TurtleMama Posted April 25, 2010 Share Posted April 25, 2010 When I first arrived at this board, I'd been erroneously taught that it was safe to can in a pressure cooker. Soon after I found out that wasn't the case, I had to chuck all the chicken and beans that I'd canned. But yesterday, with the guidance and education provided by all y'all canning experts (especially Violet!), I PROPERLY canned -- in a steam pressure canner, and using the Ball Blue Book -- nine pints of yummy chicken breasts! Hooray! Here are the results of my first canning adventure! Thanks so much to all of you who are so willing to share your knowledge and pass on the art of home-canning so that I have an economical, safe way to provide for my family! Link to comment
WormGuy Posted April 25, 2010 Share Posted April 25, 2010 Now that looks good enough to eat! Wat to go!! John Link to comment
Amishway Homesteaders Posted April 25, 2010 Share Posted April 25, 2010 that's funny..... you just canned some and I just opened a jar that we canned last year for supper tonight - 'chicken stew' Link to comment
Violet Posted April 25, 2010 Share Posted April 25, 2010 Perfect job !! Looks wonderful. You already know I am proud of you. Link to comment
FINE Posted April 25, 2010 Share Posted April 25, 2010 Beautiful!!! I think chicken is my favorite thing to can. Such little work involved, but you get "real" food! Link to comment
MomM Posted April 26, 2010 Share Posted April 26, 2010 Beautiful job! What a wonderful feeling to know that you can can! Link to comment
TurtleMama Posted April 26, 2010 Author Share Posted April 26, 2010 You are all SO wonderful and supportive!! I showed my chicken off to my Mom and Dad yesterday when they came over for dinner. My Mom said it looked like a science experiment and my Dad asked me if I was SURE all the jars sealed with a doubtful look on his face. Soon, however, he was talking with fondness about how his aunt used to can for days every harvest season, and how pretty all the jars were on the shelves... I got a great story of growing up on a Mississippi farm. I love that. My mom felt better after I told her that boiling the chicken for ten minutes will absolutely ensure its safety, although it's fine as long as the jars are sealed and I pressure canned it properly. So funny! Do y'all boil your canned stuff for ten minutes, or are you confident it's safe? I read in the blue book that the FSDA recommends boiling it. I loved my parents' reactions...they made me laugh! Link to comment
Violet Posted April 26, 2010 Share Posted April 26, 2010 You don't need to boil it as long as you know you canned it properly. I don't boil my foods, just open and eat. Can you imagine heating up the tuna for a sandwich if that was the case ? Link to comment
TurtleMama Posted April 26, 2010 Author Share Posted April 26, 2010 You don't need to boil it as long as you know you canned it properly. I don't boil my foods, just open and eat. Can you imagine heating up the tuna for a sandwich if that was the case ? LOL I was thinking that, too! "Ewww...BOILED chicken salad sandwich..." Just doesn't sound the same! Glad to know that I don't have to worry about that! Link to comment
snapshotmiki Posted April 27, 2010 Share Posted April 27, 2010 Turtlemama--My first pressure canning "experiments" were in Sept. 09. Raw chicken, browned hamburger and stew meat. Have been eating them all winter! I get to start canning again in a month or so! Can hardly wait! Link to comment
TurtleMama Posted April 27, 2010 Author Share Posted April 27, 2010 Turtlemama--My first pressure canning "experiments" were in Sept. 09. Raw chicken, browned hamburger and stew meat. Have been eating them all winter! I get to start canning again in a month or so! Can hardly wait! Go girl!! Isn't it the coolest thing?? I hot packed my chicken, and was a little worried because I felt like I cooked it more than 2/3 done like the Blue Book said (I mean, how can you tell something is 2/3 done??? I'm terrible at fractions to begin with!), some of the pieces seemed like they were cooked through when I put them in the hot jars...they seem to have turned out okay, though. Nice and cooked in the jars, although my mom said it looked like some of the jars had spiderwebs in them (that floaty stuff that I'm assuming is "super-cooked" chicken due to 75 minutes of processing!)! hehehe She's so funny. How did the hamburger turn out? I'm thinking of making the Book's recipe for Chili using ground turkey...it sounds good...I've heard the texture is "different" but OK. Did you like it all right? Take care and congrats on the upcoming canning season! Link to comment
