How to Can Meat Step-by-Step

242 Comments

Kellene · January 9, 2010 at 4:38 am
it will do 15 jars of pints or quarts total. All American only sells the one size as best as I can tell.

MZ · January 10, 2010 at 7:37 pm
Kellene – they sell about SIX different sizes, ranging from a 10.5 quart to a 41.5 quart. Guess which one I have? 😉

Kellene · January 10, 2010 at 9:15 pm
I had no idea they sold that many different sizes. I have “model 921” and that’s about all I know about the “size”. Sorry, I’m really dense when it comes to knowing “quarts” and such about my pans that I use.
do tell, which one MZ

wade · January 12, 2010 at 4:07 am
Strange. Model 921 is 21 quarts which can only hold 7 quert jars. Are you sure you don’t have the 930 or the 941?

Kellene · January 12, 2010 at 6:46 am
Yup, I got it right off of the box and the lid. I couldn’t make up that kind of geek lingo. ha ha

Mike · June 6, 2016 at 2:57 am
21 1/2 Quarts (Liquid): 19
21 1/2 Quarts (Liquid): 19 Pint Jars, 7 Quart Jars.
So it’s only 21 quarts if you’re talking volume, it will fill up to 21 quarts of liquid.
However, because jars take up space, don’t fit snugly into the pot and require air to flow in between them, the amount of jars must be less than the total volume 😉

Preparedness Pro · June 6, 2016 at 1:51 pm
Yep.
Yep.

Kellene · January 9, 2010 at 4:37 am
Most bacon isn’t processed. It’s simply thinly sliced meat from the pig.

Kellene · January 9, 2010 at 4:37 am
I would never drain broth. I would at least save it for another recipe if it wasnt’ to be included in whatever I was making.

Kellene · January 9, 2010 at 4:46 am
Thanks for the valuable comment and the site recommendation, Debbie!

Kellene · January 9, 2010 at 4:39 am
I just bought some dark meat this week for 99 cents a pound. The max I’ll pay for boneless is $1.49 a pound. I just wait for the sales.
Kudos on your new purchase!

Kellene · January 9, 2010 at 7:45 pm
Jamie, you are absolutely correct. I did simply the actual substance of bacon. However, the fat is indeed a preservative. In fact, in the olden days in European nations, rubbing down meats with thick layers of fat was how they stored their meat for long periods of time. However, in spite of the brining process and the occassional slow cooking, bacon is not considered a “processed” meat unlike salami, hot dogs, pepperoni, etc.
When I can bacon, I roll each strip up in small “cinnamon roll” shaped pieces and then stack them in the jar. You can also bottle ground sausage after you brown it and rinse it. I don’t know how to store the dry salami yet.

C Twigg · November 12, 2013 at 9:10 am
Ive use the cheep cooking
Ive use the cheep cooking bacon to quality slices . Parchment paper cut to 1 1/2 length of bacon some do double but to pricy. place bacon top of the sheet, fold rest of paper over the bacon, fold again then roll it. place in the jar and process like normal meat. can play with the size of parchment to fit the jars. also some times we don’t need the whole pack ill do the mini sizes :). when want them just fry them up like normal and the paper is great for fire starter saturated in fat. or make squares place in fridge and rub your Teflon as flavoring and light greasing.
this will keep the bacon uniform. and easy to ply apart. and i love rolling them and layering them to. but i get to greedy and end up cooking it all lol like that. ty for sharing.

Kellene · January 9, 2010 at 10:22 pm
I have a flat top stove, Cindy. I just put it on high for the first little bit until I do the 5 minute vent. Then I put on the weight, and about 10 minutes later I’m at the appropriate pressure weight. I then reduce my heat to about 2.5 and it maintains pressure the rest of the cooking time. So I don’t believe that’s “a powerful stove” needed. I thinkthe key is in the quality of the workmanship of the pot.
My canned meat isn’t grey looking in my opinion as shown by my photos.

