Meat prep table size

[DamaDaz]

Hi all,

Was after some advice. I am looking to try my hand at butchering venison. I will mostly be looking to butcher muntjac, Roe and fallow prickets.

The meat I process will be for personal consumption only and will be shot, hung in a chiller and butchered by myself.

I while back I was given a piece of 3ft x 2ft solid wood worktop.

Apart from working out how I might attach legs etc, can anyone advise if such a size would be suitable for the aforementioned species?

Kind Regards

Daz

 

[paulbshooting]

I would go for the biggest size you can as you can never have enough space. Ideally cutting space plus room for mincer, vac pack and sausage stuffer, saves a lot of time moving stuff about rather than processing. Ideally close to hot & c9ld water too helps.

 

[VSS]

Hi all,

Was after some advice. I am looking to try my hand at butchering venison. I will mostly be looking to butcher muntjac, Roe and fallow prickets.

The meat I process will be for personal consumption only and will be shot, hung in a chiller and butchered by myself.

I while back I was given a piece of 3ft x 2ft solid wood worktop.

Apart from working out how I might attach legs etc, can anyone advise if such a size would be suitable for the aforementioned species?

Kind Regards

Daz

That size will be fine.
I've used a 2ftx3ft butchers block for the past 25 years, and cut up a lot bigger animals than the deer species you mention. I've just downsized to a 2ftx2ft block.
All the primals can be cut off the deer while it's hanging, so you only take it a bit at a time to the block.

 

[DamaDaz]

Really appreciate the advice guys. Sounds like I will make a start and utilise the 3ft x 2ft that has been gifted to me as not to waste it and see how I get on. By the sounds of it, that will be fine and I may not need to upgrade.

Next thing to do is research a hook I can install for hanging and then knives and saws etc….

 

[VSS]

Really appreciate the advice guys. Sounds like I will make a start and utilise the 3ft x 2ft that has been gifted to me as not to waste it and see how I get on. By the sounds of it, that will be fine and I may not need to upgrade.

Next thing to do is research a hook I can install for hanging and then knives and saws etc….

You can do everything you need to do with a Victorinox flexible boning knife:

Victorinox Boning knife 6” Narrow Curved Flexible (15cm) - Black

FREE DELIVERY TO UK MAINLAND !!!Victorinox Fibrox handled knives are our best selling knives. They are used by the majority of Britain's butchers.Their non slip "Fibrox" handles make them the ideal choice in the professional environment who appreciate the razor sharp Swiss steel and their...

www.butchersequipment.co.uk

A butchers' saw is an additional luxury. Get one with a high tpi number (teeth per inch), as deer bone is much denser than farmed livestock.

 

[SSN100]

I'm doing fallow prickets on 3ft by 1.5ft I don't think it would be particularly difficult to do a full size fallow.

 

[DamaDaz]

Awesome advice all!

Is there a hook specifically designed for the hanging job or will any heavy gauge hook do?

It will be going into a wooden joist in a ceiling

 

[DamaDaz]

Should of said, a hook that the gambrel would hang from

 

[gelert]

I find the rotating S hooks really useful.
You can loop some rope over the joist and tie a knot, and keep the hook there constantly,then shift the deer on the gambrel onto the hook.
Adexa do some very cheap stainless steel tables.

10'' Butchers Meat Hanging Swivel S Hooks - Single Hooks

These butchers hooks are called swivel hooks and only have 1 point. Suitable for hanging all different kinds of meats. The recommended safe working load for this hook is 140kg.

butchers-sundries.com

 

[VSS]

Awesome advice all!

Is there a hook specifically designed for the hanging job or will any heavy gauge hook do?

It will be going into a wooden joist in a ceiling

Any well fixed hook will do. Get it as high up as you can, and put a little block-and-tackle on it for raising and lowering the carcass.
Something like this ( first one that came up when I googled):

https://www.amazon.co.uk/BOOSTEADY-Skinning-Hunting-Hanging-Gambrel/dp/B0CW8T3R5V/ref=mp_s_a_1_1_sspa?c=ts&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.uJEgdjYeHh1AIPkV9LvlDoufb7adtaAMlKjix5jvEsHIuVqaITehhQxPXPH7wt18vOo735GGe7WUnkRv-FanEiQEknHg7aj_UjK8ABIfuzXgvh1MKf61rtrvWZOfwMmUNyyjT_kWEOp7InRwSUpKCqJaMegucRJUPoUjj7pC2rdCfoNG6FAd9tYmSOmL127mJEZiigMDQAuHzxmSG0tG1A.xZh34gDenND5XGvizgRDK3OTlwnbLa1pLB-xYHwtgVw&dib_tag=se&keywords=Game+Hoists+%26+Gambrels&nsdOptOutParam=true&qid=1730662346&s=sports&sr=1-1-spons&ts_id=454840031&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9waG9uZV9zZWFyY2hfYXRm&psc=1&smid=A29FG0NRC5S1C4

 

[nun_hunter]

Hi all,

Was after some advice. I am looking to try my hand at butchering venison. I will mostly be looking to butcher muntjac, Roe and fallow prickets.

