I've been looking for some larder equipment particularly a Gambrell or three.

Does anyone know where I can get some stainless steel gambrells at non-silly prices?

Regards,
FB

FB,

Why not use S hooks instead of gambrels?

You need one S hook with a gambrel anyway, so why not use 2 and forget the gambrel?

The carcass twists about far less during skinning and/or butchering when hung by 2 S hooks through the hocks, although you do need room to walk around the carcass as you work on it...

When it comes to hanging the beast, you can also lift the carcass using a single S hook through the H bone providing you have not split it in the field...

Habitat sell 6" stainless steel S hooks in packs of 6 for £3...A pair would certainly be strong enough to hang the biggest Fallow..

Bushwear do heavy duty S hooks in 10mm Stainless steel for £5 each and pair of those might be a better bet when working on a really heavy carcass during skinning...

David Stretton at Donnington Park also sells S hooks and gambrels mail order, but I don't know what his prices are like...

Regards,

Pete

FB

I'll second Pete's suggestion regarding using two S hooks. Being able to skin, saw the pelvic girdle etc with the carcass obligingly hanging still, makes all the difference in the world.

rgds IanF

Hi guys,

the gambrel is actually just for the hanging time and Gralloching.

On one of out other shoots we have a pulley rig to lift the carcass with the Quad on a gambrell to help gralloch. It makes lif easier when you are aon your own. I also have a similar thing in the garrage for hanging as I don't have a rail.

Of course I need to shoot one first!!!

FB

FB, I have a catalogue in front of me of Larder equipment - all stainless steel.

Pack of ten "S" hooks - 4 inch - £5.30
- 6 inch - £11.22

(with various sizes in between)

Gambrels - straight - 8 inch 10mm dia - £6.58 each

12 inch 12mm dia - £7.69 each

(again various sizes in between)

This company also makes an "A" section Gambrel 10 inch across by 7 inch deep from 8mm dia steel - they are £5.91 each.

Contact: Tanda & Co, 98 Henshaw Lane, Yeadon, Leeds, LS19 7RZ.

Tel 0113 2502917

Hope this useful.

Andy

Thanks Andy,

My local Butcher has just rang me about 20mins ago with 4 gambrells that he doesn't use anymorethat I have exchanged for a haunch of Venison.... Not a bad deal!!

I haven't seen them yet but if for whatever reason they are not what I need then I'll give your guy a call.

He actually rang me to tell me that he had a block for me. 6'x2' unused on one side for £50...

All in all it's been a good day on the larder front and all I need is more people to come and shoot deer for me so I can use my new kit!!! I've given up trying myself as I have obviously p@ssed off the hunting gods somehow!!!

Regards,
FB

Pardon my asking, but what is a larder?

The one thing I would say is that if you learn to gralloch both guts and red pluck on the ground, you will never return to hanging to do it.

The advantages are that it gets done quicker, it's cleaner (doesn't splash you), the carcass is lighter and the blood is removed nearly instantly. If you have to drag a long way you need to be careful not to get mud etc on exposed bits.

A good knife will cut up the side of the sternum where the ribs meet the bone - at this point it's just cartiledge, even the biggest fallow buck can be done like this with my smallest 3 finger 2.5" bladed knife.

Try it a couple of times and you will never go back!

Hey Tex,

A Larder in most houses refers to a room that is used for storage purposes, Like a walk in store cupboard. Mainly it is for foodstuffs.

In the butchering/gamedealing sense it is the place where most of the processing takes place, usually the room outside of the chiller where the animals are prepared to be put into the chiller or processed into meat.

The room I am converting is a lean to, at the side of my house that I have a fridge and freezer in. I'm going to set the block as a worktop and add a stainless steel sink with full wash down surfaces. There will also be some storage space, so it will be a sort of cross between the two types of room I have described.

Rgds,
FB

Thanks for clearing that up for me. I was thinking of something along those lines, but wasn't quite sure. I see it clearly now.

Thanks!