HOME CANNING OF MEAT AND POULTRY TEXT

varies with the size of the pieces and the way the meat is packed. For a 1-quart jar, allow approximately the following amounts of fresh, untrimmed meat with bone or ready-to-cook chicken: Beef: _Pounds_ Round 3 to 3½. Rump 5 to 5½. Pork loin 5 to 5½. Chicken: Canned with bone 3½ to 4¼. Canned without bone 5½ to 6¼. After-Canning Jobs Cooling Glass jars As soon as you take jars out of the canner, complete seals if necessary. Cool jars top side up. Put them on a rack or folded cloth to cool. Keep them away from drafts. Don’t cover. When jars are cool, take off screw bands. Do not force bands that stick: loosen by covering them with a hot damp cloth. Wash hands and store them in a dry place. Tin cans As soon as you take cans out of the canner, put them in cold water. Change water frequently for fast cooling. Remove cans from water while they are still warm so they will dry in the air. If you stack cans, stagger them to allow air circulation. Checking Seals Check containers for leaks when jars or cans are thoroughly cool. Occasionally, a can packed too full bulges at the ends. Set it aside and use within a few days. This will prevent later confusion with cans that bulge from spoilage during storage. On the day after canning, examine each jar carefully. Turn it partially over. If jar has a flat metal lid, test seal by tapping center of lid with a spoon. A clear ring means a good seal. A dull note, however, does not always mean a poor seal. Another test is to press on the center of the lid; jar is sealed if lid is down and does not move. Examine seams and seals carefully on all cans. Can ends should be almost flat, with a slight inward curve. Buckled or broken seams may be caused by cooling cans too fast or by not filling cans with enough meat. Do not store leaky jars and cans. Either use the food at once or can it again in another container. Begin the second canning by heating meat through. Then pack and process it in a pressure canner for the full time recommended. Do not open and refill jars that have lost liquid during processing. Loss of liquid does not cause canned meat to spoil. Opening would contaminate the sterile contents, and meat would have to be processed again to insure safety. Labeling Wipe containers after they are cool. Label each jar and can to show contents and date of canning. If you canned more than one lot on one day, add a lot number. Storing Select a cool, dry place for storing canned meat and poultry. Protect meat from heat, from freezing, and from dampness. Heat causes canned foods to lose quality. Do not store canned meats in direct sunlight, near hot pipes, or near heat. Freezing does not cause canned meat to spoil, but it may damage the seal so that spoilage begins. In an unheated storage area, cover jars and cans with a clean, old blanket or wrap them in newspapers. Dampness may corrode cans or metal jar lids and cause leakage. Spoilage Immediately destroy any canned meat that has spoiled. Burn it or dispose of it where it cannot be eaten by humans or animals. Do not taste canned meat that you suspect of being spoiled. Take these positive steps to insure the safety of canned meat— —Keep meat and equipment clean. —Follow recommended methods, including processing times and temperatures. —Cool and store properly. To avoid any risk of botulism—a serious food poisoning—it is essential that the pressure canner be in perfect order and that every canning recommendation be followed exactly. Unless you are absolutely sure of your gage and canning methods, boil home-canned meat 20 minutes in a covered pan before tasting or using. Boiling is the best way to find out if canned meat is safe. Heat brings out the characteristic odor of spoiled meat. If meat develops such an odor, destroy it without tasting. If boiled meat is not to be used at once, or if it is to be used in salads or sandwiches, refrigerate it immediately. Be alert to signs of spoilage when you take meat containers from storage. Bulging jar lids or rings, gas bubbles, leaks, bulging can ends—these may mean the seal has broken and the food has spoiled. Test each can by pressing the ends; ends should not bulge or snap back. Check the contents as you open the container. Spurting liquid, off-odor, and color changes in meats are danger