Canning Deer Meat Pictures added

[Izzy]

Im trying Traditional-Archers recipe today for the 1st time, minus the overnight soaking to see what happens Ill let you all know.
                                     Izzy

[Darrel Jones]

I have a question about frozen meat.  I brought an antelope home this year but because it took so long to get home from Harding Co. due to the early season blizzard South Dakota had, I took the antelope to a processor.  I usually cut it up myself.  Can I thaw out the frozen trim meat and can it once it is completely thawed out?

[BigRonHuntAlot]

Darrel,  Yes you can and shouldnt be able to tell any difference either.

[702plmo]

Darrel,  I have done that before and like ron said you can not tell the difference.   Also,  I read somewhere that you should freeze your meat for 30 days to kill any bacteria that may be living in it.

   While canning venison in pint jars this year I placed a 1 inch cube of jowell bacon in the jar with 1/4 TS of sea salt, 1/4 TS black pepper and 1/4 TS of garlic powder.    

    The bacon added flavor and the spice were just right.

[unclewhit]

Hey guy's
 Both of My brothers swear by this method, they both say that they'll never go back to freezing meat.
Just store the jars in the pantry and save the freezer space. When the jar is empty just wash it and store it away till next next season.

[HATCHCHASER]

I've done it this way without soaking the meat overnight and it is still good.

Put a can in the crockpot with a couple cans of cream of mushroom soup and serve over rice or noodles.

Get you a can of veg-all, v-8 juice and a can of meat and make soup.  You might want to throw some cornbread in the oven for this.

Just heat it up on the wood burner and eat it with crackers and a cold one.

Man I'm gettin hungry!  

[Joseph]

This is the best thread I have read on here!  Tried the canning thing and it is delicious!

[Traditional-Archer]

Darrel Jones
Yes you can unthaw the meet and have no problems at all; our butcher told us when we asked the same question of him, we being my brother-in-law and myself. He said butchers freeze meet so it is easer to work with as they cut the meet up. Then they unthaw the meet to sell he said sometime the meet could be partially unthawed 3 or 4 time before sale. I hope we have answered your question.

Bruce    

[Bent Rig]

it is not a safe practice what the first post stated as "canning' in a oven . An oven won't kill all the bad things and could promote Bochelism . Just thought I'd throw that out there so anyone that reads this thinks that it is considered a safe practice but it's not . Get on the web and you can find the proper (by pressure cooker)and only way to make sure whomever is eating the "canned" items are safe .

[Traditional-Archer]

Bent Rig, Thanks for the warning, I assure you I have talked to doctors and have talked to friends of mine that can both in a pressure cooker and in the oven both ways. They all say the same thing, as long as you get a proper seal on the lid, and no sign of air, lose lid or damaged lids keeping as much of the utensils clean as you go like I do, that is what keeps the bacteria from entering the jar. Pressure cooker or oven, meet the proper temp to do the job but I will again thank you for your concern. If you have some sort of training to back up what you say please fill us in, my kid’s lives depend on that, please feel free to call me and if what you say, is backed up by your experience and knowledge I will have this thread removed to save all our lives.
Bruce       :confused:

[Joseph]

TTT

[ksbowman]

This is a very informative canning thread. TTT

[Butts2]

In part of this thread -after reading all of them- someone mentioned thawing out meat and then canning/pressure cooking. Does the meat need to be thawed completely prior to the canning or partially. I have until Christmas before I get to try.....guess I was not suppose to look in "that" closet.  

[Tracks]

Originally posted by Butts2:
In part of this thread -after reading all of them- someone mentioned thawing out meat and then canning/pressure cooking. Does the meat need to be thawed completely prior to the canning or partially. I have until Christmas before I get to try.....guess I was not suppose to look in "that" closet.      

You will want to thaw the meat completely before canning so that you know it has cooked completely and evenly.

USDA recommends using a pressure cooker, not the oven.
 
Here is a link to the USDA canning guide (Guide 1 and Guide 5 are most pertinent to this discussion.):
 http://extension.usu.edu/utah/htm/fcs/food-preservation-canning/usda_home_canning

[Butts2]

Thanks Tracks! Went to the site and thought I'll just print it out... first guide is 40 pages...yikes.  

[Traditional-Archer]

Tracks
Thank you for that information, that is awesome instruction. What a great sight.

