Homemade Sausage Making

Someone told me you have to preheat whatever you are planning to can before you seal it. Then you seal it then pressure can it. Would that be correct? And if so when you pressure can it how does it draw a vacuum on the can when it is already sealed? I like the idea of a can insed of glass, although I know the jars are much more accessible, the cans don't break so easy and light is not an issue like with jars. I guess my only other question is where do you get the cans and how do they compare price wise with jars?
As a side note if you do use any jars have you seen they now make reusable lids and seals for them? This is the address if at all curious http://www.reusablecanninglids.com/
I do envy you though. I would love the opportunity to hunt a big bull moose. Never ate any but have heard it is not bad.

You can cold can or hot can, the advantage to hot canning is that by having the can hot then sealing it when it cools down it creates a vaccuum. I cold canned the splam, there is no vaccuum on the cans, but they are sealed . In glass jar you are relying on the vaccuum to seal your jar, with a can it is a mechanical seal. I buy my cans from a company in Montreal ( Dominion and Grimm) I think the last time I ordered I paid 50 cents a can and a lid. that was several years ago. I have a few more years before I need to re-order. You can re use the cans, they need to be cut down slightly and then flared I also have that piece of machinery, so I get 3 or 4 uses out of a can it gets shorter by about 1/4 inch each use.

If you discount the fragile nature of jars they are more economical. The dome lids cost about 15 cents US and the jars are infinitely reusable and they don't require specialized equipment.

So in your honest opinion, if you hadn't inherited the equipment would you have found it worth wile to invest in it?

I find jars to be very satisfactory. I have received many as gifts have purchased many and continue to use them. Ball has reintroduced a 24 ounce wide mouth jar that is a tall version of a wide mouth pints. First class for canning meats.

If I didn't have my canner, I wouldn't buy one, but live with mason jars.

That's kinda the way I was leaning but I appreciate your input that helpes me to solidify my decision. Let me ask you this... It sounds like you've made your splam with venison before? Did you change anything? And what percentage of pork vs. Deer do you recommend?
Because if I ever get to go home I'm going to try to get some hunting done and I was thinking of trying your recipe with venison but I don't want to dry it out too much or make it crumbly.
Thanks again in advance.

I would add extra pork back fat to bring the total fat content of your meat mix up to 30%

Thanks BG that's kinda what I was thinking and I'll bet it tastes really good. Now if I can ever get off this barge to go home and do some hunting I'll be good.