snapshotmiki Posted April 27, 2010 Share Posted April 27, 2010 Turtlemama--The texture of the burger is different, but fine. I canned some of mine with broth and some with water (the water and burger is for the dogs. When they get sick,plain burger and rice puts their little systems back on track). I don't can the rice!lol Link to comment
Crazy4Canning Posted May 3, 2010 Share Posted May 3, 2010 Turtlemama - you go girl! Those are PERFECT looking jars of chicken! You should be proud of yourself! See how easy this is? I don't like all the prep work sometimes but I SURE DO like taking jars off the shelf and having a healthy meal! Link to comment
Violet Posted May 4, 2010 Share Posted May 4, 2010 Can you believe I just gave my daughter her first jar of homecanned chicken to try ? She called and placed an order for a dozen more, LOL. She said she could hardly keep from eating it all before it went into her casserole. Link to comment
TurtleMama Posted May 4, 2010 Author Share Posted May 4, 2010 C4C...thank you so much! I'm glad that they look normal! hehehe I can't wait to steal Stephanie's idea and make chicken and dumplings from them in fifteen minutes (!!!), but right now, I'm just not wanting to touch them. They look so pretty sitting there on my pantry shelf that I don't want to mess it up! LOL Violet, that is SO funny...I would have thought that your entire family would be on the "eating canned foods" bandwagon! I love that she "ordered" more from you...teach her how to can and you'll save yourself some work, right?? Then SHE'LL be addicted to canning! I just canned some apples that I got on sale at the store. My husband came home, saw me with the canner on the stove, and said, "After yesterday, I would have thought this was the LAST thing you'd want to do!" hehehe It's too much fun to stop! Link to comment
Pigzzilla Posted May 4, 2010 Share Posted May 4, 2010 My Hubby loves my canned peaches. If he had his way, he would open a jar as soon as they cooled from the canner. He just doesn't understand that I like to see all the pretty jars lined up on the shelf. Canning can be quite a bit of work, and to me the payoff is seeing the pantry fill up. But I give in and he gets his peaches, usually the next day. pigzzilla Link to comment
TurtleMama Posted May 4, 2010 Author Share Posted May 4, 2010 LOL Pigzilla...I'm glad I'm not the only one who stands there, admiring all her jars!! Link to comment
TurtleMama Posted May 4, 2010 Author Share Posted May 4, 2010 LOL! Wormie does it, too! We could all stand in a little line, admiring our jars... Link to comment
CrabGrassAcres Posted May 4, 2010 Share Posted May 4, 2010 I don't have any nice shelves to line the jars on yet, but it is still satisfying to stack full cases of my canning in the closet! Link to comment
TurtleMama Posted May 8, 2010 Author Share Posted May 8, 2010 Great job!! Thank you SO much, Miss KimMC! Link to comment
Annarchy Posted May 8, 2010 Share Posted May 8, 2010 Isn't it so satisfying to see the fruits of our labors and know you can provide for the future? Congratulations TurtleMama! Link to comment
TurtleMama Posted May 8, 2010 Author Share Posted May 8, 2010 Isn't it so satisfying to see the fruits of our labors and know you can provide for the future? Congratulations TurtleMama! It is incredibly satisfying, Annarchy! I popped open a jar of the apples that I canned today, and my dad just ADORED them...my hubby is munching on them right now and he's a happy camper! I really want to try the chicken, but it's so pretty that I don't want to mess up the aesthetic of the jars sitting in my pantry. LOL Link to comment
pamcat Posted May 9, 2010 Share Posted May 9, 2010 I have used my pressure cooker to can pint jars. I called Presto and they sent me the brochure to use the pressure cooker. I canned hamburger in it. Please tell me it is safe to eat. Thanks to all Pam Link to comment
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