Canning Wild Game Bone Broth - Part 2 of 2

After spending the time to make your wild game bone broth or stock (click here to see how that was done), canning it for long term storage is a valuable skill to learn.  This will preserve the hard work for the years recipes and save room in the freezer because after the canning process, refrigeration is not needed.  These canned broths can even be taken with you on your next years hunting trips for camping meals.  They also make great gifts for friends and family members that appreciate additional wild game ingredients in the food they cook and consume.

A number of things are needed for this task but the investment will last many years to come. 

These are the items needed:

• Broth or Stock
• Enough Canning Jars to hold your broth or stock
• A canning pressure cooker
• New Canning Lids that fit your jars
• Lid Rings
• A canning Funnel
• Canning Tongs
• Large Spoon or Ladle
• A Measurement Device that can be sterilized
• A pot of water just at the edge of boiling for sterilization
• A few clean towels and cloths
• A few tablespoons of vinegar
• A partner! They will help with the procedure of getting it all right.

*additional items may include a magnet for lids and a torquing tool for the rings

For me, my canning pressure cooker was a lucky find my wife spotted at a yard sale years ago, so keep your eyes open for deals where you may never suspect them.  We were also lucky enough to collect a large number of old quart canning jars from other scavenging adventures.  Scavenging saves money if you can find useful items and I’m lucky to have a wife who loves finding hidden treasure.  Sometimes too much treasure! 

To begin, get your broth or stock up to a light steam, not a full boil but just beginning to steam.  While you are waiting on this to reach this simmering temperature, get all your items ready.  Begin to bring your sterilization pot up to a close boil and lay your jars, tops, rings, ladle and funnel so they can be sterilized. 

Also, place a little vinegar in an open container nearby, this is used to wipe the lid right before placing the lid on the jar.

When both the broth or stock and sterilization pot are ready, it is time to begin.  Place a jar (easy does it), lid , funnel and ladle into the sterilization pot (anything that will come in contact with the broth or stock should be sterilized).  Use the canning tongs to get this simmering water in all sides of the jar and then empty it, remove it from the water and place it on a towel open side up and ready to be filled. Be careful, it is HOT! 

Now, take the sterilized funnel and ladle out of the sterilization pot.  Place the funnel on the jar and begin ladling broth or stock into the jar until it is about an inch from the top.  Use a sterilized measuring device to be sure there is not too much.

When the jar has been filled to the right height, remove the funnel and then take a clean cloth, lightly dip it in the vinegar and wipe the rim of the jar. 

Remove a sterilized lid from the pot and place it on the top (magnetized tools are available for retrieving this from the hot water). Place a ring on the lid and because it is hot, I use a small towel to screw it on just enough to hold the lid down.  Do not over tighten it.  I tighten it until it is snug and then turn it maybe quarter to half inch more. (There are also torque tools for this)

Now return your items to the sterilization pot and then start over until all your jars are filled.

My canning pressure cooker holds 7 quart jars so what I cannot fit in the canning pressure cooker for at least 3 quarts worth, I will freeze.  I will also freeze what does not fill a jar to the appropriate height when I get to the last jars worth.

When your jars are full and closed, now it is time to get your canning pressure cooker ready.  Follow the instruction for your specific pressure cooker but with mine, I place about 1 ½ inches of water on the bottom and carefully place my jars into the canner.  If you don’t have enough broth to run a full pot (jars filling the whole canner), place jars with a little water in them and no lid in the canner so all the jars are secure and won’t fall over. 

Again, refer to your pressure canner’s instructions but with my old school canner, I raise the heat and wait for consistent steam to flow from the top.  When that happens, I place my rocker on the steam spout at 10 pounds pressure for 20 minutes.  I reduce the heat slightly so my rocker releases pressure about once every second or two and not fluttering like an old steam engine out of control barreling down the tracks.

After the 20 minutes, the heat is turned off and the pressure slowly released.  When the rocking has stopped and I can remove the rocker and steam is not blown out of the steam spout like a geyser, the top is safe to remove, (again, check the instructions for your equipment).

When the top is off, I take the canning tongs and carefully pull the jars from the canner and place them on a towel on the counter to cool.  I leave them there overnight and for the next few hours you will hear a “pop” as the jar contents vacuum the canning lids tight against the rim of the jars.  This means that the broth has been safely sealed in the jar and can be stored without refrigeration.

Once they are all cooled, store them in a cool and dry dark place but first admire their golden honey like glory.  These jars of broth or stock will make your wild game recipes more memorable and more inline with that field to table pride you get from harvesting and processing what you put into your body as nourishment.

Be sure to label your finished product so you know what is in the jar and when it was put there.