278 LBS of Meat | Butchering a Moose 

Did I, a Finnish student with no hunting or butchering experience or interest in "living of the land", watch an American couple butcher a moose for 30 minutes straight? Yes, yes I did.

Butchering with a white shirt on. Legend.

I can’t even unload my luggage for a week after a trip and these guys will drive five hours, catch, clean, fillet, vacuum seal 28 salmon and then make dinner. I know, I know it’s a different video but the work ethic is unbelievable. You guys inspire me. Keep up the good work.

“Guess I didn’t know my own strength” followed by that smile & hip-dip, was everything!!! I laughed out loud & was smiling for the next several minutes. This entire moose process was so interesting. You guys rock!!!

That little dance of Eric's with the 'Guess I didn't know my own strength' comment! Just cracked me up!

When you place a whole moose in the freezer you need to rotate the meat outside into the center every 10 hrs. A whole moose will not freeze fast enough and the meat in the center takes days to freeze. Rotate it from the center to the sides. The outside will freeze the fastest.

Yes, butchers (the "old fashioned" ones) mince the fat before rendering it. The left-overs are called dregs and working dogs love the stuff. Big butcheries would put the dregs in 100L drums and farmers would come and take them away as a dog food supplement. Dogs fed this way have the glossiest canine coats I've seen.

Never in my life did I ever consider I’d watch two episodes of hunting and processing a moose. Well done!!! I continue to be amazed at the amount of work you guys put in to support yourselves and the knowledge that you are sharing. Thank you for such an excellent presentation of what you did every step of the way. Xx

The shot of the fat cooling in jars was really well done. Great work

Just one more thing i hope is helpful when you add that much meat to a freezer you need to move the meat around for a few day since it’s not a forced air freezer the meat will insulate the meat in the middle and it might take weeks to freeze and can spoil before that happens

Guys, I randomly came across your channel and I'm absolutely loving the videos. I appreciate there's no click bait. No over the top production. No inappropriate content. There's a good blend of explaining what's being done, what your thoughts are, how you're doing it, and showing it being done. Cheers from Florida!

I won't lie, I love my on-grid life, with all the amenities. I'm spoiled. I watch your videos because it's just such a nice feeling to see people living their lives without the anger and downright hatred that seem to be the dominant emotions these days. Please keep doing what you're doing, and thank you for sharing.

I'm an old school hunter and I would thank you two for the total respect you show for one of God's creatures that you harvested to feed yourselves, I hunt with guys that don't even take the heart of a whitetail deer I tell them about it but they just dont know, I still hang deer in my garage and more less work on them like you guys, using every part, so thank you, PS if that grinder ever gives up try a LEM big bite and you wont need that stomper anymore.

What a life those dogs have. Just chilling out, watching their diligent Hu-mons prepare their food for them.

I ove how you two waste nothing or take anything for granted.

When you grind meats to make sausages, it's recommended that you have a bucket of ice cubes on the side so that you can add into the grind to first reduced the heat and keep the protein cold so it won't breakdown on you, and second, the ice cubes will make your sausages more juicy instead of dry, third, it prevent the meat from getting spoiled if you keep the bucket of ice cubes under the grounded meat while attempting to finish grounding your large portion of meat.

that was soo cool when the fat solidified

So excited for you to have a freezer full of meat, and a woodshed full of wood for the cold months ahead, all your hard work has paid off! Bravo!!!

I'm amazed your shirt stays so white doing all that butchering. Impressive.

I've always regreted moving back to the lower 48. I worked the pipeline 75-76 when Anchorage was a Boomtown. And enjoyed every moment of Alaskan life. Especially the subsistence style of life & the taste! Glad you tipped one over.

Whenever we are processing an animal, all kinds of different recipe ideas go through my mind. Nice to know I'm not the only one. Excellent video!

Anyone else crack a smile when Eric said "guess I'm a lot stronger than I thought"? great seeing the less serious side of you both!

