Detailed Explanation of Processing Techniques and Operation Methods for Deer Tail

Deer tail is composed of caudal vertebrae, cavity, muscle fibers, adipose tissue, caudal gland, connective tissue capsule and skin. Due to different deer species, its shape and size also vary. The red deer tail is thick and plump, relatively short and wide, with a bluntly rounded tip, making it a superior quality product among deer tails; while the sika deer tail is relatively long and cone-shaped. The female deer tail is relatively short and thick, while the male deer tail is relatively long.

Deer tail has been used as a precious tonic and strengthening agent since ancient times in China, and is also a very delicious delicacy. Traditional Chinese medicine holds that deer tail has the effects of benefiting essence, supplementing deficiency, and nourishing and strengthening yang. Some countries' medical circles believe that deer tail can treat anemia, body fluid disorders, kidney disease and impotence.

Deer tail processing can be divided into 4 steps: dehairing, sealing, air-drying and shaping. First, dehairing. Place the fresh deer tail into a basin, scald with boiling water until the tail hair can be pulled off, then remove and quickly pull off the tail hair, then use tweezers and a knife to pull out and scrape clean the fine hairs and epidermis. Second, sealing. In the past, sealing mostly involved using a knife to remove excess fat and residual meat from the tail base of the dehaired deer tail, then sewing the skin at the tail base with thread. In recent years, some people have proposed leaving more tail skin when removing the tail, removing excess residual meat and fat, then straightening the tail end, and at the opening at the tail base using iron clips to clamp the inner and outer tail skin together from the bottom end of the opening, closely along the tail end diagonally upward, then threading the skin outside the clips with string, hanging for 20-30 minutes, then removing the iron clips, and using a knife to cut off the excess skin closely along the outside of the iron clip line; at this point the inner and outer tail skin can be sealed into one piece. Third, air-drying. Deer tail generally relies on natural dehydration and air-drying, that is, hanging in a cool and ventilated place to air-dry; it is not suitable to use the baking method for air-drying. If only relying on baking dry, it will cause the glands and fat inside the tail to melt and scorch, becoming a shriveled tail. Bioactive substances will also be destroyed, thereby reducing the quality of the deer tail. However, in the hot summer, in order to prevent it from rotting and smelling, it should also be placed in a drying oven (at a temperature of 70°C) for baking from time to time, with each session not exceeding 30 minutes. During air-drying and storage, prevent insect damage. Fourth, shaping. Sika deer tail does not need shaping. Red deer tail should be shaped when semi-dry, making its edges thick and plump, the back slightly raised, and the ventral surface slightly concave.