How to Preserve Caribou
Taking down an arctic caribou in Alaska or the Canadian tundra is not like white tail deer hunting in Pennsylvania. A 1000-pound animal requires lots of work to clean, butcher and preserve the meat so it won't go to waste. Know the many different ways to preserve caribou meat so the family never complains, "not caribou again tonight!" Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Salt
- Sharp knife
- Freezer containers
- Freezer paper, bags, or vacuum pack
- Freezer
- Smoker
- Canning equipment
- Dried blueberries, nuts, seeds, honey or syrup, suet
Instructions
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Expect a 500-pound caribou to result in 175 pounds or so of meat to preserve.
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Treat caribou meat like venison meat and preserve in the same ways.
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Cut up the caribou into cuts of meat such as steaks, roasts or chops. Grind some caribou meat into hamburger and for use in sausage. Wrap the meat in freezer paper, package in freezer bags or vacuum pack before freezing.
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Dry the caribou meat into jerky using the oven or sun to dry thin slices of meat.
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Smoke the caribou jerky slices in a smoker for 3 to 4 hours until the flavor is adequate. Finish the drying in the sun and store in freezer bags.
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Make pemmican using caribou jerky, dried blueberries and a favorite nut or seed. Sweeten with honey or maple syrup and use melted suet to hold the cake together.
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Can or tin caribou meat to use as stew meat or in chili. Cut the meat into bite size chunks and process per equipment instructions.
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Pickle the heart and tongue to use in traditional caribou recipes. Avoid using the liver and kidneys, which contain high levels of cadmium, a known heavy metal toxin.
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Give away any extra caribou meat so it does not go to waste.
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Tips & Warnings
Substitute caribou meat for many beef and pork dishes to get a leaner food product. Prepare cooked dishes and freeze in small containers or large quantities for future meals.
Wash the meat in salt water before butchering.
Age the caribou meat before preserving for a much better flavor.
Avoid October caribou meat, which has a strong flavor due to the rut.
