[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Canning Thread - Canners Invited (Page 1 of 3)
Posted: 8/25/2015 1:56:19 PM EDT
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I'm about done with canning this year. The garden is on the downturn, squirrels have gotten all the peaches, but I may get some apple slices in a few weeks. I counted 266 jars put up on the racks. Meats, soups, stews, veggies, and fruits. This year I canned some rhubarb, which was pretty good, but sent it south with the in-laws when they passed through. I didn't do all 266 jars this year, but keep a rolling inventory of about that much. I'll have to start double stacking if I put up much more, and that'll make it difficult to find things. I picked an entire 5gal bucket of ripe tomatoes on Saturday, along with green and yellow squash, onions, garlic, peppers, and eggplant. All that gave me enough for 28 jars of ratatouille, plus a few squash and peppers to give away at work. I discovered this weekend that 15lbs of carrots will make 12 qts, canned. Sliced carrots almost filled the sink. That's a butt-load of carrots. I used some cubed beef I put up from a couple of years ago. Top Round. $2.99/lb when I bought it on sale. It makes pretty good chili meat. Not difficult at all to put up, just cube/brown/season/90min @ 10psi. Spag sauce, the same time. I run two 7 jar canners at a time, do any of you have enough stove to do three or four? I bought one of the water bath canners from W-Mart. There's enough space in it to make a batch of whatever big enough to fill 14 jars for the two canners. That makes things so much easier, since the other biggest pot was at it depth limit and risked boiling over. Either that or get out my beer pots, and I really didn't want to do that. Got a jar ring torque wrench this year. Wasn't having any problems but the tapping ringing sounds were all over the place. Using the wrench makes all the tapping sounds the same. That's pretty awesome, actually. The other best tool is that ladle that Ball makes. It has a little hook on the back that keeps it from falling into the pot and falling over. And the spoon is hooked enough to hold the canning funnel so it doesn't fall into the soup. It's the best thing since sliced bread...almost. I started canning about twenty years ago. Listening to the jiggler in the kitchen brought back a lot of memories of my childhood and all the family women snapping beans and working all the canners in the un-a/c'd kitchen down at Grandma's. Good memories. Any other canners got any stories? Are you canning for SHTF, good food, or money concerns? Are you using ancient canners? New Canners? Mom/Dad's old canners? Got any old jars you use? Any special things you can that are family favorites, weird, or maybe even dangerous? |
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I canned 12 half pints of pizza sauce (low carb) from the tomatoes in the garden. We've had a bad year for them--too dry and hot, then too wet.
My mom did blueberry jelly, green beans and tomatoes. My pantry isn't that large so I can't can like she does--not enough room for storage. She has enough canned that we could last through SHTF with no issues. |
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Quoted: I don't can meats yet, but am planning on it this year. Is there anything I should know that isn't common knowledge? Every year, Ball comes out with a new canning book. I try to get one each year, but I think they skipped a year recently and didn't come out with a new one. All the different types and considerations for canning various things are included in the book. The most canned things (beans and peaches) have their own section. As for meat and meat concoctions, I believe the only consideration is that it's a 90 minute can session at 10psi. Both of my canners are dial types, but sitting still for 90 minutes and fiddling with the burner temps to keep the pressure constant is a right PITA. Mixed veggies and greens are 90 minute boils, as well. Canning spag sauce has meat, so 90 minutes. The meat textures would be about the same cubed, I expect, with beef and venison. I canned some pork loin as an exercise...haven't opened it yet. The beef for the chili I made was a smidge chewy, but the grains fell apart real well. The chili had a good look to it, and was easy enough to eat and the beef kept a good flavor. Some day I'll try a better quality meat and see how that works out. |
