canning meat again

[cowgirl8]

I have 2 very big roast out thawing. I'm going to use bigger jars this time and if i can, i want to add carrots garlic and onions to it. I find the just meat very unappealing to the eye, i think if i add something to it, maybe it will look like something you can eat and not a lab experiment. I'm also going to be very careful not to fill too full. Is there any rules to one inch, what if its an inch and a half, would that cause problems? I'm just worried about boil overs, i think my first batch boiled over too much and i worry about the vacuum being good.

If there is any special things i need to do when adding carrots, onions or garlic, can they be raw, someone please tell me..please

[Stephanie]

Glad you're giving it another go!

 

Okay, as to eye appeal. I think I mentioned this before, but I'll mention it again. I always cube my meat and then broil it for just a few minutes to give it a 'browned' look. You can also do this in a skillet. You're not trying to cook it, just brown it.

 

This adds a LOT of eye appeal! And in my opinion, makes it tastier.

 

As to adding ingredients, I can't help you much there as my only experience is to do the salt and broth only. You'll probably get some responses that are 'according to the book' and 'according to personal experience'. So, you'll have to decide what you're going to do.

 

What I've been doing, is my meat alone and then when I make my meal adding the onions, carrots, seasoning, etc...

 

 

 

 

[Dee]

cowgirl18, I finally learned to keep my flame lower. I used to start out with a high flame and turn it down when the weight started jiggling. I always had jars boil over then. Now, I keep my flame lower. It takes a little longer to build up steam but the jars don't seem to leak that way. As to the inch, I feel it needs to be that close to the rim or your meat isn't covered with liquid. Not that it really hurts maybe but it looks dried out and yucky.

 

In the fall, when everything from the garden is ripe and needs using, I always add veggies to my meat when canning. I never know from year to year what I'll have excess of to throw in. Really makes for a flavorful nice meat.

 

 

 

 

 

[Canned Nerd]

Is there any rules to one inch, what if its an inch and a half, would that cause problems?

Actually I believe the current recommendation is 1-1/4" headspace for meats, especially chicken, but the level of the meat should be below that so it is covered. The additional 1/4" was suggested by the food experts since there seemed to be more than the usual expansion with meats and was causing purging of liquid in some cases. Do not go more than this amount or you will leave unwanted air in the jar.

 

Purging can also be caused by the spring lid being on too tight, preventing or delaying the normal purging process as everything heats up in the jars. It can also be caused by any sudden exposure to temperature changes such as a lid being removed too soon. After the pressure normalizes and the weight removed you should wait 15 minutes before the lid is removed and there should be no fans or drafts around the jars.

 

I would save the vegetables for when you are making a beef stew recipe.

[CrabGrassAcres]

Use raw veggies so they don't cook to mush. Let the canner take a good hour to come to pressure. Keep the flame steady. You want a smooth, even rise, steady sustained, smooth, even decrease. The bumps and rapid rise and fall are what cause boil over.

 

If you are using home grown meat, it will not shrink as much as store bought. So don't pack too tight and put in a little more liquid. You want the meat covered with liquid, but it does not spoil it to be sticking out. The meat, particularly light colored, will oxidize a bit if not covered but there is nothing wrong with it. Likewise some veggies will oxidize and darken if not covered, but it is still perfectly good.

 

If you want, throw in a couple tablespoons of dry beans with the raw veggies. Dry beans take forever to cook if put into something like stew, but pressure canned with the other ingredients, they will be just right.

[cowgirl8]

Thanks for all the advice. I'm waiting for the cooker to start ticking. Its getting close.

I cut up 2 big roast. I used the big jars this time and these 2 roast only made 4 jars, but thats alright, they will make a good sized meal for several people, not like the 2 person servings i made the first time.

I went ahead and put in onion, carrots and garlic. If they dont make much of a difference, next time i'll just do without.

[Violet]

Dried beans must be reconstituted before canning. If you add the veggies, then make it like stew, according to the instructions. I do totally agree about browing the meat first.

I also like using beef broth in the jars. It is so flavorful and moist.

