How to Process Deer Meat at Home

In “How to Field-Process a Deer” (September/October 2019), I described how to field-dress, skin, and debone a deer in the field. Once the meat is home, it’s time to process and package it for both the freezer and the table.

If this is your first time processing a deer, don’t feel intimidated. Preparing venison at home isn’t difficult. It doesn’t require knowing the names of every muscle and cut, or buying a bunch of expensive supplies and equipment. Instead, it involves learning the basics of how and where to cut, and a modest investment in supplies. As with many other DIY activities, you can start with a small amount of equipment and add as your operation expands. The basic equipment costs about the same as processing a couple of deer at a butcher. Add some