Canning 101

[Brian662]

Seems like the wet but not hot year was good for everything in the garden except peppers. My wife is making some tomato sauce in the insta-pot and I'm in charge of the dilly beans.

 

[Skeeter]

Always nice to have help.
I finished canning green beans at the end of July, then let the plants go so I can collect seed in the fall. Tomatoes are still producing a canner full every couple of days.

 

[trampledbyturtles]

Just finished up canning my last buck. Ended up with 56 pints. Only 1 failed to seal. And some strap steaks.

Huge thanks to my father/hunting mentor for helping out. Trimming and cubing a whole deer is tedious. Took a full day and then some.

Had run out and the wife specifically asked for a whole deer this way. Just makes for some easy weekday suppers when life is chaotic.

 

[Kooch]

Canned is my favorite way to eat venison, next to pan fried backstrap.


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[Bowsnbucks]

Nothing like canned venison. Quick, easy brown-up in a skillet, and the taste is unbeatable! Baked beans and some home fries w/onions ....... great meal. Nice pic of some good eatin'.

 

[b116757]

My wife bought a box of peaches a week ago they where about to get away from us we ate half the box I froze the rest this morning.

 

[T-Max]

My wife bought a box of peaches a week ago they where about to get away from us we ate half the box I froze the rest this morning.
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My wife does both canned peaches and frozen. We tend to prefer the frozen ones. Hard to beat a lug of good peaches when they are ripe.


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[Cool Hand Luke]

Any of you guys have a good source of info for canning venison? My wife and I have gotten through most of the garden canning. Now gotta prep for the best season of all!

 

[b116757]

This is the one I use. You can just use canning salt but I like the Tender Quick because it has a very small amount of nitrate that keeps the meat slightly pink not grey I personally like a little fresh garlic in each jar especially if I’m eating it cold out of the jar. I’m at about 1000’ above sea level adjust accordingly for your altitude.

 

[Cool Hand Luke]

This is the one I use. You can just use canning salt but I like the Tender Quick because it has a very small amount of nitrate that keeps the meat slightly pink not grey I personally like a little fresh garlic in each jar especially if I’m eating it cold out of the jar. I’m at about 1000’ above sea level adjust accordingly for your altitude.
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Thank you sir!

 

[Telemark]

This is the one I use. You can just use canning salt but I like the Tender Quick because it has a very small amount of nitrate that keeps the meat slightly pink not grey I personally like a little fresh garlic in each jar especially if I’m eating it cold out of the jar. I’m at about 1000’ above sea level adjust accordingly for your altitude.
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So no liquid in the jar? Just a tsp of canning salt into each quart jar?

 

[hunts_with_stick]

This is the one I use. You can just use canning salt but I like the Tender Quick because it has a very small amount of nitrate that keeps the meat slightly pink not grey I personally like a little fresh garlic in each jar especially if I’m eating it cold out of the jar. I’m at about 1000’ above sea level adjust accordingly for your altitude.
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I’ve tried it, but to me, it dries the meat out. I make cubed steak, sausage, hot dogs and brats, as well as blackstrap and tenderloin with mine, also corned venison and pastrami.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

We always did the basics with venison canning.
Clean, immaculate jars & lids.
Chunk the venison to bite size.
Pack it in jars, adding canning salt as per recipe. We added no water. Meat made its own broth/gelatin.
We added about a 1 1/4" piece of venison fat to the top of each jar before putting lids on. It melts and puts a protective layer on top of the meat, keeping it from drying out. It turns white when the jars cool. It also kept the meat pinker - not gray. I don't recall ever having gray meat when canned. Discard the hardened, white fat pieces of the melted layer when the jar is opened.

We just browned the pieces in a bit of oil or Crisco when we made supper. Served alongside home fries /onions & baked beans = great eating!

 

[b116757]

So no liquid in the jar? Just a tsp of canning salt into each quart jar?

You don’t need to add water the meat cooks down and makes juice if you do add water add very very little 1/8cup maybe

 

[b116757]

Adding the small bit of fat isn’t a bad idea I may try that.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

Adding the small bit of fat isn’t a bad idea I may try that.

It has always worked for us. It kind-of makes a seal like wax does on top of a regularly-sealed jar of homemade jelly (which was done for decades with jelly. Don't know if people still do the wax thing with jelly these days). It keeps the meat, juice, and meat gelatin sealed below it. We saved the nice white back fat / top of hind quarters for the jars of canned venison. And we used to can venison every year with no problems. I hope you find it works well for you.

EDIT: If any meat sticks up above the white fat layer, that will turn gray. Any meat below it will stay pinkish. Air exposure does the graying.

 

[Skeeter]

This gal does a good job of explaining what and why she does things. Lots of good helpful info while keeping it pretty simple. She has some venison stuff too but I figure anything that she does with beef can be done with venison too

I agree with bowsnbucks on the layer of fat on top of straight meat. Keeps things looking nicer and I personally like the taste of a good rendered deer fat. Cook with it all the time.