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Quoted: Every year, Ball comes out with a new canning book. http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51qFSZznQzL._SX258_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg I try to get one each year, but I think they skipped a year recently and didn't come out with a new one. All the different types and considerations for canning various things are included in the book. The most canned things (beans and peaches) have their own section. As for meat and meat concoctions, I believe the only consideration is that it's a 90 minute can session at 10psi. Both of my canners are dial types, but sitting still for 90 minutes and fiddling with the burner temps to keep the pressure constant is a right PITA. Mixed veggies and greens are 90 minute boils, as well. Canning spag sauce has meat, so 90 minutes. The meat textures would be about the same cubed, I expect, with beef and venison. I canned some pork loin as an exercise...haven't opened it yet. The beef for the chili I made was a smidge chewy, but the grains fell apart real well. The chili had a good look to it, and was easy enough to eat and the beef kept a good flavor. Some day I'll try a better quality meat and see how that works out. Quoted: Quoted: I don't can meats yet, but am planning on it this year. Is there anything I should know that isn't common knowledge? http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51qFSZznQzL._SX258_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg I try to get one each year, but I think they skipped a year recently and didn't come out with a new one. All the different types and considerations for canning various things are included in the book. The most canned things (beans and peaches) have their own section. As for meat and meat concoctions, I believe the only consideration is that it's a 90 minute can session at 10psi. Both of my canners are dial types, but sitting still for 90 minutes and fiddling with the burner temps to keep the pressure constant is a right PITA. Mixed veggies and greens are 90 minute boils, as well. Canning spag sauce has meat, so 90 minutes. The meat textures would be about the same cubed, I expect, with beef and venison. I canned some pork loin as an exercise...haven't opened it yet. The beef for the chili I made was a smidge chewy, but the grains fell apart real well. The chili had a good look to it, and was easy enough to eat and the beef kept a good flavor. Some day I'll try a better quality meat and see how that works out. |
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Quoted: The wife and I want to learn to can. We want to can our deer this year( if I'm lucky enough to get one). Guess I need to do some reading.   32 lbs of summer sausage, 8 pints and 4 quart jars and various other meat treats from 3 doe this past year. I had my buck processed at the butcher, cause, damn his sticks and jerky cannot be replicated. The deer is easy peasy. cube, season with whatever you have. I put a clove of garlic in each jar, 2 in the quarts. Some of them had some onion. I put Montreal Steak seasoning on some and Weber Steak and Chop seasoning on others. If you do that, use only 1/2 the amount of canning salt called for. Raw pack, leave a little room at the top for the juices it will create. 90 min at 10 PSI and you are done. |
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Quoted: How long does food last once canned? Stuff lasts longer if kept out of light and at cooler and constant temps, while kept in a non-humid environment. Dry will keep the jar lids from rusting, and low light will keep the contents' color good. Cooler temps keep the contents at a better quality for longer. I have pickled beets and peaches from 2005-2006 that are good to eat. They kept their seals well and the contents were tasty and delicious. You should check your jars at least once per year to weed out any that have gone bad. I had two jars this spring that had lost their seals and spoiled. They were from last year or the year before. |
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Quoted:
Do eeetttt!
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c320/ejeviking/ARFCOM%20bucket/20150310_192529_zpsgpowlo7x.jpg 32 lbs of summer sausage, 8 pints and 4 quart jars and various other meat treats from 3 doe this past year.
I had my buck processed at the butcher, cause, damn his sticks and jerky cannot be replicated. The deer is easy peasy. cube, season with whatever you have. I put a clove of garlic in each jar, 2 in the quarts. Some of them had some onion. I put Montreal Steak seasoning on some and Weber Steak and Chop seasoning on others. If you do that, use only 1/2 the amount of canning salt called for. Raw pack, leave a little room at the top for the juices it will create. 90 min at 10 PSI and you are done. Quoted:
Quoted:
The wife and I want to learn to can. We want to can our deer this year( if I'm lucky enough to get one). Guess I need to do some reading.
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c320/ejeviking/ARFCOM%20bucket/20150310_192529_zpsgpowlo7x.jpg 32 lbs of summer sausage, 8 pints and 4 quart jars and various other meat treats from 3 doe this past year.
I had my buck processed at the butcher, cause, damn his sticks and jerky cannot be replicated. The deer is easy peasy. cube, season with whatever you have. I put a clove of garlic in each jar, 2 in the quarts. Some of them had some onion. I put Montreal Steak seasoning on some and Weber Steak and Chop seasoning on others. If you do that, use only 1/2 the amount of canning salt called for. Raw pack, leave a little room at the top for the juices it will create. 90 min at 10 PSI and you are done. Nice haul! guess I'd better get busy.
