Does anyone have a deer processor in Bryan/ Caldwell area than uses Only your meat.

Make the extra drive to Green's. Well worth it.

https://www.greenssausage.house/

Coach probably a 45 minute drive from College Station but Tallent Sausage in Riverside, TX is excellent (Google them and read the reviews) and uses only your meat. Aggie owned, too.

https://www.tallentsausage.com/

For sausage and brats, redfields is damn good!!! For steaks and tenderized cutlets, Broken Tine processing in Snook. Tallent is good smoked sausage too. I consider them and redfields to both have traditional smoked sausage. I like the flavor at tallent more than redfields but the skins are kind of tough at tallent. My kids destroy the redfields sausage way more than anything else theyve had. Greens is good too but a good but different. Heavy on the black pepper and some other seasonings. More of a traditional Czech style.

Another vote for Readfield's in Bryan. Outstanding sausage and snack sticks.

Arnold's in Hempstead do great work.

Readfields

DUman08 said:

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Arnold's in Hempstead do great work.

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This. It's worth the drive and Arnold's is one of the few processors that takes care to keep your meat separate and give you your deer back.

ETA - Their summer sausage is the best I've had hands down.

Ben There said:

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Does anyone have a deer processor in Bryan/ Caldwell area than uses Only your meat.

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RC, Texas Chaw used to process in Caldwell but doesn't anymore. The closest one to you is Slovacek in Snook.

Is slovaceks no good?

nonameag99 said:

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Is slovaceks no good?

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They mix your meat with others. The deer processors are separate from the normal slovacek. Last sausage I got from them was very rubbery. Just as expensive as the other better places. And the guy in charge keeps a nasty attitude.

CS78 said:

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nonameag99 said:

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Is slovaceks no good?

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They mix your meat with others. The deer processors are separate from the normal slovacek. Last sausage I got from them was very rubbery. Just as expensive as the other better places. And the guy in charge keeps a nasty attitude.

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I didn't think that was legal.

Had a deer processed there.

I asked for whole tenderloins and backstraps, 30 lbs smoked sausage, 10 lbs breakfast sausage, and the rest in stew meat.

When I picked it up, I got the whole cuts, but the sausage order was 50% more than I wanted: it was 40 lbs smoked, and 20 lbs breakfast -- and a 3 lb bag of stew meat.

I wasn't happy, but had left my receipt at the house, and couldn't contest what I had ordered -- so I just paid and took the sausage.

Trinity Ag said:

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I didn't think that was legal.

Had a deer processed there.

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Don't know on legality but just ask and they'll tell you.

Every place will tell you it's your meat. If they told the truth no one would go there. Slovacek made sausage for me one year. It was good. Then proceeded to lose my meat two years in a row. First year they gave me left overs from folks who did not pick up. Not sure why I went back next year but they refused to call me back after I complained. A woman there I cannot recall her name just stopped responding. I was beyond mad. I will not be giving them any good review as I have not been the only one to have problems.

nonameag99 said:

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Is slovaceks no good?

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Friend of mine gave them an elk and got whitetail back one time. He's never gone back. I've heard other stories of not getting your meat back.

I've never gone there, so I don't have a personal story, but I've always used Greens if I don't end up doing it myself

Trinity Ag said:

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CS78 said:

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nonameag99 said:

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Is slovaceks no good?

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They mix your meat with others. The deer processors are separate from the normal slovacek. Last sausage I got from them was very rubbery. Just as expensive as the other better places. And the guy in charge keeps a nasty attitude.

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I didn't think that was legal.

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If you're using a commercial-size grinder, you're barely going to be able to get it running and flowing meat through with the 30-35 pounds of meat off a hill country deer's quarters.

Unless it's a tiny operation or they're going the extra mile to use small volume grinders (and charging you extra appropriately), your meat is getting mixed. If you want to ensure you have your meat, you have to do it yourself. It's actually surprisingly easy once you get a hang of de-boning the quarters.

When readfields does anything in links, you will get a couple packs back unstuffed of each type that wouldn't feed through the stuffer. That tells me, everything is being done in very small batches.

I have a grinder and have done it all myself. The only thing I was never satisfied with was smoked links. To be honest most DIY folks screw up a lot of sausage with a harsh smoke. Worth paying for in my opinion.

