Hunting Season
Hunting Season is Here: How Duff's Meats 2 Turns Your Wild Game into Tasty Traditions
Hastings, it's that time of year again—hunting season! And there's one local spot that’s as ready as you are to get in on the action: Duff's Meats 2. We sat down with Colin, the owner of Duff’s Meats 2, to get the inside scoop on how they handle the whirlwind of hunting season, keep quality high, and bring your hard-earned wild game to the table in the form of the tastiest jerky and sticks around.
Hunting Season at Duff’s: Challenges and Rewards
As hunting season kicks off, Duff's Meats 2 becomes a hive of activity. Colin tells us that one of the biggest challenges is the sheer volume of meat that comes in—and how fast it happens. “As soon as the season starts, it comes in very quickly,” Colin explains. Duff's team has to gear up for late nights, and even sleepovers at the shop to keep those smokers running. Now, that’s dedication!
But it's not just about keeping up with demand. With Thanksgiving and Christmas around the corner, Duff’s has to navigate running out of space while still ensuring every customer’s wild game gets the time and care it deserves. To make sure there's room for holiday orders, they can only take wild game from the start of the season until the first week of December. Colin says, “We try to get through it as fast as we can, but we have to stop early to make sure we can handle Christmas parties and other orders.”
From Goose to Deer: Handling All Kinds of Game
At Duff’s, no two days are quite the same during hunting season. Early on, they see a lot of goose and duck coming through the door. As deer season starts, they switch gears to primarily focus on deer. Colin describes the variety as “crazy” and even a bit exotic at times—whether it’s deer, antelope, goose, or turkey, they’ve got you covered as long as it’s got a tag.
Handling different types of game is a serious operation, and Duff’s makes sure every piece is kept separate to maintain quality. “Keeping things separate and out of the way is key,” Colin mentions, ensuring your meat stays your meat from start to finish.
How Your Deer Becomes Legendary Jerky & Sticks
Want to know what happens after you drop off your deer at Duff’s? Colin gave us a rundown of the magic that turns your hard work into delicious jerky and sticks. Once your boneless, cleaned deer meat comes in, Duff’s team adds some of their own high-quality meat to the mix—ensuring that signature taste you’ve come to love.
Then, it's all about that Duff’s special blend seasoning. Using their homemade recipe, they blend everything together, sometimes adding cheese or jalapenos for those who like a kick. From there, it’s into the stuffer, stuffed into casings, and then into the smoker for that perfect slow cook. “It’s all about patience and precision,” Colin says, “from stuffing to smoking to packaging, we make sure it's perfect every step of the way.”
Safety First: Quality You Can Trust
When it comes to handling wild game, quality and safety are the top priorities at Duff’s Meats 2. Colin ensures us that the same standards used for their retail food apply to all game processing. They even have a separate schedule to keep wild game and retail products apart. “All deer meat is done at the very end of the day, or on a completely separate day,” Colin explains, making sure both regular and hunting customers can trust that the meat they’re getting is of the highest quality.
The Wild Rush: Duff’s Busiest Time
As November rolls into December, things get hectic at Duff’s. “The last week of November and the first week of December are the busiest,” says Colin. The team focuses on scaling up their operations, bringing in extra hands, and putting in more hours to make sure everyone’s orders are ready. It’s all about wrapping up hunting season and preparing for the holiday rush without missing a beat.
Ready to Bring in Your Game?
So, if you're getting ready to head out into the woods, don't forget that Duff's Meats 2 is here to help make your hunt even more rewarding. Whether you want to turn your deer into smoky jerky, savory sticks, or other favorites, the dedicated team at Duff’s has you covered.
Hunting season might be full of challenges, but with Duff’s Meats 2 by your side, you can rest easy knowing your game is in great hands—headed towards becoming some of the best snacks you’ve ever tasted.
Have questions or want to schedule your drop-off? Give Duff’s a call at (651) 437-9500, or check out their new website at duffsmeats2.com.