How to Preserve Deer Meat

Preserve deer meat to fill your pantry for the year.

Preserve deer meat for a pantry full of meat for the coming year. There are several ways to preserve deer meat and it is your preference as to which method you choose. Use safe processing methods when preserving deer meat because wild game is more susceptible to bacteria and trichinellosis than processed meats. Keep your work area clean and wash your processing tools as often as necessary while preserving the deer meat.

Things You'll Need

• Plastic wrap
• Freezer paper
• Freezer tape
• Permanent marker
• Canning jars with lids
• Pressure canner
• Food dehydrator or oven
• Meat grinder (optional)
• Large bowls

Instructions

Freezing

1. Cover the deer meat in plastic wrap to keep air pockets from forming around the meat. Seal the meat completely in the plastic and push out any air bubbles in the plastic wrap.

2. Wrap the deer meat with freezer paper, overlapping the edges. Seal the wrapped meat packet with freezer tape, going around the entire package at least once.

3. Write the date of processing on the freezer tape. Mark which cut of meat is in the packets for easy identification later.

4. Place the meat packets into the freezer in a single layer for quick freezing. Store the meat at zero degrees Fahrenheit.

Canning

1. 

   Can deer meat in a pressure canner just like you do vegetables and fruits.

   Wash the canning jars and lids thoroughly before packing the jars with deer meat. Inspect for cracks or rough edges around the mouth of the jar. Discard any jars with imperfections.

2. Fill the jars with raw meat slices or chunks for the raw-pack method of canning or partially cook the deer meat, pack it into jars, then fill the jars with hot water or broth for cold-pack canning. Leave an inch of room at the top of the jars to avoid seepage while processing. Raw-pack means the meat is raw and no liquids are added to the jar before sealing and processing in the pressure canner. Cold-pack canning entails cooking the meat and adding hot liquid before sealing the jars and processing in the pressure canner. Meat must never be canned in a water-bath canner.

3. Seal the jars with the lids and place them into the pressure canner. Adjust the jars so the sides of the jars are not touching. Check the instructions for the pressure canner before processing venison.

4. Process the deer meat for 90 minutes in quart jars at a pressure of 11 to 14 pounds, depending upon the altitude. This is for a dial-gauge cooker. For a weighted-gauge, process for 90 minutes at a pressure of 10 below 1,000 feet. and at 15 pounds if you are above 1,000 feet.

Jerky

1. Freeze the venison for 20 to 30 minutes so the meat is easier to slice. Slice thin strips of the meat, cutting against the grain. Trim away the fat.

2. Marinade the deer meat in the refrigerator, using your favorite recipe. Allow the marinade to penetrate the meat overnight, if desired. The longer the meat marinates, the more salt it absorbs.

3. Remove the venison from the marinade and place it on paper towels to absorb any excess liquid. Place the meat on a cookie sheet, leaving space between each piece of meat. If you are using a dehydrator, arrange the deer meat on a dehydrating tray.

4. Turn the oven on to 140 degrees Fahrenheit or place the drying racks into the dehydrator. Allow the deer meat to cook until it is completely dry. The process takes 10 to 24 hours, depending on the thickness of the slices.

5. Test the venison with a meat-probe thermometer. The temperature must be at least 160 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove the meat from the oven or dehydrator and allow it to cool. Store in plastic bags in the refrigerator or seal in canning jars. Store in a dark, cool place.

Tips & Warnings

• Use canning salt, if you are adding salt to the meat, because regular table salt causes cloudiness in home-canned foods.

• Venison is a low-acid food and if you are canning the meat, it must be processed in a pressure canner. A water-bath canning method does not kill bacteria.

References

• Presto: Pressure Canning Meat and Poultry
• Utah State University: Venison
• National Center for Home Food Preservation: Drying; Jerky