Canning Bear Meat????

[trapperdan2061]

I am going to can some bear not a lot, and would like to know what others add to the meat.

I do deer now andd have added garlic and onions.

Thanks Dan

[FLHTCUI]

Well Dan, I think you have your answer right there.
Not being a smart ass by a long shot, but why not use what you are familiar with and thus avoid the chance of a dissapointment when you open it.
Do you have any bear recipes you use now ( spices etc...) ? You can try some of those and keep a record of what you have added ( amounts ) for the next time you know add or delete.
While I have not done any canning or smoking of game meat , save for salmon and trout, my cousin goes through this every year, either cans a mess of fish or smokes/pickles it and then complains that he used to much of this or not enough of that or left in in the brine/smoker to long.
My point is,write everything down and them monitor your results.
I guess I might be inclined to add some red&green pepper corns for colour and flavour when you use it to make a great stew....
Mmmmm, bear stew , making me hungry now!!
Cheers,
Rob

[Mr. Dean]

I cranked a bear into sausages a while back. The garlics were a HIT!



Send me some when yer done.

[MichelD]

My wife canned my first bear in 1976 because we didn't have a freezer and my parents wouldn't allow bear meat in the freezer due to prejudices against bear meat in Port Hardy at the time.

It was the first time she'd done it and cooked roasts first using the regular garlic and pepper, then cut them to fit in jars and canned them.

She's done that more recently and made stews too, then canned it. Did the same thing with leftover 2005 elk to make room in the freezer when we got another one in 2007.

[Rhys]

Do you need a pressure canning machine to can meat? My mother in law cans pickles but is not sure how to do meat. I am going to get a book from the library but thought I would check how you guys do it.

looking to can some of the deer from last year.

Thanks

Rhys

[trapperdan2061]

Yes and no to that question I use a pressure canner as it is the best way but ifin you all were in newfie you would use a boiling water bath and boil for like 9 hours, this method is a lot of work as you need a seperate pot with boiling water to keep the other topped up with.

[MichelD]

Pressure canner is more predictible and takes less time.

[reach]

Technically, an open canner doesn't get hot enough to kill botulism, no matter how long you boil it. So is not recommended for canning low acid foods (pH above 4.6), including meat, fish, poultry and vegetables. The official word is that you must use a pressure canner.

However, my family has been canning fish and everything else for generations using an open kettle and are all still alive.