It’s hunting season once again, which means a fresh supply of wild game for us. We truly depend on this generous time of year to sustain our family’s meat supply, and when it comes time to preserving and putting away meat, we use everything. And canning meat has become my most favorite way to accomplish this task.

 

 

I’ve mentioned in the past that my husband is a guide for a local outfitter, and bear season keeps him very busy from mid-August until late September. And though neither him nor I have drawn a tag to hunt bear for the last two years, we have always been given the blessing of gifted meat from some of the hunters he guides or has befriended. From day one of season opener, I “gently” remind him “Bring home some bear meat” -or- “Don’t come home without bear meat”…and most nights, he comes home empty-handed. But then there’s nights when he comes home with this:

 

 

This is the sort of thing that brings tears to my eyes- and not because I know I will be spending hours carefully trimming, de-boning, and cutting- but because it means red meat for my family. It means I can stop worrying. It takes the pressure off of what’s looking like a very dismal upcoming deer season.

 

So, with this in mind, I set about finding the best way to preserve this precious gift. After de-boning (don’t throw away those bones- they will be used later!), the back straps and two packages of (4) small steaks were put away in the freezer for grilling, it was decided to can up the rest. We canned quite a bit of venison last year, which results in fully-cooked, ready-to-use product that makes the best 5-minute meal you’ve ever had. I thought it would be great to have the same from our bear meat.

 

– bear meat (or another red meat such as beef, venison, lamb, etc.)

– water or broth

– salt, pepper, and other seasonings of choice

– canning/pickling salt

– prepared jars (pints or quarts, your choice), lids, and bands

– pressure canner

 

Using a sharp knife (such as a filet knife), trim as much fat as possible from the meat (bear fat can ruin the flavor of the meat, so be meticulous). Cut into stew-sized chunks and place in a skillet (or multiple pans, depending on how much meat you’re working with).

 

Add just enough water or brown broth (or mixture of the two) to cover the meat and simmer until browned (does not need to be cooked through). Optionally, you can add salt, pepper, and seasonings of choice. This is not required, as you could always season your meat later upon use.

 

If using pint jars, add 1/2 tsp. salt to each jar, or if using quart jars, add 1 tsp. salt. to each jar. Using a slotted spoon, pack meat into hot jars, leaving 1-inch headspace. Pour hot cooking liquid over the meat, again leaving 1-inch headspace. Remove trapped air bubbles with a non-metallic utensil; secure lids and bands.

 

Process Accordingly (and adjust pressure according to altitude):

As suggested by the National Center for Home Food Preservation

 

You will now have a fully cooked meat, canned in a broth that needs just a bit of thickening upon your meal preparation for an instant gravy! Absolutely delicious 🙂

But let’s not stop there…we’ve got a big ole pile of bear (or whatever animal it is you are working with) bones to work with, and you don’t want to miss out on this!

 

{Printable Instructions}

It’s indisputable the health benefits of bone broth, let alone the incredible flavor of homemade broth & stock. Last fall, I showed you how to make turkey stock from your leftover Thanksgiving turkey carcass. The great news is this same process can be applied to bones and carcasses of just about every kind of animal: bear, chicken, cow, deer (except the spine due to CWD), elk, lamb, etc. So don’t- I repeat- do not throw out those bones before you’ve used them to make broth. You won’t regret it, I promise!

Keep in mind that you can use bones leftover from roasts, too. 

What You Will Need:

– bones from game or domestic animals, some meat attached & any other scraps you’d like to use up
– garlic, onion, carrots, celery, and/or any other vegetables you have on hand/would like to add
*Hint: you will want approx. 1 pound vegetables per 5 pounds bones. The ideal vegetable ratio is 50% onion (or onion family), 25% carrots, 25% celery. If the garden is in harvest mode, I use what I have- but if I have to go out and buy, this is the ratio I like to stick to.
– salt, black peppercorns, organic apple cider vinegar, tomato paste
– prepared jars, lids, bands
– pressure canner

Step 1:

Set your oven to 400 degrees. Place your bones/scraps into a large roasting pan that has been lightly oiled and put the roaster into the oven. {It is best to break up/chop the bones into large chunks to expose the marrow}.

Step 2:

Chop up your vegetables, saving the tops for adding to the broth later. Place them in a small pan and put them into the oven with the bones. Turn the bones with a tongs every 10-15 minutes or so. Stir the vegetables frequently until browned. Typically, the bones take about an hour and the vegetables half an hour- so time them appropriately.
{And yes, that is a camouflage cutting board.}

Step 3:

Once the bones & veggies are nicely cooked & browned (not burned), they are ready for broth making time! Place them into a large, heavy stockpot.

Step 4:

Put a small amount of water into your roasting pan and scrape off all the little bits of meat & crispies that have stuck to the pan- add this to the pot with your bones & roasted vegetables.

Step 5:

Add salt, peppercorns, and greens to your bones/vegetables. To help draw the calcium out of the bones, add a couple tablespoons of organic apple cider vinegar. Additionally, you can add a small can of tomato paste as well, which will not only give your broth that nice brown coloring but the acid will help to break down the cartilage.

Step 6:

Add just enough water to cover and it’s time to get cooking! Be very careful not to boil your broth as it can become cloudy and bitter. Instead, bring it to a simmer and reduce heat to low so that it maintains a barely-there simmer. Allow it to cook for at least 12 hours. Strain contents through a fine mesh strainer or several layers of cheese cloth into a clean pot. Refrigerate overnight; skim fat from the top after completely cooled. Bring broth just to a boil, ladle into hot jars leaving 1″ headspace, and process accordingly (adjusting for altitude where applicable):

As suggested by the National Center for Home Food Preservation

Rich, delicious bone broth can bring flavor and nutritional value to all kinds of dishes! So save those bones (I even collect them in freezer bags until I have enough to make a batch) to be sure that you always have some on hand.

Thank-you for stopping by today!

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Natural Living Monday