Low-acid canned foods include meats, soups, stews, pumpkin, carrots, and peas. The pH level of these canned goods is 4.5 or lower, they must be pressure canned. Typically they will safely last from two to five years. However, it is best to use them within one year for optimum flavor and quality.
When you go to can fish or seafood, make sure you follow the directions for that specific fish or seafood from a reputable source such as Ball, Bernardin, your local Extension Service, the USDA Complete Guide. Also, make sure you have the correct canning equipment before you start canning your harvests.
If you want online sources from an article or YouTube video don’t trust random bloggers. If you don’t have a recent canning book from one of the above, then trusted, tested and safe guidelines for pressure canning meat or poultry are online on the National Center page for meat and poultry, and, are in the USDA 2015 Complete Guide which is also available free online.
Having lived in Alaska where canning meat could have been a real necessity if we were not then vegetarian, I would trust the University of Alaska Cooperative Extension Service even if you are not necessarily interested in canning moose meat or walrus meat, they have lots of great information for canning meat, poultry and fish.
Be forewarned pressure canning is time consuming and you need to carefully monitor the cooking process so that the recommended pressure is maintained.
How to Make Homemade Chili With Meat using a Pressure Canner – Easily!
With Step-by-step Directions, Photos, Ingredients, Recipe and Costs.
This recipe calls for 9 wide mouth glass canning jars that have been sterilized either in the dishwasher at the hottest temperature or in boiling water. Make sure your metal lids and rims are clean and have been dipped in hot water but not boiled.
The recipe uses dried pinto or red beans or a combination of both, water, kosher salt, ground beef, chicken, or turkey, onion, pepper, black pepper, chili powder, oregano, lemon or lime juice. You can alter the spices a bit, add a jalapeños pepper if you like spicy chili but for starters, I would stick to the basic recipe, you can always add more flavoring when you reheat and eat your chili.
You will need a large PRESSURE CANNER with lifting racks. Jar grabber to take hot jars out of your canner, a wide mouth funnel, ladels, no larger than pint jars are recommended. Follow the recipe and your pressure canner manufacturing instructions. Generally, you will according to the recipe:
Print Recipe
Homemade Chili Meat Using A Pressure CannerIngredients
- 3 cups dried pinto or red kidney beans
- 5 1/2 cups Water
- 5 tsp salt (separated)
- 3 lbs ground beef, chicken, turkey
- 1 1/2 cups chopped onion
- 1 cup chopped peppers of your choice (optional)
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 3 to 6 tbsp chili powder
- 2 tbsp cumin (seed or powder)
- 2 tsp oregano
- 2 quarts crushed or whole tomatoes
- 2 tbsp lemon or lime juice
Ingredients - 3 cups dried pinto or red kidney beans
- 5 1/2 cups Water
- 5 tsp salt (separated)
- 3 lbs ground beef, chicken, turkey
- 1 1/2 cups chopped onion
- 1 cup chopped peppers of your choice (optional)
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 3 to 6 tbsp chili powder
- 2 tbsp cumin (seed or powder)
- 2 tsp oregano
- 2 quarts crushed or whole tomatoes
- 2 tbsp lemon or lime juice
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Instructions
Rinse out your pressure canner, put the rack plate in the bottom, and fill it to a depth of 4 inches with hot tap water. (of course, follow the instruction that came with the canner, if they are different). Put it on the stove over low heat, with the lid OFF of it, just to get it heating up for later on. Use the jar tongs or grabber, put the jars on the rack in the canner.
By now the water level has probably boiled down to 3 inches. If it is lower than that, add more hot tap water to the canner.
When all the jars that the canner will hold are in, put on the lid and twist it into place, but leave the weight off (or valve open, if you have that type of pressure canner). Put the heat on high and let the steam escape through the vent for 10 minutes to purge the airspace inside the canner.
After 10 minutes of venting, put the weight on and close any openings to allow the pressure to build to 11 pounds.
Process for 75 minutes making sure the pressure stays at 11 pounds. You adjust the heat by turning it up or down accordingly. Process according to the chart in the recipe, compensating for altitude. Follow the chart.
When the processing time is over turn off the canner and let the pressure drop as the canning process begins to cool. The pressure will drop to zero. This could take from 45-60 minutes. Be patient, do not try to speed up the process.
When the canner has cooled and the pressure is at zero you can open the lid and remove the jars onto a towel or wooden board on the counter where they will not be disturbed and the jars should not touch one another. The air around the jars should also be fairly consistent.
Do not disturb for 12-24 hours and it is recommended to leave them undisturbed overnight. After 24 hours check your seals, label and date your home canned chili.
Another good recipe to try is How to Pressure Can Chicken – Mel and Boys Kitchen
Mel gives a pretty convincing argument as to why you might want to go through the entire chicken canning and cooking process.
His article is thorough with lots of pictures and he wrote it on March 19th, my birthday.
I also read through his comments and with lots of viewers I felt his recipe was well researched. He also reminds you to read your pressure canner instruction manual so you can understand all the dials and the process. I agree with him. He suggests using pint jars, they seem to be safer, so if you have a bigger family you may have to adjust to opening more than one Jar for a meal.
You really need to be conscious about keeping things clean, no touching the lids with your fingers.
