Oooohhhhhh Deer!! (Mmmm.)

Chromaflage · 12-04-2003, 04:08 PM

As I'm sitting here watching the news, reading iFish and eating dinner, I'm compelled to post a brag. My wonderful wife cans stew meat from the deer we harvest. Today, she cooked the first pot of stew with this year's bounty. Oh-my-goodness....better than any Campbell's Chunky Soup!!! Or any other soup for that matter :grin:

ORS

Mello-Yello · 12-04-2003, 05:10 PM

I've been wanting to try canning venison, just never have done it.

What all do you do with canned venison besides stew meat?

What cuts do you use?

I butcher my game myself, and have a lot of larger "chunks" frozen to be processed at a later date. I find this works good for preventing freezer burn, plus it leaves me several options on what to do with it later.

I have the pressure cooker, jars, etc...I canned a bunch of tuna this summer, so I'm somewhat edumacated on canning...

Any input would be greatly appreciated.

M-Y

PS...yer making me hungry! :shocked:

Snapset · 12-04-2003, 08:13 PM

First, canned meat tastes like canned meat. Venison tastes fine when canned, and I have canned any and all of the cuts. Any cut will can just fine, but since they will all come out of the pressure cooker tasting the same, it is great for the shanks, brisket, neck and shoulder meat because the pressure cooking makes the connective tissue tender, and any cut you pressure cook will be fork tender when you are done. Make sure you don't let even one hair get into the bottle because it does not disappear with the pressure cooking and does add a gamy flavor.

I don't can venison very much anymore, but we always used it in stews or a stroganoff type gravy when I did.

Chromaflage · 12-04-2003, 09:31 PM

Generally, we use front shoulder meat, cut into 1" to 1.5" cubes. But any meat will do. Fill wide-mouth quart jars with meat. Add 1/2 tsp of salt to each jar. Pressure cook @ 10 pounds for 90 minutes. Yes, it all tastes pretty much the same, but is VERY tender. It makes excellent stew!! We've also make a mongolian marinade and cooked it in a crock for several hours and served over rice - mmmmmm!!!

That's pretty much it.

ORS

[ 12-04-2003, 10:32 PM: Message edited by: OregonRedside ]

crabbait · 12-05-2003, 01:00 AM

You can help the flavor out by adding onion/celery/carrot or all the above while canning. My mother canned a lot of elk and always added onion. Some peppers, bell or otherwise, can also change the menu a bit.

Ditto on the stew. Also makes great Stroganoff, burritos, tacos, chili and a not half bad sandwich.

skahorse · 12-05-2003, 07:28 AM

ORS,
Please share your wife's stew recipe... :grin: I boned out my deer in preperation of making some stew. I cut up about 10 lbs of stew meat, and froze it. The problem is... My wife hasn't ever made stew :shocked: Please do share...

P.S. Before I shot my first deer (this year) everyone I asked claimed that deer was very "gamey". Well, if this deer is gamey, I love gamey! I love deer! Better than any beef steak i've ever had.

--Skahorse

[ 12-05-2003, 08:30 AM: Message edited by: skahorse ]

Chromaflage · 12-05-2003, 07:33 AM

Oh, we're getting into zipper lip territory now :grin: . I'll get it from her tonight and post for you. If you haven't canned the meat, you might consider cooking in a crock for several hours to tenderize the meat a bit. More to come...

BTW, Skahorse, you still interested in putting together a wing shoot some time? How's the SRD been shooting? I went out there last Saturday with a friend of mine - went in his boat and set up just upriver from the nav light. Didn't fire a shot all day - only heard about 5 shots all day. :depressed: Pretty poor.

ORS

Capin' Dan · 12-06-2003, 10:32 PM

Guys this makes the best chili. My mom used to can a lot of venison. its great chunky chili.

Chromaflage · 12-07-2003, 06:34 AM

Yeah! What Capin Dan said :smile:

StickFish · 12-07-2003, 09:28 AM

Another way yo use canned Venison is to make Venison Salad Sandwitches. Prepare the same way you would Tuna Salad, but use your canned Venison. I use home made Basil Mayo that my wife makes, or I use Best foods and some Mustard powder, touch of Cajun Seasoning, salt and pepper (fresh ground - always). Add shredded cheese maybe some diced hot peppers and OH My!

Chromaflage · 12-09-2003, 10:20 AM

As promised (a little late, but here it is):

Per one pound of meat:

4 cups water
1 tbls lemon juice
1 tbls worcestershire (sp?) sauce
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp pepper
1 med onion chopped
6 carrots chopped
3 potatoes diced
1-2 bay leaves
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp paprika

Throw it all in a pot and let it simmer for about 2 hours. Add water or corn starch to adjust thickness to preference.

Good eatin'!

Skahorse - you have a PM!

ORS