Canned Venison
Contributors to this thread:Whitetail Deer
From: BoggsBowhunts
17-Mar-22
Looking into canning some venison along with some vegetables this year. Does anybody have any experience doing this and is it something you'd recommend vs. freezing the entire deer?
From: Dale06
17-Mar-22
I tasted some canned venison a year ago. I was told that it was 100% chunked venison with a thumb size chunk of beef fat on top of the meat, before putting on the lid and pressure cooking. I do not like deer meat, period. However, that canned venison was great.
From: Bowhunter09
17-Mar-22
My neighbor does that every year. Comes out very tender. Makes lots of Italian beef out of it
From: Adak Caribou
17-Mar-22
We had to can a musk ox I had taken. The meat had frozen before rigor set in and was too tough to eat. Canning it made it very tender and was delicious. It gets used for quick easy dinners when time is short. When that runs out we'll can other tough cuts. A great way to store meat.
From: scentman
17-Mar-22
I myself have never canned venison, a friend gave me some couple years back and it melted in my mouth... very tender and tasty! I would still freeze, but consider canning a portion this time and see what you think. The nice thing about canning, you go to the pantry and toss the venison right into a quick and easy meal.
From: jmiller
17-Mar-22
It's fantastic and also frees up freezer space as it is shelf stable.
From: BoggsBowhunts
17-Mar-22
For the guys that do can it, what all seasonings/vegetables do you throw in with it, or are you just canning it plain? Good feedback so far, definitely gonna try it seeing as I'll be living by myself and have no use to save large roasts or anything of that nature.
From: Lawdog
17-Mar-22
I've canned a lot of things over the years but never meat. I imagine that any instructions/recipes for virtually any type of meat, particularly beef or pork, would do. I also think I remember that you'll need a pressure canner and not just a hot water one. Now that you've piqued by interest, I'll need to check it out.
From: Wideone
17-Mar-22
I pressure can a fair amount of deer meat each year. The family loves it. Put one beef bullion cube in the bottom of the jar, fill most of the way up with cubed deer meat, add some peppers if you like (habeneros and jalepenos add just a little warmth, but not much more heat than that surprisingly) and put beef tallow on top. We just had some this week that I canned last year. Very tasty
From: Lawdog
17-Mar-22
Lawdog's Link
Sounds easy enough. Gotta love google.
From: cnelk
17-Mar-22
I can elk meat, whitetail meat, potatoes and and also can my own soup.
From: Copperhead
17-Mar-22
You guys are making me hungry, and yes pressure canning venison is a great way to store it.
From: Jaquomo
17-Mar-22
My wife pressure cans venison and it's fabulous. The texture is like tender roast beef, melts in your mouth.
From: Bou'bound
17-Mar-22
i thought canned venison was one of those fenced in / pay by the inch / domesticated pen-raised operations?
From: LBshooter
17-Mar-22
So do you eat it,right out of the jar or heat it up? Strips or cubes to can? Got to be honest those jars of meat don't look that tasty lol.
From: timex
17-Mar-22
My go to is in pint jars a jalapeño pepper a clove of garlic & 1/2 teaspoon salt then fill with venison chunks & Pressure cann @ 11lbs for 90 minutes
Fish is also fantastic canned. I add to fish 1/2 teaspoon salt & 1 tablespoon olive oil & the same 11# @ 90 minutes
This pic is of bluefin & yellowfin tuna. One bite & guarantee you'd never eat store bought again.
From: scentman
17-Mar-22
Timex gets it! Dude I'll give you my address and pay you for that gourmet meal... those who haven't tasted canned really are missing out on one of life's most tasteful pleasures. Growing up my aunt canned everything, just the thought of the aroma brings back great memories.
From: Jaquomo
17-Mar-22
We cube it and love it in stews, stroganoff, other pasta dishes, etc.. It is as tender, or more, than something slow -cooked all day, but ready to eat if you don't want to wait all day.. I like to pull the chunks apart, mix with a little BBQ sauce, and eat it on a bun like pulled beef. Besides the stuff already mentioned,we can squash also.
