Rib Meat and the Gutless Method

[Umpqua Hunter]

I have been doing the gutless method from before it was popular or even had a name. It just made sense after growing up and dealing with a lot of carcasses from the farm and the field.

It seems recently I have been seeing more and more photos of these animals that have been field dressed with the gutless method and every speck of meat has been removed, including the rib meat. Its truly a beautiful thing to behold. But I am I am honestly conflicted and wondering how practical it really is. I have cut meat for over 40 years I know how much trim out there is even with a home grown beef that was professionally slaughtered with a crane winch, washed and immediately hung in the cooler, with almost zero contamination. In the field it is a totally different deal. I feel I keep my meat pretty darn clean and have had compliments on it when I drop it off at the processor, but when you have a bag full of small pieces (like between the ribs) I have trouble seeing how much of anything is left after trim out. Do guys who do this just not care how clean those small pieces of meat are and grind it all. The meat I grind is pristine. If anyone can shed some light on this and there is something I'm missing, I am all ears.

 

[Umpqua Hunter]

Did I post this topic before? I'm 53 now and I definitely know I am not as sharp as I used to be...ha ha.

 

[WapitiBob]

53 you're just a kid.

They're doing a "rib roll" and keeping it all in one piece. Youtube...

 

[JimP]

My problem is that I love to eat ribs so I bring the whole rib cage out with me. Along with the heart and liver.

I have seen people that use the gutless method leave just about as much meat on the bones as they take out with them along with the tenderloins. And as it gets more popular I have seen just the back straps and hinds taken with the rest left to rot.

 

[Colorado Cowboy]

Big difference (at least for me) between deer and smaller animals and elk and larger game. I have tried deer ribs and there is just nothing there. Now elk is a different story altogether. I to save all the ribs keeping them as left/right sides whole if possible. I then cut them into racks like pork and pressure cook them for about 4 mins. Cool. package & freeze for later BBQs.

On all the trim meat, I have 2 piles .....good stuff to grind and the rest is dog food.

 

[CrimsonArrow]

I've only done the gutless method a couple times because I like the heart, liver, and tenderloins. I don't see the ribs as edible meat unless you take the whole rack, and that just doesn't seem worth it for guys packing the meat out on their backs. And I take the hocks almost to the hoof, so it's not like I don't treasure every speck of meat.

 

[B&C Blacktails]

I always just gut the animal, you eventually have to anyways if you want the flank steak.

There is so much meat on the ribs. Anyone who leaves the rib meat is doing a disservice to the animal. I pack the ribs and briskit out whole, bones and everything. You can get three dinners for two people off of one side of the ribs and 1 dinner out of the briskit. Off of a mature deer the briskit and ribs whole weigh around 15 pounds, is that really that much weight... Hey I'll pack it out for you. There is also a way of basically filleting the rib meat off whole without any bones attached.

Before anyone gets mad and thinks I am attacking them the next time you harvest an animal please take the ribs and briskit and try cooking them this way: (great recipe for dinner parties)

1:Take a side of ribs and split in half parallel to the briskit, then break into quarters.
2lace 2 quraters in a pot of boiling hot water for 2.5-3hrs take it out and let cool
3lace ribs in the oven on broil for 10 minutes, after 10 minutes take out and season with your favorites and put on bbq sauce
4:Broil for another 5-8 minutes and take out
5:Let cool and serve

The same can be done with the briskit.

I know it is a little work but trust me it is worth it.

 

[B&C Blacktails]

I am sorry I just had to have a little rant. I guided some youth hunter in northwest Colorado for 3rd season elk and I was disgusted on the amount of meat left on some of the carcasses (20 or more) I came across! In some cases only the backstraps were removed off of a whole elk!!! All of my buddies used to leave all of the ribmeat and briskit not anymore.

 

[Slugz]

My 2 sense. When packing out our elk we take all 4 quarters, backstraps, tenderloins, all neck and brisket meat. Which is more than what the regs say ( not saying the regs are right) I've packed out the ribs before and we have trimmed the rib meat also.

