Canning Deer Meat Pictures added

[Traditional-Archer]

These instructions are from the point of packing the canning jars, butcher you deer and cut the meat you want to use for canning into 2 inch cubes. Put your venison in the freezer or refrigerator for later use.
 
Take your canning jars and wash them. Then you cut up some onion and garlic, I use one clove of garlic per jar and a slice of onion one in the bottom of the jar and one on top of the packed meat, so count how many jars you can put in your pressure cooker or oven, dice one clove of garlic for each jar and two slices of onion for each jar. After you have cleaned your jars bring a small pot of water to a boil. Put one lid for each jar in the boiling water. Take a slice of onion and some hot pepper rings and coat the bottom of the jar, pack the meat on top of the onion and hot peppers and push as much air out of the jar as possible, pushing down on top of the meat packing it tight, sometimes using a wooden spoon will help with this part of the job. Put another slice of onion on top. Take your diced garlic and put that on top of your onion. Add one TSP of salt “optional” pore on top. Take a clean towel or paper towel and wipe the mouth of the jars, Take a lid that has been boiling and cap your jars, put your lid ring on and snug the ring being careful not to tighten too much. Load your jars into your pressure cooker going by the instruction of the pressure cooker. Instruction using an oven put your jars in your oven making sure the jars don’t touch each other, bake at 200 degrees for four hours. Take the jars from your oven after four hour and put them on a towel on your counter top. Make sure you don’t have a draft 0f cold air or cold surface making contact with the jars they will break.

  One important note about using the oven method, you must store your canned jars in the freezer; the temperature does not meet the recommendation from the safe canning or the FDA standards to store unfrozen.
 
These instructions are the same after pulling your jars from your pressure cooker. Put the jar on a towel to cool in the same manner. After 10 to 15 minutes you will hear the lids pulling down, a popping sound or to me it sounds like crack. When the jars have cooled, push down in the center of the lids. There should be very little movement in the lid and no popping sound. If that is not the case and you are not confident the jars have not sealed properly you can re-can that jar or freeze that can for later use , take the lid of check for nicks and cracks. If no evident damage is showing repeat the canning proses for that jar. The advantage of using a pressure cooker is time. Using my pressure cooker at ten pounds of pressure it takes 1 1/2 hours compared to four in the oven. I am adding picture to illustrate how easy this process is. Canning is a great way to us the animal you have harvested and I promise you the toughest animal will be as tender as you have ever tasted.

Please use caution when using the oven method; I have used the oven method without freezing the jars after canning. One thing we must always remember, taking chances with the bacteria contamination is not worth the risk.  After reading more and learning more about this process I have learned by using that oven process is too risky without freezing after the jars cool. Even though I have not had any problems from this canning process it’s like playing Russian roulette. Safety should always be the first step and the last step we take when canning our prized venison.

[11FIFER1]

Hi there good read that! .................erm a couple of points, what sort of jars can be used at those temperatures? can you use recycled jars? do you have to be careful which lid seals are chosen so they don't melt?
What is the longest you've heard someone keep food in that condition and still eat it? its hard to believe just fifty years or so ago this was common knowledge!
many thanks
Jim

[Aaron Proffitt 2]

My wife from eastern WV also does this.They refer to it as 'cold-packed'deer.Good straight from the jar.

[dino]

Jim,
I'm sure he is using canning jars(Ball or Mason) with canning lids.  Jars and rings are recyclable but not the lids.  I've never heard of that particular method before, but it sounds really interesting.  I do similar set up, but add on beef bullion cube, put in a canner on the stove top.  90 minutes at 10 lb pressure and they seal right up to.

[11FIFER1]

Hi
Ive just been on a site that surplys canning jars(Ball or Mason)and other equipment, got to do it just because it can be done!
thanks everyone
Jim

[Traditional-Archer]

11FIFER1, dino.
I sent Big Ron hunt alot a jar. It works wonders and tast so good. My friend Smokey uses a pressure cooker. The advantige of the cooker is time. And of course you need to have a pressure cooker.  

