Warning: This publish accommodates photographs and descriptions of residence butchery. Please don’t proceed studying if it will disturb you. I don’t present detailed descriptions and pictures of each stage, nonetheless I want to present sufficient info to replicate what’s concerned for many who are really excited by offering their very own meat and the way it may be saved.
Over this previous week our residence grown heifer, Grace, was residence killed and residential butchered. She had a stress free life and was nicely sorted. She additionally had a stress free loss of life within the paddock the place she was consuming grass, which was swift and instant. Actually, I couldn’t have requested our cellular butcher to supply a greater loss of life and I’m so grateful for this. As meat eaters, we wish to be snug with the ethics and environmental implications of what we eat, so given we now have the flexibility to develop and course of our personal meat, this implies of feeding ourselves fits us. And, seeing the killing and butchering course of up shut makes us extra accountable and accountable for the meat and different sources offered by the animal.
What’s the course of?
Instantly following loss of life by gunshot to the pinnacle from an affordable distance, processing begins within the paddock till the animal is lowered to a dressed carcass. This includes the removing of the pinnacle, toes, conceal and inside organs however nonetheless contains bones and cartilage. The carcass is then quartered, weighed and hung in a cellular fridge which stays with you till the butcher returns to proceed processing the carcass. We had a dressed weight of 310kg which hung for seven days. This primary a part of the method took a few hours.
We had been requested if we needed any of the organs so we took the guts, tongue and cheeks for our canine and the remainder was packed in luggage to go to our good friend who has many canine. We didn’t take extra for our personal functions as a result of we had been involved about freezer storage capability. I later realised I might handle this considerably by reducing and drying the organs to make dried canine treats, which I’ve now carried out and saved in glass jars.
Given we needed to profit from the sources offered by Grace, my son and I mentioned the potential of tanning the conceal with our butcher. He truly suggested us in opposition to it as it’s a massive job and he doesn’t know many individuals who’ve carried out it efficiently. We determined to take a small piece to study with. It has been very tough to search out good, thorough info on the web and from anybody in actual life. That is nonetheless a piece in progress.
After seven days it was time for the two-person cellular butcher group to return and end the lower up. It was our accountability to pack and retailer the meat. The entire household acquired concerned and we learnt about cuts we had by no means heard of earlier than or tasted. The day began at 7.30am and we had been cleaned up and carried out by noon.
Our freezer is now stuffed with plain sausages, chorizo sausages, mince, spare ribs, soup bones, stewing steak, brisket, osso bucco, gravy beef, BBQ steak, oyster blade, scotch, blade roast, topside roast, schnitzel, eye fillet, rump steak, porterhouse, girello, and silverside which is able to provide our household of 4 and any company we now have for over 12months. One of many nice advantages of manufacturing and packing your individual meat is you could portion it in ways in which swimsuit the best way your loved ones consumes meat, for instance, 9 sausages as an alternative of prepacked choices of 8 or 12.
How will we pack and retailer the meat?
One query that I’ve been requested usually over time is that if I do know of a plastic free technique to retailer bulk meat after the slaughter of an animal. I haven’t been capable of present an answer previously however have been keenly watching this house till we lastly appear to have an enchancment. This time spherical we packed all our meat with 4 litre compostable freezer luggage plus about 5 6 litre luggage made by Biobags. A carton of 18 packing containers which comprise 25 luggage every prices about $100 however we used about half of this.
These luggage are nice as a result of should you don’t wish to use the plastic bag-tie, they characteristic a break up on the prime of the opening to make it simple to knot the bag. Simply make sure that there are not any air gaps while you do it. Additionally they have white color blocks on the baggage to put in writing your labels on should you don’t use stickers.
Beforehand, compostable luggage haven’t been made in a method that makes them appropriate for freezer use or appropriate for meat. The luggage had been too breathable leading to issues like freezer burn, slimy meat when defrosting, and tearing simply once they get caught collectively within the freezer. I think about leaking blood might have been a problem too. I had the boldness to make use of these luggage on a big scale as a result of I examined them over a number of months with smaller quantities of meat and didn’t encounter any issues. On this packing day nonetheless, we did have a few luggage tear barely, however it was no massive deal and may need occurred with another bag. Usually the cellular butcher will provide normal plastic luggage as a part of the service however he didn’t have a problem with us utilizing our personal luggage. He’s to know the way they carry out over time as a result of he has different clients who he thinks can be on this choice.
Whenever you’re completed utilizing a BioBag, you may reuse it to gather meals scraps, then put it in your compost bin or council inexperienced bin. Please notice that the freezer luggage are licensed compostable for industrial to AS4736 and they’re going to additionally break down in a house compost bin however will not be licensed to AS5810. This implies they are going to break down finally at residence with out leaving any microplastics or poisonous residues however not within the timeframe to satisfy the usual.
What subsequent?
Another issues I’ve carried out to profit from what we now have been offered is accumulate the suet and fats (at present within the freezer) which is able to permit me to have a go at cleaning soap making from tallow, and our butcher tells me I can use it in conventional Christmas pudding recipes. One factor is for sure, I’m studying rather a lot.
Additionally, I saved as many bones as I might for the canine (they’re within the freezer) and have used as many as I might match into pots to make bone broth. After cooking the broth for twenty-four hours I borrowed my sisters strain canner (it was my first time utilizing a strain canner) and canned the liquid so it’s shelf secure for a lot of months. I’ve discovered it very irritating to defrost inventory earlier than utilizing it, so I feel this selection will work rather well for me.
I might delve deeper into many points of this weblog publish however I actually simply needed to supply an summary of residence butchery and allow you to know that it’s one thing we now have moved in the direction of over time, and naturally, share how we’re packing and storing our meat given I’ve had questions on this particular state of affairs since I began running a blog. I’m more than pleased to reply any questions you’ve got or talk about points additional, simply go away me a remark and I’ll get again to you.
Lastly, a giant shout out to Brad and Shannon for a job nicely carried out, answering all our questions, letting me take movies and pictures, and letting us strive the baggage.
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