signals. Sulfur in meat often causes metal lids or cans to darken. This discoloration does not affect the safety of the meat. How To Can MEAT—raw pack [Illustration: PN-1311 1. Cut meat carefully from bone. Trim away most of fat without unduly slashing the lean part of meat.] [Illustration: PN-1312 2. Cut meat in jar-length pieces, so grain of meat runs length of jar. Fill jars to 1 inch of top with one or more pieces of meat.] [Illustration: PN-1313 3. Set open, filled jars on rack in pan of boiling water. Keep water level 2 inches below jar tops. Insert thermometer in center of a jar (above), cover pan, and heat meat slowly to 170° F. Without thermometer, cover pan; heat slowly for 75 minutes.] [Illustration: PN-1314 4. Remove jars from pan. Add salt if desired. Wipe jar rim clean. Place lid so that sealing compound is next to glass (above). Screw the metal band down tight by hand. When band is screwed tight, this lid has enough “give” to let air escape during processing.] [Illustration: PN-1315 5. Have 2 or 3 inches of boiling water in pressure canner—enough to keep it from boiling dry during processing. Put jars in canner (above), fasten cover. Let steam pour from open petcock or weighted-gage opening 10 minutes. Shut petcock or put on gage.] [Illustration: PN-1316 6. When pressure reaches 10 pounds, note time. Adjust heat under canner to keep pressure steady. Process pint jars packed with large pieces of meat 75 minutes; process quart jars 90 minutes. When processing time is up, slide canner away from heat.] [Illustration: PN-1317 7. Let pressure fall to zero (30 minutes). Wait a minute or two, then slowly open petcock. Unfasten cover, tilting far side up to keep steam away from your face.] [Illustration: PN-1318 8. Set jars on rock to cool overnight. Keep them away from drafts, but do not cover. When jars are thoroughly cool, remove metal bands and wipe jars clean. Label and store.] Directions for canning cut-up meat by hot-pack and raw-pack methods begin on page 18. How To Can CHICKEN—hot pack [Illustration: PN-1310 1. Rinse and drain (p. 4), then use a sharp knife to disjoint bird. Pull on leg or wing as you cut through the joint.] [Illustration: PN-1320 2. Cut from end of breastbone to backbone along ends of ribs. Separate breast and back. Break backbone; cut back in half.] [Illustration: PN-1321 3. Cut breast straight down between wishbone and point of breast. Leave meat on wishbone.] [Illustration: PN-1322 4. Remove breast meat from center bone by carving down the bone on one side of breast. Repeat on other side of breastbone.] [Illustration: PN-1323 5. Cut legs into drumsticks and thighs. Saw drumsticks off short, if desired. Sort into meaty and bony pieces; set aside giblets to can separately. 6. Pour enough hot water or broth (p. 8) over raw meaty pieces in pan to cover meat. Put on lid; precook meat to medium done (when cut at center, pieces show almost no pink color).] [Illustration: PN-1324 7. Pack hot chicken loosely into jars. Place thighs and drumsticks with skin next to glass; breasts in center of jar; smaller pieces fitted in. Leave 1 inch at the top of jar. Add salt, if desired. Cover chicken with boiling broth. Again leave 1 inch of space at top of jar.] [Illustration: PN-1325 8. Wipe jar rim clean. Place lid with sealing compound next to glass. Screw metal band tight. Have 2 or 3 inches of boiling water in pressure canner to prevent it from boiling dry during processing. Place jars in canner (left) and fasten lid securely. Let steam pour from open petcock or weighted-gage opening for 10 minutes. Then shut petcock or put on weighted gage.] [Illustration: PN-1326 9. When pressure is 10 pounds, note time. Adjust heat to keep pressure steady. Process pint jars of chicken with bone 65 minutes; quarts, 75 minutes. Slide canner off heat when time is up. Let pressure fall to zero (about 30 minutes). Wait a minute or two. Open petcock slowly. Unfasten cover, tilting far side up to keep steam away from your face. Cool jars overnight. Wipe clean; label (left). Before storing canned chicken, remove screw bands.] Directions for canning poultry by hot-pack and raw-pack methods begin on page 21. Directions for Meat Directions for canning cut-up meat may be used for beef, veal, pork, lamb, and mutton. Meat from large-game animals may be canned by the