Pinhook Meats

Pinhook Meats is a custom meat processing shop located in Lucas, Ohio. They process beef, pork, and deer for local farmers and hunters in the Richland County area.

Owner JJ Trumpower has been involved in the meat industry since age 18 and began processing wild game for hunters part-time in 2008. The business originally operated from the family's farm in Pinhook, an unincorporated area outside of Lucas. In 2016, Trumpower purchased a former Lucas grocery store where he had worked for 10 years and renovated the 8,000-square-foot facility. Pinhook Meats formally opened in May 2018. The business is state-inspected and operates a retail deli and meat market in addition to custom processing services. They are known for their in-house smoked products including jerky, bologna, sausages, and beef sticks.

All deer meat must be frozen, deboned, assigned to a tag number, and dropped off during designated hours. Deer drop-off begins November 5th each season. Hunters should bring meat that has been completely deboned with all bones removed before arrival. The business reserves the right to refuse improperly prepared deer.

For up-to-date information on drop-off times, processing options, turnaround times, or any special requirements, hunters should contact Pinhook Meats directly. Business policies may have changed since this listing was created, and we cannot guarantee all information remains current.

Drop-Off Hours

During deer season, drop-off hours are Tuesday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. These hours are specifically for deer processing and may differ from regular retail hours.

Deer Processing Services

They process deboned deer meat into various specialty products. Processing options include a variety of smoked and prepared venison products. Specific products and options should be confirmed directly with the business.

Retail Store and Deli

The facility includes a full-service deli and retail meat market. Regular retail hours are Tuesday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and Saturday from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. They are closed Mondays and Sundays. The deli offers sandwiches, salads, fresh baked Amish goods, chocolates, fresh produce, and a variety of dips. The retail case features beef, pork, 7 different hamburger patty options, 11 sausage flavors, and over 12 cold salads. They also carry frozen seafood, chicken, and pre-made sausage and hamburger patties.

In-House Smoked Products

Pinhook Meats prepares, smokes, and packages their own specialty products on-site. Their jerky is available in multiple varieties including regular, sweet and hot, peppered, BBQ, and hot. They also produce bologna in regular, cheddar cheese, hot pepper cheese, and jalapeño and cheddar varieties.

Deer Donation Program

Pinhook Meats participates in the Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry program. Hunters can donate deer to help feed those in need through this organization.

Customer Reviews

Customer reviews are overwhelmingly positive, with the business holding a 5.0-star rating from 152 reviewers. Customers consistently praise the exceptional cleanliness of the shop, high-quality meats, competitive pricing, and outstanding customer service. The staff is described as polite, friendly, and knowledgeable, with many noting that owner JJ runs the operation like a well-oiled machine. Specific products receive high marks, particularly their chicken salad, homemade sausages, and venison processing. One customer noted their ground venison with bacon was "perfect" and praised both the customer service and pricing. Reviewers frequently mention the variety of unique food options and convenient prepared items. The facility processes substantial volume—at peak, they were processing up to 1,500 deer annually before scaling back slightly to balance their expanded retail and custom processing business during COVID-19.

These reviews are sourced and manually curated from Google, Chamber of Commerce directories, and other third-party sites. All reviews represent independent customer opinions. We do not individually review these businesses.