Buck Compton said:

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Trinity Ag said:

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CS78 said:

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nonameag99 said:

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Is slovaceks no good?

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They mix your meat with others. The deer processors are separate from the normal slovacek. Last sausage I got from them was very rubbery. Just as expensive as the other better places. And the guy in charge keeps a nasty attitude.

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I didn't think that was legal.

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If you're using a commercial-size grinder, you're barely going to be able to get it running and flowing meat through with the 30-35 pounds of meat off a hill country deer's quarters.

Unless it's a tiny operation or they're going the extra mile to use small volume grinders (and charging you extra appropriately), your meat is getting mixed. If you want to ensure you have your meat, you have to do it yourself. It's actually surprisingly easy once you get a hang of de-boning the quarters.

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Of the 15-20 I've killed, I've only sent three to a processor.

One in New York in 2002 (my first deer), and this year I sent one to Rust in New Braunfels, and this one to Slovacek.

I don't mind butchering them. But the sausage making is a PITA that irritates my old lady.

Trinity Ag said:

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Buck Compton said:

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Trinity Ag said:

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CS78 said:

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nonameag99 said:

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Is slovaceks no good?

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They mix your meat with others. The deer processors are separate from the normal slovacek. Last sausage I got from them was very rubbery. Just as expensive as the other better places. And the guy in charge keeps a nasty attitude.

---

I didn't think that was legal.

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If you're using a commercial-size grinder, you're barely going to be able to get it running and flowing meat through with the 30-35 pounds of meat off a hill country deer's quarters.

Unless it's a tiny operation or they're going the extra mile to use small volume grinders (and charging you extra appropriately), your meat is getting mixed. If you want to ensure you have your meat, you have to do it yourself. It's actually surprisingly easy once you get a hang of de-boning the quarters.

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Of the 15-20 I've killed, I've only sent three to a processor.

One in New York in 2002 (my first deer), and this year I sent one to Rust in New Braunfels, and this one to Slovacek.

I don't mind butchering them. But the sausage making is a PITA that irritates my old lady.

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Understand that. My wife isn't a fan either (and I just started processing my own last year)

Was more giving info for everyone else on the thread then replying to you specifically.

Thanks for this information. I have not had one processed in a while but I don't like the idea of getting someone else's meat. Over the years, I have seen deer handled in a number of ways in which I would not want the meat. Riding in the back of a truck for hours, laying in the woods over night until found later, etc. I have used one local processor but they now tell you that they mix your meat with other's, That is not for me. Happy New to all and thanks again.

I worked at a meat market for a while.

We used big commercial Hobart grinders and stuffers, and still kept every animal separate.

The only time any meat from different animals was even in the same proximity was when we were smoking batches.

It may have only taken 15 minutes to grind the meat, mix the seasoning, and stuff the sausage for each animal, but the machine was washed, bleached, and rinsed in between each one.

The butcher blocks went through the same process. Washed, bleached, and rinsed in between each animal.

I generally do my own processing now, but I would never take it to a place that mixes meat.

And yeah, ya gotta take the place at their word if they say they do or don't mix meat, but that's always a risk.

Kudos to your market for going the extra mile.

The temptation is too great for most of these places. Most big hobarts grind at 50-60 lbs PER MINUTE, so it's easy for them to mix and really streamline the process. It's also tough to fire up and clean a grinder like that for a small central TX whitetail. Places should just use smaller ones.

I used Ed's butch block for years. But this year I splurged and used readfields. So far we are extremely happy with the taste and quality.

I have done my fair share of processing. Since I do it myself I get lots of friends who want to bring their meat and save money. I know they take great care in the process and I do not have to worry about spoil, but I still give their meat the look over and sniff before moving forward. I have seen markets dumping the containers on the table and mixing into one without any concern. I would hope that the look and sniff test was at least done before. I just don't care to risk it anymore. I have the time if I make myself do it, and it is fun if you can get a few folks together also.

A few people on my jerky thread were questioning why I would get whole cuts when taking a deer to the processor...this thread right here is exactly why.
If I'm short on time to process a deer myself, I'll drop it off at my preferred place and ask for whole cuts. It's cheap to me, I can better ensure the meat I receive back is mine, and I don't need to pay extra for jerky cuts, cutlets, tenderizing, etc.