By Kellene Bishop
This week has been full of all kinds of activities in readiness for the Christmas holiday, but I still have to keep up on my self-sufficiency duties.
I received my fabulous ground beef from Zaycon Foods this past week and decided to turn the necessity of canning it into a video tutorial.
Canning ground beef or other ground meats is a little different than canning chicken or fish because I actually cook the ground meat first. This little tutorial will also give you some tips as to how to ensure great pressure canning results in general as well as some suggestions on how to select a good canner, troubleshooting, and of course, safety.
Hope you enjoy it!
Questions and Answers:
What about instructions for high elevations?
I used the 12.5 to 15 pounds of pressure because of my elevation, however, I should have made it more clear that folks need to refer to their manufacturer’s guide for specific use of the canner in their particular elevation.
Can you just use a hot pad to get the jars out or do you need that tool you used?
Well you can use a hot pad but one thing I discovered is that the moment you are removing those jars from the canner is when the glass is the most volatile so even a little bump of the jars could cause it to shatter. So it’s best to handle them with a firm grip as provided by the jar lifter. They maybe cost $3, so they are worth the peace of mind they bring.
What do you mean by washing them off and “stinking” afterwards?
Because it’s common for juices to expell from the jars during the pressure canning, those juices can remain on the outside of the jars. As such, I wash them off with hot soapy water–CAREFULLY–before I put them away. It gives me one more chance to check the seal too.
I thought meat can only be canned in pints, not quarts; is that accurate?
There are instructions for both on renowned canning instruction sites as well as the instruction manual and will be confirmed if you call All-American’s help line or contact them vie e-mail.
Someone pointed out that the quick release may cause the jars to boil over; is that accurate?
It’s not accurate unless you do not provide sufficient head room. Ultimately you’ll know whether or not your jars are sealed in due time. However, this is part of the reason why I wait a week before I put my jars away. When it comes to canning anything with fat in it, even with a natural release you still need to be mindful of not over-filling the jars so as to avoid fat particles from preventing a seal. Let’s be logical about this for a moment and say that perhaps the jars were to boil over during the quick release period. The question is, did the food get cooked long enough to eliminate contamination? Yup. Did that food then get sealed inside the jar? Yup–you’ll know that when you check your jars after cooling. The little pings that you’ll hear as they seal will be music to your ears. So, even if the jars were to boil over (which will happen when you have too much in them), it’s not creating a food safety risk because the entire environment is heated and sanitized within the pressure canner. Some dingledorf wrote a contentious comment claiming that I was going to kill people with this method saying that by boiling over bacteria can get into the jars. Bacteria into the jars, huh? And where might that bacteria come from–the 250 degree water that’s been cooking for the past 90 minutes?? Uh, nope. I don’t think that even MRSA can survive that kind of abuse.
Again, the key is to make sure that your jars seal properly after you’ve removed them from the canner and set them to cool. IF they don’t seal, then yes, you CAN introduce bacteria and even mold inside.
Do you use the USDA Guidelines for your canning efforts?
Nope. I don’t trust the USDA to get much right. They are the same persons who would have us believe that raw milk requires a hazmat team and expense to clean up but who believe that using ammonia as a “preserving agent” in meat is acceptable. I get the majority of my information for the articles I write based on well-worn and loved books, expert interviews, and personal experience.
I noticed you didn’t mention anything about boiling the lids or sanitizing the jars. Did I miss that?
Nope. You didn’t miss that. Such instructions are typically provided when you are water bathing canned goods because there is very little heat time. However, when you are canning meat you are exposing both the food and the canning jars and lids for an extensive period of time under extreme heat which is suitable to eliminate contamination concerns.
Can I use broth instead of water?
Yes, you CAN however I wouldn’t simply because the meat sitting in that water for all that time makes a delicious broth in and of itself, so I don’t see the need.
I noticed you set the timer right after you put the weight on. Shouldn’t it be when your pressure canner comes up to full pressure?