The meat I process will be for personal consumption only and will be shot, hung in a chiller and butchered by myself.

I while back I was given a piece of 3ft x 2ft solid wood worktop.

Apart from working out how I might attach legs etc, can anyone advise if such a size would be suitable for the aforementioned species?

Kind Regards

Daz

I butcher my deer in a shed at home that houses my chiller and chest freezer.

I lay the chopping block on the chest freezer as a makeshift table as it's very stable and means there is room to the side too.

As for hanging I've screwed a couple of hook eyes into the central beam which are good enough for fallow.

 

[DamaDaz]

Any well fixed hook will do. Get it as high up as you can, and put a little block-and-tackle on it for raising and lowering the carcass.
Something like this ( first one that came up when I googled):

https://www.amazon.co.uk/BOOSTEADY-Skinning-Hunting-Hanging-Gambrel/dp/B0CW8T3R5V/ref=mp_s_a_1_1_sspa?c=ts&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.uJEgdjYeHh1AIPkV9LvlDoufb7adtaAMlKjix5jvEsHIuVqaITehhQxPXPH7wt18vOo735GGe7WUnkRv-FanEiQEknHg7aj_UjK8ABIfuzXgvh1MKf61rtrvWZOfwMmUNyyjT_kWEOp7InRwSUpKCqJaMegucRJUPoUjj7pC2rdCfoNG6FAd9tYmSOmL127mJEZiigMDQAuHzxmSG0tG1A.xZh34gDenND5XGvizgRDK3OTlwnbLa1pLB-xYHwtgVw&dib_tag=se&keywords=Game+Hoists+%26+Gambrels&nsdOptOutParam=true&qid=1730662346&s=sports&sr=1-1-spons&ts_id=454840031&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9waG9uZV9zZWFyY2hfYXRm&psc=1&smid=A29FG0NRC5S1C4

Awesome! Thanks

 

[DamaDaz]

I butcher my deer in a shed at home that houses my chiller and chest freezer.

I lay the chopping block on the chest freezer as a makeshift table as it's very stable and means there is room to the side too.

As for hanging I've screwed a couple of hook eyes into the central beam which are good enough for fallow.

Yes my chiller, chest freezer will be in a wooden outbuilding too. Like the idea of the chopping block on the freezer top

 

[VSS]

Yes my chiller, chest freezer will be in a wooden outbuilding too. Like the idea of the chopping block on the freezer top

A chopping board on top of a chest freezer is an ideal solution for small-scale home butchery. I did it that way for years, until I was given an old butchers block on its own stand.
There's no chopping involved in cutting up a deer - you don't need a cleaver - so there's no risk of damage to the freezer.

 

[DamaDaz]

A chopping board on top of a chest freezer is an ideal solution for small-scale home butchery. I did it that way for years, until I was given an old butchers block on its own stand.
There's no chopping involved in cutting up a deer - you don't need a cleaver - so there's no risk of damage to the freezer.

Yes I’m definitely going to look into trying that. Perhaps putting something in between the freezer too and board to stop it slipping about etc

 

[VSS]

Yes I’m definitely going to look into trying that. Perhaps putting something in between the freezer too and board to stop it slipping about etc

A bit of silicone mat, like you might use on the kitchen table when rolling out pastry.
That'll stop the board from slipping.
Something like this:

Non-Stick Silicone Baking Mat for Pizza, Cakes, and Pastries - Multipurpose Holder for Mess-Free Cooking - Slips Away

Buy Non-Stick Silicone Baking Mat for Pizza, Cakes, and Pastries - Multipurpose Holder for Mess-Free Cooking for only £7.99 at Slips Away!

slipsaway.co.uk

 

[DamaDaz]

A bit of silicone mat, like you might use on the kitchen table when rolling out pastry.
That'll stop the board from slipping.
Something like this:

Non-Stick Silicone Baking Mat for Pizza, Cakes, and Pastries - Multipurpose Holder for Mess-Free Cooking - Slips Away

Buy Non-Stick Silicone Baking Mat for Pizza, Cakes, and Pastries - Multipurpose Holder for Mess-Free Cooking for only £7.99 at Slips Away!

slipsaway.co.uk

Yes that looks perfect. Thank you!

 

[nun_hunter]

Yes my chiller, chest freezer will be in a wooden outbuilding too. Like the idea of the chopping block on the freezer top

I cut and vac pack as I go and put the bits in the chiller on a shelf then transfer everything to the freezer when I'm done.

 

[DamaDaz]

I cut and vac pack as I go and put the bits in the chiller on a shelf then transfer everything to the freezer when I'm done.

Sounds perfect!

It sounds like you have a very similar setup to the one I am putting together. Is your chiller suitable for outbuildings or do you heat your outbuilding?

 

[nun_hunter]

Sounds perfect!

It sounds like you have a very similar setup to the one I am putting together. Is your chiller suitable for outbuildings or do you heat your outbuilding?

I think it's just a regular chiller. It was secondhand from a friend's parents. Livin gin the south east it's generally not cold enough to be a problem. The chiller runs about 2⁰C and the shed gets the early morning sun so even on the coldest days it's still probably above that inside the fridge, especially with the chest freezer running too.