You may want to use a plastic canning wand with a magnet on the end to remove your lids from the hot water before you seal your jars so you avoid touching the side of the metal lid that will be face down with the seal next to the glass rim.
Also, use a clean towel for wiping your glass jar rims before you put down your clean new lids.
FAQs
Canning Meat (Strips, Cubes or Chunks of Bear, Beef, Lamb, Pork, Veal or Venison) Choose high quality, chilled meat. If frozen, thaw completely in the refrigerator, under cold running water or in the microwave. Remove excess fat.
What is the best cut of beef for canning? ›
Beef sirloin tip naturally makes the list of best cuts of meat for pressure canning due to its lean but still very tasty nature. This versatile cut is from the rump and hind legs, or the round, and is frequently made into ground burger.
Does canning meat make it tender? ›
The texture of canned meat is a little different than when meat is cooked fresh. It will usually be more tender since the pressure canning tenderizes the meat. This means that tough cuts of meat, such as brisket, end up being tender without the long, slow cooking usually needed to make them tender.
How many pounds of pressure do I need for canning meat? ›
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 Tables 1, 2 and 3 for processing times for all meat types and stock. Meat can be packed either raw or cooked. Pack meat loosely into clean canning jars.
How long will home canned meat last? ›
As long as the can is in good shape, the contents should be safe to eat, although the taste, texture and nutritional value of the food can diminish over time. Home canned foods should be used within 1 year.
How long will canned meat last? ›
For canned meats, that sweet spot is about 2 to 5 years. After that, the meat might not taste quite as good anymore, but it still should be edible. However, you should always smell the can first, check for any off appearances, and ensure that the can you're eating from has no dents, bumps, or bulges.
Do you cook meat before canning? ›
Yes, you can can cooked meat using the hot pack method. This involves placing cooked meat in the jars and covering it with a hot liquid, such as broth or water, before processing in a pressure canner.
How long does canned hamburger last? ›
So, How Long Does Canned Meat Last? Typically, canned meat shelf life spans between two and five years. However, this timeframe has some complexities, depending on the type of canned meat in question and the conditions of its storage.
What tenderizes meat the best? ›
Simply soak your beef cuts in these natural tenderisers before cooking, and we guarantee the beef will be fall-apart tender!
- 1) Tea. Tea contains tannins, which are a natural tenderiser. ...
- 2) Coffee. ...
- 3) Cola. ...
- 4) Pineapple, pawpaw, figs, kiwis. ...
- 5) Ginger. ...
- 6) Baking Soda. ...
- 7) Vinegar. ...
- 8) Beer or wine.
What are the disadvantages of canned foods?
- High salt content: Dissolved salt is often used in the canning process, resulting to be a major source of dietary salt. ...
- May contain added sugar: ...
- May cause botulism: ...
- May cause tissue damage: ...
- Preservatives may be added: ...
- May contain Bisphenol-A (BPA): ...
- Metallic taste:
Pack the meat up to the headspace and push down the mixture with the end of a wooden spoon to let out any air pockets and pack the meat down. Tightly shut the jars. Pour 3 quarts of water into a 23-quart pressure canner. Place the jars in and process the jars at 10 pounds pressure for 90 minutes.
Why is my canned meat dry? ›
Uneven temperature or pressure caused liquids to "siphon" out of the jar. Pack according to directions for proper heat penetration in jar. Do not overfill. Keep pressure constant during processing in pressure canner.
What happens if you use too much pressure when canning? ›
If the pressure gets too high, the weight jiggles and releases steam and pressure. No blowing up. You do need to monitor your pressure canner while it is building pressure and during processing. Like a deep fryer, you don't just fill it and go in the other room or outside while it is doing its thing.
Do you have to cook ground beef before pressure canning? ›
No, you cannot can raw ground beef, it must be fully cooked before canning. Raw ground beef is one of the foods not suitable for canning. That is the first step for making canned ground beef. The reason for this is that you don't want the ground beef to cook into one massive clump during the canning process.
What happens if you can at a higher pressure than recommended? ›
It is okay to keep our canner 2 or 3 PSI higher than the required temperature, but do not let the pressure exceed 4 PSI above what is required or the jars may result in liquid loss from syphoning once you bring the temperature back down to correct the increase. Know your altitude.
What foods are not safe for canning? ›
Low-acid foods are the most common sources of botulism linked to home canning. These foods have a pH level greater than 4.6. Low-acid foods include most vegetables (including asparagus, green beans, beets, corn, and potatoes), some fruits (including some tomatoes and figs), milk, all meats, fish, and other seafood.
Does meat need to be cooked before canning? ›
The goal here is to simply brown the cubes— you don't need to cook them all the way through. how to can beef, venison, or elk with a pressure canner for fork-tender meat! Place the browned meat cubes into clean glass jars, leaving 1″ headspace. If using quart jars, add 1 teaspoon of salt.
Can hamburger patties be canned? ›
No, you cannot can raw ground beef, it must be fully cooked before canning. Raw ground beef is one of the foods not suitable for canning. That is the first step for making canned ground beef. The reason for this is that you don't want the ground beef to cook into one massive clump during the canning process.
Is dry canning meat safe? ›
The main risk with dry canning vegetables (or other low acid foods like meats, poultry or seafood when liquid cover is required) is botulism, which is a serious and potentially deadly disease.
