MEAT, GAME, AND POULTRY   CANNING BASICS

Pressure Canning is the ONLY SAFE METHOD for canning meat, game, and poultry.

Meat, game, and poultry should be handled carefully to avoid contamination. Keep it as cool as possible during preparation for canning, handle rapidly, and process as soon as it is packed.

Use good quality product that has been trimmed of gristle, fat, and bruised spots. The hot pack is recommended for the best liquid cover and quality during storage. Meat and game should be precooked until rare by roasting, stewing, or browning. Poultry should be precooked by baking, boiling, or steaming until medium done. Do not brown meat with flour or add flour to broth.

To make broth, place bony pieces in a large pot and cover with cold water. Simmer until meat is tender. Discard fat. Add boiling broth to hot jars packed with precooked meat or poultry.

Adding Salt

Meat, game, and poultry may be canned with or without salt. Salt is used only for flavor as it is not used in a large enough quantity to prevent spoilage. If salt is desired, use only canning or pickling salt. Table salt contains anti-caking agents that may cause cloudiness in the liquid inside the jars.

Adjusting for High Altitude Canning:

• Dial Gauge Pressure Canner: When pressure canning at altitudes of 2,000 feet or below, process according to specific recipe. When canning at higher altitudes, process according to the Pressure Canning Chart below.
   
• Weighted Gauge Pressure Canner: When pressure canning at altitudes of 1,000 feet or below, process according to specific recipe. When canning at higher altitudes, process according to the Pressure Canning Chart below.
   
• Presto Precise® Digital Pressure Canner: When pressure canning, this canner automatically adjusts for altitude. There is no adjustment necessary.

PROCEDURES AND RECIPES

CUT-UP MEAT (strips, cubes, chunks) — Bear, Beef, Pork, Lamb, Veal, Venison          pints | quarts

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.

Hot Pack: Precook meat until rare by roasting, stewing, or browning in a small amount of oil. Do not use flour. Pack hot meat loosely in hot jars, leaving 1-inch headspace. Add salt, if desired, as directed in Meat, Game, and Poultry Canning Basics. Cover meat with boiling broth, water, or tomato juice (especially with wild game), leaving 1-inch headspace. Remove air bubbles.

Raw Pack: Add salt to hot jars, if desired (see above). Pack raw meat loosely in hot jars, leaving 1-inch headspace. DO NOT ADD LIQUID.

Clean jar rims. Position lids on jars and adjust bands fingertip tight.

Pressure Canning

Follow manufacturer’s instructions for pressure canning method and canner-specific jar capacity.

• 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 pressure.
   
• Weighted Gauge Canner. Process at 10 pounds pressure—Pints 75 minutes and Quarts 90 minutes. For processing above 1,000 feet altitude, use 15 pounds pressure.
   
• Presto Precise® Digital Canner. Process Pints 75 minutes and Quarts 90 minutes. Canner automatically adjusts for altitude in pressure canning mode.

GROUND MEAT — Bear, Beef, Pork, Lamb, Veal, Venison        pints | quarts

Grind fresh meat in a food processor or meat grinder. For venison, add one part high quality pork fat to three or four parts venison before grinding. For sausage, use freshly made sausage seasoned with salt and cayenne pepper (do not use sage as it may cause a bitter flavor).

Hot Pack: Shape ground meat or sausage into patties or balls. Cook until lightly browned. Ground meat may also be cooked without shaping. Drain to remove excess fat. Pack hot meat loosely in hot jars, leaving 1-inch headspace.

Add salt, if desired, as directed in Meat, Game, and Poultry Canning Basics. Cover meat with boiling water, broth, or tomato juice, leaving 1-inch headspace. Remove air bubbles. Clean jar rims. Position lids on jars and adjust bands fingertip tight.

Pressure Canning

Follow manufacturer’s instructions for pressure canning method and canner-specific jar capacity.

• 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 pressure.
   
• Weighted Gauge Canner. Process at 10 pounds pressure—Pints 75 minutes and Quarts 90 minutes. For processing above 1,000 feet altitude, use 15 pounds pressure.
   
• Presto Precise® Digital Canner. Process Pints 75 minutes and Quarts 90 minutes. Canner automatically adjusts for altitude in pressure canning mode.

POULTRY — Chicken, Duck, Goose, Turkey        pints | quarts

Cut poultry into serving size pieces. If desired, remove bone.

Hot Pack: Precook poultry until two-thirds done by baking, boiling, or steaming. Pack hot poultry loosely in hot jars, leaving 1 1/4-inch headspace. Add salt, if desired, as directed in Meat, Game, and Poultry Canning Basics. Cover poultry with hot broth, leaving 1 1/4-inch headspace. Remove air bubbles.

Raw Pack: Add salt to hot jars, if desired (see above). Pack raw poultry loosely in hot jars, leaving 1 1/4-inch headspace. DO NOT ADD LIQUID.

Clean jar rims. Position lids on jars and adjust bands fingertip tight.

Pressure Canning

Follow manufacturer’s instructions for pressure canning method and canner-specific jar capacity.

• 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 pressure.
   
• Weighted Gauge Canner. Process at 10 pounds pressure
  With Bone: Pints 65 minutes and Quarts 75 minutes.
  Without Bone: Pints 75 minutes and Quarts 90 minutes.
  For processing above 1,000 feet altitude, use 15 pounds pressure.
   
• Presto Precise® Digital Canner.
  With Bone: Pints 65 minutes and Quarts 75 minutes.
  Without Bone: Pints 75 minutes and Quarts 90 minutes.
  Canner automatically adjusts for altitude in pressure canning mode.

RABBIT        pints | quarts

Soak dressed rabbits 1 hour in water containing 1 tablespoon of salt per quart of water. Rinse. Use preparation procedures and processing times for poultry, omitting salt.