Canning small game....anyone ever done it?

Here lately I have really been more interested in harvesting squirrels than catching a deer. Maybe it is because I shot 4 deer last year and still have at least one deer left in the freezer. I've gone deer hunting one day so far this year and it was only for about 3 or 4 hours. The squirrels were running circles around me so I decided to go home and grab my 22 rifle and my kids and make a day of squirrel hunting. We bagged 4 squirrels. I'm seriously thinking about harvesting a bunch of squirrels and try my luck at canning them. My kids just love squirrel and dumplings or noodles. I've never eaten canned squirrels though I know that it can be canned according to my processing books. I think it would be great to open up a jar of squirrel, heat it up and add noodles while we are camping or at home for a quick easy meal. Last year I successfully learned how to can deer meat and have really enjoyed that. So now I want to try any kind of small game meat and hopefully one day catch enough fish to try it also.

Also, the next time I raise a bunch of chicken broilers for butcher. I'm gonna can a bunch of them too. I think it is just great to be able to cook it all at once and then all I have to do is just heat up and serve it.

[Dawndra]

I can chicken... it's great for chicken & noodles or chicken soup... canning squirel should be no different.

[big rockpile]

We can a lot of Game,I think she Raw packs it,Cooks it 10 pounds Pressure,90 minutes.I know we use Wide mouth Jars because their easier to clean.Plus nobody around here have Freezers,if your carful you can keep the meat in nice size pieces,Flour it and fry it.

big rockpile

[Pony]

As long as we're talking about canning meat, I have a question or two...

A couple years back, I canned chicken, some with bones, some without. The ones with bones tasted gamey -- they hadn't spoiled, they were just VERY strong.

Has anyone else had that experience?

(Wish we still had squirrel -- neighbor took out a bunch of trees and the squirrel population has dropped dramatically. :waa: )

Pony!

[goatlady]

I've only canned cornish game hens whole (with bones) and they were just fine. The bones were so soft you could eat them mashed with your fork. Were the chickens you canned home grown or store bought? Home grown have a stronger flavor to start with.

[big rockpile]

Wife says she don't have problem with strong tasting Chicken.

She says she cans it for 60 minutes,Fish is for 90 minutes.

big rockpile

[LWB]

I have never canned squirrel but I have canned deer. An old timer told me many years ago that he and his wife made it through the winter on canned raccoon. I don't see why squirrel wouldn't work just as well. The way things are playing out with the energy situation, we all need to be canning something.

Your right there LWB. I've been wondering how to can food outside on a campfire just incase we can no longer afford electricity or gas.