I personally didn't like the ribs with bone in. Trimming the meat off the ribs I think depends on the season. I just cant keep the rib trimmings nice during he earlier hotter seasons. When the ribs were whole and cooled and hung, once the dry crust formed I was left with minimal meat for the amount of work to get them out. When the meat was trimmed off there was so much surface area that I needed to put them in a sealed bag to keep from crusting but needed a creek nearby to cool.

I think the season depends and style of hunting. Big difference from opening archery season backpacking in and late season rifle with a quad or truck nearby.

 

[Slugz]

I dont think a rant BC at all. Its our job to educate and teach. I took a newbie this year in 4th season, we got a good 6x6 down and he wanted to hump the horns out the first trip. When I told him no he couldn't believe it, we then had an introduction to boning out a rear quarter!! In the end he got it and thanked me. I got real heartburn with meat left in the woods and animals not taken care of correctly/respectfully. You are welcome in my camp anytime!

 

[JimP]

I personally think that all state game regulations should adopt what Alaska requires on packing out meat.

 

[BuzzH]

I have a bit different take.

I'm more in the camp of Umpqua hunter...I've butchered a lot of game animals and I just haven't found an elk, deer, or pronghorn rib that I like. I have no problem with people who want to eat the liver, heart, tongue, ribs, crack the bones for marrow...good for them.

My philosophy when I butcher game meat...when in doubt, throw it out. If its dirty, blood shot, full of fat, tendons, that stuff does not get anywhere near my dinner plate. I would rather see people USE 50 pounds of properly cleaned, top quality venison that they enjoy, than 60 pounds of chit that ends up freezer burned and in the trash can.

Plus, I think human hunters place themselves on a pretty high pedestal in regard to what they consider "wasted meat". There is nothing wasted in the wild and I would much rather leave some rib meat behind for the gray jays, stellars jays, bobcats, marten, lynx, ravens, eagles than pack it out where it will wind up in the local landfill. IMO, part of the circle of life is leaving a little something behind for other forms of life that directly benefit from the death of another animal.

That's not to say that I condone, in any way, leaving hind quarters, shoulders, backstraps, or tenderloins. But I don't think we need to lose our minds over some stringy neck meat, livers, hearts, bone marrow, or paper thin deer ribs either.

 

[B&C Blacktails]

I dont think a rant BC at all. Its our job to educate and teach. I took a newbie this year in 4th season, we got a good 6x6 down and he wanted to hump the horns out the first trip. When I told him no he couldn't believe it, we then had an introduction to boning out a rear quarter!! In the end he got it and thanked me. I got real heartburn with meat left in the woods and animals not taken care of correctly/respectfully. You are welcome in my camp anytime!

Likewise Slugz.

For all who don't like rib meat or neck meat you can always grind into burger or have shredded wild game tacos. There's no doubt mother nature will take care of any carcass regardless of how much meat is left behind but I believe if you take an animals life to fill your freezer there shouldn't be any edible meat left behind. There are plenty of people out there that would love to have what some leave in the mountains. Those birds and animals will survive, they made it through the winter, spring and summer without hunters providing carcasses for them just fine.

 

[BuzzH]

If you're going to take the high moral ground I would take caution on the definition of "edible meat". Bone marrow, heart, liver, kidneys, testicles, tongues, meat from the head, brains, etc. are all "edible meat".

Impose your definition on yourself and allow others the same luxury of following the laws of the States they hunt in.

There's a reason why most states have imposed legal definitions of what needs to be retained on game. As long as those requirements are met...you have no grievance on what is left behind on a carcass.

Further, its my contention that there is nothing wrong or unethical with leaving something behind for other animals to benefit from that you are not going to use.

Better to pack it out to throw it in a landfill? Or better to leave it where it will be utilized by other animals that we say we care about?

With that, I am 100% in favor of prosecuting anyone, to the fullest extent of the law, for any violation of failing to retain the legally required edible portions as defined by regulation/law/statute. As long as the law is followed...I have nothing to say about anything else, at that point its a personal choice.

What I have a problem with is the morally superior attitude of some, that unless the bones of a deer are ground up to feed your chickens (have known people who do this), that you're not respecting the animals life you took.

Follow the law and hold the superiority complex.