Aubryn · February 7, 2014 at 7:54 am
New to canning meat here.
New to canning meat here. Questions-1 Must I debone first? 2. I don’t understand what is meant by “and then adjust/lower the heat to hold that pressure without needing to extract much heat or steam from the pressure weight valve. (This should take anywhere from 60-90 minutes.). Hold that pressure for how long? Do you mean hold it at that pressure for 60-90 min? 3. I have a glass top stove but usually use my huge propane outdoor turkey deep fryer with my canning pots instead of the deep fryer pot. Which would be best for meat with a pressure cooker? (I use this set up for all my water bath canning)

Preparedness Pro · February 7, 2014 at 10:24 am
I have used nothing but a
I have used nothing but a glass top stove for the past 10+ years in canning. The earlier generations of the glass top stoves had problems maintaining temperatures for pressure canning. So I suspect that that is why it’s still listed as a warning in the instructions on canners and pressure cookers.
Canning outside is fine BUT you’ve GOT to make sure you maintain pressure and temperature and sometimes the wind causes it to deviate. I watch my temp and pressure very carefully during my meat canning. (I don’t want to kill anyone), so outdoors is not ideal for me.
Your instruction manual will explain better than I have regarding how long you can what items in what size jars. When you pressure can you MUST maintain the heat and pressure for 60 or 90 minutes or even 110 minutes depending on your altitude, what you’re canning, and what size jars you’re canning in.
While you’re pressure canning, you don’t want too much of the liquid to escape so you want to turn your heat down just enough so that the pressure is maintained without your pressure weight making too much of a fuss with its hissing and rocking. If it’s constantly hissing and rocking then you’ve got the heat up too high and you’re allowing way too much liquid to expell via the steam.
Hope this helps!  You may want to check out my canning hamburger video on our YouTube channel. Just look for “Preparedness Pro.”
 

Ed · April 25, 2014 at 4:58 pm
My book that came with my
My book that came with my Presto 16 quart says not to use with out door turkey cookers and such Any thing with over a 12000 BTU burner as it could be dangerous and will damage the pot

Preparedness Pro · April 25, 2014 at 6:17 pm
I’m sorry to tell you this,
I’m sorry to tell you this, but it probably WILL damage the pot because the Presto is a really cheaply made brand. I often advise against getting it, let alone relying on it to save one’s life someday. Did you watch the YouTUbe video I did on pressure cookers and on pressure canners?? I specifically tell people “NO PRESTO” cookers here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6rLP67uZKqU  and tell them what they need is metal to metal contact for their pressure canners here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4MDfhrN9Sw Presto doesn’t match that criteria. I’m sorry. Please dont’ kill the messenger.

Christy · January 10, 2010 at 9:26 pm
I have 2 different sizes of American Canners.
One that holds 7 quart or 16 pt and another that
holds 4 quart or 7 pint..having both sizes gives me options of doing large amounts…11 quart or small amount 4 quart.
The nice thing about these canners is no seal to ever replace or leak.
Metal against metal. Have had these canners for 10 years.

Kathy · May 30, 2016 at 5:37 pm
With the pressure canners,
With the pressure canners, especially the All Americans…I have model 921. You only put in 3 quarts of water and 2 TBSP white vinegar (to keep residue from water mineals building up on jars and making the inside of your canner black). So a powerful stove isn’t needed. I had a glass top stove, gave it up for electric, with burner coils (I broke three sets of burner braces) so switched to gas with cast iron burner “tops”. I love it.
My chicken is beautiful in the jars, easiest meat to can. You can process meat with or without the bones. Make sure you consider the time differences for bone-in meats. I was so afraid my first time meat canning, removed the lid very slowly and was so excited about the way the meat looked, I literally danced with delight. Now I shop 2-3 times a week for marked down mats and can it all the time. I love looking at my “grocery” shelfs in my pantry.

Preparedness Pro · February 7, 2014 at 10:18 am
I’m actually changing my
I’m actually changing my opinion on that over the past year in terms of processed meats as it does seem to turn out well and cooked sufficiently. Sometimes the smoking or processing that they put in such meats can give it an off taste that’s difficult to overcome, however, I’ve been canning high quality meats from Zaycon over the past year and have done fine. The trick though is that I dry can it.
I’ve long been canning ground meats, by the way. In fact, you can go to our YouTube page (Preparedness Pro) and see step by step instructions on there. Also, you can look up canning bacon as well as canning sausage on here as I’ve provided detailed instructions for those as well.

Kellene · January 10, 2010 at 9:20 pm
Steve, I have no experience canning fruits or veggies, so sorry, I can’t help you out there. I do have canned potatoes though, so I imagine that it’s possible
Yes, the meat is fully cooked when you’re finished pressure canning it. And tender, and delicious, etc.

Christy · January 10, 2010 at 9:33 pm
The book STOCKING UP by Rodale Press or the book Putting Food By Ruth Hertzberg
are both excellent resources for dealing with food storage including dehydrating, freezing, root cellar, etc. These books will answer many questions as well as expand your horizons of foods to store and how to.

