Fri., August 07, 2026 at 9:00am
Fri., August 07, 2026 at 5:00pm
Penn State Meat Laboratory
Penn State Porter Road
State College, PA
Venison 101 will teach deer processing, cooking
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Dive into the world of venison processing and cooking with Venison 101, a program designed to help hunters optimize their harvest.
The program combines online components with a one-day, hands-on workshop on Aug. 7 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Penn State Meat Laboratory/The Butcher Block at Penn State Porter Road, in University Park, Pennsylvania.
Delve into knife safety, carcass cutting, sausage making and a chili cookoff, all while learning venison cookery methods. The online components will cover the history of hunting and deer ecology, field dressing, deer diseases, chronic wasting disease, carcass processing, recipes and home food preservation of venison, using methods such as canning, dehydration/jerky making and freezing. Designed for hunters and hunting families, this intensive workshop offers plenty of tasting opportunities and expert guidance.
Included in this in-person workshop is access to our two Venison 101 online courses on the following topics: harvesting/field dressing and processing and preparation.
Penn State recommends completing these courses before attending the workshop to gain valuable knowledge on harvesting, processing techniques, preparation, cookery and storage. Being well-prepared will enhance your experience during the workshop.
Instructions to access these online courses will be provided in a future email to registrants. Space is limited. Preregistration is required by July 27. The cost is $350 per person for the entire program. For more info or to register, extension.psu.edu/venison-101-hands-on-butchering-processing-and-cooking.
