Got back into pressure canning

[archeryrob]

Yeah no kidding on the civility. FB canning groups they string you up for violating the FDA rules, Its like "Canning Karen's". But 100 years back or so there was only water bath canning and people used it. It is not the preferred method to can low acidic things. I too pressure can meats and such. I was just stating, "You can do it" not that I do, or recommend it.

I wish I has an option for things like peach and pawpaw butter besides adding the lemon the recipes call for. It completely ruins pawpaws when adding the lemon. It's thick stuff and figure it might burn or separate or something when pressure canned?

On the civility. We had chickens raise for meat and eggs and those people would go nuts if you spoke about culling chickens. You can buy them in the store, but you can't eat the ones in your coops? I had to create a new group Maryland chickens, meat and layers, just to avoid the backyard chicken freaks.

 

[thirdeye]

I'm a third generation canner, I mostly do meats like chicken, pork, corned beef* and trout, steelhead and salmon (fresh and smoked).

* About 20 years ago, the USDA realized that no formal testing was ever done on 'cured' meats. So they changed their recommendation to exclude any cured meats from canning. Corned beef was on the hit list.

 

[bhambrewer]

I'm a third generation canner, I mostly do meats like chicken, pork, corned beef* and trout, steelhead and salmon (fresh and smoked).

* About 20 years ago, the USDA realized that no formal testing was ever done on 'cured' meats. So they changed their recommendation to exclude any cured meats from canning. Corned beef was on the hit list.

The Canning Diva has recipes for meals in a jar. She includes a corned beef meal. Pressure canning processing times are the same as for beef, so I don't know what to make of that!

 

[archeryrob]

I tried one of those meal in a jar a year or so ago. Burrito in a jar. Only made one and the seal failed when I went to open it and was white all over the top. I only made one to try and I just never tried again.

I like the ready to eat meals. Stroganoff if good and I double the Worcestershire from the ball recipe. Venison soups. I can my M-i-Laws black beans. I have to leave the sherry out until you heat it up to serve. Canning it and it cooks off and you can't tell it was in there.

 

[thirdeye]

The Canning Diva has recipes for meals in a jar. She includes a corned beef meal. Pressure canning processing times are the same as for beef, so I don't know what to make of that!

I have an older Ball Blue Book, and it has a recipe for corning your beef, and below that it has the method for canning it. Either one or two editions later they removed both recipes. The concern is the density of cured meats, especially something like ham because it may not heat through in the same fashion as fresh meats. Canning of cured and smoked salmon was also discouraged, but the state of Alaska and Washington actually did additional testing because so many residents smoke and can salmon. They changed the processing time to 110 minutes for pints and 1/2 pints, and recommended more water in the canner.

Testing of canned foods was conducted in the 30's through the 50's, then some methods were verified in the 70's or early 80's. Another pet peeve of mine is that 'raw pack' instructions called for no additional liquid, again because liquid was not added when the testing was performed. Raw packed meats always had a lot of headspace. Then later on, enhanced chicken and turkey came on the scene, some with 15% added liquid.... The canning experts let that one slide. Personally, I always added a couple of tablespoons of water or broth to my canned poultry. Then a year or two ago, Ball (or the parent company) tested raw pack with added liquid and it came out fine. So now, it's approved to add liquid.