Tried canning deer meat.

[wabi]

Cleaned out the freezer yesterday and found several packs of steak from last winter's deer I didn't know was still in there. I thawed it out and it looked good so I decided to try canning it.
Got out the pressure canner and some pint wide mouth jars and got busy with it. Decided to hot pack it, so I boiled the meat until it was med rare, then cut it into fat free pieces and packed it in the jars. Covered some with golden mushroom soup and some with beef broth, then processed it for 75 minutes.
All jars sealed and I just left them on the table last night. I decided to try one for taste when I got in this afternoon. (just a few minutes ago - it's 4:00PM here)
Opened a pint with the mushroom soup and microwaved half the jar.
I managed to eat all of it (except for one piece for the cat ) in one setting.

I must say the idea of canning venison never occurred to me until I heard of it on this forum. I find it still tastes like deer, but is much more tender than regular cooking can get it. The mushroom soup gave it a good flavor, but not overpowering. I think I'll head to the store and pick up a few cases of widemouth jars before I go deer hunting this year.

[Meat Hunter]

Wabi,

I am your friend, so please do not be offended by what I am going to say. We all want you to be around for many more years.

Botulism is caused by a natural toxin that is produced by bacteria found in the air, on the ground, and on your skin. It is the most deadly form of food poising in the world and the spores which produce it are some of the most difficult of toxin-producing bacteria to kill. Clostridium botulinum has no odor and no taste. It multiplies rapidly when:

1. The environment is moist
2. It has nutrients to feed on
3. The temperature is between 40 degrees F and 140 degrees F
4. The environment is low in both oxygen and acidity

Botulism poisoning is usually first diagnosed in less than a day by blurred vision; due to muscle failure, you may be unable to hold your head up. A little later, you may have trouble speaking because your neck and throat muscles cease to function, and you may develop double vision. The chest and diaphragm muscles no longer function, and then the heart and lungs fail. All this happens in about three days. If you are not promptly treated, death will follow.

When you hot water can meat, you are walking on very-very thin ice and you may die an agonizing death. The temperature of hot water canning does not even come close to killing botulism; due to the low acidity of meat - it is a perfect environment for botulism to grow.

Yes, you jars did sealed. This seal occurred because the jars cooled and is in no way is indicative of your meat being safe to eat.

Please, for the safety of yourself and your family DO NOT hot water can anymore meat.

The ONLY way to kill botulism is to use a pressure canner (not a pressure cooker) and process the meat at the recommended pressure and for the recommended length of time. A pressure canner has a temperature guage and a pressure weight with several different pressure setting positions.

I suggest that you do two things: 1. Discard you hot water canned meat and 2. Contact your County Extension agent and pick-up a free USDA guide to canning meat pamphlet.

[lscha]

I think he got out the pressure canner. Right? Just hot packed it instead of cold packed it?

Wabi?? You still with us???

[Grizzly Adam]

Better read Mike's post again, Meat Hunter:

He said he pressure-canned the meat:

Got out the pressure canner and some pint wide mouth jars and got busy with it.

He said he hot-packed the meat before pressure-canning it:

Decided to hot pack it, so I boiled the meat until it was med rare, then cut it into fat free pieces and packed it in the jars.

And he said he gave it adequate processing time:

Covered some with golden mushroom soup and some with beef broth, then processed it for 75 minutes.

You simply misunderstood what he wrote. No problem there!

Your concern for a fellow forum member is good, though! Thanks for caring! Many of us have emphasized how important it is to be careful when canning!

[wabi]

Yep, still here.
It was PRESSURE canned and processed for 75 minutes @ 10# pressure.

My wife had processed some pumpkins yesterday and pureed them. She wanted me to can them, but I read there is no safe way to home-can pumpkin puree. I had her freeze them instead, that's why we were cleaning out the freezer.

[wabi]

If it turned out any better all I'd get done is wash jars!
I think from now on a lot of deer meat is going to get canned. Too many days like today in my work schedule (worked until 3:00 PM without a lunch break) and that's one quick, easy, great tasting meal!
I may even try doing some backstraps in the mushroom soup.

[lscha]

Was the mushroom soup condensed and you diluted it? With water? Sounds so good.

[B-Logger]

Wabi, you might even try canning some without the mushroom soup just to see the difference. I know that almost 100% of the people we have fed canned venison could hardly believe it was venison....even the ones who supposedly hate venison. It is darned good and you'll find when you do the fresh raw meat, there will be a difference.

Enjoy!

[wabi]

Was the mushroom soup condensed and you diluted it? With water? Sounds so good.

Yes,
I used Campbells Golden Mushroom soup and diluted it with a little less than an equal amount of water. Probably a 60:40 ratio. Just thin enough to easily flow around the meat.

I often use mushroom soup when cooking deer meat. Brown the meat in a cast iron skillet, then add mushroom soup, cover, and simmer for eternity.
(eternity = 30 minutes when you're hungry and can smell it cooking )

[Meat Hunter]

Wabi,

I apologize.

I misread that you first hot packed the jars and then pressure canned them. That is a perfectly acceptable way to can meat.

Good job. Good work. And, invite me over for dinner some time.

Your posts are always informative and I just did not wish to lose you to the “bug”.

Best,
Meat Hunter

[Grizzly Adam]

I just did not wish to lose you to the “bug”.

And a noble post it was!

We all like having Mike around ... and you too!

[wabi]

Wabi,

I apologize.

I misread that you first hot packed the jars and then pressure canned them. That is a perfectly acceptable way to can meat.

Good job. Good work. And, invite me over for dinner some time.

Your posts are always informative and I just did not wish to lose you to the “bug”.

Best,
Meat Hunter

I appreciate the advice, even if you misread the post.

I am very careful when processing any food at home. As I said, the reason I was cleaning out the freezer is the wife got in a hurry and pureed the pumpkin before I had a chance to read up on processing it. She figured since you can buy canned pumpkin you could make it at home. Not so! You can pressure can pumpkin chunks, but not puree!

Another thing I usually preach on here each year is using a good "cure" when making venison jerky. I don't like adding chemicals, but that's one time they are the best alternative. Jerky is processed at the perfect temperature for those nasty little bugs to thrive in, so it's best to kill them off before you make it.

[Sliver]

Wabi,



Your posts are always informative and I just did not wish to lose you to the “bug”.

Best,
Meat Hunter

Ye, and he makes a hell of a deer call !!

[Hoss]

His predator calls are good too..

[dutchhunter]

the almesh folks down here can most of there meat .i got some from them and realy enjoyed it .thy fry the meat in hot butter to brown it on all sides before putting it in the jars this gives it a great flaver it will taste better then boiling it in water first it sure is good stuff i hope to have a bunch made up this year DUTCH