Actually, yes, you’re correct. I flubbed that (happens when talking to a camera sometimes). I know my particular canner and stove well enough by now to know how quickly it comes up to pressure after I put the weight on. It’s never more than a couple of minutes. However, prudence would dictate that I should have said to “wait until your canner comes up to full pressure and THEN start timing your cooking time.”
I noticed you didn’t use much salt. I thought I was supposed to use salt.
Salt isn’t necessary for the canning process in this case, though it is necessary for getting the best flavor. I used plenty of salt ultimately when I was cooking my meat. I salt a little, then taste, salt a little more. I didn’t show that on the camera because I have this thing about not wanting to eat on camera. Ahem… *grin*
I was under the impression that it was important to remove all fat from home canning projects for safety purposes.
As a person who’s long preserved straight fats for long-term storage, I would have to disagree with this notion. The concern has some validity though as it is fat which CAN get on the rims of the jars and thus compromise the sealing. However, with suitable pressure, heat, and canning time, the fat is appropriately thin so that when the flat lid presses down to seal, it can press out any fat that’s on the lid (kind of like squeezing toothpaste out of the tube; when you stop pressing down on it, a portion of it sucks back into the tube as a result of the temporary suction. This is what happens when sufficient pressure has been built up in each of the jars.
I always see meat juices in the water after canning meat. Is that dangerous? Is that supposed to happen?
That will happen if your jars are too full. The potential problem though is IF the moderate amount of fat that will then be in that water ends up obstructing the flat lid of sealing. This is why I check and double check that my jars have sealed properly, even to the point of waiting a week before putting them away.
How do you store your jars to protect them from breaking?
I have fallen in love with Jar Boxes. (look them up on the internet). It’s a great investment to protect my hard earned money and effort.
Can I try to reseal a jar after I see that it hasn’t sealed?
Yes, but you need to do so immediately. If need be you can put it in the refrigerator until you’re going to re-can them, but it should be within 24 hours AND you will need to use a NEW lid.
I always get hard water ring on the outside of my jars and inside my canner. What can I do about that?
A little bit of white vinegar poured into your canning water will take care of that problem easily!
My jars always end up so much less full than when I put them in the canner. Am I doing something wrong?
Nope. It’s just fine. It’s nothing other than your meat shrinking just like it does when you cook it regularly.
Help me to better understand the reason for letting the steam come out of the spout for 10 minutes before putting the weight on.
You know how they talk about people getting so angry that they’re going to blow their top? Well, it’s kind of like that. You want to get the interior of your canner hot enough so that it creates enough steam that it needs somewhere to escape. And being safe rather than sorry is a good motto in this part. As such, a full 10 minutes of steam escaping ensures that when I put that weight on, there will be enough heat and steam in the interior to immediately build up the pressure. The steaming part is allowing an outlet for the pressure, but as soon as I put the weight on, it begins to build up. It will take you significantly longer (and thus more fuel) to build up the heat and pressure inside if you did not use this method.
Your jars look so much prettier than mine.
*laugh* I THINK that it might have something to do with how full a person fills the jars. I’ve learned the hard way that overfilling the jars no only wasted perfectly good broth by it boiling out during the pressure canning, but it just makes things look a little less attractive. Mind you, I’m not sure there’s much attractive about canned chicken from the outside–I’m sure that’s why the stores never sell canned meats without a label to cover up the inside. *grin*
“I nearly cried when I saw you say not to get a Presto.”
Aww…I’m sorry. I surely didn’t want someone to cry. The good news is that the really old Presto canners still have some value. So you could keep an eye out for those on the classifieds. However, anyone who tries to tell you that a new Presto Pressure Canner is just as good as a new All-American Pressure Canner clearly has not spent nearly every day for a year canning and cooking in a Presto. Their seals and even their metal are eventually compromised. And if I were to ever find myself in a long-term crisis scenario, the last thing I need is a pressure canner that’s useless to me. It’s just not a risk I’m willing to take. The instructions for the Presto Pressure COOKER are very telling. Their metal composite is SO weak that the instructions don’t even permit you to cook beans directly in the pan, rather you need to put only a small amount of beans in another container and then put that in the pan in order to pressure cook it. ANY pressure cooker that’s worth a dime should have no problem handling the cooking of beans. Nuff said. More good news though…a lot of people just don’t appreciate the merits of a pressure canner and as such estate sales, garage sales and classifieds are a great place to find unloved and unappreciated assets. Their blindness is YOUR BLING. *grin* So keep an eye out. Nobody says you have to pay top dollar.
