Reindeer chili is a popular dish in interior Alaska, where reindeer and caribou are abundant. Restaurants in Denali, Fairbanks, and Anchorage often serve reindeer chili on their menus, and even enjoy reindeer sausage for breakfast. Alaska Farm Bureau President Scott Mugrage believes that the interior has everything for meat production, with the continent’s tallest peak, Denali, and vast tundra forests teeming with wildlife and bird life. Nuiqsut, a traditional Inupiat community located in Alaska’s North Slope region, works to preserve food and traditions on the North Slope.
Mugrage and his backers are buying Mid State Meats in North Pole, which they have renamed Alaska Interior Meats. Alaska Interior Meats is owned by Alaskan farmers and is recognized as the first USDA privately owned and operated packing plant in the state. Personal processing starts at harvest and varies depending on the region of Alaska and storage options available. Alaska’s meat salvage regulations reflect the high value Alaskans place on game meat, ethical hunting, and respectful treatment of game animals.
Delta Meat and Sausage, Inc., is located in Delta Junction, Alaska and has been recognized as being the first USDA privately owned and operated packing plant in the state. They offer potatoes, beef breeding, beef-meat, chickens-eggs, and several sides of Alaska Grown sides of beef, all priced at $7.50 lb. based on the hanging weight, including processing and packaging.
📹 $21.41 Ribeye Steak – Fred Meyer Store Anchorage Alaska
How much is beef per pound in Alaska?
The company offers take-home meat, including whole and side beef, with an average weight of 250 lbs and 125 lbs. The cost is $13. 50/lb, with processing starting in October. The company is sold out for 2024, so customers can join the waitlist. To order, a $500 deposit is required, which will be deducted from the final invoice. Processing starts in mid-October, with shipping starting in late October, November, and December depending on weather. After determining the hanging weight, an invoice is sent based on the weight. Full payment is required before the order is picked up in the Fall.
Can you bone out meat in Alaska?
Big game animals must be salvaged and deboned before being transported to a state-maintained airport. Alaska regulations state that horn, hide, or antlers can only be taken out of the field after the meat is packed out. Meat must be transported in edible condition before or at the same time as the antlers. Hunters should know how to field dress and care for meat before going afield to avoid waste. Some good methods of field dressing include keeping the meat cool, clean, and dry.
Basic field dressing tools include a sharp knife, bone saw or axe, knife sharpener, game bags (size and quality), tarp (to keep meat clean and dry), rope and pulley (for tying off legs, lifting quarters, or moving the carcass), latex or cut-resistant gloves, and a pack frame or internal frame backpack for transporting meat. Remember to keep the meat cool, clean, and dry to ensure successful hunting.
Why is meat so expensive in Alaska?
Alaska’s grocery industry faces unique challenges due to its vast size and small population, resulting in logistical hurdles and higher prices. A diverse grocery landscape includes national chains, regional players, and independent grocers. Independent stores, often tribally owned or operated by local families, provide essential access to groceries in remote areas. However, these stores often face higher transportation costs and limited buying power compared to larger chains.
Can I ship meat from Alaska?
Meat must be wrapped in a leak-proof polyurethane bag, free from blood, dirt, or odor. Packages can weigh up to 100 pounds, but wet ice is not allowed. Perishable items can be shipped with five pounds of dry ice, but no wet ice. All packages must be labeled with the hunter’s names, addresses, and license numbers. If the package crosses state lines, the Lacey Act will apply. Hunters must provide shipping tags with their information, which can be picked up at the Alaska Department of Fish and Game or found in the regulations.
What meat do they eat in Alaska?
The preparation of Alaskan subsistence foods, including moose, caribou, salmon, grouse, rabbit, halibut, and bear, is comparable to that of pork.
How much is a 1200 pound cow worth?
The mean weight of slaughterer cows is 1, 200 pounds, with an associated cost of $600 ($50/100 pounds). The average weight of steers is 550 pounds, with an associated cost of $800 ($145/100 pounds). The average weight of heifers is 520 pounds, with an expected revenue of $623. Variable expenses include pasture, hay, medicine, salt and mineral supplements, supplemental feed, interest, and marketing costs, amounting to a total of $556.
How much is a gallon of milk in Alaska?
Anchorage is a relatively affordable city in Alaska, with milk and bread costing around $4 per gallon and $3. 38 respectively. The minimum grocery bill for one person in Alaska is estimated to be $451. 71, compared to the national average of $323. 72. Dining out at mid-range restaurants costs about $15, while Fairbanks’ average meal is around $20. Alaska’s transportation system is nonexistent, with most residents owning cars, which may require additional expenses like car payments, maintenance, insurance, and fuel.
How do you ship meat long distance?
Frozen meats can be safely shipped by US Mail, UPS, FedEx and other private carriers by using overnight or 2nd Day shipping. Meats must be packed in a Styrofoam cooler to keep meats frozen. They must also be packed with dry ice to keep the inside of the shipment cold. You cannot ship meats using regular ice! The package must also be properly labeled as “Perishable” and “Keep Frozen”. For more details on how to properly pack perishable shipments, contact the United States Postal Service or the shipping company directly.
