Canning Venison/ Deer

Okay, so I need room in my freezer...so I canned a lot of the deer...It is so-oooooo good canned anyway. I think I'll just keep the tenderloin in the freezer for grilling this summer and can everything else.

See the chilli canning post for the steps to beginning your canning....  and then prepare your deer meat by washing several times and I soaked it overnight in salt water as well. 

Once you have your area prepped with the canning tools you can begin by adding your meat to the jars..

I added 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp red crushed pepper to these jars

Process quarts 90 minutes and pints 75 minutes at 11 pounds pressure

And there you have it...canned deer meat that is simply awesome!

Canning Chilli

Okay, so I am running behind on my posts... Anyway.. before the big storm came I planned on doing a tutorial on canning... I canned chilli and some venison...I will show the venison in another post later...

                                                                First is the Chilli.....

                           First thing to do is get your jars ready...Wash them in Warm Soapy Water

Then Put them on a cookie sheet in the oven at 225 degrees to sterilize them

Next ...get your lids ready to sterilize....In a small saucepan boil some water and then turn it to simmering and add your lids (Do not boil your lids)

You will also need to put your rings in some hot soapy water and get your other supplies gathered

You will need a food funnel, a jar lifter, a ring lifter (my hubby made mine) and some vinegar in a bowl to wipe around the tops of the jars so that the lids will seal better. 

You will also need a pressure canner . I have a presto and an All American... I like them both but when I want to can a bunch of smaller jars then I use my All American Canner as the presto will only hold one layer.

The All American has a pressure gauge and the lid screws down so it makes it impossible to blow up on you... I used to be terrified of my canner blowing up so that's why I love this one.  I also like my presto because you don't have to keep as close of an eye on it because it has the rocker instead of a pressure gauge.  You will want to have your canner on the stove filled with  2 to 3 quarts of water getting hot while you are packing your jars. You don't want the water to go up no more than half way up on your jars... if it does then you will need to dip some of the water out.

 Next get a sterilized jar from the oven and pour the food through the funnel so that it doesn't get on the tops of your jars and I filled it to 1 inch from the top.

 After you have filled your jars then take a wooden spoon and stick down in and get the air bubbles out

                           After that you will need to wipe the tops of your jars with the vinegar...

                                                            

                                                             Then put your lids on

                                                   Next add your rings and tighten them up pretty tight.

                                          Next start filling the canner with your full jars of food.

 After you have processed your chilli for 90 minutes quarts or 75 minutes pints let the cooker release it's pressure on it's own and then remove the lid. Then start removing your jars with the jar lifter onto a towel.

                                                        And now you have canned Chilli

    After it has cooled...remove the rings and wipe clean and dry the jar. I then add the date and the contents of the food in the jar on top with a sharpie pen.

Canning Rabbit!

It has been a really busy day today.  We started off with canning rabbit soup and broth and then onto canning rabbit. I wish I had taken pics of the whole process but I just didn't think to do so...  A couple of days ago we had a rabbit killing day. I think it was 7 rabbits we killed... I made a big pot of rabbit noodle soup and since my Mom was sick and just got out of the hospital I took her a big portion of it and then we had it for supper and still I had enough left over to can 4 quarts. I didn't add any noodles to the canned soup as they tend to get mushy during canning so I will add them when I am ready to serve the soup after opening.  I also canned 2 quarts of rabbit broth, 5 quarts of rabbit on the bone, 3 pints of boneless rabbit pieces and 1 half pint as well. Tomorrow will be another canning day... I'm thinking chilli and deer meat... yummmm....

I know.... I know... it looks gross right??? Meat usually does when canned...but I promise you that if you ever try canned meat you will fall in love...There's nothing like it......sometimes I even can beef just so I can have that flavor instead of cooking fresh...  I will do a tutorial on how to can meat soon!

It's been a Busy Week!

 Well, I haven't got to post for a few days because we've just been so busy. Kelly's been cutting wood and I've been helping him stack it and then trying to get caught up on orders from our website and such. I have took a few pics of what's been going on in the kitchen though...lol... 

Yummmy.........    Pizza!

 We made Mozzarella Cheese a few nights ago so I thought it would be great for the pizza......

 

 I just love taking pics of food... 

One More of the Pizza....

 And...... Carrot Cake Cupcakes......

Reese Cup Bars......Oh, So Yummmmy!!!

 See Told Ya I had a busy week!

Another Lazy Snow Day...

No school today for Jacob! Can you believe that he would rather have went to school than to have stayed at home and do a snow packet... he say's he hates the snow packets so much that he would rather just go to school the whole day then to spend an hour doing his work at home...what the heck is up with that...lol...

Well,  anyway... I  haven't done much today but do some laundry and cook a deer roast... With the temps being around 20 degrees here it's been too cold to do any work outside other than the chores so it's just been another lazy day for us...  I love it!

It's Finally Snowing!!!!

We are finally getting some snow... it's not supposed to be very much but it's coming down hard right now and we probably have about a half inch or so... Kelly decided that today would be the day for cutting wood....of all days...lol... with the wind blowing so hard and the snow just pouring down.... but he got us enough cut for a few days anyway.. We're warm and toasty right now.... and it's a very cold 22 degrees here right now.  I love the fire.  I got out and got our chores done early and I did Jacob's so he wouldn't have to be out in this cold when he gets home from school.

Tonight I made Chicken Stuffed with  Broccoli and homemade mozzarella cheese....Yummm... it was good.. I also made some homemade yeast rolls and some cinnamon rolls... so much for starting the year out eating lighter huh?? 

Well, It's a New Year and I am gonna be adding on a daily basis just the ordinary things we do around here on the farm. For New Years, The Hubby killed us a rabbit and I cooked it in the dutch oven on a bed of sweet yellow onions surrounded by some delicious gold yukon and red rose potatoes. I have to say that it was really delicious!  We topped it off with some of our homemade vanilla ice cream... Yummmy stuff.... We really love our cow...lol...