Canning venison

[Chef]

Randie N You got the best there is. I’ve had my All American for 30 years now, ,used it commercially in my restaurant for years, process for home about three times a month, and it’s still going strong. Had to replace the steam vent and tightening knobs, but that was easy enough.

Make a batch of beans in it. You will never go any other method again.

[smokinbubba]

Randie N AA’s are the best but a little past my price range. I’m just a poor sausage maker… The price of those things are crazy now!
I also put up some ground venison hot pack method with beef broth and onions. Had it mixed with some queso and jalapenos last night for some bambi nachos. Was killer!

[Randie N]

smokinbubba yes they are expensive. Been wanting one for quite a while. Was checking in on them again earlier this year and noticed a large jump in price so I scrambled and was able to find one at the old price and grabbed it quick

[Chef]

smokinbubba Just my opinion, if you are going to can more than twice a month, it may be worth the price and just waiting to save for this unit. You may be able to get by getting a used cheaper model at a second hand store (like a good will). I see them there very often.

If you are canning less than a few times a year, then any model might do.

I just use my canner for much more than canning.

[smokinbubba]

Lots of folks were asking about canning meat on today’s livestream. Below is my process.

1. Run jars,lids,rings thru dishwasher. No need to sterilize, just clean
2. Cube meat in 1" chunks
3. Pack raw meat in jars as tight as possible. I use my meat grinder plunger tool
4. Add 1/2 tsp. canning salt. Do not use ionized salt. Salt is optional but recommended for flavor.
5. Do not add any liquid. Meat will make its own juice. No really, it does.
6. Wipe jar rim with vinegar to remove anything that will interfere with the seal.
7. Can pints for 75min, qts for 90 at 10psi at sealevel-1000" follow your canner directions. Make sure all pressure is released before opening canner. You can leave it closed off the burner overnight for safety.
8. When cool, check your seals. Place sealed jars in pantry, non sealed jars in fridge.

Canning is a great way to make room in your freezer. For sausage of course.

[smokinbubba]

Chef I agree. I paid $140 for my presto to see if I would like the end product. I will b looking for a second hand aa in the future.

[craigrice]

Chef we have had this conversation before ,I water bath can everything including meat ,I wash then rinse the jars then place them in the oven @ 350 for 30 min. to sterilize them then pack the meat in the hot jars with salt and place in the water bath canner and boil for 1 hr. and 45 min. when removed the liquid from the meat will be boiling inside the jar , I don’t think that any bacteria can live in this atmosphere , this is how my grandparents did it and I am 60 plus years old and still doing it the same way they never heard of pressure canners !

[smokinbubba]

craigrice I understand what you are saying. My late grandmother canned beef and veggis with only a water bath and we all lived to tell about it. The new guidelines for safe canning of low acid foods are with a pressure canner to kill botulism that may exist in the product. A water bath canner can only reach 212’F where a pressure canner can achieve 240’F. It is thought that any botulism spores will be killed at that temp for 75-90min. But each there own and I’m not judging either way.

[craigrice]

I was raised by my grandparents who were borne in the 1890’s and I still do things the old school ways

[cdavis]

smokinbubba great step by step post. Thank you sir.

[smokinbubba]

Just did 33 more pints last night due to a successful gun season. Man this stuff will make your tongue slap your brains out!

[craigrice]

imho this meat is the most tender that you can have

[Chef]

craigrice The processing temperature does result in great tenderness. Canning is not just good for preserving, but in some cases urns out a better product.

[GWG8541]

smokinbubba First of all, great post and after reading everything in this thread I do have a few questions.
I was lucky enough to inherit my Mom’s cannners and have canned veggies and fruit, but never meat.
Chef and anyone else, feel free to chime in.
So I just read that the salt is optional. Does it have any preservative value, especially over time?
If so, and after reading craigrice post, would it be required if using a hot water bath?
Although Mom did a lot of pressure canning, she also did just as much in a hot water bath.
Thanks everyone, great posts

[craigrice]

GWG8541 I put 1/2 tsp of salt in pint jars and 1 tsp in quarts for water bath canning

[smokinbubba]

GWG8541 said in Canning venison:

smokinbubba First of all, great post and after reading everything in this thread I do have a few questions.
I was lucky enough to inherit my Mom’s cannners and have canned veggies and fruit, but never meat.
Chef and anyone else, feel free to chime in.
So I just read that the salt is optional. Does it have any preservative value, especially over time?
If so, and after reading craigrice post, would it be required if using a hot water bath?
Although Mom did a lot of pressure canning, she also did just as much in a hot water bath.
Thanks everyone, great posts

I read the salt is for flavor only. I cant chime in on water bath canning meat. I only pressure can it and per USDA recommendation for low acid foods.

[craigrice]

if salt is only flavor why do we use it to help cure our meat ?

[marzig20]

craigrice salt is not the cure. Sodium nitrite is added to salt and then dyed pink so as not to confuse it with salt.

[craigrice]

this is true but salt will preserve things to an extent in canning that is why it is called for with many items

[Chef]

GWG8541 Salt does play a part in preserving. I have tried chicken breast both with a teaspoon of salt per quart and without. The canning without the salt changed color and while it did not ‘pop’ the lid, it just had an off flavor to me and I did not eat it.

So, I would add a bit of salt to both a hot bath or pressure canning of meat.

As far as pressure canning, acid foods with a pH of 4.6 or lower can safely be canned at 212’F. This includes almost all fruits and vegetables.

Foods with higher pH, i.e. meats and some prepared products require a bit higher temperature to insure killing of C. botulinum spores.

Frankly, success of a particular recipe may be specific to that given recipe and conditions may not apply universally. If meat is place in a jar with vegetables, that would process different from just meat alone. Even water source would change the conditions, given the wide variability of minerals in water.