Canned Venison

[Finn]

Anyone have a good recipe and directions on how to can venison?

I have heard it's the best thing going, but don't know how to do it.

Thanks,

[IADEERDUDE]

my granda used to make the best, i'll see if i can find that recipe for you.

[Finn]

Thanks.

[ladydiehard]

A fellow Wisconsinite that doesn't know how to can venison? I thought that idea was only foreign to "southerners".

Anyway, the way my family has been doing it for years isn't fancy but it sure is delicious!

We generally use the hind quarters for canning but any of it will work with the exception of leg meat. Too full of cords!

We also use a water canner, not a pressure canner.

Select your cut of meat, trim off fat and other nasty stuff then cube it up into desired chunks.

Pack cubed meat into pint or quart jars, half full, then add salt. Then pack the jars the rest of the way, all the way to the top and add remaining salt.

We use a half teaspoon salt for pint jars, 1/4 at half full and 1/4 at full. And we use a whole teaspoon salt for quart jars, 1/2 and 1/2.

Place jars in water canner. Water level should be just to the tops of the jars.

Bring to a full boil then reduce heat to a rolling simmer. Simmer for 3 hours.

Remove jars carefully, avoid touching them together, set out to cool. The jars should seal on their own as they cool, usually within minutes.

Check seals and if any have not sealed this meat needs to be consumed soon. The jars of meat that are sealed will last for years on your pantry shelf. How long exactly, I can't say. Opinion varies. Around my house, they never make it past 2 years.

Keep in mind, this meat is already cooked and could actually be eaten right out of the jar. When you get ready to use the meat, you don't have to "cook" it all over again.

We like to roll the chunks of meat in flour, heat them through in a frying pan of margarine and eat them with bread, gravy and sides.

Canned venison is also great for soups or stews.

These are simple ideas that we enjoy. Perhaps somone else can provide more "fancy" recipes.

[Finn]

Thanks, Ladydiehard....all you use is salt?

[ladydiehard]

Yup, just salt. The meat makes its own juice. No water needs to be added.

The meat will be mild and so tender it will fall apart easily with the probing of a fork.