So You've Shot a Large Mammal, Now What?

Our mammal of choice at the Rudstrom home happens to be musk ox. Every year about this time my husband, C.O., harvests a musk ox. Though most local folks don't care for it, we think the meat tastes great and the animal is just the right size to fill our red meat quota for the year. We cut some of the meat into steaks and roasts, grind some for burger, and can some of it.


We save the toughest, less choice cuts of meat for canning.  Cooking under pressure breaks down the fibers leaving it ultra tender.  Also, the meat is thoroughly cooked, so it makes a good last minute meal. We add the meat to stews or make open faced pot roast type sandwiches.

 

First pack the meat and add some seasoning of your choice.  

Be sure to add at least one teaspoon of canning salt per pint.

 I pack the jars half full of meat, add seasoning, pack the rest 

and finish it off with a bit more seasoning.

 

Cook in a water bath until the internal temperature of the meat reaches 170 degrees.

 

Wipe the rims clean before adding the lids.

 

Cover in the pressure cooker and bring to 11 pounds of pressure.

Cook for 90 minutes.

  

The final product!   

It takes a while for the flavors to peak, so I recommend

waiting three weeks or more before digging in.

Our go to resources for projects such as this.

Cooking Alaskan by Alaskans

~AnnMarie