Kathy · May 30, 2016 at 5:46 pm
Steve, as stated above, the
Steve, as stated above, the meat is cooked. Just heat and eat, or add to other things for an added ingredient. (Hamburger to pasta sauce for meat spaghetti, lasagna,etc)
Meat has to be done in a pressure cooker/canner because it is low acid. High acid foods, like tomatoes can be done in a water bath canner.
I have canned 50+bags of potatoes at a time. So, yes potatoes can be preserved (canned) just search for “canning potaoes” and you see how easy it is to be done. I prefer red potatoes as they don’t fall apart in the long time processing.
If I don’t can it, I dehydrate it, or freeze it. Try to keep freezer items to minimum, in case of long term power outage.
Hope this helps…..

Kellene · January 11, 2010 at 4:29 pm
As I shared in the article, it’s not necessary to add more water, however I do because it’s “free broth”
You can bottle meat with or without the bones. In the case of a large turkey, personally I’d prefer to cooking it first in the oven and then canning it.

Max · December 17, 2013 at 3:51 pm
Jake, if you grow fodder
Jake, if you grow fodder (sprouted barley or wheat) your price per chicken drops dramatically. I estimate our chickens costing me about $4/chicken at the end of 6 months. We have them in a tractor that is being moved daily onto fresh grass. We canned some venison and grassfed beef roast before and that was some of the best meat I have had in a long time.
Turkey frier is a great idea, I use it to brew my beer and do canning in the summer when it is around 100 degrees here in GA. Just make sure that you have a burner that doesn’t have a timer or you have to come back and reset it every 15 minutes ( ask me how I know that ).

Kellene · January 11, 2010 at 6:01 pm
To be forthright, I have no idea why what would be required. You’re right. That’s a ridiculous task of strength! (geesh, no wonder more people don’t can things!) When I’m done canning my jars under full pressure, it’s usually about 10:00 at night and I sure as heck don’t want to hassle with it. So I simply turn off the burner and let the pressure reduce naturally. The pressure is coming down. The worst that happens is that my meat cooks a little longer. So what? It’s still nice and moist. And in fact, I look at it as even safer to eat. In the morning I safely remove the lid, wipe off all of the jars, tighten the lids and put them away.

Janet · March 1, 2010 at 10:16 pm
I have not canned any meat yet. Makes me a bit nervous, but then tomatoes used to do that. Anyway, my husband has me can on a burner outside because he says my flat top stove will crack under the heat and weight. I sure would like to can meat in the house during the winter. How long have you been using your flat top for canning? Any issues?
Also, I’ve never left any bands on after the seal has popped and jars cooled. My experience is that the bands tend to rust over time. Is there a reason you do this?
I’m thinking I’m gonna be one of your biggest fans!

Kellene · March 1, 2010 at 10:25 pm
Janet, I have been canning meat for nearly 10 years. I never knew any different about a flat top stove vs. another kind until the last couple of years. But I have NEVER had any problems with it and it’s not because my stove is some hoyty-toyty brand. I use my Kuhn-Rikon pressure cooker on it and my heavy duty All American Pressure Canner on it. No problems, considerations, or stress in nearly a decade.
Regarding the use of bands–on rare occassions they do rust if you do not properly wipe off the lids after canning. I use them so that I provide one more stronghold to the lids staying on, but for no other reason.
Glad to have you with us!

Kellene · January 11, 2010 at 9:40 pm
I’m positive that the one year guideline is perpetuated by folks covering their butts, that’s all. I KNOW that there are hundreds of thousands of folks in the U.S. right now who have canned goods on their shelves that have lasted significantly longer than one year. Also there have been several studies by a handful of universities and the U.S. army that would dispute the one year only criteria.

Max · December 17, 2013 at 3:55 pm
We have some green tomato
We have some green tomato relish that we put away in the summer of 2010 and it is still delicious. I have some venison that we put away in 2009, and we ate it last week. So the one year guideline is definitely a butt-cover up. As long as you followed the time and pressure guideliness and your seal is not breached you should be pretty good. As the final test, sniff it, if it smells bad, don’t use it.

Kellene · January 12, 2010 at 6:54 am
Yuppers! But you can also have a bone in the jar if you choose. Personally, I would can the meat in one, and the bone with broth in another. Ham bones are so great for so many soup dishes. I also can drumsticks whole so that I can have “fried chicken” whenever I want too.

Anita · November 20, 2010 at 3:25 am
How do you use it for “fried chicken”?

