Anybody here pressure can small game- rabbit etc...

bluejay · Jan 1, 2015

I annually pressure cooker bottle big game meat with great success. I honestly don't know anybody that does small game by this method that I can pry on for tips or recipes. Please share any ideas you may have for bottling rabbit, grouse and other small game. Thanks for any help.

Happy New year to all

hntbambi · Jan 2, 2015

I also pressure can meat. I can red meats (elk, oryx, deer, beef) all the same way. I also can boneless skinless chicken using the same cold pack method just a little chicken base vs beef base.

For rabbit and squirrel, I would do the same with some beef base. For grouse, I would add chicken base. Other than that, the method is the same no matter what the critter. The added flavorings are the only delta.

bluejay · Jan 2, 2015

Great, thanks for the post htnbambi. I figured the process would be the same as far as the canning part. Having not canned small game before I wondered if it was worth trying. Everything I've canned in the pressure cooker turns out fantastic. Once you get passed the appearance part it's absolutely delicious.

Many thanks

bluejay · Jan 5, 2015

Did some rabbit pressure canned and damn that's delicious eating. Pressure canning meat has not let me down yet, all I've prepared in it has been great. The process was lightly boiled to firm the meat enough to remove from bones and placed in bottle boneless with small amount of seasonings and filled to 1" from top with bouillon. Lidded and ringed and pressured up to 13# for 90 minutes. Let cool and store for years of enjoyment. 10 cottontails= 4 pints finished. Tastes like rabbit, not chicken. Rabbits tastes better then chicken.

DW · Jan 5, 2015

Thanx for the follow up bluejay. Been threatening to start cannin some wild game for awhile. Having never done it I have a little fear of the pressure cooker. Any hard and fast "don't evers"? I bought 1 a few yrs back, haven't used it yet!

bluejay · Jan 5, 2015

It seems intimidating at first for sure. The biggest thing to remember is read the directions. For the most part all the recipe basics are in the booklet that comes with the cooker. If you get nervous in mid stride turn the heat off. The lids come with a rubber button that pops out if for some reason you should forget you are cooking with it. You should also be able to find any information on line about your concerns. Another thing is a pressure cooker is not only a canning utensil, it's a great way to speed up cooking vegetables and meats. It truly is the only way to bottle meat, no other safe way about it. Jump in and do some canning with it, you'll never regret it. My favorite part is when your frozen meat starts reaching its expitation date so to speak you pressure bottle it and your good for another 2-3 years easy with no energy consumption to store it. Have fun with it.

ForkWest · Jan 6, 2015

DW, I put this together several years back. It may help for the first time.

http://www.monstermuleys.info/dcforum/DCForumID48/87.html

All pressure cookers have a relief pulg now days, no concern for explosion.

DW · Jan 7, 2015

Thanx men! Yep, the big boom was my fear! Lookin forward to tryin some sky carp next wknd!

DW · Jan 8, 2015

Forkwest are u throwin that bullion cube in the middle, on top, or does it make any difference? It boils I suspect and mixes no matter what. Thanx again men!

bluejay · Jan 8, 2015

DW
My opinion is it makes little to no difference where the buillion goes in the bottle. I have always added my spices first then meat. As the meat cooks it fills the jar about 80% with liquid. So I would assume the liquid boils and mixes throughout the jar as it cooks.
Good luck and enjoy meat in a bottle.

ForkWest · Jan 9, 2015

The salt and flavor equalizes through the whole bottle when cooking, dosent matter. I put it on top though.

DW · Jan 14, 2015

Well, I took the leap yesterday, bottled some geese. Used 2 beef bullion cubes and a 1/2 jalape?o with some black pepper in some. Some with no peppers and some with chile peppers. Can't believe how easy it is, and tonight I opened a jar and made a burrito.....OMG! Awesome! Got some old hens in the coop that don't lay so well anymore, they're next! Might use a whole jalape?o next time, do u leave the seeds in forkwest?

bluejay · Jan 16, 2015

Depends on the level of heat and heartburn you want whether you use the jalapeno seeds. Seeds are where the heat is. My first batch I did with elk I used 2 whole jalapenos each pint and that's some fire in a bottle. They were home grown jalapenos which in my experience are hotter then them store bought variety. Glad you enjoyed your first try at the pressure bottling. Now your hooked.