I'm Canning Meat

[Guest Guest]

This is the first time I have ever canned meat. I have 10 pints of ground beef in tomato juice in my pressure canner. I am so excited and very nervous too!!!

[Guest Guest]

*smile*

 

That is really exciting...!

 

I remember pre-y2k when I canned hamburger meet in beef broth...I don't remember why I did it that way but when I went to use it, it really was good...

 

I use meats in my marinaras that I can and they turn out great too, whether it be pork or beef. I've also canned conch fish in conch chowders and it's another one that came out great too.

 

Like you, I always get a little nervous canning meats, just because you have to be so maticulous about it all, but it's so nice to pull one of those jars out of the cupboard and have instant true homemade meals in minutes.

 

Good luck and let us know how it comes out!

[gardnmom]

The only meat I have ever canned is venison, but it was always worth the effort. It made great soup or venison gravy to serve over mashed potatoes or biscuits.

Hope it turned out great......

[Guest Guest]

Quote:

I have...ground beef in tomato juice

why did you use tomato juice?

[Guest Guest]

The recipe called for water, broth or juice and I thought water sounded really yucky! So, I used some tomato juice I'd canned last fall. I wondered about something like dried onion soup mix in the water but then read sometimes spices get bitter and I didn't know what besides the onion was in the dried soup mix for sure. What would you use?

 

Everything sealed and looked so good that on Sunday I did 9 pints of pork loin in some beef broth I'd frozen earlier. It looks delicious too and all 9 sealed.

[Bamboo]

I have canned venison in water and it was wonderful and I have also canned shredded chicken in chicken broth (homemade) and it was awesome. I use the chicken to make soup or just thicken it and serve with mashed potatoes and biscuits.

[Guest Guest]

Dee,

 

I had never thought about using tomato juice.

 

I have never canned ground meat other then in chili or a sauce. I do not like commercial broths as there is always so much salt in them. Onion soup would be the same..too much salt.

 

Tomato juice is interesting.

 

[PlanoPa]

i just have one question...how much head space do you leave?... well two questions... how much do you cook the meat first before canning it? I have really wanted to try and do this but my first attempt failed badly... i used the tomato juice and none sealed and it went everywhere... i left an inch and a half head space and cooked the meat first then put in the jars with the tomato juice... pressure canned it for 50 minutes and 15 lbs pressure...

 

thanks Q

[Judy Moist]

GOOD QUESTION QUILTY: I am also interested in hearing the answer to this,, I have not attempted canning meats yet, excpet in beans that I have canned and in chilis.....So hey, how about a quick lesson too the two ofus, from those of you who are experts at canning meats!!!!!

[Guest Guest]

Since this was my first time canning meat I really checked all the instructions closely and happyily had very good luck with it. The ground beef I cooked first, the pork loin I did raw pack.

 

The book said leave 1" headspace. I left at least that much and maybe a hair more. I pressured them 1 hour 15 mins. at 10 lbs.

 

In reading the instructions so carefully this time I noticed something I'd not seen before....the book said DO NOT keep adjusting the heat as it may cause the jars to leak. My pressure canner book says the weight should jiggle 3 or 4 times a min. I was always adjusting trying to get it to do that. When I was talking to another canning friend, she said she never heard of that and just lets hers jiggle to its hearts content. This time once it started jiggling I lowered the heat some, knowing it was way higher than it needed, and left it. I didn't touch it again. Voila, everything worked well both times, no leakage, and all sealed. Was that the answer? I don't know, maybe next time it won't work so well but it sure did this time.

 

Be prepared to almost lose your mind listening to that thing for 1 hour and 15 mins. though!!

 

Good luck and enjoy!

[Guest Guest]

Head Space is 1/2" to 1" usually fruits and vegetables is 1/2", meat is 1"

 

Now as to why they jars didn't seal

 

Lids are old, bent, used (which is why I always write on my lids so there is no mistake), or boiled too long in water to sterilize.

 

Jar rims need to be wiped down thoroughly with a clean damp cloth. I then go around them with a second dry cloth. Jar rim has a crack, chip or is uneven.

 

And with all these procautions... some still do not seal.

 

I remove the lids.. rewipe the jar rim, apply a new lid and reprocess! If it still won't seal.. I refrigetate, use and throw the jar away!!!!

 

 

[Synn]

Were these pint jars? I thought it had to be pressured for 90 minutes.. All meat whether it was cooked or not......

[Guest Guest]

I did all pints. Just DH and I here and pints were enough. However, next time it will be quarts simply because I ran out of pint jars this summer and don't want that to happen again.

 

From now on meats, green beans and beets will be done in quart jars so I have enough pints to do salsa, relish, carrots, etc. that I either want in small jars or won't be eaten quick enough to do in quarts.

[Synn]

Ok thanks!

[Roseofsharon]

Lois- how did you do the venison? (how was it cut & what kindof liquid)?

 

 

Also, what do you use pint jars for if you have a large family (we generally eat a quart of peas for supper as a side dish), someone gave me a bunch of pint jars but I am not sure what to put in them.

[gardnmom]

I cubed the meat filled the jar added water to cover, 2 tsp salt, put on the lid and ring and put in cookeer. that's all

I can then do what ever we want when I am ready to cook it. We love it made into gravy and served with homemede biscuits.

When the kids were home I canned quarts but now do pints.

[Synn]

Jelly , jam, ... I would a few things in pints just for those times when there's only one or two home that way you don't have a lot left over...