Canning start to finish
Here is how my family has been working it for years. Had a bunch of friends start canning over the last couple years and everyone likes it. My wife even asked if I'd set aside one deer just to can. Will keep a long time! I've done duck and chicken also just run the chicken longer. The gravy out of this is realy good if you save the juices. Enjoy
1. Check all jars for chips on sealing surface. I like wide mouth jars, but narrow works .
2. Boil seals while preping jars/meat. Boil 2 min. let stand in hot water until time to seal jar off. Do not touch sealing surface of seal with anything. Use tongs.
3. Pack each quart jar with deer that is cut 1" across the grain approx 3/4 full. I use a funnel that is made just for this purpose.
4. Push down firmly on the meat to remove all air and put approx. 3/4 cup of beef tallow/fat on top of meat.
5. Add 1 wedge of an onion, tsp. garlic salt and tsp. pepper.
6. Wipe the lip of the jar off with strong consumeable alcohol on a paper towel. I use burbon to get the jars to seal properly.
7. Place hot seal on jar lip and tighten with seal ring.
8. Place 7 quarts in pressure canner and add 2 quarts of water to the canner.
9. Heat on high until pressure starts to register on gauge. Your target is 10 psi so once the gauge starts to move, start your timer and start to back the heat off. Once the canner is at temp it does not take a lot of heat to keep it there.
10. Cook for 75 min. for pint jars 90 min. for quart jars @ 10 psi. Remove from heat.
11. Bleed the pressure off of the canner per the instructions sent with the canner. This can be the most dangerous part of the whole process. Be careful.
12. Once the pressure is gone, remove each jar and place them on a cooling pad. DO NOT tip the jars, if you do, the juice will ruin your seal. I use tongs that are made specifically for this purpose.
13. Let the jars cool on their own. You will see them continue to cook even after they have been removed from the canner. You should also be aware as each jar cools it will "pop" as a vacuum is established within the jar. This can be verified by the lid now forming a depression on its surface. Verify that this has not changed on every jar before using it.
14. Do not place new jars of "cool" meat, ready to be heated, in previously heated water as it will cause the jars to crack. Cool it down with fresh water. I know from experience, and it's not good.