Simple Venison Canning Instructions

Recipe for Canned Venison for Self-Sustained Living

Ready to conquer venison like a pro? Canning it is the perfect solution to extended meat storage and quick, hassle-free meals. Here's the lowdown on canning venison those homestead vibes.

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First off, securing a deer's worth of delicious protein is our aim every hunting season. With our tiny, one-acre homestead, we're limited in raising animals, so canning venison makes up the difference. It's a budget-friendly, healthy, and sustainable choice that keeps us well-fed for months. However, it certainly takes up some precious freezer space!

Once the deer is butchered, we typically age and vacuum seal it for our freezer. But, spare freezer space is precious, and power outages can threaten our loot. To reduce waste and extend preservation methods, I'm taking a glance at traditional techniques. While canning is nothing new, it's a tried-and-true method for preserving meat you can't resist.

Residential refrigeration became mainstream only in 1913, with widespread use not happening until the mid-1940s. Before that, folks like the woman I knew, born in 1913, survived without the luxury of refrigeration or even a massive freezer! Canning meat grew popular during World War I and remained so till refrigeration took over.

How to Can Venison with Ease

Canning venison is surprisingly simple and great for beginners. Use this technique on other wild game, such as elk or bear, and even beef or pork!

A Pressure Canning Warning

To can your meat safely, you must use a pressure canner. Water baths aren’t sufficient, as unsafe substances might lurk in the jar.

Pressure canners can seem daunting, but fear not! They're crucial for canning all sorts of foods safely.

Raw Pack or Hot Pack?

Here are two methods for canning venison:

Raw Pack - Put raw meat into a warm, sterilized jar.
Hot Pack - Brown the meat (similar to making a stovetop stew) then pack it into the jar.

Both options create safe, tasty canned venison. However, browning the meat may enhance flavor.

If you decide to hot pack, use olive oil in a skillet to brown the meat. Keeping it warm in a slow cooker or on low heat in a large pan with a bit of broth is a great way to finish browning then store. It saves you from multiple messes!

Adding Extras

You aren't required to add anything to the jar. Venison creates its own liquid during canning. However, I usually add salt for flavor. Adding pork fat is unnecessary, in my opinion. Think about how you typically enjoy seasoned venison when deciding what to toss in the jars.

Remember, we're working from the best quality venison to ensure the best final product! Trim fat, gristle, and other off-putting parts before canning. Previously frozen meat is also fine, as long as it's not freezer burnt and fully thawed.

Cut the venison into cubes or thin slices, pack tightly into jars, add your preferred extras, and seal those babies up. Store in a cool, dark place or pantry and enjoy your hard work for months to come. Use it in stews, soups, chili, tacos, fajitas, or mashed potatoes or rice for an easy meal. Ready to indulge in the canning adventure? Give it a try and let us know what you think!

📖 Recipe

Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes

Make meal prep a breeze with this simple canned venison recipe! Stir it into soups, stews, chili, mashed potatoes, rice, fajitas, or tacos.

Ingredients

6 Pounds Venison (cut into 1" cubes or thin slices)
6 teaspoons Salt (divided)
3 Tablespoons Onion (diced, divided) (optional)
6 Cloves of Garlic (divided) (optional)

Instructions

Sanitize your jars, wash lids and rings, then prep the venison by cutting into cubes or slices and remove any fat, gristle, and silverskin.
Chop up the optional onion and separate garlic cloves from bulb, removing the outer shell.
Put the meat in the jars, toss in onion and one clove of garlic, then salt the top of the meat.
Leave a generous 1” headspace and remove air pockets using a spatula.
Wipe the jar rim, center the lid, tighten the ring to finger tight, then place the jars in the pressure canner filled with 3” of water and a Tablespoon of vinegar.
Start with high heat and allow water to come to a boil until steam escapes the vent. Allow canner to vent for 10 minutes, then place weight on the vent.
Once the canner comes to pressure, reduce heat to medium and process pint jars for 1 hour 15 minutes or quarts for 90 minutes.
Once jars have processed, turn off heat and allow canner to come down to 0 pressure naturally. Carefully remove lid and let jars sit for 2 minutes before removing.
Store sealed jars in a cool, dark place or pantry. Enjoy your homemade canned venison for months to come!

Notes

Add bell pepper, herbs, or spices to flavor your meat differently.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 24 Serving Size: ½ Cup

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 171, Total Fat: 3g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Trans Fat: 0g, Unsaturated Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 90mg, Sodium: 593mg, Carbohydrates: 0g, Fiber: 0g, Sugar: 0g, Protein: 34g.

This canning adventure extends the life of venison and provides quick, hassle-free meals for a budget-friendly, healthy, and sustainable lifestyle.
Canning meat is a traditional technique that was popular before the widespread use of refrigeration in the mid-1940s, and it can be applied to various food-and-drink items such as elk, bear, beef, or pork.
To ensure safety, use a pressure canner instead of a water bath and choose between the raw pack (packing warm, sterilized jars with raw meat) and hot pack (browning the meat in olive oil and then packing it into jars) methods when canning venison.

Simple Venison Canning Instructions