You wait 10 extra minutes after processing to help prevent siphoning. Let it drop pressure, remove just the weight/ or counterweight. Leave the lid on, let sit for the extra 10 min.

It is the sudden adjusting during processing that is the problem. Getting it up to pressure at first quickly is not usually the issue. It is after you get it up to pressure then had the fluctuations that is the problem.

Use the current recommended headspace. It is for a reason, as was said. You want as much air removed as possible, yet allow for the expansion during processing.

 

[cowgirl8]

They finished. What I found is that veggies dissolve and you don't see them. So that didn't work. Taste will be the test. I opened a jar of meat that I did the other day for my oldest daughter to try. She at first turned her nose up at it after looking at it. But once she tasted it, she, my daughter #2 ate the whole jar. I think I've sold them on it

[Nytehunter]

what about mushrooms can you add mushrooms or is that not advisable? Venison with morells would be a very nice combo.

 

 

[cowgirl8]

Thats a good question, mushrooms? Although they may have a better texture if added when you eat the meat.

[Violet]

Whatever you add should be canned in broth, not a raw pack. You need that liquid so the density will be correct. Is there something wrong with just plain broth ? I love mine that way the best. Then, I add other things after I open it up.

There is also beef in wine from the Ball Blue Book with some carrot, onion, etc.

 

[etp777]

The beef in wine sauce is definitely good. THat being said, I'm with violet, I like to jsut hot or raw pack in broth. Gives me more flexibility when I open the jar then. And for some things, like my stir fry, it's perfect, as I use meat and a half cup of stock/broth. So when using canned, I can just open a jar and throw whole thing in with the veggies, meat and broth all in one.

[cowgirl8]

Yum, in wine......that sounds very very good.

The book i have has 2 different ways to can roast. One says if you put it in the jars raw, do not add broth, just salt. If you brown the meat first, it says you must add broth. See how confusing this is...haha. Being the person i am, i like to experiment, which i know is not a good idea when canning. I'm fighting this urge, thats why i'm here.

[Dee]

I don't put veggies in my meat EXCEPT at the end of gardening. When I'm through canning, actually sick of the whole thing , I then can up some meat with whatever's left in the garden that I want to put in the jars.

 

I use quart jars filling it maybe 1/3 full with meat, 1 cup of chopped veggies and add broth/hotwater. Process and voila I have jars full of great flavor and nutirents that would have gone to waste otherwise.

 

[etp777]

Just opened a jar of the beef in wine sauce today since this thread reminded me of it. Still tastes great.

 

Also have the cores and peels from apples made into sauce that I will be making into apple juice (along with a bunch of others I have) next weekend.

[cowgirl8]

wants some beef in wine sauce

[Violet]

The recipe for the beef in wine is in the Ball Blue book.

[Genoa]

For those of you who use the beef broth, do you make your own beef stock? Use canned beef broth? Or use bouillon? I'm asking because I was wondering if it is safe to use beef bouillon (dissolved in hot water, of course).

 

Also, ETP777, could you tell me how you make your stir fry with canned meat?

[Canned Nerd]

Most of the time I just use bouillon granules, but occasionally have used commercial broth/stock to come up with the amount of liquid needed. Just make sure what is used is brought to a boil before adding.

 

Canned meat, once removed from the jar, is no different than cooked leftover meat. Goes into any recipe but only needs to be heated so often it is added towards the end after everything else cooks.

 

[etp777]

Genoa, I just use boullion (unless I happen to have made soup or something same weeekend and have some real stock leftover). I don't like to "waste" good stock on canning meat though. Boullion works just as well, and then gets added flavor from the meat.

 

For the stir fry, as canned nerd said, it's jsut precooked meat. I dump whole jar in pan with some frozen veggies (just regular mixed veggies plus soy beans if that's all I have,frozen stir fry veggies if I have some), plus a bit of soy sauce and some sesame oil. Maybe a bit of ginger paste, onion and garlic. Serve it over rice, soba noodles, or noodles in thai peanut sauce, depending on how much effort I feel like making.