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Edit to say I have used a metal kitchen aid attachment for the last 3 deer and it has worked well. A good Trick is to add oil occasionally and take it slow. Also take time to let machine cool down so I don't burn it up.

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My ka attachment is all metal guts, only tray is plastic. I think I'll follow your advice, slow and occasionally add oil, let machine cool down. It should at least get me through this season. Maybe Mrs Claus will get me a nice dedicated grinder...

Growing up, all our deer were processed at home.

We'd string it up on the swing set in the back yard to quarter, ice it for a few days, then the grandparents would come over and have a butcher party. The kitchenaide grinder is a godsent. We'd wrap the meat in plastic wrap then in wax paper. Worked better than when we use to just wrap in foil.

I hated it. I always said I'd pay for it myself when I got older. Pry because my girlfriend didn't want to come over when we were butchering.

I haven't been hunting in a while, but fishing, I don't like other people filleting my fish. I have a specific way I like to do it to avoid rib bones and others just come along and jack it up and get rib bones in my fillets. I don't care how many fish I have, I do all of them myself.

I called my dad after the first time someone offered to fillet the fish we had caught and they were full of bones. Said I finally understood why he wanted to butcher his own meat.

I still am going to pay when I shoot a deer. I hate butchering deer.

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This thread delivers. Two quick questions:

1. How in the world do all of you guys just happen to have walk in freezers to hang and age your deer before quartering? Forgot to add the walk-in freezer to our plans when we designed and built!

2. Slight change of subject - can you make some recs for hind quarter roast recipes? Started keeping a roast or two whole last year and in search of better recipes.

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We have been on the same Deer lease in Eagle pass for 15 years with the same crew. My dad shoppedaround and got a decent deal on a brand new walk-in freezer a long time ago. When it's split between 6 guys who are already committed to feeding year round and paying for a lease in south Texas, the walk-in freezer isn't a huge cost. And to clarify, we are pretty frugal everywhere else. Built our own bunkhouses, ran our own water lines from nearby airport, built our own blinds, etc. We are fortunate to have been locked in on our price. We are getting away with highway robbery considering the deer we have been able to shoot.

Edit: in addition, my dads friend also has a walk-in freezer at his house near where we live, so we are able to use that after we leave the lease. Nobody said it has to be YOUR walk-in freezer

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Edit to say I have used a metal kitchen aid attachment for the last 3 deer and it has worked well. A good Trick is to add oil occasionally and take it slow. Also take time to let machine cool down so I don't burn it up.

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My ka attachment is all metal guts, only tray is plastic. I think I'll follow your advice, slow and occasionally add oil, let machine cool down. It should at least get me through this season. Maybe Mrs Claus will get me a nice dedicated grinder...

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And I can't take credit for those tips. That was based on reading a lot of reviews of people who have blown up kitchen aide's while processing deer. With kitchen aides, slow and steady wins the race and metal guts are key. Exceptional cleaning is also important.

Put on ice in a cooler, let it age for 5 or so days, adding ice as necessary and draining water. Really helps to pull all of the blood out of the muscle and makes for a much better cut of meat IMO.

We process our own. We soak the meat in ice water for 2 or 3 days (changing the water out at least once a day) before really doing anything to it. We do a lot of ground, and we typically cut it with pork butt to add a little fat to it. It makes a great mixture with a non gamey taste. Once we areceive done with everything we vacuum sealed it all.

We have a 3' cutting board that is wonderful, and we usually use plastic painters tarp on the concrete to skin/butcher, and on the table.

Use bread slices to clean your grinder (if it hasn't been said).

KitchenAids are very easy to work on/repair. I chewed up a couple worm gears over the 3-4 years I was using the KA meat grinder attachement. $20 in parts had me back in business pretty quickly.

if you are going to use a KA grinder, it's best to have the meat as close to frozen as possible- like has ice crystals but you can still put a thumbprint in it. You'll get the best results that way. For 2nd pass, put the 1st grind back in the freezer and let it chill for a while before doing the 2nd round.

If anyone wants to try out a KA grinder, I have an old solid cast aluminum one that I bought off ebay. They work better than the plastic ones because they stay a lot cooler.

You can do the cooler method, check ice daily, refill as needed (don't want the meat in any water, just on top of ice (I prefer blue ice on top).

Or watch for cheap-o fridge/freezer combos that still run. Throw one or two in your garage and bam, "poke your head in" fridge for dry aging, just watch the temps.

Outstanding responses. Yall have been a huge help.

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KitchenAids are very easy to work on/repair. I chewed up a couple worm gears over the 3-4 years I was using the KA meat grinder attachement. $20 in parts had me back in business pretty quickly.

if you are going to use a KA grinder, it's best to have the meat as close to frozen as possible- like has ice crystals but you can still put a thumbprint in it. You'll get the best results that way. For 2nd pass, put the 1st grind back in the freezer and let it chill for a while before doing the 2nd round.

If anyone wants to try out a KA grinder, I have an old solid cast aluminum one that I bought off ebay. They work better than the plastic ones because they stay a lot cooler.

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This applies to almost any grinder, especially with meat that is going to have silverskin, gristle and what not. Get it cold, keep it cold. I learned that the hard way.

I freeze the tray, worm gear drive, housing and blade before I grind. Get it good and cold. It will eventually heat up, but it helps to prolong stopping and cleaning.

DIY. Clean & quarter as soon as I can - generally within 2-3 hrs of shot. Drop quarters/straps in cooler of water to cool down and flush blood as soon as they come off. Drain water/blood & pack with ice. Carve up at home over the next 2-3 days. Ground & stuffed 50lbs (mixed w/ 8 lb pork shoulder) last year w/ Kitchen Aid & will not do that again. Grinding was easy, but stuffing was the most miserably slow experience ever, so I'm getting a dedicated stuffer this year.