It’s been a year since our last episode, and we’re back for deer season. Shane sits down at the block with Beau, Brett and Terrell to talk about how we process deer at Bourgeois and how you can get a better product out of yours.

In this episode:

• Ice water. Why we tell hunters not to soak their deer, what “chicken deer” does to your sausage and chops, and what a University of Georgia deer biologist told us when we asked him.
• Field to cooler. Bleed it, keep it clean, hang it, keep it cold and dry, pull the drain plug, and get it to your processor fast.
• More than sausage. Neck chops, seven steaks, rib chops, shanks for soup, and why you can never have too much ground meat.
• Ordering. What 50/50 and 65/35 really mean, and why sticking to the order sheet gets you the best result.
• Behind the counter. Brett’s start at his great-uncle Alan Cortez’s processing shop, the 28+ species we’ve processed (wildebeest, swordfish and more), and why we never mix your deer with anyone else’s.

We close with Brett’s tribute to Alan Cortez, who passed away in 2024. It’s worth staying for.

Got questions or ideas for a guest? Message Bourgeois Meat Market on Facebook or Instagram.

bourgeoismeatmarket.com

I sit down with my mom and aunts to discuss growing up in little old Schriever. They share stories of Mawmaw and Pawpaw and give insight to growing up in a large household. They were raised in the same house as their parents, right across the street from the Meat Market.

🔗 Connect with Us: 🌐 Website: www.bourgeoismeatmarket.com 📍 Facebook: facebook.com/bourgeoismeatmarket 📸 Instagram: instagram.com/bourgeoismeatmarket 📩 Email: Shane@bourgeoismm@gmail.com

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Shane sits down with Uncle John B to trace life at Bourgeois Meat Market — family memories, childhood mischief, working the slaughterhouse, the jerky boom, and the challenges of running a small meat business today.

They share vivid stories about Grand Isle trips, farm work, a finger accident, USDA and wholesale struggles, hurricanes, and advice for the next generation keeping a 133-year Cajun legacy alive.