[11FIFER1]

Morning, I think I need a good read on this subject, can anyone recommend a good book or web site? one thing springs to mind, are the cans/jars recyclable? or do you just buy a new lot?
I've been watching a TV program on the hard times from the 1900's to the 50's, this is the sort of everyday product we would have used if there were food surplus to requirements. (no chance of that for the masses!
Took a war to end the hard times, hope its not going to be the same this time!
What a thought, no electricity or gas no coal industry , makes me shudder, and just think your lucky enough to be getting advice from our Government, today I believe! I'm sure they will come out smiling!
I'm a great believer in prevention is better than cure, this sort of survival should be passed down, just in case, I often go shooting to bag a few rabbits, most people I offer them too wouldn't know what to do with them if dressed out let alone if there still in their jackets! that's shocking, hang on just heard a crack, that's the soap box breaking, got to get off!
thanks again
Jim

[702plmo]

11FIFER1
  Go to the Ball Jar or Mason Jar web site.   Ball has a canning book for sale.       I also have a thread here that tells you how to can the meat.   I have had meat canned for very three years and still good.

[Brian Krebs]

jars are good forever; as long as they are not cracked; or the top edges chipped.

[Sumpfmann]

"Making the Most of Your Deer" has lots of information on canning. Sorry I can't remember the author. I got a copy from 3 Rivers.

[Hogtamer]

Trad archer, you don't add liquid to the jar?  Just the meat, onions and peppers??

[BigRonHuntAlot]

Originally posted by Traditional-Archer:
11FIFER1, dino.
I sent Big Ron hunt alot a jar.    

AND I ate it ALL...  LOL  It was good!!
Thanks Again Bruce.

Ron

[Traditional-Archer]

Sorry guys,
I forgot I had this one going on.
Ron its nice to hear you liked the venison.
Can you tell us what you made with the canned venison. Did you try it could right out of the jar?

I'm going to get me some, this is making me hungry.  :D

[Traditional-Archer]

Here I am,
You can use the jars over and over like Brian and other have said.
Look for cracks and chips at the mouth opening.
I like the large mouth jars, its makes it easier to pack.
Guys I tried a whole clove of garlic in each jar, wow way to mutch. It smelled like a whore house in my place, not that I would know that smell, but man woooow.  
       

[BigRonHuntAlot]

Bruce, I ate some right out of the jar and used the rest on fajitas!!!    :D

[702plmo]

Another option is add a pack of tace seasoning to the meat before the canning process.    When you open the jar it is already seasoned and ready to warm up for a mexican dinner.

[357max]

I can alot of my venison as well. I use the wet bath method, old fashioned canner with water over the jars. My recipe is with one bullion cube per qt., 1/4 tsp. pepper, fill jar with meat, add water to the neck, put on lids, process in canner for 4 hrs. You can make excellent gravy with the juice when you open the jar. serve over mashed potatoes.  This can also be used to can small game. my kids love meat done this way!

[fingers]

I grew up on canned venison. Pack 1 1/2" chunks into pint jars to within 1/2" from the top. I like to use the gristly meat from the fore legs and lower hind legs as well as any "scrap meat" especially anything with gristle as it "melts' in the process. Put 1/4 tsp of salt on top and then put into the pressure cooker. 2 different settings,, 15lbs pressure for 1 hour or 10lbs pressure for 75 min. Either way it is all good. Just make sure that the rims are clean and just lightly snug the lids so that the steam can escape. Then turn off the heat after the time allowed and let the cooker cool on it's own so that the pressure release allows you to open the canner when it is cool enough. Set the jars on a towel and after a while you will hear the "tink" as the jar seals. That's it! And trust me, it is GOOD STUFF!  Any hunting camp that is lucky enough to have someone bring an adequate amount of canned venison will relate to what this recipe means. Hot beef(venison) and potatoes fried with onions. Burritos, barbecue, stew,,, TOO GOOD!

[fingers]

[BBK41ND]

I use a pressure cooker and a bullion cube, with onion diced up in it.a real treat for all! It keeps years in fact me and the wife just had some from 3 years ago.Ive tried rabbit and squirrel also with the same results.Just be sure you use clean ,sound canning jars with new lids.A real treat right out of the jar or the juice in the jar makes excellent meat gravy over toast!!!