A friend hit me up and was asking what we were doing thother day.  I told her our plans and directed the same question at her.  She replied with, “I’m canning bear meat.”  I asked immediately, excitedly (using emojis), if she or her husband had gotten a bear this year.  She said that it was given to them because their family was the only family the generous friends knew that ate bear meat.  Now, I have tried bear sausage before, but I have never had bear meat any other way.  I have heard mixed things about it, but okay.  She obviously knew what she was doing by canning it.  The conversation continued for a few more text exchanges (because everybody who knows me knows I don’t talk on the phone), and then we went on with our individual lives.

Canning bear meat.  I couldn’t get it out of my head.  It makes me want to start canning just about everything.  As long as you have a separate pantry, you are saving a lot of space in your freezer.  Plus, it won’t spoil if your refrigerator breaks or you lose power!  I think I’m going to try canning vegetables and meats, soups, dressings, stews…everything I can.  CLICK HERE for a guide with rules laid out for canning all types of meats–raw to cooked.

Here’s a video demonstrating the process:

(Feature photo via The Abrahamsons)