Venison processing - what do YOU do?

[phil@thesidehill]

When i first started out, we processed our own deer. i had access to a commercial grade kitchen and walk in cooler, that sat idle outside of the summer season (a summer camp!) My boss at the time grew up making sausage and running a smokehouse...so i had great resources and the time available back then. No i no longer have access to the resources nor the time. So i take my deer to the local processor. I get the straps, minute steaks (think venison philly cheese steak sandwich), a few roasts, and the rest is ground. If i get several deer, then with each deer everything other than the straps start going to burger. I have a bradley smoker and so does one of my good friends. we plan a weekend every winter where we make sausage, jerky, and sticks. Hoping to start to get back to doing more of my own processing as i accumulate more of the tools necessary.

 

[bwoods11]

Does your buddy with the locker make the sausage/sticks/brats? If so, I may have to hit you up for the name if I ever decide to take a deer here. I've yet to have a good venny brat in MN

Yes, Eric Jensen in Glenwood (Minnewaska Meats) they are located one block south of the 4-way in Glenwood. He makes some very good venison brats (cheese brats or cheese/jalapeno brats).

Sticks as well, yes, very good!

He also is quite a hunter himself, he has two bucks in MN that will score B & C

 

[Swen17]

I butcher my own. Vacuum seal steaks roasts etc. We make our own burger, and used to make our own brats. I've been bringing scraps to Louie's Finer Meats in Cumberland, WI to get brats and sticks made and probably will for years to come. They're hard to beat. Good price, amazing quality, and everything is vacuum sealed when you get it back as well. Might have to try canned....

 

[chummer]

I used to do my own and miss doing it. When we moved into a new house my wife put an end to butchering in the garage. Now I take it to a butcher, he makes everything. I have lots of cube steaks made, they are our favorite. Me make sandwiches out of them, toasted roll, melted cheese, yum yum.

 

[SD51555]

I tried canning for the first time last fall. That has quickly become my hands down favorite for processing and keeping the freezer space available.

I got lucky and the first batch was a success. Now from here, I want to do some venison right into stew from the start. I work long and erratic hours most of the year, so to be able to come home and pop open a pint of venison stew and warm up would be a nice treat at the end of the day.

My recipe is completely from the hip:

Cold pack the pint jars
"some" salt
spoon full of minced onion (fresh)
couple tablespoons of beef broth

75 minutes at 15lbs in my Wisconsin Aluminum Foundry gasket-less pressure canner.

This keeps the flavor relatively neutral and full of options upon opening. I've used over mashed potatoes, as a stroganoff, in an alfredo etc. Your imagination is your limit.

I along with SMSmith hunt MN, so I don't have much vension. But if/when I get my next deer, I want to try using my canned venison in tacos and omelets.

 

[biglakeba$$]

I am going to try this canning deal. I have some roasts I was going to make jerky with.

I have found recipes for canning that use no liquid, recipes that use beef broth, recipes that say fill the jar with water up to 1/2" from top of jar.....

What method should I try? :)

 

[EOB]

I tried this one and it turned out good. It is the only recipe that I have tried. I would be interested in hearing what others have tried.

http://cowgirlscountry.blogspot.com/2009/12/canning-venison.html

 

[SD51555]

I am going to try this canning deal. I have some roasts I was going to make jerky with.

I have found recipes for canning that use no liquid, recipes that use beef broth, recipes that say fill the jar with water up to 1/2" from top of jar.....

What method should I try? :)

I don't add any water to mine. There is enough moisture in the meat that it will push out it's own juices. It's key to NOT add water. If you do, you'll dilute your flavor away. I literally just pack raw meat into the jar, push out the air, spoon in the stuff listed above on the top and process. It's amazingly simple compared to canning just about anything else.

 

[Deer Kar]

We also cut up are own. Back strap and tenderloin for steak. I pressure can a batch. I just loosely pack the jars with 1 inch cubes of meet fill with water add a teaspoon of canning salt. Simple and easy. Tasted great. I grind some trimmings and use Cabelas seasoning with a jerky shooter,drying racks and some times I use the smoker but most times just the oven on lowest heat for 3 hrs. My kids love the original flavor can't beat 15lbs of jerky for $7.00!!!!! Also bring trimming into Garfield meat they make awesome dogs for grilling and I go to Miltona meats for there cheddar brats ( best boiled) inlaws neighbor smokes the rounds for dried he has his own brine and is second to none.

 

[sandbur]

I used to do my own and miss doing it. When we moved into a new house my wife put an end to butchering in the garage. Now I take it to a butcher, he makes everything. I have lots of cube steaks made, they are our favorite. Me make sandwiches out of them, toasted roll, melted cheese, yum yum.

Tell her Mrs. Sandbur allows the meat to be cut up on the island in our kitchen! She even helps me vacuum pack the meat.

I have an old counter top that goes on top of the current top.

 

[chummer]

Tell her Mrs. Sandbur allows the meat to be cut up on the island in our kitchen! She even helps me vacuum pack the meat.

I have an old counter top that goes on top of the current top.

I have a fish cleaning station in the laundry room. She may allow me to try one in there. It is partially my fault. One of the first deer I shot when we were dating I shot straight on with a slug. I cut the backstraps into quarters and was planning on smoking them which I did. She took one bite and spit part of the slug out on her plate. No idea how I possibly missed it but she wouldn't eat venison for a few years after that.

 

[West Branch]

We always cut our own, backstrap and tenderloin for steaks, roasts with the big chunks of meat, and some trimmings were usually cut up small and added to chili and stews. We have made jerky but never had a grinder and equipment for sausage.

Last year was the first year I ever brought some to the processor, I brought enough trimmings to get one batch of venison sticks made. There is still a package of venison sticks and one package of backstrap steaks left in the freezer. Don't tell my wife about the venison sticks or they will be gone! I think I will grill those backstraps this weekend.