It's so cool seeing this stuff on a large scale. I'm going to be 21 soon, and I live in a fairly urbanised area in Ireland. My family think I'm weird that I like to buy chickens whole, butcher them and then render the oil, make broth, or ask my butcher for scrap bones. I see it as I pay less for more meat/broth/fat for later, and I enjoy the process. I guess maybe weird part, is that I feel more connected when I process the animal myself. All around me, you just go to the supermarket, grab a roast and go home. It feels empty to me. I don't want to insult anyone who prefers this way though, cause if our ancestors were told "hey go to this cave and pick up a fully processed animal for nearly no risk to your life" they'd do it. I've never been spiritual but I guess in a sense this is a way for me to discover myself or feel a connection to those who have passed.

I love how you guys use everything. This is how I grew up as a small child. We made everything. It reminds me of some happy times.

Eric’s “I do not know my own strength” dance cracked me up but Arielle’s “Mmmmm” at the end of the video was perfect!

Our seven year old daughter giggled when you bragged about being able to carry the moose in and later said, "wow I think they eat even more than you do mom!!" 😂✋ We both love watching you guys, thank you for sharing some of your life for others to learn from.

tip: turn the plastic bags inside out stick your hand in grab a pound of ground meat turn the plastic bag over the meat - seal

As a 20 yr Alaskan resident this is in my opinion a master class in processing and I am glad you clarified why you didin't add pork fat back. I love all the things you render especially the bone broth. Bravo!

You guys are like a food factory. Its amazing what you can do in that tiny kitchen. 3 10 hour days... you really worked for it.

Ahhh. The wonderful skill to turn what most perceive as a "grisly process" into a beautiful and peaceful time. Bravo. Thank you for sharing.

These folks are so knowledgeable and industrious! They are also quite charming and polite to each other. I have learned a great deal from their videos.

Hi. Even though Covid messed with the world, ya'll killed it this year with your wood shed, fruit trees area, great harvest from your garden n now this beautiful moose that ya'll proceeded so well, n the fish caught, the eggs n chickens you care for that will feed you. I hope for each meal, you say a little prayer thanking those animals that will nourish you. Your growing knowledge shows on your Homestead thru all that you do. Peace to you and yours

Having a full freezer is a great feeling and that meat is beautiful.

I can recommend raw lingonberries mixed with a little bit of sugar as an accessory to your mooseburgers. Common in Sweden. Make sure not to use too much sugar! Greetings from Sweden!

This is amazing work and great relationship between you two. I cannot believe how awesome it is to love off the grid and it looks way healthier to eat the way you guys do. I am in awe of what I've been watching in your videos. I'm a city girl but I want so much to live off the grid like you guys. It is way more entertaining than having too much down time. I bet this lifestyle would help insomniacs.

Absolutely wonderful! That is what you call REAL food. I love the way you two work together and your lifestyle...this is how life was meant to be.

Loved watching the time lapse of the tallow cooling, and later, the lids popping on the bone broth. So awesome to see your hard work pay off and your gratitude for the abundance. PS: I bet you're glad not to be still living in Cottage Grove right now. Best wishes to any family and friends remaining in Oregon.

I love the way y’all used every ounce of that animal. So awesome to have that much food ready for winter. Way to go y’all.

Brilliant, I am officially obsessed. Love the fact you guys love spice in your food. I am from Jamaica 🇯🇲 wish I could experience this lifestyle with you guys. You guys are a lovely couple and work well together ❤️

I love this channel! You guys showcase sustainable living at its best. Living off the land with minimal impact. Also love how when you do have animal protein, you use as much of the animal as possible - great respect for nature.

Never had Moose personally but my mouth was watering like the cat and dog 😁...Also, that meal at the end looked really yummy 😋

16:50 Eric being such a humble king 😂😂

I don't get to hunt often, but it makes me so happy to see people still keeping this art alive.

A single animal provided so much meat Very well done

Ohhhh myyyyyyyy... moose steak and egg! i feel like homer simpson drooling over donut.

