Casper meat processing

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Colorado Cowboy

I do all my own meat. Many years ago I took a couple of antelope and a deer to a processor in Casper and was really unhappy when I got home with it. I took really particular care with my meat. I always skin and quarter everything to cool it down and trim off any bloody tissue from the bullet. The processor was a little ticked because I had already skinned it as he lost his skinning fee. The meat was terrible...strong and pretty bad. I even found hair in the ground stuff. Pretty obvious I didn't get my own meat back. Last time I had anything done at a place I don't know something about in advance!

---

I have had the same experience more than once, and have come to the same conclusion as Colorado Cowboy. DIY. Many game processors operate on the communal theory. If they estimate that you brought in 75 pounds of boneless meat, you will get back 75 pounds of boneless meat. Who's meat it might be is anybody's guess. Chances are very slim that you will get back "your" meat, unless you know the processor. One of the better taxidermists in Casper advised me against using some of the processors there for just that reason. I have a couple of the new generation ice chests that will hold ice for an extended period. I use block ice (crushed is useless for long term), and stack my boned bagged meat on the blocks of ice.

When using dry ice for transport, I made a plywood shelf for each ice chest that fits on the inside lip in the ice chests. Cut a few 1.5" holes with a holesaw, sand, and finish with 2-4 coats of polyurethane. After I pack the meat. I put in the shelf, and put dry ice on the shelf (wrapped in newspaper). I have hauled meat from Colorado (850 miles), and Wyoming (1,200) miles using both methods without any meat spoilage, and without having to add any extra dry ice. Sometimes, I do have to drain and add a couple of extra blocks if I am using the "wet" method.

I had a great experience with pierce custom meats. They didn't process my meat, hang only, super nice owner and a great little business they have, one thing I really liked was they used a pressure washer to get most of the hair off of the carcass, I thought that was clever

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Sawfish

I have had the same experience more than once, and have come to the same conclusion as Colorado Cowboy. DIY. Many game processors operate on the communal theory. If they estimate that you brought in 75 pounds of boneless meat, you will get back 75 pounds of boneless meat. Who's meat it might be is anybody's guess. Chances are very slim that you will get back "your" meat, unless you know the processor.

---

I worked in the meat industry a few years for small local shops (Wisconsin). We did some venison processing and sausage making. If a guy is just cutting and wrapping an animal, there is really no reason that you shouldn't get your own meat back -- you get a carcass, break it down, and wrap it. It's no harder to keep meat separted than mix it together for cutting and wrapping. The problem comes in when equipment is involved. Commercial meat processing equipment is not made to do small batches. It's too time consuming to do ten 30lb. batches of summer sausage instead of one 300lb. batch. Also, even if you did grind separately, breaking down the equipment and cleaning it in between small batches would take a lot more time. I note CC said he found the hair in ground meat. It could have been his meat, just picked up hair from the equipment after 10 other batches were ground before it (but, as you suspect, a bunch of meat could have got ground together, which is probably more likely -- either way,not very appetizing).

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Drhorsepower

I had a great experience with pierce custom meats. They didn't process my meat, hang only, super nice owner and a great little business they have, one thing I really liked was they used a pressure washer to get most of the hair off of the carcass, I thought that was clever

---

Hey Doc,
JFI, Pierce went out of business and is now called Yellowstone, I asked them about freezing my meat and cutting into quarters, they said sure it will be the same cost as butchering the meat ($75) plus $10 for skinning and $25 for caping. Needless to say I paid $240 after it was all said and done for two goats. It cost so much I decided not to fill my second doe tag. That included twenty lbs of Sausage's (Beer stix and Cheese and Jalapeno, yum yum :)), and dry ice for the trip home. They did do an awesome job of packing and sealing the meat in my ice chest. I'm very happy with the work just a little pricey!!

Well that's too bad, the owner was really nice. It sounds like they still do nice work but a little steep on prices.

Next time (or anytime) in Casper I would recommend going to Pat's. Just was part of a group that took 3 antelope and a goat there in mid-Sept. Found John to be very accomodating, easy to work with and extremely quick on turning around game before we left town to head back east. If anyone needs more specifics PM me and I can pass it along.

Just got back from my hunt, used Pearce butchering on the west side of town for both our goats and they did a great job. They even stayed 20 mins late one night so i could drop off my goat. I would recommend them.

JH

Big shot said pierce went out of business. Interesting.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Drhorsepower

Big shot said pierce went out of business. Interesting.

---

Yep, they are now called Yellowstone.

Correct, the sign said "yellowstone," sorry for the confusion. I believe the Pearce family runs it.