same directions. Use tender meat—loin and cuts suitable for roasts, steaks, and chops—for canning as large pieces. Use less tender cuts that contain more connective tissue and small pieces for canning as stew meat or ground meat. Use bony pieces for soup. Cut-Up Meat Follow directions for cutting up meat (p. 14). Cut tender meat into jar- or can-length strips. Strips should slide into jars or cans easily, with the grain of the meat running the length of the container. Strips may be any convenient thickness, from 1 or 2 inches to jar or can width. Cut less tender meat into chunks or small pieces suitable for stew meat. Small, tender pieces may be packed by themselves, with meat strips, or with stew meat. Hot pack Put meat in large shallow pan; add just enough water to keep from sticking. Cover pan. Precook meat slowly until medium done. Stir occasionally, so meat heats evenly. _Glass jars._—Pack hot meat loosely. Leave 1 inch of space at top of jars. Add salt if desired: ½ teaspoon to pints or 1 teaspoon to quarts. Cover meat with boiling meat juice, adding boiling water if needed. Leave 1 inch of space at top of jars. Adjust lids. Process in a pressure canner at 10 pounds pressure (240° F.)— Pint jars 75 minutes Quart jars 90 minutes _Tin cans._—Pack hot meat loosely. Leave ½ inch of space above meat. Add salt if desired: ½ teaspoon to No. 2 cans or ¾ teaspoon to No. 2½ cans. Fill cans to top with boiling meat juice, adding boiling water if needed. Seal. Process in a pressure canner at 10 pounds pressure (240° F.)— No. 2 cans 65 minutes No. 2½ cans 90 minutes Raw pack Cut up meat (p. 14). Pack containers loosely with raw, lean meat. _Glass jars._—Leave 1 inch of space above meat. To exhaust air, cook raw meat in jars at slow boil to 170° F., or until medium done (about 75 minutes). (See p. 9.) Add salt if desired: ½ teaspoon per pint or 1 teaspoon per quart. Adjust lids. Process in a pressure canner at 10 pounds pressure (240° F.)— Pint jars 75 minutes Quart jars 90 minutes _Tin cans._—Pack tin cans to top. To exhaust air, cook raw meat in cans at slow boil to 170° F., or until medium done (about 50 minutes). (See p. 9.) Press meat down ½ inch below rim, and add boiling water to fill to top, if needed. Add salt if desired: ½ teaspoon to No. 2 cans or ¾ teaspoon to No. 2½ cans. Seal cans. Process in a pressure canner at 10 pounds pressure (240° F.)— No. 2 cans 65 minutes No. 2½ cans 90 minutes Ground Meat For grinding, start with fresh, clean, cold meat. Use small pieces of meat from less tender cuts. Never mix leftover scraps with fresh meat. Don’t use lumps of fat. If desired, add 1 level teaspoon of salt per pound of ground meat. Mix well. Hot pack Shape ground meat into fairly thin patties that can be packed into jars or cans without breaking. Precook patties in slow oven (325° F.) until medium done. (When cut at center, patties show almost no red color.) Skim fat off drippings; do not use fat in canning. _Glass jars._—Pack patties, leaving 1 inch of space above meat. Cover with boiling meat juice to 1 inch of top of jars. Adjust jar lids. Process in a pressure canner at 10 pounds pressure (240° F.)— Pint jars 75 minutes Quart jars 90 minutes _Tin cans._—Pack patties to ½ inch of top of cans. Cover with boiling meat juice to fill cans to top; seal. Process in a pressure canner at 10 pounds pressure (240° F.)— No. 2 cans 65 minutes No. 2½ cans 90 minutes Raw pack Raw pack is suitable for tin cans. Ground meat canned in bulk is difficult to get out of jars. _Tin cans._—Pack raw ground meat solidly to the top of the can. To exhaust air, cook meat at slow boil to 170° F., or until medium done (about 75 minutes). (See p. 9.) Press meat down into cans ½ inch below rim. Seal. Process in a pressure canner at 10 pounds pressure (240° F.)— No. 2 cans 100 minutes No. 2½ cans 135 minutes Sausage Hot pack Use any tested sausage recipe. Use seasonings sparingly because sausage changes flavor in canning and storage. Measure spices, onion, and garlic carefully. Omit sage—it makes canned sausage bitter. Shape sausage meat into patties. Precook, pack, and process as directed for hot-packed ground meat. Corned Beef Hot pack Use any tested recipe to make corned beef. Wash corned beef. Drain. Cut in pieces or strips that fit in containers. Cover meat with cold water and bring to a boil. If broth is very salty, drain meat; boil again in fresh water. Pack while hot. _Glass jars._—Leave 1 inch of space above meat. Cover meat with boiling broth or boiling water. Leave 1 inch of space at top of jars. Adjust lids. Process in a pressure canner at 10 pounds pressure (240° F.)