Kellene · November 20, 2010 at 5:43 am
I can the whole pieces and when I open the container, I just fry them lightly in some butter. You’ll never have more tender fried chicken. I have a friend who fries them up (more like sears them) before pressure canning. Either way is great.

c twigg · November 12, 2013 at 9:28 am
LOL been married for 30
LOL been married for 30 years lol husband just recently watch me cook lol he had no ideal i use canned chicken thighs, u can use drummies or drumsticks lol. i pat dry them down well, and then dip in batter; more flower fror soft more cornstarch for the crunch. then dip them to get a coating aka pretend a skin is on lol. and a quick deep fry or pan. you just want to cook the batter and heat the meat. from husband all i heard was “that’s why there’s no skin on my bird” lol its fantastic and juicy try thyme in the batter and a cut pc of celery in the deep fryer while cooking the chicken. also good with canned steaks- fried

Kellene · January 19, 2010 at 2:07 am
I’m SO glad to hear that!!!

Kellene · January 22, 2010 at 4:13 pm
you’re always going to get some of it leaking out during the pressure process. That’s why you don’t get to hear the “Plink” sound until after you’re done canning sometimes when you’ve wiped them off and they are cooling. Also, be sure that you use the butter knife technique that I do to make sure you’re getting as much liquid down around the chicken also. The difference of one pound of pressure should not be affecting the texture of your meat. So try the knife technique and make sure your jars are screwed on tight before and after you’ve pressure cooked them.

Kellene · March 1, 2010 at 10:26 pm
woohoo! I’m so excited for you!! You’ll love the pressure cooker even more, my friend.

Kellene · March 3, 2010 at 5:28 pm
I do that step to make the meat healthier. But I’ve never read that you MUST do it. I can bacon, sausage, and other fatty meats.

Kellene · June 9, 2010 at 3:18 am
SOOOO glad to hear this. Way to go!!!

Kellene · June 9, 2010 at 3:18 am
You could have a problem with the glass breaking if you did that. I wouldn’t want to risk it, personally.

Kellene · June 11, 2010 at 6:18 pm
Not to worry Anji. That happens quite often for a myriad of worry-free reasons.

Kellene · July 12, 2010 at 4:29 pm
Michele, I have a saying that I go by when it comes to relying on food to feed and nourish my family “when in doubt, throw it out.” I know that can be heart breaking when it comes to something that has taken so much work and cost so much, but it’s better to have PEACE of mind then food poisoning, right? I have NO idea why your broth would have turned brown. I’ve never had that happen before. Yes, it’s perfectly ok to cook two kinds of meat at the same time, just go with the longer cooking instructions.
Take care!!!

Kellene · October 19, 2010 at 4:16 pm
yes, it’s ok that you don’t have the liquid over the meat. If you think about it, the liquid sinks downward in the commercial containers too.

Kellene · November 20, 2010 at 5:35 am
Isn’t it funny what “preppers” do for fun? 🙂

Kellene · November 20, 2010 at 5:35 am
When you pressure can, liquid does indeed escape out of the bottle. It has to in order to create the suction. But the grey cast, I’m not familiar with.It easily could be just the exposure of the chicken to the bit of oxygen that was still in the bottle since it rose out of the liquid. Ultimately, the nose knows though if chicken has gone bad. If is smells poorly, then get rid of it.

Kellene · May 3, 2011 at 4:34 pm
I’m not familiar with canning pumpkin. However, I’m sure there’s plenty on the internet and in your library about it–especially if you can find older books. Also, check into canning low acid foods.

Aubryn · February 7, 2014 at 8:09 am
Ok I’ve been canning for 30
Ok I’ve been canning for 30 yrs and never did butter. Somebody teach me.

Preparedness Pro · February 7, 2014 at 10:25 am
Just put “canning butter” in
Just put “canning butter” in the search bar and you’ll get several articles to come up with different methods. 🙂

Kellene · June 24, 2011 at 6:52 pm
woohoo! Good Cluck!:-)

Kellene · June 26, 2011 at 2:03 am
EEWWWWWW!!!

Kellene · August 20, 2011 at 11:31 pm
A water bath is not sufficient for canning meat. You need to be able to build up the pressure. Good news though is that so many people are discarding the old-fashioned, low-tech stuff, so finding a quality used canner should be relatively easy at your local thrift store, on Craig’s list, or e-bay.

Kellene · September 20, 2011 at 2:26 pm
roll each piece up in strips of parchment paper so that the bacon isn’t touching itself. Cook it at 15 pounds of pressure for 75 minutes. That should be plenty. Good luck with all of the canning! I have fallen in love with canning tomatoes. It’s sooo much cheaper than buying the cans of tomatoes and my neighbors are always trying to get rid of some. 🙂 The jars of multi-colored tomatoes look so pretty…yellow, tiny red, orange, etc. I LOVE seeing them on my shelves.

