Preserving by Karen K. Brees Ph.D

Author:Karen K. Brees, Ph.D.
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780744061789
Publisher: DK Publishing

Canning Game

Wild game is different from domestic meat. That seems obvious, but it bears some explanation. What are the differences? Domestic animals live in a controlled environment. They’re fenced in and fed or allowed to graze on specific pastures. They don’t have to (or shouldn’t have to) struggle to find sustenance. With their dietary needs more than satisfied, they put on weight. This means they have enough food to enable them to store the excess as fat. Fat makes meat tender and flavorful.

Wild game animals have a tougher life. They’re constantly on the search for food. They tend to be leaner, and as a result, their meat is tougher than their domestic cousins’. Pressure canning their meat solves the toughness problem but not the gaminess that some people find distasteful. So what’s that gamey taste?

Not to put too fine a point on it, but after all, it’s game. It has its own particular flavor and aroma, and if you’re expecting venison to taste like beef, you’re going to be disappointed. But if you’re expecting venison to taste like venison, you’re going to be satisfied. If you’re an aficionado of game, you enjoy its distinctive taste and aroma.

That said, there are a couple of factors that contribute to a gamey taste and you can do something about both of them.

First of all, be sure the game is kept properly chilled after harvesting. Once the animal becomes warm, there’s not much you can do to reverse the natural processes that lead to a disagreeable taste.

Second, be sure to remove all the fat. Especially with deer meat, fat can contribute to gaminess. It might seem contradictory because the fat on domestic animals doesn’t make them taste gamey, but that’s just the way it works.

Some people add a teaspoon or two of white vinegar while they’re cooking venison and some people insist that soaking the meat in milk before cooking it works fine. Neither of these methods will cause any harm. Salt and tomato juice are also used, and they’re discussed in a moment.

Before preparing game for canning, soak it for 60 minutes in a brine made from 1 tablespoon of kosher salt to 1 quart of water. This reduces the gamey taste. Then rinse and remove the large bones. Cut the meat into strips, chunks, or cubes.

For raw pack, pack the meat into jars, leaving 1 inch (2.5cm) of headspace. Don’t add liquid. You can add 1 teaspoon of kosher salt to each jar for flavor, but it’s not necessary. Wipe the rims, adjust the lids, and process the jars in a pressure canner. See Appendix C for the processing times.

For hot pack, precook the meat until rare. You can stew it, roast it, or simply brown it in olive oil or fat. Then pack it into jars and cover with boiling broth, water, or tomato juice, leaving 1 inch (2.5cm) of headspace. Tomato juice is often used to deal with the gamey nature of game. Wipe the rims, adjust the lids, and process the jars in a pressure canner.

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