Bad Experience - Great Falls MT

[Nealgl1985]

We did a test 1 year when we were hunting at my buddies dad's in Yale, MI. We took in the 3 deer that we had removed the tenderloins from yet we received tenderloins back from each deer....

 

[mtwarden]

about 15 years ago we charged about a half dozen meat processors around the state as they were skimming meat from customers to use making sticks/jerky/etc (which they sold)

not sure if any of those processors are even still in business or not, but sadly that stuff happens

 

[bsnedeker]

I have 157 pounds of hamburger (pure elk, no added fat) off my bull this year. This thread makes me VERY happy I process my own...my goodness!

 

[Short Track]

Very few butchers follow instruction. They do it their way. I always request lean meat, no fat. No fat added into the chop. Still get fatty chop meat, or silver lining. Alot goes to my dog.

 

[Pony Soldier]

On my first really big bull I lost all of it at the local processor. I haven't been to one since. Sadly enough my father had loaned the guy the money to build the facility.

 

[duckcarver]

Since Great Falls was raised, I'll share an experience from last fall to help others. We used Waylon's Wildlife Taxidermy and Brian's Meat Processing, which are attached. Taxidermy work was quality, completed on the schedule suggested in November and safely delivered mule deer, pheasant and coyote to Maryland.

I have a deer processed and shipped to Maryland. It arrived packed in a cardboard box inside a black plastic trash bag. No dry ice, no cooler, just packed inside a box. Everything was thawed. The packages in the very center were cold, but soft. 70% of the packages were cool, but not cold enough for me to keep (probably 45-50 degrees). I've had meat shipped from Alaska, Texas, Dakotas and many other locations without a problem, but never had it shipped without any insulation or ice. Really disappointing to open that box.

 

[Short Track]

(probably 45-50 degrees).

Years ago, I too trashed meat at that temperature. More recently, I've been seeing these "dry aging" coolers in fancy restaurants. Literally letting meat rot for 30 days at 40 degrees. Then they charge $60 for a dinner cut from that "dry aged" meat. They have a salt block in the the cooler for effect. Not sure it does anything.

 

[Poser]

Years ago, I too trashed meat at that temperature. More recently, I've been seeing these "dry aging" coolers in fancy restaurants. Literally letting meat rot for 30 days at 40 degrees. Then they charge $60 for a dinner cut from that "dry aged" meat. They have a salt block in the the cooler for effect. Not sure it does anything.

Are you unfamiliar with the process of dry aging? It’s a real thing -humidity controlled chamber balances the PH levels in the meat. The salt block is there to draw out moisture. The meat is not rotting.

 

[mtwarden]

not rotting and the taste lives up to the hype, but it's a far cry from 50 degrees, 34-35 degrees

 

[duckcarver]

Dry aged beef does live up to the hype, but it's done safely at cooler temps to evaporate the moisture and concentrate flavor. You can do it at home without a dry aging cooler -- we used Umai bags several times with good effect (https://umaidry.com/).

Hated to waste it, but meat that was warmer for an unknown period of time isn't worth the risk to me.