Sharon McNair · September 20, 2011 at 3:38 pm
Yep! Love those canned veggies too. I’ve been canning vegetables since I was a teenager. Ended up with a boatload from our garden this year and also managed by accident to get the best tasting tomato juice I’ve ever had! Along with the sun oven, I think the meat canning is one of the best tips I’ve gotten from you. Thanks again!

Kellene · October 20, 2011 at 3:45 pm
I never can in a cooker. It’s too risky in terms of not having enough empty volume for the jars which is necessary to build up a suitable pressure. So I’d definitely never attempt to can meat in a cooker. If you’ve read my blog you know I’m not exactly a conservative person when it comes to preserving foods, but when it comes to canning, there’s not a lot that I will push the envelope on. You want metal to metal seal with a canner, not plastic, silicon, etc. (I suggest the All American brand of canner)

Preparedness Pro - Kellene Bishop · February 15, 2012 at 2:37 am
@WeileMom Everyone who’s tried the canned meat done properly keeps writing me that it’s so good and tender. It doesn’t look pretty from the outside of the jar, but it is scrumptious, tender, and stronger in flavor ’cause it’s essentially marinated for years! 🙂

Kellene Bishop · February 26, 2012 at 3:55 am
There isn’t a need for the meat to be covered with liquid. Liquid in the jars will always vent out. That’s part of the reason why I put the water in as per my details in this article.
To verify that the jars are sealed, you’ll simply check the flat lid portion. If it’s sealed the lid will be concave; press your finger firmly down on the center of the lid; it should not pop up if it’s sealed. You can also try tapping a spoon on the center of it and you should hear a clear ping. If it’s a low pitched thud, the lid isn’t sealed. (don’t test the jars while they are still hot/warm)

Melissa · March 7, 2012 at 6:49 am
The first batch I tried lost most of it’s liquid. The jars sealed and when I opened one to try it the meat was fine but Very dry and i missed out on some great broth!! Discovered it was because I kept the heat too high , didn’t reduce heat enough. Done several batches since then and once it reaches the right pressure I reduce heat to where it just barely holds that pressure and now I have great broth all the way up to the top!! I did not add water.

Kellene Bishop · March 7, 2012 at 7:53 am
Sounds GREAT. You can use the drier meat in soups instead of wasting it. it will be fine once you get some more hot liquid into it.

Kellene Bishop · March 7, 2012 at 11:08 pm
It’s completely cooked after you’ve canned it. Each jar is like its very own pressure cooker so it’s cooked but tender and juicy still. So I just modify my recipes using cooked meat. You could eat it right out of the jar fully cooked. (but it would need refrigeration is it was to be open for an extended period of time without consuming all of the ingredients.

Kellene Bishop · March 14, 2012 at 6:01 am
Actually, I need to change that because I’ve learned a LOT more on that topic since writing it originally. I just canned 60 pounds of bacon todayl So thanks for reminding me.

cr · March 16, 2012 at 5:15 pm
Can you can corned beef and would you need to cook it first?

Kellene Bishop · March 16, 2012 at 6:42 pm
it will get PLENTY cooked during the canning process.

Kellene Bishop · March 22, 2012 at 6:53 pm
Sure.

Kellene Bishop · April 12, 2012 at 12:35 am
you definitely must use a pressure canner, not cooker, for canning meats.

Mary Sue Muhlenkamp · May 23, 2013 at 11:57 pm
I can my meat and any other canning in the oven on 225 for 6 hours, turn the oven off and left set for one hour then take them out and turn upside down on an old towel for 20 minutes.
I started doing this when I was working 3rd shift and wandering how to can and sleep too. lol I worked with a gentleman that is from Pennsylvania and said that is the only way they have ever done it. I can do up to 10-12 jars at one time. When putting them in the oven you need to lay something down first so they don’t tip on the rakes, like cookie sheets. I have had them all seal with no problems. Pressure canners always scared me and water baths you always had to make sure there was water in them. Doing this way I can do other things in the house or even take a nap and all is well.

Kellene Bishop · May 24, 2013 at 12:31 am
This MIGHT be a viable method if you’re certain that the food you put in the jars is at 180 degrees or more BEFORE you put them in the oven which means that you’re cooking it twice. That’s why I love the pressure canning methods and the great technological advancements is that I can keep my meat tender and only cook it once so as not to compromise any more nutrition than is absolutely necessary. This method you’re describing is called Open Kettle Canning and it’s not one I’m 100% confident with. But that’s me.

Kellene Bishop · July 21, 2012 at 8:42 pm
Everything needs to be clean, yes indeed.

