I have been butchering all my deer for the last 20 years. I can't stand the cuts that you get from the processor not to mention the meat seems to be gameyer. I think they probably don't keep their walk in coolers cold enough to hang deer. Should be just above freezing and no warmer. I do back strips, tenderloin, shoulders, neck, roasts, and burger. The shoulders and neck get smoked and turned into bambique. For back strips and tenderloins, whatever you can do with beef tenderloin, I can do with venison back strips and tenderloins. This last year, I smoked some roasts for a couple of hours until medium rare, let cool, sliced in a deli slicer, and made sandwiches. Put it on a crunchy roll with horseradish sauce and its freakin awesome.
The processor you use makes all the difference. When I hunted in PA years ago, I took my deer to a real butcher who did a fine job, and the facility was very clean. The processor I used when I hunted in a county West of here was less than satisfactory, reflected in the quality of the meat and packaging. Now I use one near here recommended by my neighbor, and while they’re not actually butchers, they do an excellent job, follow my instructions on how I want it cut, and everything looks clean and tidy. I feel certain they do keep the deer segregated by customer, and because they’re very busy, the deer typically hang for a good while in their cooler before being cut. They charge $75, but if your deer is smallish, it’s a bit less. They offer breakfast (sage) sausage, mixing your burger with pork fat they get from a USDA butcher, or will add beef fat to your burger if you desire. I take good care of the deer I kill, and they take good care of it after I take it to them. Well worth the cost, especially when the weather is warm and doing it myself would involve a race against time.
