Growing up, canning was a necessary part of life for my family.
We used both Pressure canning and water bath canning.
We used pressure canning for bacteria prone foods such a fish and to soften tough meats or fish bones. At Christmas time we used the pressure cooker/canner to make Suet Pudding. Wow was that stuff rich !
Water bath canning was used for Moose and Deer, and for jams and fruit preserves and for vegetables.
Most years we'd can from 400 to 600 quarts of food items. WIld meats, wild fruits, and garden vegitables.
For the most part we used the same recipes for both methods. Water bath took longer to cook and didn't tenderize as much as pressure but other then that and the tempertrures used, the two methods were nearly identical in every other aspect.
The big trick to canning to preserve meats ext. is knowing how long to cook and how to eliminate the opportunity for bacteria to enter once the cooking is done.
Other then that it was much like any other cooking. Relatively simple to do and to learn.
The cooking process is like any other for the most part but you have to keep in mind that the goal is to kill and keep out bacteria.
For Moose and Deer we used a very simple recipe.
Cut the meat into cubes around an inch across.
Mix salt and pepper and tumble meat in same.
Fill jars to just below the top, loosely place lid on each jar and cook.
When cooked, remove from heat, tighten lids and cool.
Sorry, I don't remember portions, temperatures or times used.
The Moose and Deer preserved this way was usually cooked again before serving. Again the recipe was simple.
Add a quart of meat to a large skillet, add one cut up onion, add two cut up boiled potatoes, or more if you like. Season to taste with salt and pepper and fry till vegetables are cooked. Serve.
You can't get better food then this.
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