Watching you two work so well together processing this majestic animal let's me know I need to try and work better with my wife. I'm outdoorsy but she unfortunately can only make reservations and shop. She's a good woman who is just a city slicker. But if there was ever a food crisis, which I really feel is on the horizon, I need her to be able to have some skillsets. Ive hunted and lived off the land all throughout my childhood in Louisiana. Thanks you guys. Wonderful video. Wonderful couple. Wonderful channel.

You two are the channel hosts most conscientious of your viewers. You consistently add comments that are most informative . . . exactly the answers to my mental questions. I learn tremendously from you. Thank you!

I was watching with subtitles on and when you guys were cooking the steak and eggs the frying egg said “thank you” and then “applause”! Had to mention that.

I love how y’all never let anything go to waste! Such an amazing channel!! Much love ❤️

Your separation of duties is always spot on. I'm wondering if that is discussed ahead of filming, or have you worked together for so long that it just happens? Love the content. Cheers!

congratulations on the successful harvest. Should be plenty of meat for the upcoming year.

You two are truly inspiring. I hope plenty of young folk are watching. What you are doing educates all of us....thank u!

The subtitles kept saying "mousse.." I chuckled every time.

Great, great video!! Thank you for showing people the moose harvest is more than just meat. That bone broth and tallow looked so pure and beautiful. Have you thought about grinding up the bones for garden mix or adding to chickens winter feed? Oh, last thing... don't forget to rotate the freezer meat so the middle packages can freeze too. Don't want any of that beautiful meat to spoil. Be well! Thanks for sharing your Alaska life with us. Cheers from Kansas.

Pro tips: while on the finish grind, have the second person hold the bags over the front of the grinder as the meat is coming out. This way it fills the bags as you go, keeps the bags cleaner than stuffing them after the fact. Also keeps your hands cleaner, and saves a ton of time. Hand stuffing bags takes a lot of time. I know you are both working on separate things at the same time.. but try it next time for 20 minutes and you’ll realize it’s worth it to tag team that process. I also tend to do the hind quarters right after straps. They are large muscle groups that are processed faster than shoulders and grind. This gets more volume of meat done and into the freezer faster. Find the shoulder blade roast to pull Flat Iron steaks off the front shoulders, that’s a steak worth keeping. Stock up on more Saran Wrap and butcher paper, it’s cheaper and more sturdy than vac bags. If packaging strap steaks 2per pack, you can keep them together cut at 2”and then cut them into two after thawing out. Less exposed meat to freezer burn. Better for ground meat too imo because you can get more air out with Saran Wrap. Good call on grinding the fat. I usually dice it into 1/2 to 1” pieces, but grinding would definitely make more surface area to weep rendered fat from, and a lot easier on the body than cutting it all. Cold is key! good job keeping the meat nearly frozen. Throwing the grinder parts in the freezer before hand, and during any breaks also helps a lot.

Thank you both for sharing your life, your experiences, your knowledge, and your talent with us. It's incredible to see how much you've accomplished since moving to Alaska, such an inspiration!

Eric is always cooking! Love it.

The meal at the end looked sublime! That’s a lot of meat 🥩 and lard! You two are great at processing it all!👍❤️🙏

........This has got to be one of my top favorites of all your shows... Really enjoy watching yall break down a whole moose into the various portions so skillfully and working in such harmony and companionship....Great show and many thanks....

Thank you for using the whole animal. That's an amazing thing. I'm so glad you guys have taken care of yourselves and appreciate the sacrifice.

It’s very interesting learning what you do with the moose and how you cut the meats. You guys are very industrious.

Love, love, love your channel! This is how i grew up, in a hunter family out on a farm in the middle of Sweden. Where you took care of everything. Going to the crocerystore was a treat, and it was only to get a treat. We lived of the land, and i am after years in the city jungle finding my way back to my roots. Not hunting, but living of the land the best i can.. The reward? The taste.. Everything taste so good.. Thank you for showing it can still be done today, and that every part of the animal is put to use. Looking forward to your cooking book! :)

I’ve never seen a better relationship. Good for you guys.

