Canning

[Brandon Pattison]

First batch of venison.

 

[Becca]

Welcome to the awesome world of pressure canning! Yum!

 

[TooFarEast]

Been looking into canning venison this year and am picking up a pressure canner from my mom this weekend. Just wondering if everyone prefers the hot pack or cold pack method?

When you do the cold pack method, does it cook the meat while it is being pressure canned?

 

[Brandon Pattison]

We put cold meat in jars, lid and ring it. Then pressure cook it. Hot canning is for salsa and tomatoes only. Read your book. It details it.

 

[elkmule123]

Been looking into canning venison this year and am picking up a pressure canner from my mom this weekend. Just wondering if everyone prefers the hot pack or cold pack method?

When you do the cold pack method, does it cook the meat while it is being pressure canned?

Yes it will cook the meat. The reason you have to use a pressure canner is to get the temperature up high enough to kill the botulism bacteria. I hot pack mine. From what I've been told is the liquid turns cloudy when you cold pack and cook the meat in the jars while pressure canning. Hard to tell if anything starts to grow on it that way.

We put cold meat in jars, lid and ring it. Then pressure cook it. Hot canning is for salsa and tomatoes only. Read your book. It details it.

I think he is referring to cold pack as placing raw meat into the jars and hot pack as placing browned/cooked meat into the

 

[Brandon Pattison]

Ah, we put raw meat in ours.

 

[huntin'monkey]

Pressure canning is awesome. Especially for older, chewy buck and bulls that hanging doesn't tenderize. It's on my list of things to try... if I can hold off on shooting the first little fork buck or spike elk I see.

 

[Becca]

To be clear hot and cold pack are both safe methods for pressure canning meat. The main difference is in the look and texture of the finished product. Both will be cooked, but hot packed meat will be browned on the outside and more visually appealing. Cold packed meat is more red or pink, but still tastes great. Both are acceptable and safe methods for pressure canning meat products.

Water bath canning is a method used to can high acid foods like salsa or jam. It is done by submerging jars in boiling water (not under pressure) to can the products. It is not a safe method for canning meat and other lower acid foods.

I wrote an article awhile back on th science behind pressure canning. I will have to hassle Ryan and Robby and see if we can't get it posted up.

 

[duchntr]

Becca, That article would be awesome for us novices who are looking to get started!!

 

[DWinVA]

I've been canning green beans out of the garden for several years and the last few years I've canned some deer meat versus freezing it all. I chunk it up and cold pack it in the jars raw and can per the canner instructions. It's a great way to put away some meat and the nice thing is you just open a jar, warm it up and eat. No remembering to get it out of the freezer to let it thaw/drain/age before preparing.

One other thing I do is I'm so busy hunting during deer season I don't have time to can so I'll chunk a bunch of meat up freeze it then thaw it out and can it in Jan/Feb when I have much more time.

I would love to hear some recipes on what you do with the meat out of the can and/or anything you do different before canning it.

God Bless.

 

[Brandon Pattison]

My wife makes baked burritos with red enchilada sauce and cheese on top. She put refried beans and onions inside with the meat. Once its put on a plate she puts toppings on. I like cilantro piled high with onions, tomatoes, salsa, sour cream and guacamole.

Another one is drain, cook with broccoli and put over rice.

Hot beef sandwiches. Cut the sandwich diagonally (like momma used to), plop a dollop of garlic red Pontiac smashed taters in the middle with a curved out empty lake, fill the lake with gravy being sure to cover the bread too.

 

[Tuffy]

If you make stew out of canned meat just remember it's already cooked. So cook your veggies first and throw the meat in last or it will completely fall apart if you cook it any longer than to just heat it through.
My wife cooks a whole turkey in the canner (as a pressure cooker) for 20-25 minutes, it'll fall off the bone in that time. We then let it cool, then pull the meat off the bones, jar it and pressure can it. We use it in salads, sandwiches... you name it. She then throws some vegies in a pot with the carcass and boils that down, strains it and we can that for some awesome Turkey Broth.

 

[DWinVA]

Good point. Using canned meat isn't like thawing out a roast and cooking it in a crockpot. In other words longer isn't better when cooking canned meat.

God Bless.

 

[GFY]

A jar of canned meat and a can of pinto beans simmered for 30-45 minutes + a little tobasco........ mmmm good

 

[Brandon Pattison]

Nice

 

[Becca]

Forgot to update the thread, Robby has the article and photos so it will hopefully be available soon!

 

[Justin Crossley]

Good to hear Becca! We can some of our deer and elk meat and it is awesome.

 

[rayporter]

i put up 27 qts last week. we used 2 fish cooker burners with a pressure cooker on each [outside]. meanwhile we ground about 70 lb of meat in the basement.

i just put a bullion cube and a little cavendars in each jar. what other goodies have you all found to add for taste?

 

[GFY]