Canning meat/what Equipment is needed, how much canning is necessary

[Alreadyin4thDensity Love]

Yes, the 2-3 inches of water are absolutely necessary and should be put into the canner before canning begins. I tend to add a little more- closer to 5-6 inches just to be on the safe side (this will depend on how tall your jars are though). Sometimes lots of water remains, and other times there is very little left.



No definitely do not open the canner when it has any pressure in it, only when it's on zero pressure and no more pressure comes out when you remove the weight. There could be a nasty accident if you try to open the canner when there's pressure in it!

I think what it means is, when you have finished a batch of canning, you have taken out your jars and you want to use your canner to do another batch then you will need to refill the water to the desired level again as water is lost during the process.

Did your canner come with a manual? If so, I'd suggest sticking to it as closely as possible for safety! My canner is by Presto and the manual has been so helpful. This is also a good description of the process from start to finish.

Added:

You can buy it separately, then gently melt it and pour it into the jars, making sure to try and get air bubbles out afterwards. This lady has a good video, you can also just use a normal butter knife.

This is written in the instructions (for the All American) :

Use Adequate Liquid / Water

It is critical to understand the importance of having enough water in the cooker in use. During cooking or canning, you should use 2 to 3 inches of hot water in the bottom of the canner before you place the filled jars on the rack. Water level must be maintained during the canning process. Check the water level between batches. Please read the recipes or canning instructions. You must never allow the pressure cooker to boil dry. If there is not enough water in the pressure cooker and it boils dry, the unit will be ruined, cannot be repaired, and must be replaced.

In your opinion, is lard beneficial to the canned meet in the jar on some way ?

Also, do you sterilize jars before canning (meat, vegetables) ?

Thank you a lot, and I really do not plan to open the canner while the process is ongoing.

 

[Yupo]

Hey Konstantin, I don't think boiling the jars gets them to a high enough temperature to kill all of the bacteria in the meat. Back in the day, I guess they would've used this method but from the blogs/ canner manuals I have read so far, the general consensus is that meat should only be canned in a pressure canner. Botulism is no joke . Does anyone else have any thoughts on this?

Pressure can only, or salt cure. Freeze drying can be done, but it is equipment intensive and expensive and time-consuming to do. Freezing is good, but space can be limited and is electricity dependent.

 

[Eboard10]

Do I need to put 2-3 inches of water in the canner before the canning (because it is written in the instructions that not putting the water can destroy the canner and that is big warning for me ? Also my question is why only 2-3 inches of water and will it evaporate during 90 minutes or whatever, and if not why not ? (considering that high pressure and that long time of processing)

It is written that I should never allow canner to boil dry, also it is written that water level must be maintained during the canning process and to check water level between batches. How do I maintain the water level inside the canner ? at such high pressure and closed with all those seals I probably should not open it during the process. I got All American pressure canner. Thank you for the answer in advance.

There is little I can add to what @Jenn said above but it's very important that you add the indicated amount of water in the canner. I poured water up to the line inside my Presto canner, about 2 inches, along with some white vinegar and there was still water left at the end. You should not open the canner at any point in time during the canning process! When finished, turn off the heat and wait for the pressure gauge to go down to zero before opening the canner. I waited another 15 minutes after that before opening it to be on the safe side.

I found an instructions manual for the All American pressure canner online. You may want to read through the relevant pages before using the canner. There are also plenty of YouTube videos that will go through the entire process with an All American. I looked at a few ones for my Presto canner before trying it out myself which helped a lot.

 

[Alreadyin4thDensity Love]

There is little I can add to what @Jenn said above but it's very important that you add the indicated amount of water in the canner. I poured water up to the line inside my Presto canner, about 2 inches, along with some white vinegar and there was still water left at the end. You should not open the canner at any point in time during the canning process! When finished, turn off the heat and wait for the pressure gauge to go down to zero before opening the canner. I waited another 15 minutes after that before opening it to be on the safe side.

I found an instructions manual for the All American pressure canner online. You may want to read through the relevant pages before using the canner. There are also plenty of YouTube videos that will go through the entire process with an All American. I looked at a few ones for my Presto canner before trying it out myself which helped a lot.

I got the manual and I was reading it of course. The canner is not really cheap to do stuff blindly, and it can be dangerous as well if not used properly.
Also, videos are helpful as well, and there is a lot of them, online.