From: Seth
17-Mar-22
Rocky, I was just about to search for that thread. We started canning some of our elk two years ago. Compared Fuzzy’s directions to Ball and a few other resources and he is on point. Great results for a family brand new to it.
From: cnelk
17-Mar-22
cnelk's Link
Anyone that cans meat or vegetables should bookmark this site. See link
From: 7mm08
17-Mar-22
Good stuff. Makes it's own gravy. Pressure can! My brother eats it cold out of the jar... ewww!
From: timex
18-Mar-22
I eat cold canned venison sandwiches for lunch with a little mayo onion & cheese.
Store bought processed lunch meat... Ewwww!!!
From: Bow Crazy
18-Mar-22
I've been canning venison for year, it's awesome! We just can with a little salt, maybe a bay leaf, you can add spices to taste. I tried canning once with venison mixed with carrots and potatoes. It works, but the vegetables come out very soft and mushy. Now we put the venison in a slow cooker, add vegetables right away, cook until the veggies are done, maybe a couple of hours at most. BC
From: Jeff Durnell
18-Mar-22
Yep, same here. I've done it in a hot water bath, no pressure, and it works fine. Lasts several years. I don't put veggies in there too often... other than garlic, herbs, salt, and mushrooms. Keeps your options open to make different things later... or... it's good enough to eat as-is, even good at room temp. Canned cubed deer meat and sheepshead mushrooms. Makes them both more tender than any other method I've tried. And I'll echo what those above said, if you've never had it, be ready to be very pleasantly surprised.
From: BoggsBowhunts
18-Mar-22
I must have missed Fuzzy's thread a couple years ago. Absolute goldmine of info there!
From: 7mm08
18-Mar-22
A hot water bath canning job on meat can get you killed. You should read up on meat canning and botulism. Always, always pressure can meat.
From: 7mm08
18-Mar-22
A hot water bath canning job on meat can get you killed. You should read up on meat canning and botulism. Always, always pressure can meat.
From: Lewis
18-Mar-22
Is Fuzzy listening sounds good Good luck Lewis
From: Lawdog
18-Mar-22
I just read Fuzzy's thread. Now that you've got me in the mind set, you know I just HAVE to do this.
From: Copperhead
18-Mar-22
cnelk, my wife was given one of those, I believe it's the 921 model but maybe the 925, I'll have to look. It had been used once. We use it every year along with a 16 quart Mirror that I purchased at a flea market a few years back.
From: cnelk
18-Mar-22
A couple pics of canned goods I’ve got in the cupboards. Lasts for years and relieves space in the freezer
From: cnelk
18-Mar-22
From: Thehospitabledoc
18-Mar-22
Jeff that’s bad advice to be sharing IMO. It may work for you, and may do so repeatedly, but is a dangerous game to play with things like botulism.
Gents if you decide to get into canning please follow tested and approved recipes from reliable sources.
And yes, I can a ton of venison, beef, veggies, stock, and other things. Nice for freeing up freezer space and for quick meals. You can even can ground meat and it’s not bad for soups and the like.
From: LKH
18-Mar-22
Good stuff. We just put in the meat chunks then add V-8 and cook. Really handy when you come back late and want a quick meal.
From: SteveBNY
18-Mar-22
I've done 1/2 meat, some garlic and onion, salt and the balance raw carrots and potatoes. Beef stew - just reheat
From: Inshart
19-Mar-22
A great "Bowsite" topic.
How I missed Fuzzy's past thread, I don't know. Tons of info from several "Bowsite canners".
Copied and saved the recipes and the links.
From: timex
19-Mar-22
This is yellowfin tuna. I first started canning tuna after tasting some a buddy had.
Then started doing venison later on.
This is yellowfin tuna. I first started canning tuna after tasting some a buddy had.
Then started doing venison later on.
Canning meat is very simple.
The basics are start with clean jars either from dishwasher or soap & water then bleach water dunk then rinse.
Fill jars with whatever leave 1" space at top & very important !!! Make sure rim of jar is clean before placing lid & band finger tite. Then 11 lb for 90 minutes.
From: BoggsBowhunts
21-Mar-22
For you guys canning your deer, how many pint jars would you expect to get out of a deer? Or out of each quarter if you're not canning the whole thing? Gonna get some practice in pressure canning some fish throughout the summer, I believe every question has been answered other than how many jars to set aside!