Here are some things I have learned over the years, the canning process does work in the oven, and although it works just a little better in a pressure cooker “time wise” I’ve done this both ways. The pressure cooker save a lot of time per batch, make sure you can’t feel any give in the top of your lids before you open a jar, look for a strong vacuum when you open a jar it should take some effort to open a jar. If in doubt throw it out period.
Bruce

[Traditional-Archer]

Here is a recipe I love to make with a canned Jar of venison.
 
Cut up tomato, onion, lettuce,
Get a bag of shredded cheese
Some hot sauce
Flour tortillas
Re-fried beans.
A bag of taco seasoning

Empty a jar of deer meat into a pan heat the meat until half of the liquid is cooked back into the meat. Put the seasoning into the meat and finish cooking the liquid back into the meat, cook your re-fried beans at the sometime.
Bake your Flour tortillas as desired.          

[amicus]

I followed the receipe and it turned out great.

Thanks

Gilbert

[tuscarawasbowman]

Originally posted by 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

Going on at least 4 generations of canning in my family perhaps more. I want to add jars can be easily found at some flea markets,antique malls etc. at sometimes a fraction of the price of buying them new. The ball canning book is a good one however I prefer one my wife picked up called "The Farmers wife canning and preserving cookbook" All recipes are from the early 1900's and simple but very good. There peaches in syrup recipe is the best tasting I have found on that dish.
Also I would like to add some tips and such if folks don't mind.

Bad Jars- As others said chipped mouths and cracks are a no go. Also if you have a jar that does not seal after you dump the contents (or eat it within a day or 2) mark the bottom of a jar with X with a sharpie. When you go to can next time if that jar does not seal again you know it is defective and should pitch it.

Prepping jars- Wash jars in good hot soapy water before canning paying close attention to the sealing part. This should remove any oils or crap from the jar and making sure you get a good seal.

Filling jar- When filling up the jar with all your goodies make sure to use a funnel. Anything that gets on the sealing surface can prevent it from sealing. If you do drop anything onto the sealing surface wipe it up with a paper towel.

Lids- I always use new lids and try to use them within two years. I prefer not to use them if they    
are any older than that. I have no concrete proof that older lids cause jars not to seal however it seems that way when I have used older lids I have problems with sealing.

After processing- When you pull your jars out of a canner (have no experience with oven so can't say that things are the same) don't touch with the lids let them cool down and they will seal on their own. If you have a couple that are giving you a hard time you can put them in the fridge (not freezer) and it will speed the sealing process. If you are going to do that let them cool a little first.

I know the first time you can stuff it feels like a science experiment or that you are working with precious metals but it really isn't all that hard.
Hope someone got something from this.

[lyagooshka]

tuscarawasbowman,

Ditto to what you said.  I also have no experience with the oven, though I would suggest a stove-top pressure canner.  They are online from $50 and up.  Nothing fancy, minimal upkeep, and lasts forever.  One reason for the pressure canner is that 99.9999999999% of little nasties are killed off at 200 degrees.  The 0.000000001% are usually NOT a problem, but...  In a pressure canner (at 10-15 lbs for 90 minutes) you actually get temperatures above 212 degrees.  Things cannot survive above the boiling point of water, so it is actually steralizing the jars(in much the same way as an autoclave).

Next, so long as the jars are clean, re-washing isn't really needed, just rinsing.  Many dishwashers today have a "sterilize" setting.  This heats the bottles enough to kill the little nasties, but it also makes the glass nice and hot so that you don't "shock" it by putting it into a hot oven/pot.  Just lay your lids flat so the seal does not warp.  This also helps as I am canning not only meat, but cooked stew and chili.  Many times I come home and need a quick meal for the family, so I empty a can of stew or chili into a pan, heat it as I make rice, and by the time the rice is ready, we are G2G (good to go).  10-15 minutes tops and the family is [well] fed.

Lastly, I have never had a jar go bad on me.  I have eaten things that were close to 2 years old.  I am not suggesting it, but if you use good bottles and quality lids (the ones at the store are usually great, just make sure they are not damaged if you are reusing them) there should [theoretically] be no time limit as you have a sterile enviornment inside that jar.

I cannot agree more about the "first time".  But after you get the hang of it, you realize that as long as you did your prep and you keep things clean, it's really a breeze.  I really stress the prep [even as mich as the clean] since it's a real pain to have to take your jars out half way because you forgot to add salt or pepper or whatever.  hope this helps.  Be well.