I’m afraid of my pressure canner or afraid that I’m going to give someone food poisoning.
If you follow the directions in your instruction manual you’ll find a VERY conservative approach to canning. They have to do that so that their lawyers will be happy. In actuality, according the to CDC you have a much higher risk of getting food poisoning from a restaurant than your home canning. And should you feel a little unpleasantness coming on, having some Ravensara Essential Oil on hand and the knowledge of how to use it, will help you with that!
Do you have instructions for canning other kinds of meats?
Yup, sure do. You can find my step-by-step for canning chicken here and bacon here.
I heard that relying on a pressure canning in a crisis isn’t a good idea because you’ll run out of lids since you can only use them once.
Ironically it was the skill of canning that fed a lot of families during the Great Depression, even saving their lives, but the good news is that Tattler Lids are REUSABLE canning lids and they’re lovely to use. I’ve only used mine a couple of times because I have lots and lots of new lids, but I am stocking up on Tattler Lids over time slowly so that I won’t even be without lids when I need them.
Can you pressure can meats in larger batches like in the 1/2 gallon jars?
Nope, the half-gallon jars are not recommended for pressure canning, though they can be used for water batch canning in a pinch. Otherwise, stick with the smaller jars.
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Great video Kellene. I have to say you taught this ole canner a thing or two. I’ve realized when canning meat I definitely have to invest in a better pressure cooker. I’m guilty of having the old Presto and obviously it’s worked for years with my veggies and such, because we’re all alive…LOL but now that I’m getting into meats it’s time to upgrade. Your awesome. Thank you.
I am interested in how you use the butane burner to do the same. I know some portable stoves are insufficient for pressure canning. I’m hoping to find something I can use outdoors in the heat of summer.
Thanks for all your videos. You are a great teacher!
It took 3 full cans of butane to do that big baby–not something I think I’ll repeat. LOL. I’ll let you know what other option I use successfully though. Most likely my outdoor propane stove.
That’s really good to know. My gas stove in the kitchen works even when the power goes out but it gets really hot in here in the summer. By the time the tomatoes come on, I hope to have an outdoor kitchen set up. Wish I could put a real stove out there but I don’t think so.
I have a base from a turkey fryer that uses propane (like the tanks you put on your grill) and it fits my pressure canner perfectly. These are a great outdoor option, and aren’t overly expensive. You might even be able to find one on sale somewhere after Christmas
It’s just a matter to figuring out the how to properly set the flame. Just make sure you have a few extra tanks full and on hand for emergency use 
Oh yes! That would be a PERFECT option! I totally forgot that I had one of those TOO–in fact, it’s collecting dust out on the back porch. Silly me!
I gather your new house will not have a microwave over the top of your stove.
You got it Girl!! *grin*
thanks for the video! I canned 20 lbs of my zaycon beef last week and still have another 20 in the freezer for this weekend. I only have one concern on your video-you started timing your 90 minutes when you put your weight on, not when it came up to the 12 or 13 lb mark. You may not be processing long enough to kill the botulism. Maybe I misunderstood. Anyway, thanks for all of your help, you are wonderful! Also, love your pup! My dogs never go far when I am canning. They know it doesn’t always fit and they can have the overflow!
Anne, just FYI that part wasn’t made very clear on the video–I agree. So I answered with some clarification in the Q & A section above.
By the way, botulism comes from soil, not air and certainly not water that’s been sanitized after 250 degrees for more than 5 minutes.
Yeah, I saw that little camera hog on there…she was waiting for something to drop! LOL
Hello Kellene, I really enjoyed the canning ground beef video! But I have to know…..what did you do with all those amazing quinces on your counter top in the beginning of the video? Those were the best looking quinces I have ever seen! Just gorgeous! Thanks again for the video!