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Quoted: Stuff lasts longer if kept out of light and at cooler and constant temps, while kept in a non-humid environment. Dry will keep the jar lids from rusting, and low light will keep the contents' color good. Cooler temps keep the contents at a better quality for longer. I have pickled beets and peaches from 2005-2006 that are good to eat. They kept their seals well and the contents were tasty and delicious. You should check your jars at least once per year to weed out any that have gone bad. I had two jars this spring that had lost their seals and spoiled. They were from last year or the year before. Quoted: Quoted: How long does food last once canned? Stuff lasts longer if kept out of light and at cooler and constant temps, while kept in a non-humid environment. Dry will keep the jar lids from rusting, and low light will keep the contents' color good. Cooler temps keep the contents at a better quality for longer. I have pickled beets and peaches from 2005-2006 that are good to eat. They kept their seals well and the contents were tasty and delicious. You should check your jars at least once per year to weed out any that have gone bad. I had two jars this spring that had lost their seals and spoiled. They were from last year or the year before. Surprisingly we never got sick from spoiled food..... |
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Quoted: if you figure out how to keep the squirrels out of the peaches let me know. I have 4 peach trees and got ZERO godamn peaches this year.  I put a part of a cob with corn on it under the peach tree. Squirrels can't resist corn, even with fat juicy peaches right near. I take the trapped squirrels into the shed and pop them with a pellet gun. Wrap them in a few bags and take the dag for a walk. Drop them in the dumpster by the apartments. No more squirrel. I hear they make good gravy, but I never learned how to properly clean a squirrel and the last few I did were more of a mess than anything. But that was more than 40 yrs ago...maybe I could figure it out this time around... |
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Quoted: Dry canning is easier for a lot of things in my opinion. Close the jar, heat it in the oven, take it out and flip it upside down. It'll seal itself. But it won't heat the contents for the required time at the required temp to kill the botulism. Good luck to you, Brah... |
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Quoted: I remember as a kid back in the sixties my mom would seal her canning jars by pouring melted paraffin over the contents. Surprisingly we never got sick from spoiled food..... Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: How long does food last once canned? Stuff lasts longer if kept out of light and at cooler and constant temps, while kept in a non-humid environment. Dry will keep the jar lids from rusting, and low light will keep the contents' color good. Cooler temps keep the contents at a better quality for longer. I have pickled beets and peaches from 2005-2006 that are good to eat. They kept their seals well and the contents were tasty and delicious. You should check your jars at least once per year to weed out any that have gone bad. I had two jars this spring that had lost their seals and spoiled. They were from last year or the year before. I remember that, too. We all lived, but I sure won't do that today. |
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I started pressure cooking way long ago. It's easy and makes a lot of long cooking shorter. Heat to an occasional jiggle and watch the timer. You can even run the canner under hot water to drop the temp quickly. You can't do that with jars, though. I would suggest spending some coin on at least a dial canner of the 7 jar size. W-Mart has them, as does BB&B. They don't cost all that much, and they last a good long while. TIP - Put a splash of white vinegar in the inch of boil water and it will keep the minerals off the sides of the jars, making them much easier to clean and much better looking. |
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Quoted:
But it won't heat the contents for the required time at the required temp to kill the botulism. Good luck to you, Brah... Quoted:
Quoted:
Dry canning is easier for a lot of things in my opinion. Close the jar, heat it in the oven, take it out and flip it upside down. It'll seal itself. But it won't heat the contents for the required time at the required temp to kill the botulism. Good luck to you, Brah... Nah. It works great especially for jellies and jams. You dump it from the boil into the hot jar. I said close the jar first. That was a mistake. The hot jar and contents seal the lid. |
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I use the USDA guidelines for canning tomatoes in a water bath, I don't have a pressure caner. http://nchfp.uga.edu/publications/usda/GUIDE%203%20Home%20Can.pdf Quoted:
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I don't can meats yet, but am planning on it this year. Is there anything I should know that isn't common knowledge? http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51qFSZznQzL._SX258_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg I try to get one each year, but I think they skipped a year recently and didn't come out with a new one. All the different types and considerations for canning various things are included in the book. The most canned things (beans and peaches) have their own section. As for meat and meat concoctions, I believe the only consideration is that it's a 90 minute can session at 10psi. Both of my canners are dial types, but sitting still for 90 minutes and fiddling with the burner temps to keep the pressure constant is a right PITA. Mixed veggies and greens are 90 minute boils, as well. Canning spag sauce has meat, so 90 minutes. The meat textures would be about the same cubed, I expect, with beef and venison. I canned some pork loin as an exercise...haven't opened it yet. The beef for the chili I made was a smidge chewy, but the grains fell apart real well. The chili had a good look to it, and was easy enough to eat and the beef kept a good flavor. Some day I'll try a better quality meat and see how that works out. We water bath too, but also have a HUGE pressure cooker. |
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I canned for the first time this year. My mom canned when I was growing up but she hasn't done it in quite some time.
