My new pressure "canner" and testing

[Lindals]

Hello,

 

Had to try my canned chicken. So here is the process I looked to make sure it looked good, popped the lid and it had a good seal, smelled it and it smelled like canned chicken, took the fork to it and it is flaky like tuna, that I had to boil it for 10 min. Than I put it on he plate and let cool a bit. Now the big verdict.......

 

Da Da "It tasted just like canned chicken". I will make this into chicken salad and will use a lot of the chicken for soups casseroles. Next test will be tonight. I am making spaghetti with canned ground beef.

Pictured is the chicken after it has been canned. The jars are my ground beef and chicken

[Violet]

You do not have to boil it for 10 min. That used to be what was taught . Now we teach if you canned it properly, then it is safe. We eat it right from the jar. No need to boil it.

Looks good to me.

[Lindals]

Wow that is good to know

[Jeepers]

I love to see jars of home canned food. I think they are beautiful.

[Annarchy]

Nice!

 

[lovinit]

I still waiting to try my new canner too. I have to use it outside on the "camp chef" propane stove, Chicken here is a terrible price. Skinless breasts, $13.99 per kg.

Bonless skinless thighs are 11.99 per kg, while bone in w/skin is 5.99 per kg. I need to try the two different pkg. of thighs to see how much I loose with the bone.

Surely not SIX dollars worth.

[Lindals]

I tried the ground beef I had canned. Made spaghetti with it. Yukkkk Did not like the taste at all, nor the texture. So I will use the rest of it for dog food as my dogs can't have commercial dog food. At least I won't be wasting it. Not sure how much I will use the pressure canner. I prefer freezing and dehydrating meat. When I dehydrate it I put it in the freezer as it takes up less space. But I think the majority of the meat will stay frozen.

[Lindals]

Lovinit where do you live that the prices are so high? What country I mean not your address.

[Violet]

Wow ! That is for rich people to pay those prices for chicken !! I can buy an entire cooked deli chicken for $5, sometimes a few cents less. That is with them doing the cooking !

Here I get boneless skinless breast meat for $1.88 a lb. Legs and thighs, with bone and skin, is about $1.29. Sometimes less on sale. It has gone up in price recently.

I think the seasoned ground beef we canned yesterday would be good in tacos. The recipe from Ball Blue Book. Has tomato juice, onion, garlic, seasoning salt, black pepper.

You can also make little meatballs and can them if you don't want really fine ground meat. It still does have a different texture, though, I agree.

I need to can more dried beans. I still have at least 30 lb. or more.

[Lindals]

Hi Violet,

 

I do up 4 pints of meatballs and sauce I had left over from last nights dinner. Not sure how they will come out but will test one jar that didn't seal today.

[Violet]

If you had any bread, oatmeal, crackers,, eggs, milk, etc. the meatballs will not be safe to can. Also, it will make a difference what kind of sauce you put in there. You must use tested recipes and methods with all the foods being processed.

[Lindals]

Ok Violet, with your last post I am convinced I will not longer can anything. The pressure canner can go in a yard sale.

[Annarchy]

Ok Violet, with your last post I am convinced I will not longer can anything. The pressure canner can go in a yard sale.

 

Don't give up yet! There are all sorts of things you are able to can.

[Violet]

This is a very common thing newbies try. Don't fret. Just get a current Ball Blue Book and/or a So Easy to Preserve from the Univ. of Georgia and use the tested recipes. Those are the 2 most trusted ones. Many books and advice people post online are just things people have made up.

Unless things are tested in labs, there is no way to insure they are safe unless you have food preservation safety training.

They test the foods in labs before it is canned. Then, months later, then even longer than that. Foods can and do change ph as they sit. Some things, like the bread, eggs, milk, etc. are just known givens that are unsafe to add.

You can take a free basic online course from the University of Georgia.

Then, the info from their book is on line there, too.

It is the NCHFP.

Please, if those jars were canned more than 24 hours ago, then toss the food, jars and all. Do not open them in case botulism has grown in them. You don't want to risk exposing yourself.

After 24 hours it is possible that enough of the spores can grow to become the toxin. It can grow really rapid in a sealed jar, as that is how botulism grows. In the absence of air, in a sealed jar.

You will learn. Don't give up ! If you have questions, then please send me a pm or post on here so I can help you before you can something you are unsure about. I am happy to help !

[out_of_the_ordinary]

Here's a link to the free online class Violet mentioned: http://nchfp.uga.edu/

It's about half-way down the page. Preserving Food at Home: A Self-Study It's free and go at your own pace.

 

There's a link to the form to buy the So Easy To Preserve Book . I have it and really like it. It's not just canning; there's some good dehydrating info and recipes in it, too. It's $18 and that includes shipping. I like that you print the form out and mail it it. I don't like to enter my credit card online.

 

I hope this helps! Don't give up, just learn to do it in a safe way.

Edited June 3, 2013 by out_of_the_ordinary

[Jeepers]

Nooooooo. Don't give up!

 

There are plenty of things you can safely can. Think of all the chicken and beef etc. you can put up. And plenty of veggies too! And fruit. We all get frustrated at times but don't throw the baby out with the bathwater.

[ScrubbieLady]

Wow ! That is for rich people to pay those prices for chicken !! I can buy an entire cooked deli chicken for $5, sometimes a few cents less. That is with them doing the cooking !

Here I get boneless skinless breast meat for $1.88 a lb. Legs and thighs, with bone and skin, is about $1.29. Sometimes less on sale. It has gone up in price recently.

I think the seasoned ground beef we canned yesterday would be good in tacos. The recipe from Ball Blue Book. Has tomato juice, onion, garlic, seasoning salt, black pepper.

You can also make little meatballs and can them if you don't want really fine ground meat. It still does have a different texture, though, I agree.

I need to can more dried beans. I still have at least 30 lb. or more.

When I cannot get them on sale, I pay $.59/lb for leg quarters (legs and thighs) with bone and skin. If I watch the sales, I can get them less expensive but not the $3.99/10lbs that we were getting last year. Won't pay for boneless skinless breast meat. Don't really like that much but I can buy a whole chicken a LOT cheaper and just cut the pieces out myself.

[Lindals]

Ok I haven't given up on my canner. Yesterday I put my big girl panties on and made a huge batch of chili. I canned 5 pints of it for the food storage. My husband said don't get rid of it we will use it. (Which of course means I will use it) So I did and all is well again. Thanks for the support

[Annarchy]

 

Excellent! I knew you could do it.

 

 

[Jeepers]

Good job!

 

Once a canner, always a canner.

[Violet]

We told you it was something you could do !! What is next on your list to can ?

[lovinit]

Hi! I just now saw the question asked about chicken prices. The prices quoted were from our "Canadian" Costco. I can get the grilled chicken there also but ours is $7.99.each, and small.

 

I was wondering if the canner would fit on the propane burners in our camper trailer, but haven't dragged it out to check yet.

[Lindals]

Thank you all for your encouragement. Today I am gonna get going on qts of navy beans.