I am doing quince paste and quince jelly. They looked even better 4 weeks ago. But fortunately for me, quinces will wait quite a while for you to get around to them. *grin*
Loved the demo. Recently purchased a small All American and planned on doing a “run” this weekend.. then try the hamburger.
What about adding onions, garlic, and bell pepper to the hamburger mix?
Would that affect the canning procedures ? Or would you recommend .. just hamburger ?
thanks… Pam
Sure you can do that. I don’t though because A) My hubby is a picky eater and wouldn’t touch onion or peppers and B) As I mentioned on the video I don’t want to be pigeonholed in how I have to use the hamburger later. Onions and green peppers may not be part of my future recipe.
Great video…as usual…thanks for all your time. Questions: 1. You said that you start your timing when you put your wight on…don’t you wait until it comes up to pressure to start the timing? 2. I had always been told that to do a quick pressure release on a caner would pull the liquid out of the jars…is this incorrect…simply an old wives tale? 3. I have canned hamburger for years and one of the problems that I have had is that the liquid often times boils(?) out, even though I have filled it properly and I am cooking at the proper pressure. What do you think my problem might be?
Linda, regarding #1–I flubbed that part up verbally. I always set my timer for about 5 minutes when I put the weight on so that I remind myself to make sure I remember to check the pressure so that I can start the 90 minute processing time properly. Even though it’s just me and the camera person, sometimes it’s still intimidating and I’ll make mistakes. I hopefully corrected that satisfactorily up above in the Q & A where I listed a complete answer for this in the Q & A section above. #2–see answer above #3–you may be putting too much water in the pot. Worst case scenario, you could let your canner cool down naturally and completely each time and you could completely avoid the risk of that problem.
Really excellent video! Thanks for working so hard to make this easy to understand. Even though I did invest in a good one, pressure canners intimidate me! I am a rookie at this, haven’t tried it yet, so you are helping me to get up the nerve to it a go!
I look forward to the day when I see your post about your first successful canning experience. *grin*
I also can hambugar. I loved seeing you using the butane stove in the background. That’s what I use for all my canning and have had people question me about the safety. I do have one question . I didn’t see you run a spatula around the inside of the jars to release the air bubbles. Did you do that off camera or have a reason for not doing it? Everyone does things a bit different but I was under the impression that was a must.
I actually did do that with the butter knife in the video.
Helpful Video. I do own an American canner, but a smaller capacity. It has always been my understanding that only pints of ground meat should be processes, not quarts. You made no mention of adjusting the pressure for higher elevations above sea level that would be important for many. I did not know you could just remove the pressure weight for a quick release. As you mentioned it takes about 1/2 hr or more for the pressure to come down which takes up a lot of canning time. Lesson learned. Many recipes call for a tsp. of salt to each jar, and then, a rimming of the jar with a thin spatula to ‘debubble’ the added fluid. I don’t remember seeing you do this. When the jars have cooled there is always a moderate layer of fat formed at the top. I have been concerned that too much fat may bubble up and wreck the seal. I have always lightly rinsed my cooked meat (hated doing this because the it takes away flavor) so this would not happen. Have you had ruined seals because of this?
I actually did say “because of my elevation I want to cook it as ___ pounds of pressure” I believe. But you’re correct, folks do need to check with their manufacturer’s instructions to accommodate elevation needs/changes.
So long as you do not fill your jars too full and have sufficient headroom then you most certainly CAN do the quick release.
There are instructions in my Manufacturer’s guide for canning meat in both pints AND quarts.
Salt is not necessary for preservation, but it does pull out the flavor. I use the bigger “rock” salt with my seasoning.
The “debubble” process you’re talking about is exactly what I did with the butter knife.
A) the meat fat is good for you as I mentioned in the video. B) This was already 93/7 meat, so low fat. C) Fat satiates the appetite and adds better flavor to the broth. D) If you have sufficient head room and don’t cover the jars with water, the minute amounts of fat in the meat shouldn’t compromise your seal. But as I discussed on the video, this is why I leave my jars out for a week or so before putting them away–to make sure they are all sealed.