You can arrange pick-up services with most private shipping companies like UPS or FedEx. They may be able to provide you with shipping materials, but you will need to supply your own dry ice which can be purchased from local suppliers. They can likely be found under “dry ice” in the phone book.
How much meat do you get off an Alaskan moose?
A 1, 600-lb (726-kg) moose weighs around 950 lbs (431 kg) and can produce around 500 lbs (227 kg) of meat. Alaskans and nonresidents harvest 6, 000 to 8, 000 moose annually, which equates to about 3. 5 million pounds of usable meat. The moose have two crescent-shaped halves with two dew claws, with deeper impressions in snow or soft ground. Their pellet shape depends on the season and food source, with hard and dry pellets in winter.
The moose are the largest members of the deer family, with a drooping nose and a range in color from golden brown to almost black. Full-grown males stand almost 6 ft (1. 8 m) tall, while adult females weigh 800 to 1, 300 lbs (364 – 591 kg).
How much is a gallon of milk in Nome, Alaska?
The decision to purchase organic milk is typically influenced by the product’s distinctive packaging, which carries an approximate price tag of $15 per gallon.
How much is moose meat per pound in Alaska?
Alaska Sausage and Seafood offers a variety of game meats, includingmoose, elk, bison, and caribou. Hunters can order their own batch of sausage, which they will receive back when ordering raw products. However, they have a minimum batch weight for cooked and smoked sausages, which may require combining meat from multiple hunters. The minimum weight for an “Own Batch” of meat sticks is 110 pounds, and for other cooked and smoked sausages, it is 90 pounds. To ensure high-quality products, all meat must be clean at check-in. Hunters can order their own game meat back when ordering raw products.
📹 Processing a Moose in Alaska | Canned Chili, Ground Sausage & More for Winter
Grateful and pleasantly surprised by this Alaskan Moose shoulder and hindquarter we get to work processing the meat for the …
I’ve never seen any of these articles, but I needed to look up this website and say a big thank you. My grandfather watches YouTube on his TV and doesn’t/can’t press a lot of buttons, so he’ll sit and watch hours of content, and he always tells me about y’alls articles. Thank you for helping him enjoy life.
I kind of find it weird that people are a bit surprised about how you two work together rather than segregate your roles. I love it, to me it feels super natural and ideal. I love the fact that your both so genuine and don’t even feel the need to ‘go there’ because absolutely no explanation needed… just a good relationship here with no doubt many ups and downs.
FOR REAL!!! I can’t think of someone who has inspired me more than the two of you! Last year I planted my first garden – this year, planted a garden twice the size, AND made pickles! (And already planted garlic for next year) Now that might not seem like a lot to you, but to this urban chickie it’s waaaay out of her comfort zone. I even bought a pressure canner (but still terrified to use it) to make soups, stews, and sauces! Thank you, hope someday I can meet you and thank you in person! Please keep being you!
I love convenience foods too but not from a drive thru. I have on hand chili, veg beef soup, chicken soup base, chicken gumbo soup, bacon bean soup, white bean chicken chili, and chicken broth. All canned by me. I’m 72 yrs old and live alone. I also dehydrate a huge variety of veg, which when added to soup I’m going to can, keeps its texture better than fresh. It’s a better way to store large batches than the freezer too. Congrats on your continued success. I so enjoy your team work and the devotion of your fur kids! Edit: making a big pot of veg beef soup today. Started with chicken bones leftover from previous meals collected in the freezer. Today I’m adding beef chunks leftover from trimming, dried celery, onions, carrots, mushrooms and a guart of my canned tomatoes from last season with garlic s&p a bay leaf and a bundle of parsley stems I saved in the freezer. Imagine the cost savings and compare quality to anything you could buy. No contest!
I totally agree with you about having convenience foods… This time of year it’s great knowing that I can work out in the garden cleaning things up and then come in and have soup or chili that I’ve put up earlier in the year. Bravo to you – eating great fresh during the season and having those fast meals in the late fall and winter. Love your journey!
Pro-chef tips: 1.If you toss your spices into your rough ground meat then pass everything through the smaller die, you will get a much more even mix of your spices in the sausage with a better texture because you won’t run the risk of “smearing” the fat. 2. Before you roast your bones for broth, rub them down with tomato paste. It will increase the umami flavor you were trying to describe in your roasted broth.
Bone marrow tip: when raw, take your bone tubes and split them in half long ways before you roast them (coping saw works well). Then you lay them out (marrow side up) and season with salt and pepper. They end up much more flavorful and less slimy to me. Other tip: with things that have a round bottom, you can roast them on a bed of salt for stability. My grandmother would use the salt that had meat juices on it for stews and soups, and everything else went back into the salt supplies, so very little waste.