From: Gunny
21-Mar-22
I haven't canned deer since the kids left the house. They loved it. First time I did it, I was pissed at myself for not doing it years earlier. My kids loved it. My daughter's favorite was to take a pint jar out, put it in a pan and add BBQ sauce. Made great sandwiches and was so easy and convenient. When my son was in Afghanistan, I sent him homemade jerky and two jars of canned deer. He was in the middle of Afghanistan enjoying Wisconsin deer. I sometimes would put a tablespoon of Lipton French onion soup mix in each jar.
I was skeptical at first when a guy told me no need to add any fluid, the deer makes it's own. But , it does and is great. This guy also told me a way to can the deer in the oven, I never tried it but he always did. I used a pressure cooker.
Had a jar of tomatoes turn on me once about thirty years ago, took two days to locate the stench. Was disgusting. I'm a clean freak anyways, but I go the extra mile to sanitize and thoroughly sterilize all my canning items epically for deer. Once everything is prepped and lined up, the process goes very quickly. Very easy to do.
My Dad used to hoard canned items when I was a kid. Never understood it, I'm sure it comes from when he was younger and the youngest of 11 kids living on a farm. If you are canning more than two years supply of deer, I think you may be killing too many deer. Unless your stocking up for when the take over happens. (just kidding)
From: timex
21-Mar-22
One medium doe hind quarter will do roughly 10 pints
From: cnelk
21-Mar-22
Canning pressure is dependent on what altitude you do your canning at. Where I live I have to use 15lbs for 90mins for meat.
From: APauls
21-Mar-22
I have canned it. It’s tender and decent. I just never really know what to do with it later. Doesn’t hold a candle to a proper steak imo. But I should try it with BBQ sauce maybe
From: Bow Crazy
22-Mar-22
You can pour it in a pan, cook the liquid off and cover with your favorite BBQ sauce for sandwiches. Put a pint or quart in a slow cooker, add spices, onion, carrots, potatoes for a couple of hours on low. You have a quick and easy meal. Cook it in a pan with your favorite spices, or even sour cream, pour it over rice or noodles. Just a few ways we do it off the top of my head. BC
From: Lawdog
22-Mar-22
I'm all set up. I have some older hind quarters that I will thaw out and use. From a little reading of the Ball canning publication and Mirror instructions, there aren't any real recipes, just salt. In the cubed venison I intend to can for use for either barbecue, soups or stews, I want to add a few spices like garlic, italian seasoning, pepper and the like. From what I've read, it seems that you don't need to add much. Anyone have any information on how much to add to each jar for pints and quarts?
From: SteveBNY
22-Mar-22
Lawdog - I add about a 1/4 teaspoon of salt and a slice of onion and/or garlic clove to a "plain" pint. Double for quart. Experiment with adding additional to a few every year. Just make sure to label for future reference.
From: cnelk
22-Mar-22
NOTE: Do not use regular table salt. Use Kosher salt or canning salt
From: Rut Nut
22-Mar-22
Interesting! So I guess it’s like Sous vide cooking?
From: Lawdog
22-Mar-22
I had to look that one up Rut Nut. I guess so. It's just another variation. But, I've got to agree with APauls too. I love a good steak. Thanks guys.
From: Al Dente Laptop
22-Mar-22
Sous vide IS NOT vacuum canning. In sous vide, the item is vacuum SEALED, then placed into a temperature controlled water bath using a sous vide "wand" that heats, circulates, and maintains the water. The item is cooked slowly, but it is not meant to be stored on a shelf for later consumption. Items can be cooled and frozen in their vacuum sealed bags for later use, but not on a pantry shelf.
From: Shuteye
22-Mar-22
I have Amish friends and they can deer meat all the time. They pay a guy to take them out West to hunt mule deer. When they get back the women are ready and they cut it up and can it. They don't have electricity so no freezers. They have been doing it as long as I can remember so I know it is safe.
From: wkochevar
22-Mar-22
My uncle used to take all the whitefish people would give him and can it with picante sauce. That was the best dam snack and sometimes meal, in the world!