Hi Kellene,
nice video. I also wait before storing my canning. Usually let them sit 48 hours in place on the countertop, then after that time I remove the rings and wash off the jars with warm soapy water. After drying they get transferred to another holding area for a week or so before moving to longer term storage.
of course, we routninely use what we have canned and rotate them forward so we always have opportunity to check the seals are holding.
thanks
Great tutorial video! Thank you.
This is a great video. I’ve canned beef and had some success, but more failures we end up eating a lot of ground beef. But I keep on trying. This video answers all those mistakes I was making. Thank you. Back to the canner for me.
Well I almost fainted when you did that quick release on your canner Kaleen, I always heard that you could easily break all your jars doing that. Have you ever had that happen to you? I do have that wonderful canner too just got it and love love love it. Thanks for the vids but i am wondering about the jar breakage thing.
I’ve NEVER had a jar break on me during the canning process. After the process…well that’s a different story for this clutz… *grin*
This is a great video! I have been canning meats for a few years but you taught me a few things. I didn’t know about wiping the lids with vinegar which is a great idea. I also see that I had been filling my jars a little too full and would sometimes pack the meat. Both were mistakes. I have the same canner you have on your stove and I love it. My only concern is how hard I have to work at tightening it? I always feel I have to tighten the canner lid down until my arms hurt. Was I wrong about that too?
Another comment, I LOVE your kitchen curtains! They are so pretty!
Wow, I didn’t know it would LET you tighten it that much. I have fibromyalgia that acts up and my hands hurt a bit and I’ve still never had a problem tightening it down.
It’s SO funny the things that people notice…the quince, the puppies, and the curtains. LOL.
Thanks so much! I am a visual learner ! Please tell me, DOes this meat or any meat that is canned HAVE to be reheated for 10 minutes BEFORE eating? Or can I take it off the shelf in 5 hrs and eat it out of jar? My friend says EVERYTHING – ( meats, veggies etc) has to be reheated or else risk of botulism?
I might want to use that yummy chicken on a salad…
Somebody is yanking your chain in my opinion. The meat is already fully cooked just like the tuna is that you buy or the chicken that you buy in cans from the store. Again, botulism is from soil. Bacteria is not going to survive 90 minutes of 250 degrees. If it’s not in there when the jar seals, it’s not in there when you open it. CAN you introduce botulism after you opened it? Yes, but you can introduce that ANY time into your food if you’re not conscientious of clean. Besides, to just tell someone that they merely need to “reheat” food for 10 minutes would be foolhardy advice if they were truly concerned about botulism. The length of time for heating is one thing but the temperature that would be necessary to kill any botulism is a critical detail that shouldn’t be left out of the equation if that’s what they truly believe. I believe I can confidently label this piece of advice you’ve received as an “Old wives tale.”
I mix the cooked chicken with ranch dressing, celery, and some kind of a toasted nut and put it on crackers. Yum!
I am so very glad that you put out this how to video. I do believe that ALL info. is good.
I broke down this summer and bought a pressure canner and have had GREAT success with it. I so far have put up ground beef, Italian sausage, steak, chicken breasts, green beans, corn and tomatoes!! It’s great to look in my pantry and see the “fruits” of my labor and also to “eat like Royalty”. I would be lost with out it…
Hey if break downs cause you to buy a canner, I’m all for more break downs! LOL Sounds like you deserve a *Happy Dance*!
Kellene,
Loved the video. You mentioned putting plain water in your canned meat. I have used bullion cubes to make a beefier flavor (for beef) and chicken boullion for chicken in my canned meat. I typically use 1 cube per 2 quarts of water. Adds a nice rich flavor to the meat!! Also, I read that you recommend using white vinegar in the water for removing calcium rings on jars. I use to use vinegar, but found that it excelerates rusting of the jar lids and rings due to vinegar being an acid. I switched to cream of tartar in the canning water and had no problem with calcium rings for rusting jar lids.
