With hunting season approaching, West Virginia University Extension Service wants to help hunters make the most of the deer they harvest through the educational course, Venison 101.
Venison 101 focuses on teaching the best practices in maintaining food safety and deer meat quality from time of harvest to preparation and consumption. WVU Extension Service and the West Virginia Department of Natural Resources designed the course.
The day-long class features hands-on activities such as identifying, processing and packaging cuts of meat. Participants will also learn healthy ways to prepare and store venison. Additionally, the course features ways to identify deer that are not fit for consumption and state and local regulations for managing the deer herd.
Courses will be held through local WVU Extension Service offices. Date and fees vary by county.
“Hunting is not only a time-honored tradition in the state but it’s also a significant food source for many families,” said WVU Extension food safety and preservation specialist Litha Sivanandan, Ph.D. “By providing targeted training from local experts we can begin to reduce the risk of food illness and disease.”
Over the last few years, the Venison 101 curriculum was updated to include new best practices for processing deer jerky and canning venison. Resources are available for past course participants who would like a quick refresher on the topics covered.
For more information on Venison 101 programs, contact your local office of the WVU Extension Service, or visit http://ext.wvu.edu.
