How to speed up skinning and butchery?

[nick100]

Could be that your chiller volume is a bit on the small side for the fan within, which would result in a bit more drying than is ideal.

Possibly.
I’ve got a big walk in for pheasants and ducks that I used to use for deer too
But splashed out on a Tarrant chiller for the deer now.
I did have cause to skin a couple and leaving them hanging over night. They were in a much better condition than when I’ve done that in the ‘big’ chiller. I still wouldn’t fancy leaving them for more than 24hrs though.

 

[willowbank]

This is interesting, as I suffer from too much hair, except on my head. So it needs to be very hot? And that will collect the hairs?

Can’t speak for others but I’ve found it to be very effective, wring the cloth out well, wipe an area once in one direction then rinse… repeat working again from the top if hanging.

WB

 

[vitalspark]

Ha ha! In all seriousness, I have wondered if there's a way of using a winch to skin the carcasses - this video at about 5:20 makes it look very quick and easy. I'd have to have some kind of pulley in the floor though, which would be a hell of a trip hazard in my small larder.

I used my electric hoist to skin for the first time. The floor fitting is sprung loaded and recessed so no tripping hazard. Length of rope, larch footed onto a large metric socket (in lieu of a ball) and it peeled off easily after hanging for two days. You still have to skin manually down to tail level first.

 

[pazmino]

I used my electric hoist to skin for the first time. The floor fitting is sprung loaded and recessed so no tripping hazard. Length of rope, larch footed onto a large metric socket (in lieu of a ball) and it peeled off easily after hanging for two days. You still have to skin manually down to tail level first.

Thanks, that's interesting - but what does 'larch footed' mean? Google doesn't help me...

 

[Freeforester]

Lark’s foot - a type of slip grip of the cord.

The guy who invented the spell checker on your phone recently died; may he rust in pi55

 

[vitalspark]

Bl**dy autocorrect . Yes lark's foot. Find the middle of a length of rope and let the two halves hang down. Wrap it around an item (bar, tree etc) and pass the two halves through the loop and pull through the slack until tight. You can also form one by folding the loop down over the two halves to form two small loops and slip these aver the object e.g. deers head, large socket under deers skin etc

 

[Trigger260]

I usually try and skin them warm then hang them back in the chiller for a day or 2 before butchering. As others have said concentrate on quality, the speed will come on its own.