In Argentina, we call the marrow : “caracú” (local Indians term) and is one of the most valuable parts of the cow!!! Italians call it “ossobucco” and bring these habit with them when they emigrated to Argentina during first world. We eat it with just salt over a toast (just simple as mediterranean food is…) Is very greasy but at the same time is lightly at palate.
Watching y’all cook & sample your Chili Beans— and talk about how “it warms you up,” because, “It’s so cold out here!” Made me laugh so hard— and out loud— because it was over 80 degrees, where I live….. On the coast of South Carolina! 🤷🏼♀️🤷🏼♀️🤷🏼♀️😂😂😂 That being said….. I always look forward to getting a notification that y’all have a new article uploaded! As soon as I see it, I go directly to YouTube, to watch it! Thanks for showing us, parts of y’all’s lives! Until next time….. Hope y’all have the most wonderful week, possible! 💗💗💗👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼💗💗💗
Greetings from Idaho… If you are not already doing this for grinding consider the following : 1.Have a separate knife for each grinding plate that you use (recommended by my butcher friend) and always use the same knife and plate together. This way they will fit each other well and give you the most precision fit for grinding. 2. Chill the auger and other grinder parts as it aids in preventing gumming up your meat. Thank you for the content. You inspired me to build a timber pole building last year. Now I just need a bandsaw mill…
Good deal on getting the Moose. My Dad was a butcher at one time and he showed me how, so years later I married a dairy farmer and I would butcher the beef, pigs, chickens, deer, wild turkeys and fish. Used to smoke the version roast, fish and wild turkey yum. Love your website, it’s informative, & relaxing. Blessings to you both.
Great moose meat, broth, grinding, and chili article. Try N. Carolina sweet cornbread : reg batch of cornbread, leave out a little water or milk and add 1/2 cup of Maple syrup. Preheat cast iron skillet with 1/2″ oil in oven, when hot, POUR in slightly runny cornbread mix (consistency of pancake batter) – the oil should come up over the top. Cook as normal, cornbread will fall out of the skillet and have a wonderful crispy outside, and a sweet flakey inside. Because of the oil, really no butter is needed. Try it sometime. : )
WOW i think the state of Alaska should be paying u guys for tourisum values because u guys make it look so easy to live in Alaska,, i think alot of people are moving there because they watch your articles and get so many ideas and tips from u guys and i wish that i was a lot younger i would be headed that way . i really enjoy your articles so be safe and GOD SPEED.
Alaska just knows how to do it right! Awesome they get families to take moose no matter how it is killed. Wish other states followed their lead. We see deer hIt by cars all the time here. To bad they don’t have a program like yours for deer meat for people who want it. Eric, I’m with you I love chunks of tomato in my chili. When I make my sauce I always leave big chunks. Great article!
This article showed many aspects of your life. Getting that moose provided you a terrific source of food…you turned it into bone broth, ground meats, roasts, sausage, and that Chili! You were sooo productive and worked sooo well as a team. Love a man that cooks. I have a husband like that. Bless you two!,,
Was just thinking what a great addition to your canned food that chili will be and then you said it. After a cold trip on the snowmobiles, ice fishing, and tired when you get home, a hot delicious meal in a few minutes. Congratulations on the Moose meat. Rounds out the other protein that you have processed for the upcoming winter. Do you wonder if some hunter, maybe without a license or tags, is perusal going “look…thats the one I shot in her front leg!” 😁
Hello to you both. I started perusal your articles about a month ago and now I am hooked. It is so refreshing to see two people working in tandem and sharing the hardships and pleasures you both must enjoy. Your knowledge of foods and cooking off grid is great. I know you have a big audience but one question. “Are you planning on expanding your house in the future?. Once again thank you for your endeavors.
That all looked so awesome! I’ve never tried moose but it’ll happen someday… Just a tip for ya when using tomato paste. Open both ends of the can and use the bottom round to push the paste through. Saves on can scraping😉 That chili looks insanely delish, what I wouldn’t give to at least have smellavision! Thanks for taking us along, 👍🏼👍🏼 from this guy!
Love perusal you can all your different foods. The only thing missing is being younger with a garden and able to can some of your recipes. I have to admit I have never seen two people enjoy the smell of food like you do. It is fun to watch. Eric always seems like it is the first time he has ever smelled good food. I can’t express the joy that your articles bring me. I feel like you are part of my family. Thank you again. God Bless. Joan
In the Victorian & Edwardian periods bone marrow was often served as a separate course. Very small spoons known as marrow spoons were used to dig the marrow out from the inside if the bones. Might I suggest something like a iced tea spoon (that’s what my Grandma used). Haven’t had marrow for many years. Some salt & pepper on the marrow is good & sometimes she would add a bit of chopped raw onion.
Watching both of you is a great learning experience. Your ability to adapt, make changes from year to year and to expand your skill is wonderful to watch. Not many would test their product before packaging but you do. Your attention to detail is a wonderful thing to watch. I hope i live long enough to see the book that you will write regarding your adventures…it will be a best seller. I was wean on the Fox Fire books from the students of The Carolina’s and yours is the next best thing. Keep doing what your doing. Cheers