 

[Yupo]

This is written in the instructions (for the All American) :

Use Adequate Liquid / Water

It is critical to understand the importance of having enough water in the cooker in use. During cooking or canning, you should use 2 to 3 inches of hot water in the bottom of the canner before you place the filled jars on the rack. Water level must be maintained during the canning process. Check the water level between batches. Please read the recipes or canning instructions. You must never allow the pressure cooker to boil dry. If there is not enough water in the pressure cooker and it boils dry, the unit will be ruined, cannot be repaired, and must be replaced.

In your opinion, is lard beneficial to the canned meet in the jar on some way ?

Also, do you sterilize jars before canning (meat, vegetables) ?

Thank you a lot, and I really do not plan to open the canner while the process is ongoing.

I don't want a lot of fat in my jars when I am canning, because it bubbles up and might prevent a good seal. I trim meat of most visible fat before processing for this reason. There will still be some fat.
I do not sterilize my jars before canning, since they will be sterilized during the process. I just run them (and lids, rings, etc) through the dishwasher. Clean is good enough. For water bath canning, you might want your jars and lids pre-treated with boiling water or high heat to kill any microbes.

 

[Jenn]

In your opinion, is lard beneficial to the canned meet in the jar on some way ?

Also, do you sterilize jars before canning (meat, vegetables) ?

I'm not sure, my guess would be that it helps preserve it, I just had a quick look online and this article says:

Does animal fat, including lard, have some sort of preservation properties?​

Sort of.

Meats like bacon have two things going for it. First, it’s cured in salt. And in the case of modern, store-bought bacon, nitrates and nitrites are often in there as preservatives, too. We know that salt is an effective preserving agent. It creates an environment where bacteria can’t thrive.

Add that to the grease, which isn’t a great environment for bacteria growth either, and you’ve got a decent preservation method. The fat essentially seals out the bacteria, much like waxing your jellies.

But recently, I heard about meat being preserved in just lard. Lard has no salt or other chemicals in it – just fat. Specifically, pork fat.

So is there some magic quality to this that makes it keep meat from going bad? Can you preserve meat in simple lard? If so, that could be great for those of us who are worried about survival when SHTF.

Plus, lard is easy to make.

From what I discovered, storing meat in lard or another fat would be effective for the same reason that waxing it is – it keeps the bacteria locked out of the food.

There's also the added bonus of having the extra fat. When times are tough and you need to eat canned food you'll be getting fat along with protein.

I did the same as Yupo- either washed them in hot water and dish soap or put them in the dishwasher.

 

[Alreadyin4thDensity Love]

Thank you a lot, for both of you. Also I am interested about the temperature in the storage room. I will have no heating in that room however there is insulation - styrofoam on the walls, but if the temperature gets to let's say -10 outside, inside it could get around 0 or something like that. Could that damage the meat ? However, during the summer when temperature get's about 35-30, it could be around 20-25 inside.

 

[SubnetUnMask]

Thank you a lot, for both of you. Also I am interested about the temperature in the storage room. I will have no heating in that room however there is insulation - styrofoam on the walls, but if the temperature gets to let's say -10 outside, inside it could get around 0 or something like that. Could that damage the meat ? However, during the summer when temperature get's about 35-30, it could be around 20-25 inside.

I think heat is more detrimental to food preservation, yes? Keeping things cold is generally better. I have about 6 months of freeze dried food (both purchased and self-frozen), but I still keep it indoors, as it gets quite hot in my area (30-40C summer time).

 

[Yupo]

It is probably OK if it gets cold. Best if it stays cool and dark. Is the room on a slab in contact with the ground?
You could gradually increase the thickness of the foam insulation in the walls, sometimes with packing materials people just throw away. You could also add a reflective layer of mylar bubblewrap to your jar storage area. In the cold weather you could turn it to reflect heat to the jars, and in summer you could turn it to reflect heat away from the jars. This is like the lightweight stuff used in solar ovens and car windshield sun protectors. You can buy it in big rolls and hang it in flaps on your shelves.

 

[Alreadyin4thDensity Love]

I think heat is more detrimental to food preservation, yes? Keeping things cold is generally better. I have about 6 months of freeze dried food (both purchased and self-frozen), but I still keep it indoors, as it gets quite hot in my area (30-40C summer time).