I only did some pickled peppers/onions and some salsa. I can't wait to try the salsa. So, the Ball cookbook I followed only had me boiling the jars for 15 minutes and then they were done. You mentioned you do it for 90 minutes. Am I going to die when I try them in a few months? ETA: I wish I had a garden big enough to be able to grow my own stuff for canning. For the salsa, I had to buy the tomatoes. |
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Quoted: I canned for the first time this year. My mom canned when I was growing up but she hasn't done it in quite some time. I only did some pickled peppers/onions and some salsa. I can't wait to try the salsa. So, the Ball cookbook I followed only had me boiling the jars for 15 minutes and then they were done. You mentioned you do it for 90 minutes. Am I going to die when I try them in a few months? Check the USDA website for the current canning recommendations. |
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Quoted:
I canned for the first time this year. My mom canned when I was growing up but she hasn't done it in quite some time. I only did some pickled peppers/onions and some salsa. I can't wait to try the salsa. So, the Ball cookbook I followed only had me boiling the jars for 15 minutes and then they were done. You mentioned you do it for 90 minutes. Am I going to die when I try them in a few months? My Pizza Sauce had to cook for 25 and then process for 40. If the Ball Book Says 15 minutes, you're probably good. I've never seen it be wrong. |
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The guidelines for boiling times have changed over the years. Check the USDA website for the current canning recommendations. Quoted:
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I canned for the first time this year. My mom canned when I was growing up but she hasn't done it in quite some time. I only did some pickled peppers/onions and some salsa. I can't wait to try the salsa. So, the Ball cookbook I followed only had me boiling the jars for 15 minutes and then they were done. You mentioned you do it for 90 minutes. Am I going to die when I try them in a few months? Thanks for the tip. I just checked their site and the first salsa recipe says to process for 15 minutes so I think I'm good! |
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Quoted: I canned for the first time this year. My mom canned when I was growing up but she hasn't done it in quite some time. I only did some pickled peppers/onions and some salsa. I can't wait to try the salsa. So, the Ball cookbook I followed only had me boiling the jars for 15 minutes and then they were done. You mentioned you do it for 90 minutes. Am I going to die when I try them in a few months? ETA: I wish I had a garden big enough to be able to grow my own stuff for canning. For the salsa, I had to buy the tomatoes. Different items require different times. Some things, 15min. Some things, 90min. You should be ok. Probably. |
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So far we've got:
18 qts pickled beets 28 pints tomato sauce 58 qts tomato soup 84 qts vegetable juice (think V8) 105 qts peaches Still to come: ~40 qts spaghetti sauce ~100 qts apple sauce I don't pressure cook or can anymore...no more meats. Too much work and not happy with the results, I've got a chest freezer for that. I use my 15 gallon brew kettle for the hot water bath; it fits 14 qts at a time and I can use the propane burner outside. Also got the cabela's juicer attachment on my 3/4 hp grinder motor. Makes quick work of cooked tomatoes and apples. We did 299 qts of apple sauce with neighbors and what not last year. That was a looonnng day. ETA: My 50 ft row of "Big Mama" paste tomatoes is going to produce in excess of 400 lbs of tomatoes this year, thus all the tomato qts. Highly recommend for anyone that has the space. |
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Lets see........
