Donate Now!

Donate Now!
Buy a membership or koozies to help!

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Canned Meat

And the green meat goes, do dodo dodo dododo do. . . oh wait, that's Lou Reed, not Canned Heat. You are welcome for the earworm.

We have to talk spam. There is no way you can go through a canned meat concert without spam. Now mind you I do not have the recipe for the store bought, nor have I found anything good online. The only one I found was kind of nasty, and not a real recipe. Does your chickens have any lips? After some trial and error, I have discovered a reasonable substitute . Stop groaning, some people like spam. I myself ain't to thrilled with it, but making it at home you can use up some of your extra pork and chicken parts if you don't feel like making more sausage.

You need scrapes of ham and chicken. Push through your meat grinder. Place this in a food processor, add a dash of paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper. You can get fancy and add other flavors. Puree the meat. Stuff into a pint canning jar leaving 1 inch headspace, and process in a pressure canner for 90 minutes.

Now we got that out of the way, let us talk about canning meat. There are reasonable fears out there about canning meat. You don't want to mess up an entire batch, wasting the food, or you don't want to end up poisoned. Canning meat is just as simple as canning green beans. Just more people like to put the fear into you about it.

Step one, work clean. If you are process something on the counter, make sure you wash the counter down good before placing a new chunk of meat down on it. Keep your hands clean, and sterilize everything.

Here are the basic guidelines to meat canning.

We can start with chicken,

Once you have dressed your bird out, allow it to chill for at least 6 hours. Remove as much fat as possible. For canning raw (this is best with your bannies) Fill your pints or quarts with raw meat, do not add any water, and leave an 1 1/6 head-space. Do not pack the meat tightly, it should be loosely sitting in the jar. In your pressure canner process your boneless chicken for 75 minutes in pints, 90 minutes for quarts. Got bones? 65 minutes for pints, 75 minutes for quarts.

Follow these directions for turkey as well. Rabbit is the same process, expect that you need to soak the rabbit meat in salted water (1 tablespoon salt per quart water) for 1 hour, than rinse well.

Now for hot packing the above meats.

Cook the meat in whatever manner you see fit until it is only 2/3 of the way cooked. Fill your hot sterile jars loosely, cover with the broth or water leaving 1 1/4 inch head-space. Process in a pressure canner, no bones, 75 minutes for pints, 90 minutes for quarts. Got Bones? 65 minutes for pints, 75 minutes for quarts.

Chunks of meat.

So you have your beef, pork, lamb and venison. Your smoker is full as is your freezer, or maybe you just feel the need to can something. Well do I have instructions for you!

Make sure the meat is chilled and remove excess fat. Cut into cubes, or plain ole chunks and pack loosely into your hot sterile jars. Do not add water and leave 1 inch head-space. Process with a pressure canner, pints 75 minutes, quarts 90 minutes.

To hot pack these meats, you will need to cook your meat rare. Fill your jars and cover with boiling broth or water (tomato juice if your kinky) leaving a 1 inch head-space. Process in a pressure canner, pints 75 minutes, quarts 90 minutes.

Canned hamburger? Are you kidding me? Nope and I did see it brought up on another blog, of course this person was going to buy it from a supplier instead of making there own. Saute your ground meat fill your jars, cover with boiling broth (not the fat) or water (tomato juice if your kinky) leaving a 1 inch head-space. Process in a pressure canner, 75 minutes for pints, 90 minutes for quarts.

Of course you can flavor these products however you wish, except do not add a salt substitute, it turns bitter. Do not eat your meat unless you have boiled it uncovered for 10 minutes.

All these times are for altitudes below 1,000 ft (this is standard with just about all general canning guides) And your dial should be at 10 or 11 PSI. (or weight gauge in lbs)
1,001-2,000 dial gauge at 11 PSI, weight gauge at 15 lbs
2,001-4,000 dial at 12, weight gauge at 15 lbs
4,001-6,000 ft dial at 13, weight gauge at 15 lbs
6,001-8,000 ft dial at 14, weight gauge at 15 lbs
8,001-10,000 ft dial at 15, weight gauge at 15 lbs

The above isn't just for meat, it is for all your pressure canning food stuff.

Any questions?

Do you want me to cover fish and seafood as well?

16 comments:

Captain's Wife - Jennifer said...

What does meat canned this way end up taste and texture wise?

FarmerGeek said...

Thanks for posting this. This is great information! I know that it is fully covered in a book that we have, but its great to have info from a firsthand source!

Great Job!

Phelan said...