Kellene Bishop · July 30, 2012 at 7:30 pm
That all depends on your storage conditions. 5 years on the low end, 10 years on the high end.

KJS · September 25, 2012 at 12:01 am
Kellene — I am trying to get my act together to start canning, but there is one thing that I a little confused about. You always mention keeping the food in a cool, dark place to allow it to last the maximum time, between 68-72 degrees. I live in Houston and the coolest place (without refrigeration) in my house is probably 73-74 degrees, with high humidity — I keep the air somewhat higher because I am always freezing and to keep the electric bills down. What is the max time that my canned food would last in those conditions, and would I be better off to use my extra refrigerator to keep as much as my canned food for maximum freshness? Will that affect the canning to have the meat at a refrigerator-level temperature for long periods of time? Houston is definitely not the easiest place to live for food storage! 🙂 Thanks!

CHERYL · December 8, 2012 at 1:47 am
I bought a smaller portable air conditioner for my food storage. I keep it at 65. I got it on amazon and it wasn’t very expensive. I personally don’t like the cold and didn’t want to pay to cool down the entire house.

Dawn · March 30, 2013 at 1:55 pm
I have a possible solution for all my southern friends. I live in Florida where it is HOT and HUMID. This solution will only work if electricity is still available. I was given an old chest freezer; then I bought a Freezer temperature controller from Amazon ($50). You plug the controller into the power source; set the temperature on the controller; plug your freezer into the controller. I have mine set for 64 and it stays within a couple degrees of that. I found the information on various beer making sites. I am thinking about putting my canned goods in shallow crates and stacking them up inside. Chest freezers are very efficient and so I think it will be cheaper than an a/c. Hope this sparks some ideas.

Kellene Bishop · August 26, 2012 at 7:28 pm
Yes you CAN. 🙂

bob smith · October 10, 2012 at 2:18 am
Just curious….if there is room for an empty jar, why fill it with water? Why not fill it with what you are canning, put a lid on it, and have another jar of canned meat?

Kellene Bishop · October 10, 2012 at 4:24 am
that’s presuming you don’t have anymore meat to can, Bob.

dolores · October 22, 2012 at 8:17 pm
Can you dig a cellar in the warm parts of the country to get a cooler temp? Or perhaps use a storm shelter?

Kellene Bishop · October 22, 2012 at 8:22 pm
Root cellars have been used all over the country for decades and decades for coll food storage.

gen · March 5, 2016 at 2:50 am
Many folks can’t dig a root
Many folks can’t dig a root cellar because of high ground water, but, you can use the same idea as homes built with dirt piled over and around three sides and only the front uncovered. That’s what my grandfather did, and he put one of those whirly gig things seen on older home roofs to vent out the rising heat and to help keep air moving to decrease moisture buildup. In the winter he would just fasten a plastic bag over it so his storage wouldn’t get too cold. He used a solid core door and put a closeable opening in it to help pull in air for better circulation. He put screen across it to keep out critters. He closed that during the colder winter months. It wasn’t a large enough opening to make a great change in the overall temperature. An idea.

Brad · November 10, 2012 at 9:10 pm
LOVED this canning tutorial!! Thank you for taking the time to make it.
Why would humidity matter? The food is in a sealed jar.

Kellene Bishop · October 21, 2012 at 11:29 am
Everything except for processed meats (which I only do in chunks) and ground beef/sausage/turkey/chicken all get cooked before they get put into the can as there’s just way too much surface space potential for bacteria growth.
Adopt me? Well, you should know I’m a Buckeye Fan, feisty, and I”m not voting for Romney or Obama. My dad hung up on me when he learned of the last issue. 🙂 I may just be too much for anyone to handle–except my Prince Charming. *hugs*

Kellene Bishop · October 29, 2012 at 6:39 pm
Your processing times, frankly, scare me. I’ve NEVER had my hamburger, bacon, steak, beef roast, pork roast come out tasting like baby food or mushy. It’s so tender and juicy and the meat tastes even beefier as it sits in its broth all that time on the shelves.
Processing hot dogs and such isn’t a good idea because it’s so dense, which is why I don’t risk it. The only exception to that is if you cut them up into bite-sized pieces. You CAN do a water bath on COOKED meat that you have at 150 degrees. The All American instruction manual that you can find online will tell you more on that. Maybe you’d enjoy that more?

Kellene Bishop · December 1, 2012 at 10:22 am
Nope, that’s just USDA/Extension services gobblety gook. However, I don’t believe you’ll like the texture of any pastas cooked and then canned. They get so soggy. But veggies, meat, legumes, and vegetables are typically all right to can.

