Canning Venison the Easy Way. Follow Our Step-by-Step Directions

Canning Venison is easier than you might think.

Our family eats more venison than any other meat. We usually enjoy two deer per season. Of the many canning venison recipes available, this is perhaps the simplest.

Canning is easy with the Raw Pack Method. Just follow these directions (adapted and simplified) from the USDA.

Procedure:

Select quality fresh, chilled meat. Remove any large bones, gristle and excess fat. Cut venison into chunks, strips, or cubes. It doesn’t have to look pretty. Just try for 1-3 inch chunks or strips. (You can soak the meat for an hour or so in brine water containing 1 tablespoon of salt per quart if you wish. Soaking is not necessary, but may reduce what some people claim is a “gamey” taste.) Rinse the meat in running water.

Use the raw pack method—no pre-cooking required! (NOTE: The hot pack method is more complicated and requires the venison to be pre-cooked.)

Add 1 teaspoon of salt per quart to the jar, if desired. Fill jars with chunks or strips of raw meat. BE SURE to leave 1 inch of headspace at the top of the jar. Add NO liquid.

Adjust lids and process according to the following USDA recommendations for a weighted-gauge pressure cooker.

If you live at an altitude of less than 1,000 feet, set the weight gauge (PSI) at 10 pounds (PSI). If your altitude is above 1,000 feet, set the pressure gauge weight at 15 pounds (PSI). It’s that simple!

Process time for quarts is 90 minutes at full pressure. By all means use quart jars. For the work you do, pints are just not worth it.

My wife cans a lot. Our young daughters can too. (Was that a pun?) Anyway, canning is not all that difficult. And one great advantage of canning meat is the processed meat will always be oh so tender.

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