6 pints of blueberry jam 12 pints of peach jam 16 pints of blackberry jam 16 pints of red rasberry jam 24 pints of strawberry jam 61 pints of green beans 24 pints of carrots 34 pints of tomatoe juice. That's it for us this year, wife did put corn in the freezer. My brother said he got 16 pints of beans and 8 pints of carrots from what we gave them. Wife pulled the vines up last week. Still have potatos to dig and onions to pull up. |
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Quoted: So far we've got: 18 qts pickled beets 28 pints tomato sauce 58 qts tomato soup 84 qts vegetable juice (think V8) 105 qts peaches Still to come: ~40 qts spaghetti sauce ~100 qts apple sauce I don't pressure cook or can anymore...no more meats. Too much work and not happy with the results, I've got a chest freezer for that. I use my 15 gallon brew kettle for the hot water bath; it fits 14 qts at a time and I can use the propane burner outside. Also got the cabela's juicer attachment on my 3/4 hp grinder motor. Makes quick work of cooked tomatoes and apples. We did 299 qts of apple sauce with neighbors and what not last year. That was a looonnng day. ETA: My 50 ft row of "Big Mama" paste tomatoes is going to produce in excess of 400 lbs of tomatoes this year, thus all the tomato qts. Highly recommend for anyone that has the space.  That's a LOT of stuff! What do you do with all that produce? It's just me and wife, and sometimes daughter #2 and grandson #1 here. You sell that produce or is it communal sessions ? |
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Quoted: Lets see........ 6 pints of blueberry jam 12 pints of peach jam 16 pints of blackberry jam 16 pints of red rasberry jam 24 pints of strawberry jam 61 pints of green beans 24 pints of carrots 34 pints of tomatoe juice. That's it for us this year, wife did put corn in the freezer. My brother said he got 16 pints of beans and 8 pints of carrots from what we gave them. Wife pulled the vines up last week. Still have potatos to dig and onions to pull up. I put up potatoes, then Wife decided she doesn't like potatoes any more. Too much starch. How'd you get your wife into the garden? I can't get a hand anywhere out side except picking berries. I'm not sure mine knows what a weed looks like. |
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OP- how does the squash and zuc taste after canning? we do spaghetti sauce with meat and with out, we can chicken all the time but pork is a no go I would think the squash and zuc would get mushy canning it? does it hold up well? we give away a bunch of that because we cant eat it all before it goes bad. |
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I do have a new canner that gets used about twice a year, doesn't a gauge on it though, just one of those weights. I really want to drill a hole in the lid and get a gauge, it would give me some peace of mind about doing meats and tomatoes. Modifying a pressure canner? 
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I do have a new canner that gets used about twice a year, doesn't a gauge on it though, just one of those weights. I really want to drill a hole in the lid and get a gauge, it would give me some peace of mind about doing meats and tomatoes. Modifying a pressure canner? https://i.imgur.com/hWkRuR8.jpg Looks like it modified the oven and range hood too... 
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Nice. Found an older couple close by who redo cane bottomed chairs, but think they charge $7/hole. |
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Picked up 58 lbs of boneless/ skinless chicken breast for .98/ lb about 3 months ago. I think I got 26 quarts canned from that.
