Canning the Montana Meat Harvest

Growing up, my family raised beef.  I would guess about 85% of our meals were beef-based.  No one in my family did much hunting or fishing.  A few of the hired hands occasionally enjoyed hunting, so every once in a while, we would get some delicious elk jerky or deer salami as a treat.  Not only did we have several cuts of beef in the freezer at all times, we also had meat stored in our food room on the shelves in jars. (We lived pretty far from town, so it really was a room, not a pantry.  We had both a food storage room and root cellar in the basement. We could have been stranded on the farm for months and we would not have starved. )

My mom always canned beef.  I didn't pay much attention to the canning process, until I got older, but I always loved the soft, tender, juicy canned beef.  Mom would open the cans, boil the meat (as an extra precaution) and serve with noodles and soy sauce.

According to the USDA, "If it is possible that any deviation from the USDA-endorsed methods occurred, to prevent the risk of botulism, low-acid and tomato foods should be boiled in a
saucepan before consuming even if you detect no signs of spoilage. At altitudes below 1,000 ft, boil foods for 10 minutes. Add an additional minute of boiling time for each additional 1,000 ft elevation. However, this is not intended to serve as a recommendation for consuming foods known to be significantly underprocessed according to current standards and recommended methods. It is not a guarantee that all possible defects and hazards with non-recommended methods can be overcome by
this boiling process."

The USDA gives the following directions:
"All low-acid foods canned according to the approved recommendations may be eaten without boiling them when you are sure of all the following:

• Food was processed in a pressure canner.
• Gauge of the pressure canner was accurate.
• Up-to-date researched process times and pressures were used for the size of jar, style of pack, and kind of food being canned.
• The process time and pressure recommended for sterilizing the food at your altitude was followed.
• Jar lid is firmly sealed and concave.
• Nothing has leaked from jar.
• No liquid spurts out when jar is opened.
• No unnatural or “off” odors can be detected."

I do know families who process their meat and then, without boiling, add mayonnaise and make it into a sandwich spread.  While that sounds delicious, I am like my mom and I always like to take that extra precaution of boiling.

My upbringing on beef didn't deter me from canning game meat when it has been available to me.  I have canned venison and elk and find I like it just as well as, if not better than, the canned beef I grew up eating.

Meat is a low acid food and must be pressure canned.  Acidic foods are hot water bath processed. Some people find pressure canning intimidating, but it is actually pretty easy.  Honestly, meat is one of the easiest products to can.  I generally do a raw pack, so it is a matter of putting the meat cubes in the jar, sealing with a lid and starting the processing.  Once while I was canning, a neighbor stopped over and watched the process.  She could not believe how simple it was.  Her family does quite a bit of hunting and fishing and they have since started to can portions of their harvest.  It is a great way to preserve meat tying up the freezer.  (The meat doesn't have to be pressure processed right away, it can be frozen first, until a more convenient time -- provided you have the freezer space.)

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks has prepared this video on canning meat from your hunting and fishing.

Right now I'm thinking about using a can of meat to prepare supper. When my Mom cooked the meat and noodles, it was a nice, simple meal with salad and veggies added. My family also enjoyed canned Flathead cherries as a dessert. I know it was great to have the canned goods when Mom had lots of mouths at the table and little time to prepare.  It was not uncommon for 8-12 people to be around our farm table.  Lots of good food and stories passed around that table! Fortunately, some good food preservation skills got ingrained, too.

You can find MontGuides here for your food preservation needs or you can access the National Center for Home Food Preservation or the USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning.  While home canning and food preservation is relatively simple, there are still some scientific principles at work and food safety concerns, so be sure to follow tested, recommended guidelines and recipes from reliable sources.  Also, remember to get your dial-gauge pressure canner tested for accurahere to find an MSU Extension Office near you and call to see if they offer the free pressure canner testing service.
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