Lancelot Acres

We processed our first goat today.

I'm not sure what to say about the experience.

DH did the outside work.  Quick killing, bleeding-out, hanging, gutting, skinning...etc.  He said it was very similar to a deer, though it seemed a little tougher to skin (than a deer).  He did mention that it had been over a year since he'd skinned a deer, so he was just going by memory.  (DH didn't deer hunt this last year).

I honestly didn't do much.  He brought the meat in and it was cut in quarters.  He sliced the meat from the bone.  (DH is very good at things like this and I would NEVER try to do it with him.  The few times I have jumped in and tried to help with such things has lead to unneccessary arguments that last for days).  LOL.

So he would slice the meat and I would feed it into our grinder.  Now I should take a moment to discuss our grinder.  It's pea green in color.  Given to us by my in-laws.  I believe it dates back to the 60s or 70s.  It is LOUD.  It is on the back side of what used to be a mixer.  It was free and it works.  We are happy with that.  It has served us for several years through hunting season (venison).

So I fed the first bit of meat in.  The grinder makes this horrendous sound (it's already loud) and promptly jams.  So DH tells me to turn it off and he's going to check it out.  He pulls apart the grinder parts and there is meat/tendon/fat COMPLETELY wound up and jammed in the pieces.  He takes it out and diligently cuts the meat away and puts it back together.  I start again.  Same thing.  He comes over, does the same thing again.  I decide I'm not much help and come in here to the computer, making glances into the kitchen to see if, in fact, there might be something I can do to help.  There isn't.

So HE starts to feed meat in, and it's working.  He was cutting them in smaller pieces.  So I decide to go in and help.  I start feeding, it keeps working, and I start bagging the meat that's already ground.

So, that's how our afternoon went.  I'd say we spent about 4 hours total on it.  DH doing most of the work.  He was outside about an hour and a half, and then we were a couple hours on slicing, grinding and packing.  Then kitchen clean up.

We have never processed a goat before.  We do our own venison and it was very similar.  I must say that the Chevon (SP) was much more sticky and stringy.  It would stick to everything...and it was SO stringy.  If anybody has any experience here, I'd love to hear it!

We don't even know what to expect on the taste.  We've been informed that it tastes like a cross between beef and venison, and since we like both, we figure it will be fine.

We split the meat up between ground and chopped.  We eat a lot of stir fries, so the chopping seemed like a good idea.  We'll use the ground for things like tacos, spaghetti, chili, ghoulash and other such dishes.

DH did think it was funny that while we were in the middle of our processing...meat all over the kitchen, I decided I was hungry and ate lunch.  Ok, I ate at the computer in the other room, but still...he said he COULD NOT eat in the midst of processing.  LOL!  It was funny.  Didn't bother me at all.  That chicken stir fry left over from two nights before sure hit the spot.  LOL.

So if anybody has any experience with processing goat, and if it is normal to have it so sticky and stringy, I'd love to hear all comments!

Have a great day!

Lisa

WOW....

{ 08:21, 2006-Feb-25 } { Posted by DonnaJoy }

well, I know nutin' about processing a goat - but I sure loved reading about it!!
I'm kinda like your husband - I don't know if I could eat in the middle of processing something!! ...maybe I could!!
I can't wait to hear how it taste!!!
Blessings
Donna

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{ 12:27, 2006-Feb-27 } { Posted by gina }

Wow, Lisa, I haven't experienced this yet (in fact I am sending our first raised livestock-a pig-to the butcher shop in a few weeks). I really do believe if I am going to eat meat I should be able to process it too. I am curious-did your DH shoot the goat? And was it a female or male?

Let us know how it tastes! We like both venison and beef around here too.

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{ 09:33, 2006-Feb-27 } { Posted by kayinpa }

Cant help you with the goat issue, but dont worry about your unproductive day! You are a "sacred vessel" right now (as my FIL used to call me when I was preggers) and need to taking it easy!