Canning quality

[Lostinthewoods]

My 2026 goal is to start canning, so I’d be interested in what you all prefer?

A pressure cooker or just doing it in a pot?

Also if you run a pressure cooker is this one of those things you buy once cry once? Or just get a mid tier option?

I’ve seen some pressure cookers that are around e $400-$500.

My guess is I end up doing 2-3 deer with a year plus other random things.

I almost want to order it asap so I have it ready for after my elk hunt next week.

Cheers,
DTP

 

[Addicting]

Do you already eat canned meat? It’s not that appealing to do with game meat. We can a lot, and I would never waste elk in a jar.

 

[Nick87]

Canning meat or just garden veggies?

 

[el unit]

The All American #915 canner has treated us great over the years. Vegetables, deer, and elk. We don't can meat very often- we just always want to have some extra in the pantry.

 

[mevertsen]

Pressure canning is for low acid foods.

Boiling water bath is for high acid foods.


Get the BALL book.

Read it.

You'll likely want a pressure canner and boiling pot.

 

[Fire_9]

I canned almost my whole antelope this year and the family loved it. It’s not that appealing right out of the jar but I’ve really been enjoying it for tacos. I personally would buy the bigger presto pressure canner. Good deals can be had on used ones as well.

 

[WildWill]

Not sure the model but my mom has a ALL AMERICAN that's worked well. We mostly do vegetables these days but she's made a literal ton of deer meat in the past. I tend to agree with @Addicting wouldn't be my first choice for a elk unless freezer space was limited.

 

[Tmbrgost]

You can water bath most everything and not need a pressure canner. It breaks down to how long do you want some things to take. We water bath our meat for long term storage and have a seasoning kit we add when we go to use the meat. It is pretty satisfying once your done and see all of the jars on the shelf.

 

[Lostinthewoods]

Do you already eat canned meat? It’s not that appealing to do with game meat. We can a lot, and I would never waste elk in a jar.

Noted.
I’ve not tried it before, I just live in an area where all the Missourians speak so highly of it when they do whitetail.

I’ll just stick to that and not touch the elk.

Canning meat or just garden veggies?

Both!
2-3 deer a year minimum and veggies for start.
Maybe some salsa too if I can even do that? Tomato sauce?

 

[Lostinthewoods]

The All American #915 canner has treated us great over the years. Vegetables, deer, and elk. We don't can meat very often- we just always want to have some extra in the pantry.

Pressure canning is for low acid foods.

Boiling water bath is for high acid foods.


Get the BALL book.

Read it.

You'll likely want a pressure canner and boiling pot.

I’ll order it right now. I’ll take any extra resources that I can.

I also like the idea of just getting both.
When I go in I like to go all in.

Maybe I’ll end up turning into a doomsday prepper and have underground droves of food.

 

[buckbull]

My sister and I have had good luck with the presto precise. Makes canning for dummies easy. The only thing I pressure can are green beans. Anything with tomatoes (juice, salsa, sauce) gets water bath.

 

[Lostinthewoods]

I canned almost my whole antelope this year and the family loved it. It’s not that appealing right out of the jar but I’ve really been enjoying it for tacos. I personally would buy the bigger presto pressure canner. Good deals can be had on used ones as well.

I’m drooling thinking of antelope tacos.
are you able to doctor them up after pretty well? Or is that why they get thrown in tacos?

 

[Lostinthewoods]

Not sure the model but my mom has a ALL AMERICAN that's worked well. We mostly do vegetables these days but she's made a literal ton of deer meat in the past. I tend to agree with @Addicting wouldn't be my first choice for a elk unless freezer space was limited.

Noted times two. Elk and antelope are my favorite so I won’t touch those.

I’ll just do whitetail.
I can go kill another one or two before the season ends.

 

[Lostinthewoods]

You can water bath most everything and not need a pressure canner. It breaks down to how long do you want some things to take. We water bath our meat for long term storage and have a seasoning kit we add when we go to use the meat. It is pretty satisfying once you’re done and see all of the jars on the shelf.

I do like the idea of long term storage.
I see a lot of people with nice shelves of items and it does look very satisfying and delicious!

 

[Lostinthewoods]

My sister and I have had good luck with the presto precise. Makes canning for dummies easy. The only thing I pressure can are green beans. Anything with tomatoes (juice, salsa, sauce) gets water bath.

View attachment 397351

Great notes. I do have a decent salsa recipe I plan to can up and save.

 

[Addicting]

I’m drooling thinking of antelope tacos.
are you able to doctor them up after pretty well? Or is that why they get thrown in tacos?

Canning an antelope is an absolute waste, they are so good to east as steak and roasts. Deer I get, tried it, but it’s not good. The meat tends to be chalky when you can it. It looks god awful and you eat with your eyes first. I still have stuff on the shelves we canned years ago because no one will eat it. Most of it we had to bury into stroganoff.

 

[Addicting]

Great notes. I do have a decent salsa recipe I plan to can up and save.

Tomato sauce type stuff cans well. Just know you can buy it at the store cheaper. None of this will ever pan out financially, unless you do a ton!

Salsa, try it before you make a big batch. It sucks to make a batch and can it to find out it’s not great. Can 1 jar and let it sit overnight. If it’s good the next day then go for it.

The Mrs Wages mixes work well but the salsa has too much vinegar.

 

[Lostinthewoods]

Canning an antelope is an absolute waste, they are so good to east as steak and roasts. Deer I get, tried it, but it’s not good. The meat tends to be chalky when you can it. It looks god awful and you eat with your eyes first. I still have stuff on the shelves we canned years ago because no one will eat it. Most of it we had to bury into stroganoff.

Tomato sauce type stuff cans well. Just know you can buy it at the store cheaper. None of this will ever pan out financially, unless you do a ton!

Salsa, try it before you make a big batch. It sucks to make a batch and can it to find out it’s not great. Can 1 jar and let it sit overnight. If it’s good the next day then go for it.

The Mrs Wages mixes work well but the salsa has too much vinegar.

Thanks for all the notes and input, Addicting!

 

[Addicting]

We canned a lot like you are thinking of doing. Now, We do 30-40 Roma tomatoes plants a year and that’s it. These are the best we have found for making sauce.

Friends do applesauce and peaches.

We quit doing meat all together.

It sounds great till you figure in all the costs and time of a garden, jars, lids, and fuel spent boiling water. It just doesn’t pencil out when you can buy cans still for a couple bucks.

 

[F250]

Pressure canner. Any meat that you would normally make into burger or stew meat… can it. Great in soups, goulash, etc.