Hi. So here's our basic process:

1. Cut off as much silver meat/ligament and fat as possible. (This is more important with deer, as it can be more "gamey").
2. Pack the bottles as tight as you can. The size of the pieces really doesn't matter.
3. Fill with water to fill air holes, per the Ball canning book. We also use a knife to slide down the sides and give the air a path to escape.
4. We put 1/2 teaspoon of non-iodine salt in there, and a layer of onions on top.

This is truly an excellent eat, any way you use it. It's great in a sandwich, but cook off the juices in a pot don't drain them. We will put it in enchiladas, soups, etc. It's great stuff. This picture is of the batch of elk we did yesterday. This is at the point that it's ready for the lid and then into the canner. A camp chef is the preferred burner, but we'll use our gas stove if it's really cold out the day we need to process.[Linked Image]