I avoid MSG and hydrogenated oils like the plague which is another reason why I don’t use bullions. I like the idea of cream of tartar; I hadn’t thought of that.
take it from me, i’ve been canning every kinda meat available to me, between following manufacturers instructions and all the tips from kellene have only had 3 jars out of over a hundred not seal! what doesn’t seal, i get out my foodsaver and seal, then freeze it. awesome ground beef . even the dog food. they more than let me know it was great! thank you so much kellene!!!!
Thanks for your answer! Oops to clarify, my friend said reheat 10 minutes at at least 250 deg. I had stopped giving any away as I was worried if the recipient didn’t do that they would get ill. I Love having my own version of instant “precooked” meals at home. I am super clean in the kitchen and was even boiling the jars and lids/ rings before filling with the hamburger and chicken. Nice to see from your video I can skip that step. I do have my water in PC boiling when I put hot jars in though. Will have to rethink that.
Lori…I agree with Kellene thoughts regarding the sanitation aspect part of not needing to boil jars or lids.
however, I do keep the lids in simmering water (120-140F) to soften up the sealing material on the lid (per ball’s recommendation). I very seldom have had jars fail to seal that way.
Although I don’t have the canner water boiling, I do allow it to preheat and simmer as well, so I run the jars through the dishwasher to heat them up. These two steps seem to reduce the time to get to steaming/pressure later in the process
water boils at 180 degrees and 5 minutes at that temperature is all that’s required to properly assure that the bacteria is killed in the water, so I’m not sure where she would come up with any of her numbers. Some people just grow up learning something and stick with it sometimes, but this is definitely not one I’d worry about when you’re pressure canning for 75 to 90 minutes.
I remember many years ago reading to always boil any canned food (store bought or home canned) for ten minutes to make sure it was safe from botulism. It was advice that was often drilled into your head. I’m not sure where it came from, but I look at it now as more of an “old wives tale”. Being an “old wife” myself I say you are free to ignore it and trust in your home canned foods for your family’s safety without heating. One peace of mind I have is knowing that in a worst case scenario we could eat my canned soups and other foods cold if necessary.
How can you read every thing? Every one loves you. Me too. My 7 qt jar presto caner seems to be just fine, but no one cans as much as you. I have small stainless presto for meals, it seems really good. I’m a 63 yr old casual prepper . Think I’ll be single till SHTF, Have one of yr friends start a Prepper date sight, will ya please!
We may have made a couple mistakes. We canned some chicken at 6,000 feet and did it at 10 lbs as we do at home. I read the next day (Good timing) that it needs to be done at 15 lbs. We opened and with new seals, went through the process at 15 lbs on one set. The others went into the refrigerator. Our plans are to re can them next weekend at the 15 lbs. Will this work or necessary? My other question is I thought you needed to cover the jars with water when in the pressure cooker. I know if you double stack pints they are imersed in the water. You show the water below the lids. What is the difference? Are you not supposed to cover quart jars? Any issues? Thanks for your help.
John, I’ll let Kellene jump in and give a better answer, but with water bath, the jars are covered, and with pressure canning, you don’t need that much water. Try searching online for a manual for your canner. Mine had instructions on how much water to put in it. Good luck!
Thanks Em, we do understand the water bath, in our Ball canning book when doing tomatoes it calls to completely cover the jars which we have done. In checking after, other areas it shows the water level lower.
By the way, just as I pushed the post comment on my 1st post, I forgot to say Merry Christmas. Hope it was great for all.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year Kellene to you and your family! May you be blessed with strength and good health to accomplish everything you would like to in the coming year! Also, many thanks for all the articles and positive thoughts to help us along our way.
Kellene, thank you for all you do to help us be more prepared. I have an All American Pressure Canner and I absolutely love it! I have canned chicken and roast beef, but I hadn’t tried ground beef, due to the fat concerns. Thanks to your wonderful instructions, I plan on canning some tomorrow.
Glad to help!
Great video. I borrowed an all American cannier this last summer and could not hardly get the lid off after all the pressure had been released. Needless to say I was not impressed with the cannier,. I tried Vaseline and that made no difference. Whats the secret? You made it look so easy.