🙀 Cat:"Ahhh, I'm exhausted just watching them."

I love it when Eric says 'moosemeat'

Once again I'm so proud of y'all getting that moose changing it over to steaks and hamburger meat making lard and full , enjoy the video so very much keep up the good work .

I felt like every time I watch your Chantal It's always amazing to watch and learn about news stuff.👍👍👍👍👍👍🌹🌹

Congratulations! It's not the harvest, it's the harvest that makes the memories you get to keep for a lifetime.

just came across this channel, I'm loving it! One of the best channels i've ever seen on youtube

Just a thought, Through this virus 🦠 I’ve learned to can meat, can dry pack it into jars, add whatever seasons, pressure can 75 minutes pints, 90 minutes quarts, I’ve canned roasts and chicken, dry packing is soooo easy...love it!

I really like the fact that you huys really used every single part of moose. Its showing me that you really appreciated the life that been took down. Thank you for sharing us.

Two of the delights of moose season for us as children were moose shish kabobs and pickled moose sausage. After rendering it all down into cuts and getting it wrapped, ground, etc. A large metal bowl appeared in the unheated garage filled with about 10 pounds of meat cut into chunks. My mom marinated it for four days in 2 large bottles of Worcestershire sauce, the juice of two lemons, and 2 Tablespoons of Rosemary. The meat actually "cooked" in the marinade and we kids used to dip into the bowl and eat the meat uncooked. It was delicious but even better strung onto skewers with bell pepper chunks, mushrooms, and onion and cooked over the fire. The pickled sausage last almost a year. Mom used a five gallon glass mayonnaise jar she brought home from work after the mayo was all gone. Into it went moos sausage that was made at the butchers, into long, round casings with spices. She sliced the sausage up into half inch think rounds until the jar was nearly filled and then covered the meat with vinegar and pickling spices and left it to sit on the counter for 2 months. That meat was divine! It was our after school snack on crackers with cheese. I hope you will give it a try! I appreciate your adventuresome spirits and the lovely partnership you have with one another. That is what makes the life you've chosen work. Many thanks for your lovely videos and for your courage to try a new life when the old one no longer fit.

Woohoo although this video would make for a bright and sunny day lol. I will wait until I get off work to enjoy it. As much as I would like the multiple videos I enjoyed when I first discovered your channel (60 day lockdown), the quality and anticipation for the next chapter are worth it. Congratulations 🎊

CONGRATULATIONS FOR THE HARVESTING YOUR MOOSE! I AM HAPPY TO HEAR THAT YOU WILL HAVE PLENTY OF MEAT IN YOUR FREEZER. WHAT A BEAUTIFUL GIFT FOR YOU THIS WINTER AND TIME TO COME. I AM NOT SURE IF YOU COULD ALSO MAKE BROTH BUT THIS TOO WOULD HELP YOUR PANTRY. IF ONLY YOU COULD MAKE A N ENTIRELY INSULATED COLD ROOM THAT COULD BE BUILT ON THE SURFACE WOULD SURELY BE SOME KIND OF MIRACLE. YOU BOTH HAVE A LOT OF WORK AHEAD OF YOU BUT IT SEEMS THAT YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE CREATIVE PEOPLE WHO ALWAYS HAVE SURPRISES OF EXCELLENT PROBLEMS SOLVING IDEAS FOR WINTER MANAGEMENT. GREAT JOB!

I love that you are so self sufficient

I remember as a child (I'm 79 now) watching my Mother and Father butcher a deer each year. This video was so interesting to me watching all the hard tedious work to basically use most of the moose!! I learned a bunch of new things about tallow, bone broth....amazing how much information you have to do all of the processes you accomplished. Also, loved watching the "potato harvest" video too. Blessings to both of you. ♡ D

Just a huge thank you for bringing my big-city stress level down. Watching you both working together with that respect for each other and for nature is so relaxing and rewarding! Can I come visit?!?! lol

Whoop Whoop!!!!! Finally, another video!!! My day is made!!!!