Jennifer, I was going to email you. I got your card, thank you! The texture isn't different than stewed meat, which is what you are doing. The ground hamburger can be made into meatballs as well, canned the same way. Chicken canned is WONDERFUL for sandwiches. There are all kinds of things you can do with your meats besides making stews after they are canned. Stroganoff, lasagna, Tacos. You can can your taco season with the canned ground beef, or fajita sauce with your cubes of beef.

Farmergeek, you are welcome.

Janelle said...

Is there a reason for not using the grease? My boss talks of the old days when his aunt would make canned sausage by making what looked to be meat balls, frying to get a hard crust, though not all the way through and putting the balls and grease in a jar and turn the jar upside down.

Phelan said...

Rendered fat has better uses than in your jars, plus it makes the meat very heavy and greasy. You can use the fat if you want, but I really don't suggest it for taste reasons. And the upside down canning method with meats isn't a great idea because of the amount of bacteria that grows on meats. Even well cooked meat. Save that method for your jellies and jams.

HermitJim said...

Hey Phelan...I really appreciate you sharing this information with us. I've been looking forward to this post for a while now...

You are just a wealth of info, girl!

Janelle said...

Thanks :)

Bonnie Story said...

I said, "Hey Babe, take a walk on the canned side!!" I'm thrilled to see your post 'cuz my awesome neighbors and I canned up a bunch of meat a month ago. It's great. Makes fantastic chili!!! I will forthwith always have some part of our side o' beef left in "bulk," just for canning purposes. Always good right out of the can, just spread on hot bread with a bit of mayo -- YUM!!! Thanks for another great post.

Captain's Wife - Jennifer said...

You are very welcome. :) I definitely want to try canning meat eventually. Another question...what are the better uses for the fat?

Maggie said...

I can't put my nose up as I grew up eating and loving Scrapple:) I still attach some pretty fond memories of scrapple fried up with syrup. Actually quite a few of my fond chidhood memory are around combination meats, pork roll is another favorite that would actually put a little shake in my vegetarian stance. Canned meat definately has its place, (especially in the hurricane supplies).

Judy T said...

Thanks for this one. Since I got my canner for Christmas and we got half a cow last month this is quite timely. Right now all the beef is in the freezer but I'm thinking that I may want some of it on the shelf- not putting all my (beefy) eggs in one basket.
Judy

Phelan said...

Jennifer, rendered fat uses will have to be a whole nother post.

Maggie, I was a vegan for 15 years, pregnancy and sausage did me in. ;)

Judy, good for you!

If you guys want recipes for specific canned meats, just ask. I will be more than happy to share with you.

Anonymous said...

I've always wondered about boiling meat after opening, since you have to do that to green beans, etc. But, although you mention doing that, people I know just open their tuna, etc., and eat it in sandwiches. If I did can some meat, and then just make sandwiches, would I be putting myself at risk of botulism? And, how would anyone boil the meat before making a sandwich? That seems like it would take away one of the main reasons for canning meat for me, but neither do I want to get really sick...... so I just have never canned meat.

Phelan said...

Becky, the powers that be require that I say such things as to limit my liability. What you actually do is up to you. Many people do eat things straight out of the can without any ill effects. If you followed the canning guidelines correctly and everything sealed properly, there shouldn't be any problems. If you suspect that you didn't follow the guidelines correctly, you need to boil the meat as directed.

Oh food regulations, ain't they grand?

Tina said...

Um, rabbit meat? Ewwwww. I am sitting next to my 2 pet bunnies and that is as repulsive to me as eating a dog or a cat (which you would probably eat). Do you also eat raccoon and squirrel b/c you strike me as the type (ahem hoosier). Sick.

Unknown said...

Katie, I've eaten rabbit & pheasant from local suppliers ~ in times of shortage, such things are useful. I had a rabbitting Lurcher until he was stolen. I could go eww about eating pet chickens. I have never eaten my own birds, but I know some have gone for meat. I can no longer eat meat (intolerant to it), but do not complain at others eating what I would/could not do so myself. I have chickens, ducks, geese & goats, all of which I have eaten at 1 point or another. I was at school with a girl whose family bred eating bunnies & have bought rabbit (wild & farmed) from butchers. I have never eaten snails nor hedgehogs which are standard fare for the Roma in England, nor squirrel (treerat!), raccoon, dog nor cat. Rabbits are herbivores & were brought to Britain in great numbers for farming & eating by the Romans. Pet animals are usually separated from meat animals, at least that's what we did with our pet chickens (eggs) & butcher chicken (dinner).

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...