Got a case of peaches a couple weeks ago, and did 12 pints and 1 half pint of jam from then. The pear trees are almost ready to be picked and will be doing pear halves and some jam. Then in a month or so heading out to the apple orchard and picking a bushel of apples for sauce and butter for the winter months. I'm also on the look out for a good deal on some beef to can and want to try some bacon just to see how it turns out. |
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Quoted: OP- how does the squash and zuc taste after canning? we do spaghetti sauce with meat and with out, we can chicken all the time but pork is a no go I would think the squash and zuc would get mushy canning it? does it hold up well? we give away a bunch of that because we cant eat it all before it goes bad. If you pick the larger yellow squash and zuchinni it will hold it's shape better. Young squash get mooshy, which is great in squash and onions, but not so good in soups or stews. The larger and harder squash is more solid. I have had good luck with it. To peel it, I cut off the tips/ends, cut crossways into 3rds, slice down around the outside edge to take off the outside skin if it's too hard for cooking/eating. Then dice per normal. The seeds are farther along and will require removal, but other than that the inside looks about the same. |
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Quoted:
That's a LOT of stuff! What do you do with all that produce? It's just me and wife, and sometimes daughter #2 and grandson #1 here. You sell that produce or is it communal sessions ? Quoted:
Quoted:
So far we've got: 18 qts pickled beets 28 pints tomato sauce 58 qts tomato soup 84 qts vegetable juice (think V8) 105 qts peaches Still to come: ~40 qts spaghetti sauce ~100 qts apple sauce I don't pressure cook or can anymore...no more meats. Too much work and not happy with the results, I've got a chest freezer for that. I use my 15 gallon brew kettle for the hot water bath; it fits 14 qts at a time and I can use the propane burner outside. Also got the cabela's juicer attachment on my 3/4 hp grinder motor. Makes quick work of cooked tomatoes and apples. We did 299 qts of apple sauce with neighbors and what not last year. That was a looonnng day. ETA: My 50 ft row of "Big Mama" paste tomatoes is going to produce in excess of 400 lbs of tomatoes this year, thus all the tomato qts. Highly recommend for anyone that has the space.
That's a LOT of stuff! What do you do with all that produce? It's just me and wife, and sometimes daughter #2 and grandson #1 here. You sell that produce or is it communal sessions ? 5 kids, bro. Well, only 3 now, but the adoption for the other two should be finally done by this winter, so we prepped for them to be home as well. We go through a quart of peaches or applesauce every time we open it with just the 5 of us! Between the harvest and the 6-7 deer I try to get a year, we've been eating Paleo since before Paleo was cool. |
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Quoted: Picked up 58 lbs of boneless/ skinless chicken breast for .98/ lb about 3 months ago. I think I got 26 quarts canned from that. Got a case of peaches a couple weeks ago, and did 12 pints and 1 half pint of jam from then. The pear trees are almost ready to be picked and will be doing pear halves and some jam. Then in a month or so heading out to the apple orchard and picking a bushel of apples for sauce and butter for the winter months. I'm also on the look out for a good deal on some beef to can and want to try some bacon just to see how it turns out. I've got peaches from years ago. I'm diabetic now and hardly ever have any any more. I've done good apple sauce, butter, and slices. The kids loved them. How did you work those chicken breasts? Diced? Sliced? Cooked or raw pack? Never done chicken before. Bacon! I read up on canning bacon, good for about a year the page said. I may try it sometime, as well. |
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The reason 'somethings take 15 minutes, others take 90...'
Here is the answer you seek: Botulism. Botulism is what makes people sick. The act of boiling kills all the active botulism bacteria. http://www.foodsafety.gov/poisoning/causes/bacteriaviruses/botulism/ It is a bacteria that exists on food, surfaces, soils, etc. You boil the food items to kill that 'live' portion of the bacteria. However, the botulism spore (egg) is covered in a hard outer layer that is NOT water soluble at the boiling point of water. However, it is subject to deterioation from acid (like the acid in tomatoes) at room temperature. Therefore, you boil jams, jellies, tomato sauce to kill the LIVE bacteria and the acid action kills the 'eggs'. On meat canning you kill the active bacteria by boiling, however, the spores (eggs) are still viable. The low-acid levels found in meat (and some vegetables like beans) means that the spores are still 'alive' and capable of hatching out new bacteria. Remember when I said the spores were not dissolved by boiling water? This is where the 'pressure' part of 'pressure canning' gets involved. By holding pressure, you RAISE the boiling point (and temperature) of the water. This higher temperature water is NOW able to dissolve the outer shell of the botulism spores. You hold this temp for 90 minutes to insure that the interior of the 1 quart jar is kept at the higher temp for enough time for even the most deeply buried spore to be eroded and killed. Once you understand WHY you are pressure canning, it is much easier to not kill yourself. Backyard pools kill more people than home canned good each year. TRG |
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I haven't run anything in like 18 months. Last time I did, I binged and did like 12 pints of chicken soup, 12 pints of beef stew, and like 10lbs ea of chicken and ground beef.