 

[B&C Blacktails]

If you're going to take the high moral ground I would take caution on the definition of "edible meat". Bone marrow, heart, liver, kidneys, testicles, tongues, meat from the head, brains, etc. are all "edible meat".

Impose your definition on yourself and allow others the same luxury of following the laws of the States they hunt in.

There's a reason why most states have imposed legal definitions of what needs to be retained on game. As long as those requirements are met...you have no grievance on what is left behind on a carcass.

Further, its my contention that there is nothing wrong or unethical with leaving something behind for other animals to benefit from that you are not going to use.

Better to pack it out to throw it in a landfill? Or better to leave it where it will be utilized by other animals that we say we care about?

With that, I am 100% in favor of prosecuting anyone, to the fullest extent of the law, for any violation of failing to retain the legally required edible portions as defined by regulation/law/statute. As long as the law is followed...I have nothing to say about anything else, at that point its a personal choice.

What I have a problem with is the morally superior attitude of some, that unless the bones of a deer are ground up to feed your chickens (have known people who do this), that you're not respecting the animals life you took.

Follow the law and hold the superiority complex.

I was just trying to recommend some ideas for some people who may not know of some really good ways to serve ribs and briskit. I used to leave the ribs and briskit behind until a fellow hunter showed me a fanatastic way of cooking some meat that a lot of us hunters
leave behind. Give a shot

 

[Tim McCoy]

Edible meat definitions vary by state. What I am sure all can agree on is taking just a few select cuts and leaving major muscle groups is wanton waste and illegal. It is best to know the regulations of the state you hunt in. Myself, I do not take heart/liver/tongue, unless someone specifically asks for it. I take the ribs as best as I can, knowing full well there is little there on a small deer/antelope sized critter. If you bone it all out, and do not have a good plan for that bag of trim, it can go bad fast... I usually leave the bone in on smaller animals so can take the rib cage intact. To each their own, as long as it is legal, but I understand the quandary UH.

Most definitions of edible meat refer to muscle meat, not organs like kidneys/brains etc. They often except tongue, diaphragm, and the like too. Best to check each state. I've never seen a definition of edible meat that included marrow, brains, kidneys, etc. Doubt one that broad exists as far as game animal meat goes. But I suspect most would consider rib meat edible, but some may or may not require it's recovery. For example, AK has some very strict and specific rules, OR more of a recover edible meat rule, at least I've had trouble finding specifics for OR. I would prefer very specific lists to eliminate any confusion if checked, but that is just me.

I actually worry more about all the evidence of sex rules, what has to be attached to what, than meat recovery, as we bring out all the meat we can. It is sometimes difficult, while in ginsu mode, to remember to leave something attached when boning one out.

 

[CrimsonArrow]

I'd like to clarify one thing. I take all the meat off the brisket and the meat that overlays the ribs, I just don't take the bacon-thin strips from between the ribs. JimP suggests going to the Alaskan model of wanton waste, but I have to agree with BuzzH. Why take anything out of the woods that will end up in the garbage anyway?

 

[Timberstalker]

Oregon has specified what they are considering edible portions. It is printed in the 2017 regulations, I can say I go above and beyond what the minimum requirements are, but I don't pack out innards.

I typically still pull the guts before boning an animal, especially elk. They are to big to move around with the guts still in them. It doesn't take long to gut one, so why fight the weight and bulk. It also give the bees and flies something else to work on in early season so they leave me alone.

 

[bdan68]

Totally agree with Buzz's posts. I always take all the meat I can, but the tiny little bit of meat between the ribs I don't worry about it too much. Nothing in nature goes to waste. But feel free to pack out the rib cage if you like cooking it up and eating it.

Also I will say, with the gutless method you should get just as much meat as if you didn't use the gutless method. You're basically doing in the field what you'd have to do anyway when you get home or back to camp.

 

[JimP]

Actually on the gutless method and boning out the meat in the field you will get less meat than if you wait until you get home. You are exposing more meat to dirt and what ever else there is out there plus the exposed meat will start to dry out after you cut it off so there is more trimming to do if you don't like the drier pieces of meat.