Canning Beef Question

[YYY]

Hi Everybody,

 

Every time I can beef, the meat seems to be very dry even though I always include liquid in the jar (enough to cover). Does anyone have suggestions for what I can do differently to make the meat moist and tender?

 

Thanks,

 

YYY

 

[Virginia]

Sorry, I have never had that problem. Are you doing it hot, or cold pack?

[YYY]

Hi Virginia,

 

I hot pack - I believe. I LIGHTLY brown the meat, put in hot jars and cover with boiling liquid. Then process. Is that hot packing???

 

Thanks,

 

YYY

[Virginia]

Yes, I think so, however, I usually do a little more than browning. Maybe you just got a tough old steer.

 

The texture of beef does change in canning, but I don't find it to be tough.

[still survieving]

I think hot pack is brown and cook the meat, then put it in hot jars, cover with broth,water,ect, add its salt to each jar and leave 1 inch head space.

 

if the meat is half raw and you just cover the meat with liquid, i would call that cold pack,,

[Violet]

What cut of meat are you using ? I find chuck is the best. It is tender and just falls apart. I use beef boullion as my broth for it.

There are 2 kinds of packs in canning.

Hot pack and raw pack.

Hot pack is hot food and liquid packed into the jars, normally both are heated together in a pan, then put into the jars.

Raw pack is the raw food put into jars and hot liquid put in each jar (for most foods).

**************

Raw pack of meat doesn't require liquid to be added to the jars, it is just meat and salt. Same pressure canning times.

Bear, beef, lamb, pork, veal, venison

 

PROCEDURE: Choose quality chilled meat. Remove excess

fat. Soak strong-flavored wild meats for 1 hour in brine

water containing 1 tablespoon of salt per quart. Rinse.

Remove large bones.

 

Hot pack -- Precook meat until rare by roasting, stewing,

or browning in a small amount of fat. Add 1 teaspoon of

salt per quart to the jar, if desired.

 

Fill jars with pieces and add boiling broth, meat

drippings, water, or tomato juice (especially with wild

game), leaving 1-inch headspace.

 

Raw pack -- Add 1 teaspoon of salt per quart to the jar,

if desired. Fill jars with raw meat pieces, leaving 1-

inch headspace. Do not add liquid.

 

Cold pack is an old timey term not used in canning books any more.

[YYY]

Virginia, Still Survieving and Violet

 

Thanks to all of you for your responses.

 

Violet, I really don’t remember what cut of meat, but next time I’ll make sure it’s chuck.

 

I am really tickled right now. Things have REALLY been hectic lately, and I’m very tired. Violet, toward the middle of your response you wrote: “Hot pack -- Precook meat”. What I read was “Hot pack – PEACOCK meat”. My first thought was that I didn’t now that people could eat Peacocks and wondered what could be done with the pretty feathers. -- Then I re-read what you wrote.

 

I need to go lay down and take a nap.

 

Thanks again y’all.

 

YYY

 

PS - I like the new banner at the top !!!

[Violet]

I sure got a laugh about the peacock meat ! Well, I don't know of anyone who has eaten one yet. I suppose if it tastes good, just can like chicken. Hey, we all know everything tastes like chicken, ha ha !

You can make pretty wreaths from the peacock feathers. The Victorians decorated with them. They used them in vases, too.

 

[Virginia]

Never tried peacock either, but they sure are pretty. They are mean I think, so we might have to give it a try if chicken gets too high. Probably have to visit a zoo though. We don't have peacocks around here.

[Snowmom]

 

YYY, I canned ground beef just as it said to do in the Ball Blue Book, and it turned out fine.

 

 

[Leah]

http://www.historicfood.com/Pie%20recipe2.htm

Among the other delicacies served at the eight year old Henry's feast in Westminster Hall were "Partryche and Pecock enhackyll". The latter was a cooked peacock mounted in its skin.

 

[YYY]

“mounted in its skin” - YUCK - Is there a shudder icon ???

 

YYY