I don't really like the taste of canned ground beef, and canned chicken is cheaper to just buy at the grocery store. |
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Quoted: The reason 'somethings take 15 minutes, others take 90...' Here is the answer you seek: Botulism. Botulism is what makes people sick. The act of boiling kills all the active botulism bacteria. http://www.foodsafety.gov/poisoning/causes/bacteriaviruses/botulism/ It is a bacteria that exists on food, surfaces, soils, etc. You boil the food items to kill that 'live' portion of the bacteria. However, the botulism spore (egg) is covered in a hard outer layer that is NOT water soluble at the boiling point of water. However, it is subject to deterioation from acid (like the acid in tomatoes) at room temperature. Therefore, you boil jams, jellies, tomato sauce to kill the LIVE bacteria and the acid action kills the 'eggs'. On meat canning you kill the active bacteria by boiling, however, the spores (eggs) are still viable. The low-acid levels found in meat (and some vegetables like beans) means that the spores are still 'alive' and capable of hatching out new bacteria. Remember when I said the spores were not dissolved by boiling water? This is where the 'pressure' part of 'pressure canning' gets involved. By holding pressure, you RAISE the boiling point (and temperature) of the water. This higher temperature water is NOW able to dissolve the outer shell of the botulism spores. You hold this temp for 90 minutes to insure that the interior of the 1 quart jar is kept at the higher temp for enough time for even the most deeply buried spore to be eroded and killed. Once you understand WHY you are pressure canning, it is much easier to not kill yourself. Backyard pools kill more people than home canned good each year. TRG Thanks for that. Good reminder for those that forgot, and good for newbies to know. |
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How did you work those chicken breasts? Diced? Sliced? Cooked or raw pack? Never done chicken before. I cube it, and raw pack it. 1lb/pint jar roughly, for 1" headspace. Add some salt, or a boullion cube. Check the Ball book (or Google) for the exact pressure and time, but IIRC it's 10psi for 75min. |
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Quoted: I haven't run anything in like 18 months. Last time I did, I binged and did like 12 pints of chicken soup, 12 pints of beef stew, and like 10lbs ea of chicken and ground beef. I don't really like the taste of canned ground beef, and canned chicken is cheaper to just buy at the grocery store. Sometimes it's good to binge and cook big pots of good things and then save them for later. I have some nice beans and ham that I canned for later...can't wait to dig into that. And canning meat just to can may not be worth the time and effort. Canning is mostly a way to preserve the bounty of harvest that we could never eat all of it before it spoils. We have garden beans all winter, spaghetti sauce from the garden, and tomatoes that we put into soup, stews, and chili up until the next season's fresh tomatoes. It saves some money, and tastes better than much of what you buy in cans. But when you get some big purchases of meat for extremely cheap it would be a good way to take advantage of the deal. |
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Quoted:
<a href="http://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CAcQjRxqFQoTCPjj7oDtxMcCFUVbPgod_C8J9w&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.burlingtonfreepress.com%2Fstory%2Fopinion%2Freaders%2Fletters%2F2014%2F12%2F19%2Fconsider-humane-wildlife-traps%2F20609907%2F&ei=VLLcVfjpJcW2-QH836S4Dw&psig=AFQjCNEd8vEO2j7p8WQxvCaAi6WsC4hkGA&ust=1440613295024039" target="_blank">http://www.gannett-cdn.com/-mm-/f264da8a76eab8ef1418d28af1a41a18553e8f38/c=0-36-1282-1000&r=x404&c=534x401/local/-/media/Burlington/2014/12/18/B9315461028Z.1_20141218175818_000_GKH9DVUIF.1-0.jpg</a> I put a part of a cob with corn on it under the peach tree. Squirrels can't resist corn, even with fat juicy peaches right near. I take the trapped squirrels into the shed and pop them with a pellet gun. Wrap them in a few bags and take the dag for a walk. Drop them in the dumpster by the apartments. No more squirrel. I hear they make good gravy, but I never learned how to properly clean a squirrel and the last few I did were more of a mess than anything. But that was more than 40 yrs ago...maybe I could figure it out this time around... Quoted:
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if you figure out how to keep the squirrels out of the peaches let me know. I have 4 peach trees and got ZERO godamn peaches this year. <a href="http://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CAcQjRxqFQoTCPjj7oDtxMcCFUVbPgod_C8J9w&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.burlingtonfreepress.com%2Fstory%2Fopinion%2Freaders%2Fletters%2F2014%2F12%2F19%2Fconsider-humane-wildlife-traps%2F20609907%2F&ei=VLLcVfjpJcW2-QH836S4Dw&psig=AFQjCNEd8vEO2j7p8WQxvCaAi6WsC4hkGA&ust=1440613295024039" target="_blank">http://www.gannett-cdn.com/-mm-/f264da8a76eab8ef1418d28af1a41a18553e8f38/c=0-36-1282-1000&r=x404&c=534x401/local/-/media/Burlington/2014/12/18/B9315461028Z.1_20141218175818_000_GKH9DVUIF.1-0.jpg</a> I put a part of a cob with corn on it under the peach tree. Squirrels can't resist corn, even with fat juicy peaches right near. I take the trapped squirrels into the shed and pop them with a pellet gun. Wrap them in a few bags and take the dag for a walk. Drop them in the dumpster by the apartments. No more squirrel. I hear they make good gravy, but I never learned how to properly clean a squirrel and the last few I did were more of a mess than anything. But that was more than 40 yrs ago...maybe I could figure it out this time around... 
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The deer is easy peasy. cube, season with whatever you have. I put a clove of garlic in each jar, 2 in the quarts. Some of them had some onion. I put Montreal Steak seasoning on some and Weber Steak and Chop seasoning on others. If you do that, use only 1/2 the amount of canning salt called for. Raw pack, leave a little room at the top for the juices it will create. 90 min at 10 PSI and you are done. 'Canning Salt' ... Canning salt is just salt. The 'canning' salt is made without the normal 'extra' chemicals that prevent clumping in wet weather. These 'extra' chemicals are thought, by some, to make green beans, corn and other items 'cloudy'. But, the salt itself has no special 'canning/preserving' power above that of 'regular/table' salt. As for the rest of the advice, you are correct. Raw pack is what I do. Ground venison ''sausage" is tasty but the texture is somewhere between Alpo/Potted meat. I made some to take to deer camp. I made the raw patties, filled a pint jar with them by alternating butcher paper between the layers. Flavor was fine, but, not a great texture. Edible, but not anything to make you sing about. If canning venison, the heat and pressure will soften tough cuts, like ribs and flanks, however, larger pieces of tendon and 'blue skin' will not break down appreciably. "If you don't want to put it in your mouth right now, don't put it in the jar for canning." Hearts, liver, lungs, kidneys are all ok to can if you like organ meat. You better REALLY like liver though. Canned liver does make a very good pate-esque spread if you have a good food processor and creative mind. TRG |
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anybody have issues with new stock Ball lids from around 2014 to early 2015 rusting?
been pickling quail eggs for years now this year is my first year for my lids to be getting rust on them and it happens quickly I have some batches that are maybe a month old with rust on them the only factor is the new jars and lids I havent changed my method or recipe |
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How did you work those chicken breasts? Diced? Sliced? Cooked or raw pack? Never done chicken before. All raw packed All I do is cut the fat off the breast and put it in a clean/ sanitized jar, fill it to about 3/4" head space with the meat (usually 3-4 breasts) and put on the lid/ band. Pressure can it at 12 PSI for 90 minutes. The chicken cooks in the jar and makes a great juice. It has the taste/ texture of the caned breast meat from the grocery. |