Preserve hunt harvest with safe, delicious methods

By Roselyn Biermaier, University of Minnesota Extension

If you’re lucky enough to have more game than you can serve at once, there are several ways to preserve your harvest. The most important aspect of food preservation is to follow food safety guidelines so no one gets sick.

One popular way to preserve the harvest is to make jerky. Studies at Colorado State University found that traditional methods did not destroy E. coli, and illness from salmonella has also raised concerns. All safe methods require cooking meat to 160 degrees before dehydrating in order to destroy pathogens.

Canning is another convenient method of preserving extra game. Canned meats must be processed in a pressure canner that has a weighted gauge or a dial gauge. Some people are concerned about using the pressure canner. The key is to remain in your kitchen the whole time you are using it, watching the gauge to make sure the pressure does not get too high.

Freezing game is probably the easiest option for extra meat. Use quality freezer packing material to prevent freezer burn.

Follow the guidelines below for safe jerky, canned meat or frozen meat.

Hot Pickle Jerky (from Colorado State University)
Keep meat in refrigerator until ready to use (thaw frozen meat in refrigerator). Slice evenly into 1/4 inch- by 1 inch-wide pieces. Sprinkle with a mixture of 3 tablespoons salt, 2 tablespoons sugar and 2 teaspoons of spices, such as pepper, onion and garlic powder. Pound with mallet. Place meat in flat pan (not aluminum) and cover and refrigerate overnight.
The next day: Make a brine by dissolving 3/4 cup salt, 1/2 cup sugar and 2 tablespoons spices, such as pepper, onion and garlic powder in water. Bring brine to boil. Place about ten pieces at a time in boiling brine for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes to kill E. coli and salmonella. Remove with slotted spoon and place flat on dehydrator trays or oven racks. Place racks in pre-heated dehydrator or oven that maintains a temperature of 145 degrees, according to a thermometer. Do not rely on oven temperature settings. Dry 8 to 10 hours. The meat should crack when bent in half, but not break. Let cool. To ensure safety and protect flavor, keep jerky refrigerated or frozen.
Note: There are too many concerns about ground-meat jerky to consider it safe. The surface area of ground meat is mixed throughout, making bacteria difficult to destroy.

To can meat: Use quality, properly cleaned and cooled game. Place raw cubes of meat in canning jar. Do not add water; salt is optional. Wipe edge of rim and place on new canning lid.
Follow pressure canner instructions to kill bacteria that cause spoilage and illness. Process pints for 75 minutes or quarts for 90 minutes at 11 pounds pressure. Find complete instructions on the University of Minnesota Extension website at www.extension.umn.edu. Search for “Safe Home Canning of Fruits, Vegetables and Meats.”

To freeze meat: Clean meat first: take off hair, leaves, etc. Leave trimmings whole — do not grind before freezing. Freeze in food grade packages, not garbage bags. Garbage bags are often treated with insecticides. Don’t put meat in 5-gallon pails, even if they are food grade. It takes too long to freeze and so long to thaw that people might be tempted to hurry up the process and thaw at room temperature.

(Roselyn Biermaier is a food science educator with University of Minnesota Extension.)