I have talked a few times about my friend Tom Henrich from Wisconsin in different blog posts. Tom loves to hunt whitetails and loves to process his own meat for his family to eat. Tom approached me about a deer processing blog, but I take my deer to a local locker to get processed, so I thought Tom would be a great person to hear from on processing your own deer. I hope you enjoy Tom's guest blog!
I’d like to start this article by thanking Muddyhunter for the opportunity to write an article for his blog. I’m always looking for something new and exciting to read in regards to hunting. I had e-mailed him about this idea for a blog update, and he replied that maybe it was time for me to finally write one - so I agreed. Maybe I’ll think a little more carefully before I e-mail Muddyhunter anymore blog ideas!
Generally speaking when the peak of the rut is occurring and I’m looking for a mature animal to harvest I am usually thinking about how a buck will look on my wall rather than how it will taste.
Even though the big bucks I have harvested are handsome trophies, I’ve found that a 4 ½ + year old buck in full rut can taste, well, a little less then desirable even with superb field dressing and great kitchen prep. Granted I can make steaks on the grill, fried steaks and onions, bacon-wrapped steaks, venison-ka-bobs, and many other versions of venison steak that my wife and children might eat a few times a year (that’s if I tell them it’s beef). The point being we’re only going to eat so much steak.
We do however have a processor make up some sausage and other varieties of mixed venison and pork. Although costly it is very delicious. With that said, over the years of shooting anywhere from 3-5 deer a year I’ve found an inexpensive, delicious, and healthy alternative to much of our venison processing that the whole family enjoys eating. We make canned venison. I’ll take you step-by-step through the process so you can enjoy the benefits of canned venison as well.
Once cubed find either pint or quart canning jars and fill them 1" from the top with the cubed venison. One pint feeds approximately two people while the quart can feeds 4-5. For our specific needs we make a mix of both pints and quarts. Once the jars are filled with the venison add water again 1" from the top. On top of the venison and water add one level ½ teaspoon of Lawry’s Season Salt and approximately 1-2 tablespoons of minced onions (2x the amount for quart jars).
Next screw on the tops of the canning jars and place the jars into your canner (refer to your canner manual for specific canning safety instructions). We place our jars in approximately 2"-3" of water mixed with a little vinegar (the vinegar aids in the sealing process). Place the canner top on and secure it. Cook the jars (both pint and/or quart) for approximately 90 minutes at 10-12 psi. I have found with our particular electric stove it was best to get the canner up to the appropriate psi quick and then back off the temperature to the #2 setting; that setting maintained a psi of approximately 11 for the duration of the 90 minute cooking period. You’ll find it does not take much heat to maintain the required psi but it will take some fiddling around to see what works for your canner/stove combo.
After 90 minutes remove the canner from heat and let the pressure come down slowly. Once the pressure has been removed from the canner remove the lid carefully. I’d recommend cooking gloves to avoid steam burns when removing the canner lid. Remove jars with a jar remover or tongs and let cool for approximately 8-12 hours before storing in a cool dark place. Avoid placing finished jars in direct sunlight. Canned jars of venison can last several years. I can’t say for sure how long they’ll last because I’ve never let them get past 3 years old but even the oldest canned jars of venison I’ve consumed taste great.
Do you remember when I previously mentioned not to get too carried away trimming the fat? The reason for that comment was because during the canning process the fat melts off of and from within the meat. The melted fat, once cooled, floats to the top of the jar for easy removal. Prior to eating just scoop the chunks of fat off the top of the jar.
There are many ways to prepare canned venison. Over mashed potatoes, on a bun, plain, etc.. My favorite is to throw it in a pot and mix with a little bit of brown gravy or flour (sometimes mushrooms), heat to desired temp and throw it over a Thin-Ones whole grain bun with some sharp cheddar cheese lightly sprinkled on top.