Denise in NJ · January 1, 2013 at 6:53 pm
I almost always get one jar that doesn’t seal.

Kellene Bishop · January 1, 2013 at 8:54 pm
So glad that doesn’t happen to me! That would drive me bonkers.

Denise in NJ · January 1, 2013 at 6:55 pm
I think the larger jars are actually meant for pickling.

Kellene Bishop · January 1, 2013 at 8:54 pm
Not from what I’ve learned; They’ve been used primarily for “Open-kettle” canning which is not considered true canning.

Denise in NJ · January 2, 2013 at 4:39 am
I’ve never heard of open kettle canning but I know my grandmother used gallon jars for fermenting pickles and also cabbage into sauerkraut.

charlotte in Kansas · April 15, 2013 at 8:42 pm
in years past “open kettle” was consideres canning, at least for the use of glass jars, technology has caught up and science proved it was not safe so it was discarded

charlotte purcell · April 15, 2013 at 8:20 pm
half-gallon and gallon jars were first used many years ago when families were much larger and you needed more food to make a meal. you had to add processing time to what was allowed for a quart but I don’t know how much. I have a very old Kerr canning book that I can look at and see if there is a time given for halves don’t know about gallons. As for open kettle canning it is where foods especially fruits, peaches, apples maybe pears, were cooked in a pan on the stove top and the boiling cooked fruits were put directly in the clean jars and the tops and rings screwed down and allowed to cool. the cooling product caused a vacume and the jar would seal. it is not recommended today. Tomatoes were canned in this manner but they didnot keep well and were not safe for use. I have canned some open kettle long ago but now I have gone to water bath for fruits. will cook until just tender and then put in the jars and into the water bath and let boil 25 min once it has reached a rolling boil. 20. min is considered steirile and this is giving a little time in case it wasn’t boiling good when you started timing. Have had no problems by doing this and few jars that didn’t seal. Guess I’m getting old because I remember some of the older things or maybe it was the fact my mama was an older woman and she knew them and passed them on to me.

alice · September 10, 2013 at 8:33 pm
I do grape juice this way.
I do grape juice this way. Hot jars, boiling juice right out of the steam juicer, wipe the rims, and put the lids on. They seal, and the sugar content of grape juice is so high that it’s pretty safe. I think I’ve had one or two over the years not seal completely, but when I go to open it it’s pretty obvious that I don’t want to be drinking it.

Denise in NJ · January 2, 2013 at 4:52 am
I did have the jars on the trivet – 3 quarts and 2 pints to be exact. It came to about 1 1/2 inches up the jars. I thought it should have more water and I checked the instructions again and it distinctly said “3 qts is all you need”. After depressurizing there was water under the trivet but the top of the trivet and the inside walls of the canner were dry. I had always read that if there isn’t enough water then you don’t get enough steam and it doesn’t reach the proper temperature to be safe. This was my first shot at chicken soup – I had made 6 qts for dinner and there were 4 qts left (not a huge loss if I screwed up) so I decided I would try canning it instead of freezing it. Since I’m new to this I am having a difficult time figuring out if the soup is safe to eat or not.

Kellene Bishop · January 20, 2013 at 2:45 am
I have several readers who’ve canned meatballs, meatloaf, hamburger patties, etc. I’d suggest canning then without the gravy and stock up on the items you need that are shelf-stable to MAKE the gravy easily OR you can bottle just the gravy if you’d like. It’s been my experience though that I’m not too crazy of dairy based canned items though.

Lisa Enman · January 20, 2013 at 3:14 pm
Thank you!
how about canning a meat sauce?
reason i ask is because the juices from the meat are what make the gravy so tasty…..

Kellene Bishop · January 21, 2013 at 6:48 pm
There’s a great canning blog called “canning grandma” Do a search on it and I think you’ll find what you need in that regard. She’s focused on that exclusively, whereas I’m focused on preparing in a broader manner. I’ve enjoyed and have had others enjoy her site a lot. I only know canning based on what I do and thus my repertoire is limited.

Kellene Bishop · February 25, 2013 at 7:51 pm
Yes, filling it up to that point is sufficient. However, you should know, it’s not a life or death scenario if the jars do get covered–it’s just that when you’re pressure canning with fat, you’re likely to have some jars not seal afterwards occasionally, that’s all. You’ll be a canning fool before you know it! *Happy Dance*

Chris Vince · August 13, 2013 at 7:23 am
You should NEVER feed your dog cooked bones. At least not the usual cooked. However, if the canned bones are almost like mush they may be fine. Cooked bones like from baked or fried chicken can splinter and cause digestional problems. Raw bones are actually the best for them. Helps clean their teeth and strengthens their jaws.