— Pint jars 75 minutes Quart jars 90 minutes _Tin cans._—Leave ½ inch of space above meat. Fill cans to top with boiling broth or boiling water. Seal. Process in a pressure canner at 10 pounds pressure (240° F.)— No. 2 cans 65 minutes No. 2½ cans 90 minutes Meat-Vegetable Stew Raw pack Beef, lamb, or veal, cut in 1½-inch cubes. 2 quarts Potatoes, pared or scraped, cut in ½-inch 2 quarts cubes Carrots, pared or scraped, cut in ½-inch 2 quarts cubes Celery, ¼-inch pieces 3 cups Onions, small whole, peeled 7 cups Combine ingredients. Yield is 7 quarts or 16 pints. _Glass jars._—Fill jars to top with raw meat-vegetable mixture. Add salt if desired: ½ teaspoon per pint or 1 teaspoon per quart. Adjust lids. Process in a pressure canner at 10 pounds pressure (240° F.)— Pint jars 60 minutes Quart jars 75 minutes _Tin cans._—Fill cans to top with raw meat-vegetable mixture. Do not add liquid. Add salt if desired: ½ teaspoon to No. 2 cans or 1 teaspoon to No. 2½ cans. To exhaust air, cook stew at slow boil to 170° F., or until medium done (about 50 minutes). (See p. 9.) Seal cans. Process in a pressure canner at 10 pounds pressure (240° F.)— No. 2 cans 40 minutes No. 2½ cans 45 minutes Heart and Tongue Hot pack Heart and tongue usually are served as fresh meat. To can, prepare as described below; then follow hot pack directions (p. 18). _Heart._—Remove thick connective tissue before cutting into pieces. _Tongue._—Drop tongue into boiling water and simmer about 45 minutes, or until skin can be removed. Then cut into pieces. Soup Stock Hot pack For canning, make meat stock fairly concentrated. Cover bony pieces of meat (or chicken) with lightly salted water. Simmer until tender. Skim off fat. Remove all bones. Leave meat and sediment in stock. _Glass jars._—Pour boiling soup stock into jars, leaving 1 inch of space at top. Adjust lids. Process in a pressure canner at 10 pounds pressure (240° F.)— Pint jars 20 minutes Quart jars 25 minutes _Tin cans._—Fill cans to top with boiling soup stock. Seal. Process in a pressure canner at 10 pounds pressure (240° F.)— No. 2 cans 20 minutes No. 2½ cans 25 minutes Directions for Poultry Directions for poultry may be used to can chicken, duck, goose, guinea, squab, and turkey. These directions also apply to game birds. Domestic rabbits and small-game animals should be canned like poultry. Poultry, rabbits, and small-game animals may be canned with or without bone. To make soup stock from poultry for canning, follow directions for meat. Cut-Up Poultry Follow directions for cutting up poultry (p. 16). Sort into meaty and bony pieces. Use bony pieces for broth (p. 8) or soup (p. 20). Set aside giblets to can separately. Hot pack, with bone Bone breast. Saw drumsticks off short. Leave bone in other meaty pieces. Trim off large lumps of fat. Place raw meaty pieces in pan and cover with hot broth or water. Put on lid. Heat, stirring occasionally until medium done. To test, cut piece at center; if pink color is almost gone, meat is medium done. Pack poultry loosely. Place thighs and drumsticks with skin next to glass or tin. Fit breasts into center and small pieces where needed. _Glass jars._—Pack jars, leaving 1 inch of space above poultry. Add salt if desired: ½ teaspoon per pint or 1 teaspoon per quart. Cover poultry with boiling broth, leaving 1 inch of space at top of jar. Adjust jar lids. Process in pressure canner at 10 pounds pressure (240° F.)— Pint jars 65 minutes Quart jars 75 minutes _Tin cans._—Pack cans, leaving ½ inch of space above poultry. Add salt if desired: ½ teaspoon to No. 2 cans or ¾ teaspoon to No. 2½ cans. Fill cans to top with boiling broth. Seal. Process in a pressure canner at 10 pounds pressure (240° F.)— No. 2 cans 55 minutes No. 2½ cans 75 minutes Hot pack, without bone Cut up poultry (p. 16). Remove bone—but not skin—from meaty pieces either before or after precooking. _Glass jars._—Pack jars loosely with hot poultry, leaving 1 inch of space above poultry at top of jars. Add salt if desired: ½ teaspoon per