sinew - what NOT to do

[stuckinthemud]

Here's a cautionary tale.
 So. 
I have to use bovine sinew - the choice I have is lamb, beef or pork, deer sinew is next to impossible to find.  Cow sinew is very fatty.  I got given a half-dozen bovine backstraps last September, I managed to clean a few properly but ran out of time and didn't fully degrease all of them.  Life happens and I didn't get back to them before now.  Now I know why it is important to completely degrease sinew before storage.  Over the last 9 months (what? wow!!where did that time go?) the sinew dried to amber just fine, but the fat has soaked into the sinew and cured it - it went crispy/brittle, I can snap it like, well, like peanut brittle. Had to throw 4 backstraps in the bin. Owch.  Hope someone learns something useful from my "do not do this" experience.....

[uwe]

Hi,
I had the same problem with horse sinew years ago.
Regards Uwe

[Pat B]

One of my best sinew backed bows was made with cow sinew. Fortunately for me it was already shredded and degreased, pure white and fluffy. It was leg sinew.

[superdav95]

Ya it’s very greasy stuff at least the stuff we get here from bovine.  I got some buffalo back strap from a local cattle and buffalo ranch that was similar.  Very fatty.  I have been told the difference is that the grazing and the amount of walking needed for our na variety of bovine or buffalo to the ones in non North American varieties.   In central and South America the cattle there are very rough meaning the meat is tough and not as tender. It’s also a different variety of cow called a Zebu.  I think this may have something to do with the fat content in bovine and such here.  The deer I get the best sinew I find.  Moose and elk is also very good especial for those longer bows.  Go to your local wild game butcher shop and show them your bows and see if they can set aside some sinew for ya.  That’s where I get the majority of mine.