Thank you Kellene.
Now I’m freaked out. Mom, who has since passed on, used a Presto years ago and I didn’t know there was another brand, so I picked up a Presto (no longer made in the US!!! – so you know what that means) and now I am worried about “metal fatigue”. What should I be looking out for in that regard? (Just after buying it, I visited my Dad and had a garage sale for him. One of the items he wanted to get rid of was that old canner! I didn’t think to save it.)
PS Until I found you, it wouldn’t have occurred to me to can meat. I have a freezer full of elk that is slowly going into jars (what if we lose power…?!). You’re my main source of inspiration, Kellene. Thank you!
I’m so sorry to have caused you consternation, Jan. Hmmm…what would I do in that same position? I’m not entirely sure. I guess I would watch the Presto and pay attention to how consistently it comes up to proper pressure. Once it begins to take much longer than normal, I would say that’s the time that I would start using it strictly as a pot for cooking and not put it under pressure. The good news though is that there are many people who UNDERappreciate their pressure canners and pressure cookers and who will get rid of them. Keep an eye out at the thrift stores and online classifieds to see if you can snag another one for yourself. You never know…maybe someone else will get rid of their mother’s old pressure canner. *grin*
Great Video, Kellene! I use an electric pressure cooker from time to time for general cooking purposes but haven’t tried canning…just not too confident in my preservation abilities but you made it look easy. And I’m so glad you put some extra emphasis on the type of canner you use; so, I’m going to purchase one of these All American Pressure Canners and give it a whirl. Also, on another prepping site, we were just discussing the importance of having stored meat proteins to better supplement our diets during a long term crisis. This video knocked out 2 birds with one stone..Thanks!
Hi Kellene
I am about to preserve tomatoes and relish for the first time. I was looking for instructions and found your site – so weird because I only watched your Nat Geo episode last week here in Australia! Anyway, I don’t have a Pressure Canner so I was going to start simple with a water bath. I am very confused with different sets of instructions on the web and wondered if you could please help.
One set says to set the jars in a water bath of jar neck depth, to have the lids a half turn from tight, then once boiled, remove and tighten (seems risky).
The other set says to completely cover the jars in water with the lids on tight. This seems to make more sense but will my jars explode? Also, one set says to use screw top lids that come with the jars (new for each batch) but the other set says I need rings, lids and clips?
I would really appreciate your expertise. I reckon if you don’t know the answer, nobody else will!
Thanks heaps,
regards, Clare
I’d go with the 2nd set of instructions. Your jars will not explode–keep in mind that it’s tightened lids on jars that we all put in the pressure canner. If they were going to explode it would be then. (but they don’t so don’t worry.)
Kellene, just wanted to say thank you so much for this video! I canned 7 qts of ground chuck the other night, with you in the background. This was my first venture into ground meat, I have already done chicken, ham, and soups. Love seeing those jars all lined up, knowing that is food my family can count on! How long of a shelf life should this have?
So THAT’S where those yummy smells were coming from. LOL You should easily have 8 years on that assuming that you observe all of the preferred stocking conditions.
Kellene, Could you tell me the safest low temperature home canned goods can be stored? Our home is closed down during the winter for 3-4 months without heat, just wondering if 32 degrees or colder will harm the canned foods?
Typically below 15 degrees for more than 3 days is when I’d worry. Pipes can burst at that temp but really there’s no single answer to this question because it depends on the metal used, the size of the can, what’s canned inside, etc. However, if items are freeze-dried, I wouldn’t worry about them in deep cold conditions.
Thanks Kellene! I guess I’ll have a neighbor do an experiment in her garage with some canning jars of water to see if it will make it through the colder weather up there. Just starting to gather the equipment to start canning and this cold weather storage gave me a concern. I’d hate to do a lot of canning to have it destroyed due to freezing temps while we are gone.
How long is the shelf life for canned ground meat, and canned chicken?
I noted the realistic shelf-life in the article, but ultimately it depends on your storage conditions. Cool, dry, dark should easily yield 5 to 8 years.