CONSUMER RESOURCES

OH no, they got a deer! What do I do with it?
By Phyllis Wright
If this is a question in your household, there are many resources to help keep the meat safe and good eating.

The care of the meat after it is killed makes the difference in taste. Two publications that have details on this at http://foodsafety.psu.edu/preserve.html  Click on the side bar “Home Food Preservation.” Add key word venison to find “Proper Processing of Wild Game and Fish”, and “Proper Care and Handling of Venison from Field to Table.”

Because meat is low in acidity, it must be processed under 10 pounds pressure, 75 minutes for pints and 90 minutes for quarts. It can be canned in cubes, or strips. If meat is cooked before processing, fill the jars with pieces and add boiling broth, meat drippings, water, or tomato juice leaving 1 inch headspace. More meat can be put in the jar with this hot pack method.

With the raw pack method, place raw meat pieces in leaving 1 inch head space. Do not add liquid as it will make its own during the processing under 10 pounds pressure at time given above.

Venison is great for casseroles, stews and soups, quick gravy on rice, potatoes and pasta. Dried jerky is a favorite for hunter’s treat. Venison roasts, chops, ground meat can be frozen just like any other meats.

The USDA web site at the National Center for Home Food Preservation has everything you want to know about aging meat, freezing, canning, sausage making, curing & smoking, drying, including recipes at http://uga.edu/nchfp/tips/fall/venison.html

Pickles
There are four general classes of Pickles

1. Brined pickles
* Fermented -lactic acid produced
* Brined – acid added as vinegar

2. Fresh Packed or Quick Process Pickles - combines with hot vinegar and spices (Note: pH equilibration is critical.)

3. Fruit Pickles - whole or sliced fruits simmered in spicy, sweet sour syrup

4. Relishes - chopped fruits & vegetables cooked to desired consistency with seasonings and vinegar.

Hints

For recipes and details on how to pickle, plus common answers to pickling questions go to http://foodsafety.psu.edu/preserve.html Click on home food preservation, Click on Let’s Preserve, click on Pickles

SAUERKRAUT
You don’t have to be German to enjoy sauerkraut, however a little household chemistry is needed! To make good kraut, use disease free, firm sweet, mature heads of cabbage. Only use food grade containers to ferment the kraut – ceramic crocks, food grade plastic containers, glass, etc. No garbage bags or plastic pails.

Here is the chemistry part! How the cabbage is packed, amount of salt and temperature are the keys to success.  The usual recipe is 5 lbs of shredded cabbage to 3 tbps. of canning salt. The cabbage must be kept submerged at all times. The fermenting is best at 70–75 F degree for 3 to 4 weeks; or 60-65 F degrees for 6 weeks. The kraut can be canned in boiling water bath - hot pack for 15 minutes for quarts, raw pack 25 minutes for quarts, or frozen. For specific details on making sauerkraut go to http://foodsafety.psu.edu/lets_preserve.html  Click on  Sauerkraut to access a printer-friendly PDF information and instruction handout.

Peaches
Last chance of the season to make peach butter, peach jelly, jam or marmalade, or can and freeze peaches. Or how about spiced peaches? They make great gifts.

Peaches are easy to can in a water bath by processing as raw pack 25 minutes for pints, or hot pack 20 minutes. With the hot pack method (hot peaches and syrup added to sterilized jars) you can get more peaches in the jar and less floating fruit. When thawing frozen peaches, eat with just a few ice crystals and they taste fresh and stay light in color.

For recipes go to http://uga.edu/nchfp and use the left column to click on what you wish to try. This is the national USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning – “So Easy to Preserve” book that is filled with every recipe you can imagine. The University of Georgia hosts this national site.

Turkey Talk By Phyllis Wright

Did you know in 2008 the average cost of a Thanksgiving meal with the turkey and all the trimmings for 10 people was $44.61 according to Butterball. What a bargain!

A thawing hint is for every 5 lbs the turkey weights, allow 24 hours for thawing. So a 15 lbs turkey will take 3 days in the refrigerator (the safest way to thaw) before the preparation day.

If you have a wild turkey to eat, be sure to roast it with added fat and covered with foil or lid part of the time, to help keep in the moisture. Most commercially prepared frozen turkeys have added fat and flavoring under the skin to keep it moist while roasting. Check the label of a commercial fresh turkey if it has added fats and flavorings.

If cooking for one or two roast a small turkey breast or drumsticks available in frozen foods dept. and still have good leftovers.

For quality frozen turkey leftovers, freeze with a good weight wrap up to 3 months, and this will prevent drying and freezer burn.

To learn all you would ever want to know about turkey preparation, new recipes and more, go to www.cook.com  or  www.butterball.com  or  www.eatturkey.com which is the National Turkey Federation site.

What vegetables are loaded with Vitamin A?

Answer: Winter squashes and pumpkins.  There are many varieties of winter squash and all are best keep in a cool dry storage area for weeks. This hardens the shell and allows the squash to mature. They may last into the winter with proper temperature and humidity. Serve it as a substitute for potatoes and get more vitamin A in your meals.

Winter squash and pumpkin can be cubed, and canned under pressure. It is the only way canning is recommended. The vegetable’s density and low acidity makes it difficult to process. Wash remove seeds, cut the flesh into 1 inch slices or cubes. Boil 2 minutes in water. Do not allow it to puree or be mashed. Fill jars with cubes and cooking liquid, leaving 1 inch head space. Process eleven lbs. pressure 55 min for pint and 90 min for quart.

To freeze- cook until soft in boiling water or steam. Or place squash/pumpkin pieces shell side up in greased baking pan and bake 350 degrees until soft. Remove pulp from the shell and mash. Cool. Package leaving ½ inch headspace and freeze.