canning rabbit

[Christy]

Hello MrsS, it's been a while cos we were out of computers here. So I'm glad to be back online now.

 

At least the time without internet has been spend well. Been buying cheapo veggies at the market and making catsup and other niceties.

Yesterday 3 HUGE rabbits met with their fate and have been canned. But... the USDAbook said to pack raw without adding liquid. Indeed a lot of liquid came off the meat after canning but now half of the meat is above the liquid. And in one jar some fat has solidified on top of the liquid.

Everything has been done to the rules of the book. Just wondering of more experienced folk here now if it's ok to have meat sticking above the broth.

 

I have a pic but it might be a bit big for here.

[Canned Nerd]

Everything is fine. What happened is normal since your rabbits were fat and happy.

[Christy]

Thanks CanningNerd, it's my first attempt at canning meat. C4C guided me safely through the initial pressure canner process, which was scary enough to begin with.

So now the time has come where meat gets a place.

If you see anything wrong with this pic, please tell me if I have to re-can or change something.

 

[Canned Nerd]

Interesting canning jars you are using .....that are not considered safe (at least in the US) ..... only the "mason" jars with the 2-piece metal lids.

 

Did you fill the jars densely to the amount of headspace recommended in the recipe? That seems like a lot of extra space for normal shrinkage.

[Homemaker]

Those jars look like the ones I do my lacto-fermentation in. I use them for naturally pickled beets, peppers, salsa, saurkraut, etc.

If those are the same, the little rings are flexable rubber or maybe silicon. I didn't know they could seal air tight. Of course I don't heat process them.

For fermenting, they are great because as the gasses build up, they can vent out of the jar.