backinthegame
Active Member
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- 754
Hi guys...just wanted to drop in with a quick tale about a well-known Utah game processor, located in Draper. My big intention here is not to drag the business's name through the mud, I know they are trying to make a living just like the rest of us, and I've used them a number of times over the years with good enough results...but yesterday I ran into an issue and I'm annoyed enough with it that I figured others might be interested to hear it.
I'm guessing there will be guys commenting on this thread that it's always best to cut and package your own meat, and I don't disagree with that at all...I cut and package some of my own, but obviously not all of it.
Anyhow...my experience...
A month ago I took an elk in to be processed...left four quarters, no backstraps, no tender loins...kept the straps and loins with me to be cut and wrapped at home.
Fast forward to yesterday, the meat is done and ready to be picked up...while loading the meat I notice eight packages of "loin steaks", which obviously seemed odd since there were no straps or loins left with the quarters to be processed.
I went back inside and spoke with the receptionist about the issue, and she brought the owner over to chat. He told me that they label top sirloin as "loin steaks" which come from the hind quarter. No problem, except when I asked him how many packages that would normally yield from an elk he told me "generally two". I mentioned that I had eight packages of loin steak, and he replied "Looks like you made out pretty well then!" I told him sure...except I'm now concerned this isn't my animal...he then went on to assure me that it is 100% my animal, all meat is double-tagged, etc, etc, etc. So again I asked where the eight packages of loin steaks would have come from with no backstraps or tender loins, and he told me "sometimes there will be sections of backstraps left on top of the front or hind quarters"...haha...in the end, he had no explanation other than I'd "made out well."
Now it's possible that nothing is wrong here, that I did end up with extra top sirloin, enough to fill eight packages. I should be able to tell once I thaw and open a package, which I haven't done yet.
The other possibilities as I see them would either be that I've received meat that isn't from my animal, or that they are mis-labeled steaks as "loin" when they really aren't. Neither of these two situations would be ideal.
As I said before, I've used the processor before and always recieved meat that was up to par. Problem is, I now question (as I've heard others do in the past with this particular processor) if the meat I'm getting is my own. I guess that's the million dollar question with many processors unfortunately, and yet another reason to cut and package meat at home exclusively.
I don't see myself using this processor again, and I thought I'd pass my experience along here. Those of us who take the time and go through the effort of proper field care of meat expect to see that pay off on the table, and if the meat on the table is not the meat that we cared for...well, that's not a good thing.
Again...not trying to torpedo this guy's business, just issuing a heads up to fellow hunters as to what I experienced. My previous experiences have been fine.
Good luck the rest of the fall to everyone.
I'm guessing there will be guys commenting on this thread that it's always best to cut and package your own meat, and I don't disagree with that at all...I cut and package some of my own, but obviously not all of it.
Anyhow...my experience...
A month ago I took an elk in to be processed...left four quarters, no backstraps, no tender loins...kept the straps and loins with me to be cut and wrapped at home.
Fast forward to yesterday, the meat is done and ready to be picked up...while loading the meat I notice eight packages of "loin steaks", which obviously seemed odd since there were no straps or loins left with the quarters to be processed.
I went back inside and spoke with the receptionist about the issue, and she brought the owner over to chat. He told me that they label top sirloin as "loin steaks" which come from the hind quarter. No problem, except when I asked him how many packages that would normally yield from an elk he told me "generally two". I mentioned that I had eight packages of loin steak, and he replied "Looks like you made out pretty well then!" I told him sure...except I'm now concerned this isn't my animal...he then went on to assure me that it is 100% my animal, all meat is double-tagged, etc, etc, etc. So again I asked where the eight packages of loin steaks would have come from with no backstraps or tender loins, and he told me "sometimes there will be sections of backstraps left on top of the front or hind quarters"...haha...in the end, he had no explanation other than I'd "made out well."
Now it's possible that nothing is wrong here, that I did end up with extra top sirloin, enough to fill eight packages. I should be able to tell once I thaw and open a package, which I haven't done yet.
The other possibilities as I see them would either be that I've received meat that isn't from my animal, or that they are mis-labeled steaks as "loin" when they really aren't. Neither of these two situations would be ideal.
As I said before, I've used the processor before and always recieved meat that was up to par. Problem is, I now question (as I've heard others do in the past with this particular processor) if the meat I'm getting is my own. I guess that's the million dollar question with many processors unfortunately, and yet another reason to cut and package meat at home exclusively.
I don't see myself using this processor again, and I thought I'd pass my experience along here. Those of us who take the time and go through the effort of proper field care of meat expect to see that pay off on the table, and if the meat on the table is not the meat that we cared for...well, that's not a good thing.
Again...not trying to torpedo this guy's business, just issuing a heads up to fellow hunters as to what I experienced. My previous experiences have been fine.
Good luck the rest of the fall to everyone.
![IMG_2109[5094].JPG](/xf/data/xfmg/thumbnail/8/8001-1d1ae051a08f0376e492a4e775cb479a.jpg?1614230837)