Posted on 02/26/2018 12:12:20 PM PST by CottonBall
I’ve been missing the vast amount of information on prepping, survival, camping, simple cooking, the old ways of doing just about everything – all the things nw_arizona_granny knew so much about and shared with us, along with numerous other posters with a vast array of skills and knowledge.
We have our various related-threads here, a recipe thread, a gardening thread, and even a prepper thread. They are all great and I don’t mean to take anything away from those and the hard work their owners put in.
But I was missing a place to talk about ALL those things, to get the camaraderie that we used to have on granny’s thread.
I learned how to can on those threads! The pressure canner was not my friend, I thought, but I bought one and stared at it for a month, intimidated. Then I read the directions for another month. But with the help and encouragement of posters on granny’s threads, I jumped in and now have my very own food storage room in the basement with lovely jars of shelf-stable meats, vegetables, and fruit. When we moved, I fashioned my food storage room – and insisted upon having a basement – from what I learned on her threads. Getting started gardening was from her threads. Making my own cleaning products….the list is endless.
So I thought I would take the chance and start another comprehensive prepper thread and see how it goes. I used to have granny’s ping list since I made one of the threads for her, but alas, with numerous computer changes, I cannot find it. So please pass this onto any posters you think might be interested.
We’ll just keep it running until..whenever. Granny created a new thread at 10,000 posts or so. I do like the idea of having ONE thread to go to – because often I cannot find or keep track of the weekly threads. I won’t be posting lots of recipes or tidbits myself – to any mods concerned about the size of this thread. I’d just like a place to chat, post questions, post ideas, make new prepping friends.
Here are granny’s threads, if anyone wants to peruse them:
nw_arizona_granny’s Thread #1
I don’t use those lids. However, the best thing I do is to buy beef roasts and chicken breasts on sale. Then I can them.
They taste great straight out of the jar, and can be used to make soup or casserole’s. They won’t spoil if the electricity goes out. They are cheaper than anything you can buy canned and taste better. They are super tender—good for us old folks with missing teeth. LOL
Since I use the raw pack method, it’s not a big effort. Directions will be in the booklet that came with your canner.
I have used Tattler lids with fine success. Plus I like the idea that I have them in the pantry.
I’ve used tattler lids in the past, several years ago and the applesauce is still sealed. I’ve been impressed.
I did not know that there is a limit on the number of uses you can get out of the gaskets. I never heard that about the old bail jar gaskets.
It’s good to know that they pressure can well.
I still continue to use mostly the disposable lids, which they claim are good for only a year. (What a joke)
I guess I’m considering my Tattler lids my SHTF scenario back up when the regular canning jars lids may no longer be available.
Thank you for the very detailed explanation of how to use them. I have started a recipe word document to type out all my favorite recipes, since someone is always asking for a copy of one or another.
I will be adding your post to it for future reference.
I also heat my canning jars in the oven, although they tell you not to. I just lay them directly on the racks and turn the over to 200. That way the jars are close enough in temperature to the lids and hot water that there is not the thermal shock that causes them to break. I’ve NEVER had one break on me that way, although I used to when I tried the put the jars in hot water method.
You’re right, meat that is canned is so versatile. And it does taste great. I don’t understand why a small can of canned chicken at the store is so expensive. Beef even more so.
If I forgotten to take something out of the freezer, then I always look to see what canned meat I have to make a quick dinner.
My freezer went out once, years ago. I saved most of the contents by canning it. I wouldn’t have been able to get a new freezer in time.
You reminded me of a question I wanted to ask, about raw packing. I ended up browning the meat yesterday only because the directions in the ball Blue Book were either to brown and add liquid or to raw pack by just having the meat in and nothing else.
I was wondering why I couldn’t raw pack but also add some hot water? I always raw pack chicken breast, but there’s not much liquid in the jar and the meat that is exposed doesn’t look terribly appetizing. But the last thing I’d want to do is cook the chicken breast any more, they are almost too done as it is.
Prepper Ping Please
I have a question that I have never been able to get a satisfactory answer to.
When you raw pack meat for pressure canning, do you add any liquid to the jar or just put the meat in and close it up and put it in the canner, letting the meat’s own juices supply the liquid?
I decided to start pressure canning meat for the same reason.
