I have been watching all sorts of videos about field dressing and processing a deer. (Still waiting to get out with a buddy for my first bow hunt) I've seen most are just grinding/steaking their meat. I just ran across videos of people canning the meat because it last longer than meat in the freezer and says it's the best thing to do with it unless you make jerky... Any of you do or have done this? Whats the good bad and/or ugly about it?
I'm sure it has its place and need, but not for me. I like medium rare steaks, tacos and chili. I'd can something like italian beef or similar, but wouldn't be much. Just think it has limited options at the table. But it's definitely a good practice especially if living off thw grid or something.
My grandpa takes all of the stew meat from our deer and cans it. He loves it on bread with a little butter. I tried it. It wasn't bad but it's not something I wanted to eat all of the time.
No canning meat here. It's just not for me. With that said, steaks, roasts, grind, then whatever "scrap" meat that is left gets brought in for sticks and or summer sausage. Use a food saver and meat lasts quite a while.
I don't can it, but if done right it is fall apart tender. I've eaten it and it is really good from others that have canned it. Lots of options depending on what you have access to. Grinder, stuffer, smoker, slicer, vacuum sealer. Butcher paper works well too and is very simple for steaks. Just keep reading up on how to process the deer. Lots of stuff out there. I grind and make different sausages from the kits. Cut up own steaks and vacuum seal. Long term this will save you money and I find it rewarding to know exactly how the meat was handled. You aren't always getting your own meat back from locker. For some that can be a good thing or a bad thing depending on how they care for their meat after kill.
