Free range rob
Well-Known Member
Tied
Top of rib cage - how to cut through it?
- Thread starter pazmino
- Start date
Thanks all, many useful ideas here. To be clear, I do have both a tripe knife and a D Stretton bone saw (though I really only use the latter on fallow, not roe). Once the deer's suspended I use the tripe knife to unzip the abdomen, then once I get to the sternum I use it to open the skin along the sternum downwards, then my Mora knife to open the sternum, either straight down the middle or just to one side. But it's once I get to the bottom of the sternum that I have difficulties - it's that last bit to break through before proceeding downward along the neck that leaves me swearing and desperately pushing down with the knife to no avail.
But maybe I should just open the sternum while it's still on the ground, as some have suggested!
But maybe I should just open the sternum while it's still on the ground, as some have suggested!
Or as others have suggested, cut through the skin on the sternum whilst suspended, feel for the notch at the top, insert the tip of a sternum saw and saw downwards until you are completely free. You can then open up the gut cavity as normal and proceed to remove all the red/green in a one-off and for me, the head on does. You can do all of this without doing a 5-finger spread and forearm move trying to hold the guts inn by your method. Simples.........
They are tied in that photo but you can also "hock" them the same as you do at the back - skin the front legs first then knife between bone and muscle and insert the gambrel through the hole you've made.
I find it easier and safer to use a bone saw. Putting lots of pressure on a knife with slippery hands in the dark isn't a great idea. Knife to open the skin and muscle across the sternum then bonesaw down the sternum itself. You can open the sternum on the ground if you don't want to be holding stuff back with your other hand but I rarely bother. Just make sure you get that last rib and the ribcage opens up fully as trying to cut through bone once you've dropped the guts out does become a pain!
Freeforester
Well-Known Member
I’ve a couple of double ended loops of a steel which I made years back, one is held onto the gambrel with a small cable tie, the other end is slipped back in itself to form a snare type loop. When skinning the forelegs make an incision about an inch up from the (lowest) flat joint you’ve cut and removed the feet at, and slip the snare loop into there, it’ll prevent slipping off over the otherwise fairly smooth bone.
Regarding the removal of potential contamination from the neck by removing the parchment, see below:
Before trimming the side walls and removal of parchment;
And after, ready for the next stage, whether cleaning off for mince, or
sectioning like oxtail for osso bucco, a lovely warming winter slow-cook dish.
HTH
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Are you sawing or cutting between vertebrae? I lose quite a bit of meat from the neck and it’s good meat, so I like the idea of doing this.
Freeforester
Well-Known Member
Cut down to the bone, then saw through. You can pick away at the rather gnarled vertebra to persuade the neck to give of its flesh for mince, but to my mind osso bucco (Italian: on the bone) is a great classic Milanese dish (usually made with veal), and is absolutely superb when made with deer vertebra in this way, the lovely unctiousness the spinal cord lends to this dish is truly great. 3 1/2 to 4 hours at 130°C, usual favourite root veg, onions, etc and a goodly slosh of red in the pot with the stock, a spoonful of marmalade or splash of orange juice also goes well. A great solution to an otherwise problematic part of the carcase. Fun fact: I once persuaded a customer who expressed an interest in it to give it a go, I saw her thereafter at next market in her town, and she asked for enough to do a dinner party for eight!
Freeforester
Well-Known Member
Have you tried putting the knife into the gullet when the deer is laid out on its back on the ground and pulling up sharply toward yourself, up and through the top of the sternum? I’ve not met a roe yet where I couldn’t do this, and I’ve met a fair few over the past forty years!
Pushing down doesn’t work, but pulling up will, especially if the weight of the carcase is on the deck, you can aye hang it up afterwards, if that’s yer preferred method.
I’m doing this with my next carcasses.Cut down to the bone, then saw through. You can pick away at the rather gnarled vertebra to persuade the neck to give of its flesh for mince, but to my mind osso bucco (Italian: on the bone) is a great classic Milanese dish (usually made with veal), and is absolutely superb when made with deer vertebra in this way, the lovely unctiousness the spinal cord lends to this dish is truly great. 3 1/2 to 4 hours at 130°C, usual favourite root veg, onions, etc and a goodly slosh of red in the pot with the stock, a spoonful of marmalade or splash of orange juice also goes well. A great solution to an otherwise problematic part of the carcase. Fun fact: I once persuaded a customer who expressed an interest in it to give it a go, I saw her thereafter at next market in her town, and she asked for enough to do a dinner party for eight!
The neck has always annoyed me with how much gets wasted unless you’re willing to spend a disproportionate amount of time fighting with it.
Freeforester
Well-Known Member
You’ll only wish you’d been doing this years ago - Bon appetit! Works well with larger species, just apply sensible portion control!
Edits: at #15 you can see the fine cut across the ‘wrist’ area of the foreleg of the carcase; at #26 the material used is Amsteel, a strong dyneema rope that can be spliced readily. Other types of rope or wire would doubtless work just as well.
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