NEWBIE to canning

[stacey]

Okay, so I've decided I'm gonna try to can some meat. My mom has a pressure canner and is going to loan it to me. I have jars and lids and meat. (I have done canning before, but just jelly...)

Anything I need to know? I'm a bit nervous about this, because I don't want to poison my family, but I feel like I have to give this a try...

[WormGuy]

I'll let the experts handle this. I don't have enough experience with meat yet.

 

 

John

[Cat]

Hi Stacey, and *CONGRATULATIONS*!!!

 

I went back into the old posts and tried to "bump up" a few that might help. Go ahead and read them and post any questions you have, and we'll answer.

 

 

The one called "Canning Meats" was one I wrote, and it should be helpful, but then it kinda got a *little* sidetracked in places...

 

 

[Shawna]

Hi Stacey and

 

Don't fret about canning meat....do some reading here in the posts that were bumped up (the meat canning posts) and just go for it! I never canned meat until a year or so ago, and let me tell ya, you're gonna LOVE having canned meat! Those nights you have to *throw* something together for dinner....the canned meat is a godsend :banana2: I do always cook whatever meat I open for about 10 minutes, although I was told here that if the meat you canned is bad you will definitely be able to tell when you open your jar

 

Good luck!!!!! Welcome to Mrs. S! I hope you'll love it here as much as I do! There's so much info on this site it's crazy! Post about and let us know how it went!

 

Shawna

[nana9]

Welcome you will learn a lot here. just read down all the post and great info.

 

 

[HSmom]

Quote:

although I was told here that if the meat you canned is bad you will definitely be able to tell when you open your jar

Officer Safety here. That is NOT true. The big risk with home canned foods is botulism. It is odorless, tasteless and invisible. The USDA recommendation is that you boil the food for 15 minutes, in a pan, after opening the jar & before tasting even a single morsel.

[Jewlzm]

Hey stacey! Welcome to MrsS. Sooooo have you jumped in yet? Hows the canning going? Inquiring minds would like to know

[preparing]

I have my new pressure canner and gathering jars. I will be joining you in this and likewise do not want to poison my family.

[preparing]

Officer Safety, I did read that information and thank you for posting this. Do they say that boiling for 15 minutes FOR SURE kills the botulism if it happened to be in there???

[Shawna]

Originally Posted By: HSmom

Quote:

although I was told here that if the meat you canned is bad you will definitely be able to tell when you open your jar

Officer Safety here. That is NOT true. The big risk with home canned foods is botulism. It is odorless, tasteless and invisible. The USDA recommendation is that you boil the food for 15 minutes, in a pan, after opening the jar & before tasting even a single morsel.

Oh ITA...I didn't mean to steer anyone from boiling their meat! Sorry if it came off that way I have always read 10 minutes for boiling....I'll do the 15 from now on!

Sorry if that sounded like you didn't have to boil!! Thanks for the reminder so as to clear that up


Shawna

[Shawna]

Originally Posted By: preparing

Officer Safety, I did read that information and thank you for posting this. Do they say that boiling for 15 minutes FOR SURE kills the botulism if it happened to be in there???

That's why you do boil....if there are botulism toxins, the boiling will kill them. I did do a check up on the times and read 10-20 minutes at a ROLLING boil.

HTH!!
Shawna

[HSmom]

The problem with botulism isn't the organism (bacterium) itself, but it's toxins are, well: toxic. High heat breaks down the toxins into harmless compounds.

 

No sweat Shawna, but some of these issues could be a matter of life or death, so I get a little excited about making SURE we're safe.

 

I'm surprized to hear that the boiling time is a range. How do you know if you should boil 20 minutes, rather than 10?

[preparing]

I used to make kombacha tea and at first worried we would die. Drank raw milk for years and at first thought we would die.

Made Keifer and thought we would die.

Used starters for bread and thought we would die.

Read about people who canned food and died, so worried about it, but I think I am getting brave enough and ready to start. I used to be worried about the lid blowing off, but I am way past that now

[zinger]

Preparing...don't take this wrong but I had to chuckle at your post. I'VE never feared poisoning my family. However, in the early years, every time I opened a canning jar my DH would start the dinner prayer with "Dear Lord, for those of us about to die...".

[Jewlzm]

zinger! I havent had that kind of reaction ....yet... of course it has been a bit quiet around my house.. might wanna check on everyone

[Cricket]

I have often been told that Newbies to canning can't go wrong with the good old Ball Blue Book, as long as you have a later edition. They bok in not expensive, and covers a lot of basics.

[preparing]

LOL, but he must have had faith in you to eat it. I have to get faith in myself, but I think as soon as I really understand the whole process then I will be fine.

[zzelle]

very true i love the book me and dh use it.