I, like most of the posters here, would either freeze or sausage my venison. But that was up until 2002 when I met this crusty old rockhound. He spent his summers in eastern Oregon going through abandoned mines and digging for rocks. He was the one that turned me on to canning.
Canning the meat in a pressure cooker allowed him to take the meat with him out for months at a time without refrigeration. All his meat was packed in jars. And when he wanted it, there was no thawing out. And you could re-use the storage containers.
So I went home and took some of my 2002 kill out of the freezer and thawed it out. We processed about 20 pounds of meat that year. And since that year, all of my venison has been processed that way, with the exception of a a few loin steaks that I intend to eat fresh.
Now if you want steaks, then canning isn't for you. But if you like stews, chili, stroganoff, etc, then canning is a great way to go. The meat is tender regardless of the cut or membrane.
The best part of canning is not only the ability to take it with you on long campouts. But that it lasts. I have been saving and using a small jar each year to see how long it will last canned. I re-canned some of the 2002 quart jars into half pints for testing in 2005. And as of 2008, I can tell you not one bit of flavor has been lost. And the canned meatballs, Swedish style over noodles, canned in 2002, are still good on a campout with the Scouts.
So the best way to prepare your venison is the way you are going to consume it--on a plate.
