For Cubes, or randomly cut deer meat:
- Pack cubes into sterilized jars, top each quart with one teaspoon of salt, or pints with 1/2 teaspoon of salt
- Add 1/2 teaspoon of pepper if desired
- Screw down lids and rings
For ground deer:
- For best results mix 1/2 teaspoon of salt per pound into meat
- Shape ground meat into 1” balls, or small patties
- Bake on a baking sheet at 350º for 10-15 minutes, until outsides have browned
- Transfer balls/patties to sterilized canning jars, along with whatever broth has seeped out of meat as it baked
- Screw down lids and rings
For canning deer with a broth as in pot roast:
- Pack jars with strips of meat, and onions/peppers if desired
- Combine desired seasonings (ranch mix, Italian beef seasonings, etc), assuming two pounds of meat to each quart jar when planning seasoning quantities, and divide between jars
- Top with beef broth, leaving 1/2 inch of headspace
- Screw down lids and bands
To proceed with canning:
- Prepare pressure canner. For a standard 16 quart pressure canner, this means inserting rack into bottom of canner, and pouring in 2 quarts of cool water
- Fill with jars. The standard 16 quart canner should hold 7 quart jars without them touching eachother
- Fix lid on canner, with steam vent open
- Heat over medium/high heat until steam begins to escape steadily from canner
- Set timer for 10 minutes
- After 10 minutes, place rocker/weight over pressure valve
- Bring to 10lbs of pressure at sea level, or 15 lbs or pressure at 4,000 feet or higher altitude
- Process quarts for 90 minutes, and pints for 75 minutes
- Remove canner from heat, and let return to zero pressure naturally
- After this time, you can let the jars continue to cool in the canner, or if you need to use the canner again, carefully open canner, and remove jars, protecting them from drafts that could cause glass breakage. Cover jars with a towel in an out of the way place until completely cool
- After 24 hours, check for seal. You may remove bands to wash jars at this point.
- Store jars of canned meat out of direct sunlight.