Kellene Bishop · August 13, 2013 at 8:03 am
I never feed by dogs bones–even raw ones just because there’s still that “chance” and they’re little things. However, I do put cartilage in there when I cook and big bones so as to pressure cook the marrow out of the bones. If it can’t be liquified, it shouldn’t be in the food that you feed the dogs.

Kellene Bishop · April 17, 2013 at 8:43 pm
the typical rule of thumb is 70 minutes for pints and 90 for quarts. If there’s a mix of sizes, I always go with the one that requires the longest time. You don’t need to cover the jars. In fact, my rule of thumb now is to put enough water to go up 2/3rds of the way up the bottom layer of jars.

Kellene Bishop · June 12, 2013 at 2:18 am
YOU did it right. The larger the piece of chicken you put in there, the more tender it will be. You’re friend’s will end up tasting less moist and flavorful as a result of chopping it. She’s incorrect on the prophecy of “problems’ with large piece. So long as you have the proper temperature and pressure for the proper time, you’ll be just fine. Remember, people can meatloaf and large meatballs successfully and those are dense foods as well. Just follow the instructions and you’ll be fine.

Kellene Bishop · July 1, 2013 at 6:53 pm
Yes, that can happen, but it’s nothing to fret about. You’ll just need to be careful when you’re frying it; make sure you cover pat dry the bacon pieces before frying otherwise you’ll get a lot of spattering.

Kellene Bishop · July 25, 2013 at 2:56 am
You can cook in a pressure canner but you cannot can in a pressure cooker due to the fact that they are much smaller and typically do not have sufficient volume/space to build up sufficient pressure.

Preparedness Pro · October 4, 2013 at 10:30 pm
Elk would be done the same
Elk would be done the same amount of time as your tougher meats–110 minutes at 10 pounds of pressure unless you’re high altitude, which would then be 15 pounds of pressure. Sounds YUMMY!

Preparedness Pro · November 18, 2013 at 7:26 pm
Raw and you want to stuff it
Raw and you want to stuff it in there are large as you can in order to get more tender. The smaller the pieces, the less tender it can be.

Preparedness Pro · February 17, 2014 at 9:01 pm
Sounds exciting! And yes, you
Sounds exciting! And yes, you can can meat with veggies and gravy/sauce, etc. The only suggestion I would make is to use FRESH veggies, not canned or frozen. You’ll like the texture MUCH better.
Do you use butane on the boat? I would, if it were me. It’s economical, stable, and doesn’t pose the inside use danger like the other fuels do in terms of carbon monixide poisoning. You’d have to do a heck of a lot of indoor cooking with butane to get that danger. (though it’s wise to have a window open when you’re cooking with any fuel indoors.)

Preparedness Pro · March 3, 2014 at 11:45 pm
Christina it definitely is
Yes, you can CAN the meat that’s been in your freezer for a while. That’s actually what I end up doing a couple time a year is cleaning out the freezer and making dog food and cat food with what we didn’t eat. The pressure canning reincorporates the moisture into the food just as it would if I were to pressure cook something.

Preparedness Pro · March 5, 2014 at 1:58 am
75 in pints, 90 in quarts.
 
75 in pints, 90 in quarts AFTER you’ve reached the proper pressure. I have a video on YouTube too that you can take a look at. Just go to our YouTube Channel: Preparedness Pro.
 

Preparedness Pro · March 26, 2014 at 7:06 pm
Yes, the first generation of
Yes, the first generation of flat top stoves wouldn’t maintain the heat and thus the pressure.  I have the super large (921) All American and am able to use it on my flat top just fine. If you’ve got a first generation flat top, I would suggest you use a propane burner top instead.

Preparedness Pro · May 22, 2014 at 2:04 am
You can dry-can either of
You can dry-can either of those with no problem! (See my Sausage canning article on here)

Preparedness Pro · October 7, 2014 at 10:07 pm
You risk the loss of your
You risk the loss of your seal if your jars freeze. That’s VERY common. The glass can also break with extreme temperatures in the freezing. That’s why a lot of folks who are roughing it in the wild use a root cellar.

Preparedness Pro · December 30, 2014 at 10:49 pm
You can season the meat to
You can season the meat to mesh with what dish you’re preparing but you can also use some salt in it to enhance the preservation process and to enhance the flavors.

Preparedness Pro · September 30, 2015 at 6:31 pm
Yes, just like a can of tuna
Yes, just like a can of tuna or chicken you purchase from the store. You could eat it right out of the can without any heat.