Presto®: Pressure Canning: Meat and Poultry

Pressure Canning

PRESSURE CANNING MEAT

Pressure canning is the ONLY SAFE METHOD for canning meat.
All meat should be handled carefully to avoid contamination from the time of slaughtering until the products are canned. Animals should be correctly slaughtered, canned promptly or kept under refrigeration until processed. If you slaughter your own meat, contact your local county agricultural agent for complete information on slaughtering, chilling, and aging the meat.

Keep meat as cool as possible during preparation for canning, handle rapidly, and process meat as soon as it is packed. Most meats need only be wiped with a damp cloth. Use lean meat for canning; remove most of the fat. Cut off gristle and remove large bones. Cut into pieces convenient for canning.

To prepare broth, place bony pieces in saucepan and cover with cold water. Simmer until meat is tender. Discard fat. Add boiling broth to jars packed with precooked meat and poultry.

Meat should not be browned with flour nor should flour be used in the broth to make gravy for pouring over the packed meat. Pack hot meat loosely, leaving 1-inch headspace in Mason jars.

Meats may be processed with or without salt. If salt is desired, use only pure canning salt. Table salt contains a filler which may cause cloudiness in bottom of jar. Use 1/2 teaspoon salt to each pint, 1 teaspoon to each quart. More or less salt may be added to suit individual taste.

Follow step-by-step directions for your pressure canner. Process meats according to the following recipes.

When canning food in regions less than 2,000 feet altitude (dial gauge canner) or 1,000 feet altitude (weighted gauge canner), process according to specific recipe. When canning food in regions above 2,000 feet altitude (dial gauge canner) or 1,000 feet altitude (weighted gauge canner), process according to the following chart.

ALTITUDE CHART FOR CANNING MEAT AND POULTRY

ALTITUDE	DIAL GAUGE CANNER Pints and Quarts	WEIGHTED GAUGE CANNER Pints and Quarts
1,001 – 2,000 ft.	11 lbs.	15 lbs.
2,001 – 4,000 ft.	12 lbs.	15 lbs.
4,001 – 6,000 ft.	13 lbs.	15 lbs.
6,001 – 8,000 ft.	14 lbs.	15 lbs.

Processing time is the same at all altitudes.

CUT-UP MEAT (strips, cubes, or chunks) Bear, Beef, Pork, Lamb, Veal, and Venison
Remove excess fat. Soak strong-flavored wild meats for 1 hour in brine water containing 1 tablespoon of salt per quart of water. Rinse. Remove large bones and cut into desired pieces.

Raw Pack—Fill jars with raw meat pieces, leaving 1-inch headspace. DO NOT ADD LIQUID. Adjust jar lids.

Hot Pack—Precook meat until rare by broiling, boiling, or frying. Pack hot meat loosely in clean, hot Mason jars, leaving 1-inch headspace. Cover meat with boiling broth, water, or tomato juice (especially with wild game) leaving 1-inch headspace. Adjust jar lids.

Dial Gauge Canner—Process at 11 pounds pressure - Pints 75 minutes and Quarts 90 minutes. For processing above 2,000 feet altitude, see chart for recommended pounds of pressure.

Weighted Gauge Canner—Process at 10 pounds pressure - Pints 75 minutes and Quarts 90 minutes. For processing above 1,000 feet altitude, see chart for recommended pounds of pressure.

GROUND MEAT – Bear, Beef, Pork, Lamb, Veal, and Venison
With venison, add one part high quality pork fat to three or four parts venison before grinding. Use freshly made sausage, seasoned with salt and cayenne pepper (sage may cause a bitter off-flavor). Add 1 teaspoon salt to each pound of ground meat, if desired. Mix well. Shape meat into patties or balls, or cut cased sausage into 3- to 4-inch links. Cook until lightly browned. Ground meat may be sauteed without shaping. Remove excess fat. Fill jars with pieces, leaving 1-inch headspace. Cover meat with boiling broth or water, leaving 1-inch headspace. Adjust jar lids.

Dial Gauge Canner—Process at 11 pounds pressure - Pints 75 minutes and Quarts 90 minutes. For processing above 2,000 feet altitude, see chart for recommended pounds of pressure.

Weighted Gauge Canner—Process at 10 pounds pressure - Pints 75 minutes and Quarts 90 minutes. For processing above 1,000 feet altitude, see chart for recommended pounds of pressure.

PRESSURE CANNING POULTRY

Pressure canning is the ONLY SAFE METHOD for canning poultry.
Cut poultry into convenient pieces for packing and precook until medium done or until pieces, when cut, show almost no pink color at the bone.

Precook by boiling in water or in a concentrated broth for more flavor. Make broth from bones and bony pieces, neck, back, and wing tips. Pack hot meat in clean, hot Mason jars, leaving 1-inch headspace. Do not pack food tightly.

Poultry may be processed with or without salt. If salt is desired, use only pure canning salt. Table salt contains a filler which may cause cloudiness in bottom of jar. Use 1/2 teaspoon salt to each pint, 1 teaspoon to each quart.

Follow step-by-step directions for your pressure canner. Process poultry according to the following recipes.

CUT-UP POULTRY
Cut poultry into serving size pieces. If desired, remove bone. Boil, steam, or bake poultry slowly to medium done. Poultry is medium done when pink color in center is almost gone. Pack hot poultry loosely in clean, hot Mason jars, leaving 1 1/4-inch headspace. Cover poultry with boiling broth or water, leaving 1 1/4-inch headspace. Adjust jar lids.

Dial Gauge Canner—Process at 11 pounds pressure.
With Bone – Pints 65 minutes and Quarts 75 minutes.
Without Bone – Pints 75 minutes and Quarts 90 minutes.
For processing above 2,000 feet altitude, see chart for recommended pounds of pressure.

Weighted Gauge Canner—Process at 10 pounds pressure.
With Bone – Pints 65 minutes and Quarts for 75 minutes.
Without Bone – Pints 75 minutes and Quarts for 90 minutes.
For processing above 1,000 feet altitude, see chart for recommended pounds of pressure.

RABBIT
Soak dressed rabbits 1 hour in water containing 1 tablespoon of salt per quart. Rinse and remove excess fat. Cut into serving size pieces. Boil, steam, or bake to medium done. Rabbit is medium done when pink color in center is almost gone. Pack hot rabbit loosely in clean, hot Mason jars, leaving 1 1/4-inch headspace. Cover rabbit with boiling broth or water leaving 1 1/4-inch headspace. Adjust jar lids.

Dial Gauge Canner—Process at 11 pounds pressure.
With Bone – Pints 65 minutes and Quarts for 75 minutes.
Without Bone – Pints 75 minutes and Quarts for 90 minutes.
For processing above 2,000 feet altitude, see chart for recommended pounds of pressure.

Go to: Pressure Canning Index