Those are good questions. I don’t know the answers because I haven’t done meat yet.
I tried reading the directions in the canning book that comes with the canner, but still am not sure.
I didn’t get how they say to cut up the meat, whether it’s cubes or strips. And I couldn’t figure out what to do about the water in the jar. Do you cover the meat with water or put just a little in the bottom of the jar and kind of can it dry.
>> Do you cover the meat with water or put just a little in the bottom of the jar and kind of can it dry. <<
I Cover with water up to the recommended headspace level..
we buy london broil when on sale and cube it.. I process it 90 minutes at 15lbs .. be sure not to release pressure or let cool down fast.. I even wrap towels around so it drops pressure slowly..
Forgot to add that 15lbs is recommended for my altitude..
Absolutely positively can all the beef you can get!
Don’t wait for a freezer failure - do some now!
Beef, Chicken, Venison, Pork.... Can them all!
There are basically 2 ways to can meat.
Raw pack - cut as you prefer (not ground)- I prefer chunks as strips tend to get stringy when you take them out of the jar (unless you like shredded beef). If you raw pack, do not add any liquid. There is plenty in the meat already. Just put them in the jar but do not pack real tight and wipe rim, put on top hand tight and process.
Hot pack - cook the meat about half way done. If you like a particular seasoning, add it as you brown it. Fill the hot jars add the juice from cooking it, add hot water to the level called for as headspace on the canning chart, wipe rim put on top hand tight and process.
With the hot pack, you can do ground beef. I prefer a 3/8” plate on my grinder for canning. (but that is because I like it that way - since you won’t be making hamburgers with it) I put it in a roaster pan in the oven, and stir occasionally till about half done, then fill jars and add juice - top with water if necessary to fill to the recommended headspace. Put on lids and process. Raw pack of ground beef is not recommended because you may not get the center hot enough in processing as you can pack it so tightly.
You can do sausage or hamburger as patties by using wide mouth jars and making the patties just a bit bigger than the jar opening (I use the ring to size them)- brown them on both sides (they shrink a bit as you cook them) and layer them in the jars - add juice, seal and process.
Remember on the lids, simmer them in hot water for about 5 minutes or so before putting them on. Don’t forget to wipe the jar rim - grease can cause a seal failure. I lose about one every 25 or 30 jars from seal failure - just put it in the refrigerator and use it within a couple of weeks. Head space is very important to prevent seal failures.
Now CB, you are just asking for trouble storing them in the garage. Cooler is better, room temperature is fine, but not a hot garage - you can do it, but it shortens the life and nutritive value much much faster, and you run the risk on a real hot day of popping the seals (since it is recommended to store without the bands.) Never let them freeze hard as you can either crack the jar or pop the seal - and they will spoil - even if it doesn’t spoil, the texture changes as the cells freeze and thaw.
Can’t you move some of those shoes in your closet and put a few cases there? How about behind a big chair in a corner.. Even under the bed.. There has got to be some place to store it... LOL