Canning venison offers many benefits. Canned venison will not spoil and will retain its freshness for more than two years. Keeping jars in the pantry will free up freezer space. Tenderized venison can be canned without any special preparation required. Jars of fully cooked venison can be kept on hand for quick meals on the run. But basically, canned venison just tastes good.
Among the only other tools you will need for canning venison are some canning jars and lids with screw-on rings. Don’t sweat the initial investment, because you won’t believe what they can achieve.
To ensure a tight seal, you should always use new lids. Although the jars and rings are re-usable, it is important to replace the lids every time.
Can we serve canned venison over mashed potatoes or egg noodles? Sure we can! Serve it on top of a hoagie bun stuffed with cheese and peppers for a delicious sub sandwich. With the meat already cooked tender, it’s easy to make soup or stroganoff in minutes. Truth be told, my favorite is eating it straight from the jar.
How To Can Venison – Easy & Delicious Recipe
A Note On Pressure Canning
The most important thing to know is that pressure canning is the only way to safely can any meat, including venison. It wouldn’t be a good idea to cook that meat in a water bath since you can’t see or smell what’s inside.
Using a pressure canner can be quite intimidating for some people, making canning things like broth or meat very difficult.
However, using a pressure canner is really not all that hard. I have used pressure cookers and canners since I was very young.
In my childhood, my mom used a pressure cooker a number of times a year. There were never any problems. And using a pressure canner allows you to preserve a wide variety of foods. Canning is made easier when you use a pressure canner. Pressure canners are a serious bargain.
Raw Pack or Hot Pack?
It is not possible to preserve venison with raw packing or hot packing. Raw packing entails storing raw meat in a warm, sterilized container. The alternative involves browning and packing the meat before canning.
There are two ways to prepare canned venison. But some people say browning the meat can improve the flavor. Does it? I don’t know. I have 3 kids, my husband works 60 hours a week away from the farm, and I have other responsibilities. So, I raw pack instead of taking the extra step and making a mess.
The method of hot packing is simply to heat some olive oil and brown some meat this way, as you would when simmering a stew all day. Once the meat has browned, but you haven’t worked your way through all the meat, it needs to be kept warm at this point.
Slow cookers are a great way to achieve this. If you do not have one, or are unwilling to pull one out, a 5 quart saucepan filled with broth on the bottom (so the meat won’t stick to it) and set on low heat will work just as well. Those extra dishes, huh? Well, if you like and if you have the time, you can do it.
Use High Quality Venison to Can
We process and hunt our own deer because it is very important that the end product corresponds to the ingredients we put into it. The final product is only as good as what went into it.
Our hunters can see where the deer are before a shot is taken, and we can see what the meat looks like after the harvest to be sure the product is healthy. I realize not everyone has room to process deer in their home.
There may not be room for us to hang the meat, but I am going to share a trick for aging the meat effectively and not having to process much, so that just about anyone could do it.
I’d like to learn the process of butchering and processing my own meat. However, cook the meat in a healthy manner before eating.
All fat and gristle, as well as bruised pieces, should be removed from the final product. The biggest problem with deer meat is that it is not very fattening. The final product is also hard to chew and unpleasant to eat. Therefore, you can slice all of this off (so that your chickens or dogs can eat it). If you’re feeling creative, you can render it down too.
Ingredients
- Meat.
- Boiling water or broth hot pack only.
- Canning salt Optional. Use 1/2 to 1 tsp. per pint or 1–2 tsp. per quart.
Equipment
- Canning funnel, lid lifter, and jar lifter
- Pressure Canner
- Canning jars, seals, and rings
- Ladle and bubble tool
Instructions
As soon as the jars are ready to be processed, prepare the jars and warm the water in the canner. You don’t want the water to boil.
For a Raw Pack
Prepare meat by trimming fat and gristle. Slice the meat longitudinally into 1-inch square pieces.
The raw meat can be diced or strips, as long as there is 1″ of headspace between the jars. Add salt to each jar before packing.
Canning salt is the key to success.
Do not add liquid. Remove bubbles and wipe the rim clean. Place the jar in the canner. Fill all jars and process as directed below. The jar should be placed in the warm canner before putting on the seal or ring.
For a Hot Pack
To prepare the meat, trim excess fat and gristle from the meat. Cut meat into 1″ thick cubes or strips; cubed meat can be either browned or sliced. Add canning salt to each jar. Slice meat a little more thinly and brown it lightly.
Pack the meat into the hot jars using a slotted spoon once the meat has been heated through. Distribute meat drippings evenly through every jar. Top off each jar with boiling water, leaving 1-inch headspace.
Put on the seal and ring, remove bubbles from them, and place them on the rim. Fill all the jars and place them in the warm canner. Follow the directions below for the process.
FAQ’s – How To Can Venison
1. How long will canned deer meat last?
In general, canned venison can be stored for up to two years without refrigeration. You can save freezer space by keeping jars in the pantry. As canning tenderizes tough cuts, it is a great way to make use of leftover meat from shoulders, shanks, and necks.
2. How long does it take to pressure can venison?
Clean the edge of the jar, add the top and ring, and turn to fit snugly rather than tightly. Fill jars with two to three inches of water in the canner. 15 pounds of pressure on the pints for 75 minutes, and 90 pounds on the quarts for 90 minutes. Canners should be removed from heat and allowed to cool slowly out of draft while being weighted.
3. How long to can quarts of venison?
Pints and quarts should be processed for 75 minutes and 90 minutes respectively, for hot and raw pack jars. Other red meats (bears, beef, lambs, pork, sausages, veal) undergo the same selection, preparation, and canning procedure.