The other wonderful thing about canned venison is how fast it can be made into a meal – especially after a long day at the office. In about 5 minutes you can have a hearty, healthy, flavorful meal that tastes exactly like a roost beef sandwich with or without mushrooms – no gamey venison taste whatsoever. Serve with a delicious beverage and enjoy!
When I return to the LJS hunting Lodge I plan to bring some to share with my friends there.
I would like to thank Tom for this great blog. I am looking forward to some canned venison when Tom comes back to hunt with me in Iowa.
Muddyhunter
I’d like to start this article by thanking Muddyhunter for the opportunity to write an article for his blog. I’m always looking for something new and exciting to read in regards to hunting. I had e-mailed him about this idea for a blog update, and he replied that maybe it was time for me to finally write one - so I agreed. Maybe I’ll think a little more carefully before I e-mail Muddyhunter anymore blog ideas!
Generally speaking when the peak of the rut is occurring and I’m looking for a mature animal to harvest I am usually thinking about how a buck will look on my wall rather than how it will taste.
We do however have a processor make up some sausage and other varieties of mixed venison and pork. Although costly it is very delicious. With that said, over the years of shooting anywhere from 3-5 deer a year I’ve found an inexpensive, delicious, and healthy alternative to much of our venison processing that the whole family enjoys eating. We make canned venison. I’ll take you step-by-step through the process so you can enjoy the benefits of canned venison as well.
The first thing you’ll need to do is cube your meat, any part of the deer is fine. ½" to 1" cubes work great. When trimming try and get as much sinew off as possible. If you don’t get all the fat, its ok – I’ll explain later.
Once cubed find either pint or quart canning jars and fill them 1" from the top with the cubed venison. One pint feeds approximately two people while the quart can feeds 4-5. For our specific needs we make a mix of both pints and quarts. Once the jars are filled with the venison add water again 1" from the top. On top of the venison and water add one level ½ teaspoon of Lawry’s Season Salt and approximately 1-2 tablespoons of minced onions (2x the amount for quart jars).
Next screw on the tops of the canning jars and place the jars into your canner (refer to your canner manual for specific canning safety instructions). We place our jars in approximately 2"-3" of water mixed with a little vinegar (the vinegar aids in the sealing process). Place the canner top on and secure it. Cook the jars (both pint and/or quart) for approximately 90 minutes at 10-12 psi. I have found with our particular electric stove it was best to get the canner up to the appropriate psi quick and then back off the temperature to the #2 setting; that setting maintained a psi of approximately 11 for the duration of the 90 minute cooking period. You’ll find it does not take much heat to maintain the required psi but it will take some fiddling around to see what works for your canner/stove combo.
After 90 minutes remove the canner from heat and let the pressure come down slowly. Once the pressure has been removed from the canner remove the lid carefully. I’d recommend cooking gloves to avoid steam burns when removing the canner lid. Remove jars with a jar remover or tongs and let cool for approximately 8-12 hours before storing in a cool dark place. Avoid placing finished jars in direct sunlight. Canned jars of venison can last several years. I can’t say for sure how long they’ll last because I’ve never let them get past 3 years old but even the oldest canned jars of venison I’ve consumed taste great.
Do you remember when I previously mentioned not to get too carried away trimming the fat? The reason for that comment was because during the canning process the fat melts off of and from within the meat. The melted fat, once cooled, floats to the top of the jar for easy removal. Prior to eating just scoop the chunks of fat off the top of the jar.
There are many ways to prepare canned venison. Over mashed potatoes, on a bun, plain, etc.. My favorite is to throw it in a pot and mix with a little bit of brown gravy or flour (sometimes mushrooms), heat to desired temp and throw it over a Thin-Ones whole grain bun with some sharp cheddar cheese lightly sprinkled on top.
When I return to the LJS hunting Lodge I plan to bring some to share with my friends there.
I would like to thank Tom for this great blog. I am looking forward to some canned venison when Tom comes back to hunt with me in Iowa.
Muddyhunter
