The statewide muzzleloader season concluded on October 25, and the four-day Junior and Senior special firearms season for antlerless deer has just come to a close as well. The statewide archery season has been underway since October 3, and is now approaching the time that most archers have been waiting for — the beginning of the rutting activity. If Lady Luck has been with you and you have some fresh venison, here are a few ideas as to how to use it.

Venison Steak:

This is the best use of the backstrap or inner tenderloin. Butterfly steaks can be sliced 1 1/4 inches thick, or the backstrap can be cut into a longer length, depending on how many servings you want.

High in protein, low in cholesterol, and pleasing to the palate – especially cooked over a wood fire — a venison steak is simply hard to beat. There are two tricks to having it turn out to be a crowd-pleasing entrée. A light coating of Italian dressing or Gazebo Room Greek dressing will keep the meat from sticking to the hot grill and will not detract from the great taste. Secondly, and most importantly, do NOT overcook venison. For the flavor of venison to be at its maximum, it should be cooked to medium-rare or medium, then allowed to rest for 4-5 minutes before serving. Any venison cooked beyond medium (toward well-done) becomes tougher and less flavorful.

Canned Venison:

Probably one of the most overlooked ways of storing venison for months to come is to can it. It is a simple process and can be used for any venison or beef. While you may use either the water bath method or a pressure canner, the safer method to ensure thorough cooking of the meat is to use a pressure canner.

Begin by trimming away any fat, gristle, or bruised meat, and then cube the meat into 1-inch pieces. Pack the meat into hot canning jars, leaving a 1-inch headspace. Add canning salt if desired — I like to use 1 tsp per quart. Do not add liquid! The meat will produce its own juice. Use the handle of a wooden spoon to get out some of the large air bubbles. You won’t get it all out, but try to eliminate the large gaps and air bubbles. Wipe the rims of the jars clean — this is an important step to ensure proper sealing of the lids. Use a wet paper towel and wipe around each jar rim. Place the warmed lids on the jars and screw the bands finger tight.

Place the jars in your preheated pressure canner so they are not touching each other. Follow your pressure canner instructions, adjusting the requirements for your elevation. Process pint jars for 1 hour and 15 minutes and quart jars for 1 hour and 30 minutes.

Once the meat has been properly canned, it has many uses. A jar kept in the refrigerator can provide a quick snack or can be used in preparing a sandwich with the canned meat. If you prefer heating the meat, consider making gravy in the process. Then serve the meat and gravy over rice or pasta. The meat and juice can be used in casseroles or stews, as well as in spaghetti sauce or chili.

This is a great way to keep venison for an extended period of time, especially if you have an older freezer or are concerned about electrical power loss for any length of time. Once you have tried canning venison, you will wonder why you hadn’t been doing it before!

Snack Sticks and Jerky:

One of the most popular uses of venison is in the making of jerky or snack sticks. Either use venison burger or strips of meat cut cross-grain. High Mountain Seasonings makes a wide variety of flavors in their jerky seasoning and cure packaging. Simply follow their instructions in adding the mixes to the venison and then finish the sticks or strips off in your oven, in a smoker, or in a dehydrator. They are great for snacking or including in a day pack when you are headed out for a day of fishing, hiking, or hunting.

Venison is one of the healthiest meats you can consume. It simply does not have all of those “government-approved chemicals!” In addition to all the usual methods of using the meat as steaks, roasts, and venison burgers, try making the snack sticks or jerky and store some of the meat as canned venison — you will be glad you did!