Canned Venison Chunks

Ingredients

Instructions

1. 1Understand before you begin that venison, like all game meat, is a low-acid food and must be processed in a pressure canner; a boiling-water bath is never safe for canning meat of any kind.
2. 2Wash 7 quart jars in hot soapy water or a dishwasher and keep them hot; wash new lids and prepare them exactly as the manufacturer instructs.
3. 3Trim the venison thoroughly, removing all visible fat, silverskin, and connective tissue, since wild game fat can turn strong-flavored or tallow-like during storage and should not be left on the meat, then cut the meat into uniform 1 to 1 1/2 inch cubes.
4. 4This recipe uses the raw pack method, meaning the venison goes into the jars uncooked; raw pack works well for lean cubed venison, while hot pack (browning first) can be used if you prefer a firmer texture or want to render off any remaining surface fat before canning.
5. 5Pack the raw venison cubes loosely into the hot jars, without pressing them down, so liquid can circulate freely between pieces.
6. 6Leave 1 1/4 inches of headspace at the top of each jar.
7. 7Raw-pack venison releases its own juices during processing, so added liquid is optional; if desired, ladle boiling water or boiling beef broth over the meat to cover it, keeping the 1 1/4 inch headspace, and add salt only for flavor.
8. 8Run a bubble tool around the inside of the jar to release trapped air between the meat pieces, then recheck and adjust the headspace to 1 1/4 inches if needed.
9. 9Wipe the jar rims completely clean of any fat, blood, or liquid, center a lid on each jar, and screw the band down fingertip tight.
10. 10Load the jars into the pressure canner, add water as directed by the manufacturer, lock the lid, and vent steam steadily for 10 minutes before pressurizing.
11. 11Process pint jars for 75 minutes and quart jars for 90 minutes at 10 pounds pressure in a weighted-gauge canner up to 1,000 feet (15 pounds above 1,000 feet), or 11 pounds in a dial-gauge canner up to 2,000 feet (12 pounds from 2,001 to 4,000 feet, 13 pounds from 4,001 to 6,000 feet, 14 pounds from 6,001 to 8,000 feet).
12. 12Turn off the heat once processing finishes and let the canner depressurize naturally on its own; never quick-release a canner of meat.
13. 13Wait until the gauge reads zero, then wait 2 more minutes, slowly vent any remaining pressure, wait 10 more minutes, then unlock and open the canner.
14. 14Move the jars to a towel-lined surface and let them cool completely undisturbed for 12 to 24 hours.
15. 15Check that each lid has sealed, wipe the jars clean, label with contents and date, and store in a cool, dark place for up to about 1 year.
16. 16Before eating, boil the venison hard for 10 minutes to destroy any possible botulinum toxin, and discard without tasting any jar with an off odor, spurting liquid, or a lid that never sealed or is bulging.