Canning meat - Helpful Hints – From an old Timer

Helpful hints in canning meat.

If your meat has some fat to it, after the jars seal, turn them upside down to allow the fat to float to the bottom of the jar. Once the fat has congealed,  turn the jars right side up.

Doing this will settle all the fat to the bottom of the jar, so you will not have to dig through a layer of fat to get to the meat.

Meat does not need to be seasoned to can, but is far superior in taste when seasoned with your favourite spices.

Unlike raw meat, precooked meat needs liquid added back to the meat when it is canned, water will do, but will dilute the flavour of the meat. If at all possible make your own liquid stock, or use a commercial meat stock to prevent some dilution of the meats flavour.

Canning precooked meat, pack the jars within ½ inch of the top of the jar, add just enough stock or broth to show through the top layer of the cooked meat. Lid, and adjust the ring. Pressure can at 10 pounds, for an hour.

Canning minced, or ground meat; use wide mouthed jars, else the meat will not come out of the jar in one piece.

Pat the meat in about ¾ inch thickness, use a form or cutter about the size of the mouth of the jar.

Gently stack the cut out patty into the jar, and fill till about ½ inch of the top of the jar, Put 1 teaspoon of salt in the jar before putting the lid on, tighten the ring, 10 pounds for an hour.

Be advised the meat will produce its own brine at the cost of some shrinkage.

There is nothing magical about canning meat; it is strait forward, and a lot of fun to experiment with. You know the spices you like on your meat, why wait to open a jar of meat to apply the spice; it can be cooked with your favourite spices.

Imagine if you will, a hard day, you don't feel like standing over the stove, simply toss some crackers on a platter, maybe a dab of spread, mustard, ketchup, or even horseradish. Pop open a jar of canned meat, remove the lid and run the whole jar through the microwave to heat its contents.

Fork the meat on the platter with the crackers, and sit down to a major snack meal! What cooking and slaving away?

I hope I have helped just a little bit.

R.I.P. Rusty