A cut sheet is the instruction form that tells your processor how to break down your deer. Filling it out well is the difference between a freezer you're excited to cook from and a pile of mystery packages.
The primal cuts
- Backstraps (loin). The most prized cut. Leave whole for roasts, or have them sliced into boneless chops or butterflied steaks.
- Tenderloins. The small, ultra-tender strips from inside the cavity — usually left whole.
- Hindquarters (hams). Big muscles that become steaks, roasts, or stew meat — or get ground.
- Front shoulders. Tougher; great as roasts, stew meat, or grind.
- Neck and rib trim. Almost always destined for grind or sausage.
Ground and specialty
Decide how much you want as plain ground venison versus specialty products:
- Summer sausage, snack sticks, and jerky
- Bratwurst and breakfast sausage
- Whether to add pork or beef fat to the grind (most shops offer a blend ratio)
A common starting point: backstraps as chops, one hindquarter as steaks and one as roasts, and everything else ground — then convert some grind to sausage.