NZ Hunter – August 2019

Here's some quick tips for

boning them out.

Once back at camp or

home, remove all the skin from

the shoulders.

To remove the hoof, cut

through the tendons around

the knee and apply pressure to

open up the joint before cutting

through it with your knife. Now

you can start the boning process.

It’s obvious where the

shank/radius is (the bit the hoof

was attached to). Above that

is the humerus bone, which is

connected to the shoulder blade

(scapula).The humerus has a large

cover of meat that runs right up

and across the shoulder blade and

if you keep your knife flat on top

of this bone, you can peel back all the meat,

exposing the entire blade.

Now starting from the shank, use the

tip of your knife to follow down the entire

side of all three bones, passing each joint as

you go.

Repeat the process on the other side.

The meat will slowly fall away; the most

challenging part is the blade bone with its

unusual shapes and curves.

Once you have been around the

blade bone with your knife, cut through

the joint and carefully use this as a lever to

start on the underside of the blade, again

following the curves as you peel back the

meat. Once you have boned a few blades,

you’ll be able to do this in your sleep.

The shoulder contains these main cuts:

• Foreshank meat - great in a slow
  cooker (full of gelatin) or braised shank
  left on the bone or ideal for small goods
  or mince.


• The main blade itself - ideal for
  roasting or casserole steak.


• The small blade (trout) - ideal for
  roasting or casserole steak.


• The crosscut - ideal for casserole or
  can be cooked on the BBQ (from younger
  animals).


• Some venison shoulders (if in prime
  condition and completely covered in fat)
  can be boned and rolled into roasts. Do
  not try this with lean venison as it will be
  too dry when cooked (unless you use an
  oven bag).
  There are a lot of trimmings from a shoulder
  and 99% of hunters use this meat for mince
  or small goods because they prefer to use
  the tender primal cuts from the hindquarters
  for steaks etc.

Cheers BRB

Cut the bones

completely free

using the tip of

your knife

The main blade

The small blade

(trout)

The crosscut

Foreshank meat

Crosscut Main Blade

Small Blade

Foreshank

Neck Meat

Flank Meat

Backsteaks

August / September ~ NZ HUNTER MAGAZINE 45

Here'ssomequicktipsfor
boningthemout.

Once back at camp or
home,removealltheskinfrom
theshoulders.

To remove the hoof, cut
through the tendons around
the knee and apply pressure to
open up the joint before cutting
through it with your knife. Now
youcanstarttheboningprocess.

It’s obvious where the
shank/radius is (the bit the hoof
was attached to). Above that
is the humerus bone, which is
connected to the shoulder blade
(scapula).The humerus has a large
cover of meat that runs right up
and across the shoulder blade and
if you keep your knife flat on top
ofthisbone,youcanpeelbackallthemeat,
exposingtheentireblade.

Now starting from the shank, use the
tip of your knife to follow down the entire
side of all three bones, passing each jointas
yougo.

Repeat the process on the other side.
The meat will slowly fall away; the most
challengingpartis thebladebonewithits
unusualshapesandcurves.

Once you have been around the
blade bone with your knife, cut through
the joint and carefully use this as a lever to
start on the underside of the blade, again
following the curves as you peel back the
meat. Once you have boned a few blades,
you’ll be able to do this in your sleep.

The shoulder contains these main cuts:

• Foreshank meat - great in a slow
  cooker (full of gelatin) or braised shank
  left on the bone or ideal for small goods
  or mince.


• The main blade itself - ideal for
  roasting or casserole steak.


• The small blade (trout) - ideal for
  roasting or casserole steak.


• The crosscut - ideal for casserole or
  can be cooked on the BBQ (from younger
  animals).


• Some venison shoulders (if in prime
  condition and completely covered in fat)
  can be boned and rolled into roasts. Do
  not try this with lean venison as it willbe
  too dry when cooked (unless you use an
  oven bag).

There are a lot of trimmings from a shoulder
and 99% of hunters use this meat for mince
or small goods because they prefer to use
the tender primal cuts from the hindquarters
for steaks etc.

Cheers BRB

Cutthebones

completelyfree

usingthetipof

yourknife

Themainblade

Thesmallblade

(trout)

Thecrosscut

Foreshankmeat

Crosscut Main Blade

Small Blade

Foreshank

Neck Meat

Flank Meat

Backsteaks

August / September ~ NZ HUNTER MAGAZINE 45