Colder is better of course, but how much cold is too much ?

Instructions say : Store cans and jars in a cool, dry place. Exposure to heat, freezing temperatures or light decreases the quality and shelf life of canned food.

It is probably OK if it gets cold. Best if it stays cool and dark. Is the room on a slab in contact with the ground?
You could gradually increase the thickness of the foam insulation in the walls, sometimes with packing materials people just throw away. You could also add a reflective layer of mylar bubblewrap to your jar storage area.

That could be an option.

 

[jess]

Since I can't get any pressure cooker where I live, I found a way of canning meat without it and I think it is pretty sucessfull. I just have to put some raw cut pork meat into a jar, put some salt, pepper and any other herbs as you wish.

Hi Konstantin, here in USA you can get a presto in a store or the website of this store, it seems that they have different models available again, it would only be that someone you trust in the USA would buy it and send it to you.
I have the simplest presto of 16 quarts, this brand is one of the most economical, I have used it very little, but it seems to work very well.

 

[jess]

hello, if anyone has a chance to respond,
Does anyone know from experience, what is the best or safest room temperature to store canned meat jars?
I ask because I have only recently started canning and I have a little less than a dozen canning soups with meat, I think I made them respecting the times and safety measures according to this website, and the instructions for my presto pressure cooker, I have started with pre-cooked meat to be sure that the contents of the preservative are pre-sterilized.

But my concern is a little bit about the care after the preserves are ready.
I live in an apartment without a basement, which varies in room temperature in the different months of the year, although I live near the northeast of the USA, the winter can be very cold, but in summer it is very hot too, personally I keep the preserves in a dark box in the coldest possible area in my apartment,
But I wonder if the preserves have to be in a strictly stable cold place so that they can remain safe to consume after at least a year after they have been prepared ?

thanks : )

 

[Goemon_]

Hey Konstantin, I don't think boiling the jars gets them to a high enough temperature to kill all of the bacteria in the meat. Back in the day, I guess they would've used this method but from the blogs/ canner manuals I have read so far, the general consensus is that meat should only be canned in a pressure canner. Botulism is no joke . Does anyone else have any thoughts on this?

It is my impression that people in the US are more afraid of botulism than people in Europe.

I personally use a pressure canner because I have read this thread before starting and I had the money.

In my family they have always been doing it the other way. They boil the canned meat for 3 hours. This is pretty common arround here.

As you can see here the main jar seller of the country (France) recommend a similar method. The catch sentence is "Fermer et procéder immédiatement au traitement thermique pendant 3 heures à 100°C." (Close and proceed immediately to heat treatment for 3 hours at 100°C.)

 

[iscreamsandwish]

Found this video on canning and thought it might be helpful to someone.

TikTok - Make Your Day

 

[Konstantin]

Hey Konstantin, I don't think boiling the jars gets them to a high enough temperature to kill all of the bacteria in the meat. Back in the day, I guess they would've used this method but from the blogs/ canner manuals I have read so far, the general consensus is that meat should only be canned in a pressure canner. Botulism is no joke . Does anyone else have any thoughts on this?

Yes, there is a possibility but it is very unlikely that it will happen. The jars are boiled at 100 C for 3 to 4 hours.
After all, even if Clostridium botulinum develops in the food, the botulinum toxin is easily destroyed by even lower temperatures.
Here is what I found:

To kill the spores of Cl. botulinum a sterilisation process equivalent to 121°C for 3 min is required. The botulinum toxin itself is inactivated (denatured) rapidly at temperatures greater than 80°C .

Despite its extreme potency, botulinum toxin is easily destroyed. Heating to an internal temperature of 85°C for at least 5 minutes will decontaminate affected food or drink.

Nobody will eat that meat straight from the jar. It is semi-cooked or coked meat and in 15 minutes, any dish with meat can be prepared with it.
So, before consumption, it will be coked for another 10-15-20 minutes. Even if botulinum toxin is present, it will be deactivated and meat will be safe for eating.

The content in the jars is clear. It is not muddy inside. When opened, if there is some unusual smell, it will be discarded into the trash.
So, in the end, I am not worried that something like botulism can happen.

Thank you for pointing out because we must be sure that the canned food is safe for consumption.