Comments on: Calf Moose Butchering Day 2010

By: Grilling Game Over Wood Fire « Kevin Kossowan

Grilling Game Over Wood Fire « Kevin Kossowan — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 20:11:01 +0000

[...] lean cuts for steaks – beef rib steaks from my front quarter, pork chops, and all kinds of game cuts fit for the grill. Aw, [...]

By: Kevin Kossowan’s Wild Game Tasting and Cooking Demonstration: A Taste Tripping Cooking Class (an Edmonton Cooking School) | A Canadian Foodie

Sun, 13 Mar 2011 22:43:45 +0000

[...] Calf moose loin with highbush cranberry paste, shaggy parasol powder, morel powder, local leek-potato-chevre purée, paired with 2009 Saskatoon wine [...]

By: Firewood Bee 2011 « Kevin Kossowan

Firewood Bee 2011 « Kevin Kossowan — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 00:47:10 +0000

[...] made me feel tremendously wealthy – wealth having arrived at my door in many forms over this past year. No manual labor for me for at least a few days. I [...]

By: Brési V1.0 « Kevin Kossowan

Brési V1.0 « Kevin Kossowan — Fri, 24 Dec 2010 00:34:35 +0000

[...] cured charcuterie should probably be up there. It wins in that I put in my draw in June, hunted and butchered it in November, and dry cured it until Christmas. That’s a half-year process. The building of [...]

By: A Canadian Foodie

A Canadian Foodie — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 02:15:15 +0000

I am totally shocked at how cheap it is… but, if you had to take days off work, etc… it could add up. However, you are in the perfect position. Excellent value. Thanks for taking the time to answer everything so thoroughly. It is so interesting!
:)

By: Kevin Kossowan

Kevin Kossowan — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 20:48:16 +0000

Valerie:
1. Highly temperature dependent. In September if you get a hot streak and it’s in the high 20′s, zero days. You need to find a solution to chill it off, asap. In November, the temps are really good for keeping meat – low single digits above zero with decent humidity is great. In those conditions, you can hang it for weeks, much like beef.
2. I just bought a Slow Food apron for that purpose. Got tired of washing my jacket. There’s not much blood, if any involved at this stage. Re: contamination, all the exterior dried bit is removed, so really, anything that touches us is largely trimmed off anyway. I grew up handling meat this way, and never a food safety issue has arisen.
3. Yes. Silverskin. Sinew. Roughly the same deal in my books.
4. We do plastic, then paper. My theory: the plastic is optimal at omitting air – key for storage. The multiple layers of butcher paper protect it further.
5. It’s usually frozen by the next day. Going back to the fact that it can be cold for many days/weeks, freeze time is not critical, so long as it’s as soon as practical. You do want to avoid overloading a freezer, but a calf moose = 100 lbs of lean meat, which fills about a quarter of a standard sized deep freeze.

My wildlife certificate [hunting license] was $38 or so. My calf moose tag was $38 or so. All-in, my cost on this animal was $76. But that’s a highly skewed number because my dad and friend do all the scouting, driving, and have the place to do it. But hunting can and is done on the cheap locally, so it’d cost your cost of gas + $76 + one rifle shell.

You’ll be on the list of helpers I contact next time. :)

By: A Canadian Foodie

A Canadian Foodie — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 20:32:33 +0000

Incredible. Many questions (as always)
1. how many days can you have the skinned animal in the bush before you bring it in and break it down meat safety wise?
2. why weren’t you wearing something to keep the blood off of your coats, etc… I didn’t see you get any on yourselves, but you were pretty close to the meat, weren’t you worried about any contamination or about getting your clothes wrecked?
3. was that sinew you were cutting off the backstrap?
4. do you package in brown wrap… and when you throw everything into the deep freeze at once, how long does it all take to freeze… as the temperature would rise unless it is almost frozen from being out in the cold?
I am naive, I know. But, I am interested. It is clear you read a lot and were taught a lot about butchering animals. How much does one cost when you go on a trip, considering the licence and all of your expenses?
Last question.
I promise.
LOVED the video!
I will help, too! If only taking video and wrapping. I can help.
Valerie

By: Nouveau Beef-onomics « Kevin Kossowan

Nouveau Beef-onomics « Kevin Kossowan — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 04:15:02 +0000

[...] then antelope, then pork, then moose, then pork, now beef. I’m at the point now that when finished cleaning down after butchering [...]

By: Kristeva Dowling

Kristeva Dowling — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 21:46:35 +0000

Nice video Kevin. I had a great time. Count me in for butchering day 2011!

cheers,

Kristeva

By: Kevin

Kevin — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 15:27:02 +0000

BB – I call it the eye of round. I believe it’s the equivalent to our hamstring. Your assessment of its quality is correct – not top notch cut, necessarily. I’m planning on dry curing mine into a bresaola-esque item.