Canning
The flavor and texture of the final meat, poultry, or game product depends on how the meat is handled following slaughter. If you slaughter your own meat, contact your county Extension agent for information. Use only meat from healthy, disease-free animals. The meat should be chilled without delay to 40 degrees Fahrenheit (F) or lower to prevent spoilage. To hold longer than a few days, freeze at 0 degrees F or lower until canning time. Rinse poultry thoroughly in cold water and drain. Handle meat rapidly and keep everything that touches the meat clean. Debone red meats. Trim off all gristle, bruised spots, and excess fat before canning. Any fat left on the meat may affect sealing. Meat, poultry, and game are low-acid foods and must be processed in a pressure canner at 10 to 15 pounds of pressure per square inch (psi) for safety. See Table 1 for processing times for all meat types. Meat can be packed either raw or cooked. Pack meat loosely into clean canning jars. Keep precooked meat hot while packing and cover with boiling liquid. Salt adds flavor, but is not necessary for preservation. When ready to serve, boil canned meat and poultry 10 minutes before you taste it--even if it looks and smells all right.
Choose freshly killed and dressed, healthy animals. Large chickens are more flavorful than fryers. Dressed poultry should be chilled for 6 to 12 hours before canning. Dressed rabbits or squirrels should be soaked 1 hour in water containing 1 Tablespoon of salt per quart, then rinsed. Remove excess fat. Cut the poultry, rabbit, or squirrel into suitable sizes for canning. Can with or without bones.
Boil, steam, or bake meat until about two-thirds done. If desired, add 1 teaspoon salt per quart. Fill jars with meat pieces and boiling broth, leaving 1 1/4-inch headspace.
If desired, add 1 teaspoon salt per quart. Fill jars loosely with raw meat pieces, leaving 1 1/4-inch headspace. Do not add liquid. Adjust lids and process.
| Table 1. Recommended processing times | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canner pressure | ||||
| Dial gauge | Weighted gauge | |||
| Style of pack | Process time | 0-2,000 ft. | 0-1,000 ft. | 1,000+ ft. |
| Poultry, rabbit, or squirrel Style of pack: hot and raw | ||||
| Without bones | ||||
| Pints | 75 min. | 11 lb. | 10 lb. | 15 lb. |
| Quarts | 90 | 11 | 10 | 15 |
| With bones | ||||
| Pints | 65 | 11 | 10 | 15 |
| Quarts | 75 | 11 | 10 | 15 |
| Strips, cubes, or chunks of meat Style of pack: hot and raw | ||||
| Pints | 75 | 11 | 10 | 15 |
| Quarts | 90 | 11 | 10 | 15 |
| Ground or chopped meat Style of pack: hot only | ||||
| Pints | 75 | 11 | 10 | 15 |
| Quarts | 90 | 11 | 10 | 15 |
| Meat stock Style of pack: hot only | ||||
| Pints | 20 | 11 | 10 | 15 |
| Quarts | 25 | 11 | 10 | 15 |
Choose quality chilled meat. Remove excess fat. Soak strong-flavored wild meats for 1 hour in water containing 1 Tablespoon of salt per quart. Rinse. Remove large bones.
Precook meat until rare by roasting, stewing, or browning in a small amount of fat. If desired add 2 teaspoons of salt per quart to the jar. Fill jars with meat, add boiling broth, meat drippings, water, or tomato juice, leaving 1-inch headspace.
If desired, add 2 teaspoons of salt per quart. Fill with raw meat pieces, leaving 1-inch headspace. Do not add liquid. Adjust lids and process.
Choose fresh, high-quality, chilled meat. Avoid flavoring sausage with sage; canning may cause a bitter, off flavor. If desired, add 1 part high-quality pork fat to 3 or 4 parts venison before grinding. Shape chopped meat into patties or balls or cut cased sausage into 3- to 4-inch links. Cook until lightly browned. Ground meat may be sauteed without shaping. Remove excess fat and fill jars. Add boiling meat broth, tomato juice, or water, leaving 1-inch headspace. If desired, add 2 teaspoons of salt per quart. Adjust lids and process.
Saw or crack freshly trimmed beef bones to help draw out flavor. Rinse bones, cover with water, cover pot, and simmer 3 to 4 hours. Remove meat from bones. Chill broth, skim off fat, and return meat to broth. Reheat broth and meat to boiling. Fill jars, leaving 1-inch headspace. Adjust lids and process.
Place carcass bones in a large stockpot and cover with water. Cover pot and simmer 30 to 45 minutes or until meat can be easily stripped from bones. Chill broth and skim off fat. Strip meat, discard excess skin and fat, and return meat to broth. Reheat to boiling and fill jars. Leave 1-inch headspace. Adjust lids and process.
Complete Guide to Home Canning. United States Department of Agriculture, Agriculture Information Bulletin No. 539.
Ball Blue Book (Vol. 1) (1995). Published by Ball/Alltrista Corporation, Muncie, Indiana.