The meat keeps indefinitely and does not get freezer burns or nasty freezer taste.
I cook the meat and make broth and then put the meat and broth in can can that. I do not can it as soup because I do not care for how pressure canned veggies come out. I just open the jar and add the veggies fresh and no one would be the wiser that the meat had been pressure canned.
I especially like making turkey soup and canning the stock for gravy and some jars with broth and meat for soup later in the year when everyone is tired of eating the same chicken and beef and pork. And it’s virtually impossible to find turkey broth or turkey soup on store shelves.
You’re added!
I’m going to try to come up with a new topic once a week, hopefully on Mondays. Tuesdays if I’m running late.
If you have any topics you want to see or you want to submit a topic to the group, let me know and I’ll send it along.
I have done it both ways. I prefer adding liquid. For the meat we can get around here, there’s not enough moisture, and the top half is not covered.
So instead of salt, I add a small amount of bullion dissolved in boiling water and fill the jar 1/4 to 1/2 with the liquid.
If you add too much liquid it can leak out into canner.
Some of the canning books specifically state not to add liquid to raw pack. However, the booklet that came with my canner seemed to indicate it was ok. At any rate, I tried it both ways. Both worked, but adding liquid tastes better in my opinion.
Thank you*
It is not necessary to brown—you can add boiling water to raw pack. Don’t add too much though, because you could wind up with too much liquid for the container.
I guess that’s why they want you to brown it—to get some of the liquid out? Anyway I put 1/4 to 1/2 of the jar with liquid. I don’t usually brown anything.
Do you have any more hints on how to use them successfully?
Are there times when you prefer to use the metal lids?
Lots of good information here, thank you metmom.
I didn’t know that the Disposable Lids were only good for a year. I guess they only guarantee them for that long, but I know I have some jars of stuff that are close to 5 years old. Even with those the metal Lids don’t fail. I haven’t tested tattlers that long. How long is your oldest Tattler jar?
I didn’t know we weren’t supposed to heat the canning jars in the oven. Somehow I’m always doing things I’m not supposed to, because it just seems a better way. If I heat the jars in water then I need yet another big pot on the stove, and I was using all four burners last night. And apparently they break! Thanks for that info, I won’t even consider it then.
“I have started a recipe word document to type out all my favorite recipes, since someone is always asking for a copy of one or another.”
That’s a great idea, one week we could have a recipe sharing. By your recipes do you mean the stuff that goes in the jar or how you use it after?
I haven’t been creative at all with what goes in the jar, I just have plain chicken, beef, beans, tomatoes. I have pickled beets though, I guess that’s the most effort I’ve gone through. But I don’t have anything that I could just take out of the jar and have it ready to eat right then.
Nice to see you, CottonBall!
“I especially like making turkey soup and canning the stock for gravy and some jars with broth and meat for soup later in the year when everyone is tired of eating the same chicken and beef and pork.”
I love having homemade canned stock to use in soups. I’m not sure why but it seems like the pressure cooked stocks just have so much intense flavor.
“And it’s virtually impossible to find turkey broth or turkey soup on store shelves.”
I was wondering about that when I was canning turkey stock from this year’s Thanksgiving turkey. I don’t recall ever seen turkey broth in the stores! But I figured I could be missing it because I haven’t looked in years. I kind of just go to the same aisles and buy the same stuff all the time. So I miss a lot of new things. Same with TV shows.
I always use the stock from the last turkey to moisten the dressing and if needed, to make the gravy for the current turkey. And then the cycle continues.
Hi lj!!!
Glad to see you’re here, you can share a lot of your experience with us.
If you have any prepper topics that you might want to share your skills and information on that would be great. I’m going to put out a new topic every week, Monday or Tuesday.
I’ve had the same question! The ball Blue Book says you either Brown the meat and add liquid or you just put it in raw. I don’t know why we couldn’t combine the two and just put it in raw with liquid. I mean after 90 minutes any type of meat is going to be well cooked so Browning is just aesthetic. And is a lot more work!
“If you add too much liquid it can leak out into canner.”
That was the problem last night, the whole house smelled really good though. But the inside of the canner and the outside of the jars was super greasy. I was amazed that they sealed.
I’m going to have to put a sticky on my canning book to remind myself that I can do it the way you said. Thanks!
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