in a science lab. I suppose I could look up the actual temp to kill bacteria, but I don't really have time or inclination. My guess is, it's a lot lower than most home freezers will go... but I do stand to be corrected.

I'm just wondering how this guy could look at it, and tell that there was some bacterial growth on it. Not that it's not possible, but that's a trick I'd like to know.

 

[Arrowslinger]

You guys are right, i wouldn't wash the critter unless i was icing (placing in cooler/fridge/etc..) it down immediately. I've had many deer hanging in 70+ degree weather w/ ice bags in the cavity & a bug net around it for a couple days w/ ZERO problems.

I never even considered the two litter bottle thing, damn..you guys are good

 

[Buck-eye]

The butcher said he can tell the infected areas by the coloration of the meat, and some of the areas where the fat had turned in color. FDA says that butchers cannot wash meat, as it has to hang next to other people's, in which they could be liable for contamination. I can tell you that there was very little hair, and a little bit of grass floating around. Nate, believe it or not, this kat was younger than us. A big hunter to boot. I cannot remember the reasoning, but I lost the ability to make chops and roasts. All I have is the straps, the hams, and a bunch of sausage.
Scott,
I guess the method of trashbag and wet sheet, works as a fridge. The water from the sheet keeps the ice from melting or something. The guy actually said to me, "Its simple physics." Even though I aced physics in college, I certainly do not remember the keep pig frozen section of the text.
It could have been that the ice in the cooler melted and some of the meat didnt stay as cool as it should. Who knows. Even though I lost some meat, I had a great time with the guys, a good hunt, and I got the Tejon jinx of my back.

I took it to T H Meats in San Marcos. It was a 50 mile drive one way. No one in SD is worth a darn I guess except these guys. The guy seemed pretty genuine. If he skims some meat, I hope he enjoys it. It looks like a good eatin pig.

Just in case you missed it...

 

[Sevook]

The reason you lost a lot of meat (probably) is because most butchers don't like to waste time boning and cleaning and all the other good stuff. So when they cut up the carcass they do it very liberally.

 

[Rancho Loco]

How did it smell when you opened the ice chest? Bacteria = bad smell. If it smelled clean and fresh, you didn't have anything to worry about.

And that FDA line he gave you is a bunch of crap. The USDA is the one in charge...In addition - both butchers I take it to wash the carcasses down immediately.