Thank you for being you, and for sharing with us your natural ingenuity on harvesting nature's gifts. X from the UK 🇬🇧

That time lapse of the talo cooling, then hardening was awesome!

I keep having dreams about Alaska, although I've never been there. Each time it's the most beautiful enchanting place...like Neverland !

Hi, was living in Norway for and our neighbourhood was hunting a lot of moose. We always hung the meat for 40-degree-days, example avg temp 10 C degrees x 4 days = 40 degree-days. But it was always in whole carcasses in a shed and avg day temps below 20 Celcius. Good luck next year. Best regards, Annie

I’m in awe of how you guys live! Thank you for sharing your life!

I have never been so moved by a video as much as I have by the last 2 and 1/2 minutes of this one. Bravo, and thank you.

When loading those ground meat bags slip your canning funnel down into the bag all the way to the bottom & as you fill it the bag will slip down. Much easier that way

Ive been waiting for this video! Yay!!!!

So happy I subscribed to yall! I really enjoy the small moments between yall when you are working. Thank you for creating such warmth for me. Its been a hard year but its been so good to follow along with yall and going back and binging your old catalog. IDK if yalls community has a name but I am so happy to be here :)

you two remind me of my wife and me. She also helped a lot and when I got into being a taxidermist she did most of the work. Worked on the other job when I was a residential contractor and did the payroll and books. We worked hard and now we retired and it was a rewarding journey. Hope you two have a long loving journey thru life

Really love your channel. You both come across so well and I've loved following your story on RU-vid. I live in the UK and I aspire to be like you both, perhaps not Alaska but certainly overseas and off-grid. Thanks for the inspiration and sharing your knowledge with us all :)

I love your interactions--its adorable! You should do a whole video on your love story and how you met. I felt like I wanted more B-roll of the pets all eating their share of the moose meat!

The more i Watch your channel the more i want to move up north. Now the only problem is my wife hate the cold. lol. Thanks for taking us along on this journey. Gosh thanks again.

It's awesome when you've got such a large variety of fresh ingredients to pull from.

Love how much of your life with us. Thank you so much for sharing. I was thinking with no fat that would been dry. Thanks for sharing that with us. I know with whitetail deer here in SC we got to add fat or it's to dry. Thanks for all you do for us guys. God Bless..

A video of you guys telling us how you two decided to live that way would be awesome! I'm from the city, but I'm facinated with the way you guys live

The best field to frying pan video I've seen in a long time. I really dig how much of the moose you guys make use of. Great video!

It's truly amazing how much meat, bone broth and tallow you were able to get from one relatively young moose... Truly enough to feed yourselves for a year! That's amazing. I also found it incredibly empowering to watch you two tackle the butchering yourselves. I love the way you two just do your research and fearlessly get to it, learning as you go. I've actually noticed that I'm not procrastinating as much as I used to because I've watched so many of your vlogs that your "get to it" way of being is rubbing off on me! Thanks so much for sharing. Wish I'd have gotten to meet you when you lived here in Oregon. : - D

Of course you end it with yet another lovely meal~~~~ Looks SO GOOD!!!! CONGRATULATIONS on getting that moose all processed....wow! Impressive! Yes Eric you don't know your own strength....oh man that was so funny! Made belly laugh...a person has to have a belly laugh at least once a day for good health :) I was so excited to see you had a video out today....I got you all set up to listen/watch while I cut a huge amount of peppers for dehydrating and freezing. Have a Great day! And Thanks for you content!

What a meal! It looked absolutely gorgeous . You must have been exhausted after all that hard work. So worth it though! Fantastic amount of food from one animal. Great video, really interesting to me!

You ,guys are an awesome power couple ,I really enjoy all the wisdom you share !

YOU GUYS WOOOOORK A LOT ! ENJOY WATCHING EACH VIDEO, I LEARN SO MUCH ! BLESS YOU GUYS.