How to gralloch correctly

njc110381

Well-Known Member
Hi guys. I've been thinking recently that my gralloching methods are probably not that refined so wanted to learn to do it properly. I had a look on Youtube for tips. Turns out I don't think my method is so bad after all! I still want to fix mine though, so have a few questions which I'm hoping someone will help me with.

For a start I always bleed out through the front of the chest. Then I tie off the food pipe (I can say it but can't spell it!). Then I cut out and tie off the other end. After which I run my cut down from the breast bone and around the udder if it's there. Then I split the ribs so I can see what I'm doing. I tease out the intestines and roll out the stomach and bottom half, then pull out the pluck and the rest of the front end.

My problem is I'm always left with the bladder. It seems like a really well attatched and I've broken it once or twice. Is there a simple fix to getting it out or should I just be more slow/careful with it? Generally I try to position the carcass so if I split it then it just falls out of the cut but I'm thinking that's not ideal!

One last thing. You always cut around the udder don't you? One guy I was watching just hacked straight through it? I thought that spilling milk all over the meat was bad?

I've been shooting Deer for a while now and want to do it properly. If I'm butchering for my own consumption then it's my own problem, but when I give it away I'd like to think I've done the job properly! I need to do the DSC when I can afford it!
 
Hi NJC

As far as back end goes, on a doe, grab the tuft of hair and pull down whilst cutting the skin. Keep pulling until you get down to the anus then carefully cut around it, a bit like cutting the core out of and apple, but be careful not nick the meat. Once all is loose and detached poke the said loose skin back from the anus and into the body cavity and then pull the skin and attached bladder out from the inside. Same for a buck, but just anus to core out.

With regard to a doe in milk, hold and pull the bag back hard towards you whist cutting the skin around to the front and sides, keep pulling hard and and cut all the way back and around the bag and it will detach totally. Similar to pulling back and cutting round the piczzle on a buck!

A brief explanation, but take your time and you will end up with a good neat carcase.

Good luck

ATB

Tom
 
Thanks Tom. from what you're saying it sounds like my method is pretty similar so I'm probably just being a bit rough with it?
 
NJC110381,

I have a couple of CDs on gralloching including the one mentioned by Sikadog. Send me a PM with your address and I will post them to you.

Willie
 
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