Previous thread canned. ;-)
It’s here
Any suggestions on where online to get lids in bulk quantities?
LMWatBullRun at 17:50 --- I just did a quick Google for Ball lids and Kerr lids. Seems they’re only sold in groups of 12. But Goodman’s may have a deal you’ll like.
Goodman’s has sold me stuff it didn’t have and didn’t bother to tell me they had to backorder it. I had to call and find out myself when it wasn’t delivered after a long time. Just a caution.
Red Hill General Store might have them (I’m not sure) and there’s some country-supply store used by the Amish that has big lots of jar lids… Lemann’s or something like that?
Big Lots has lids 1 doz for a dollar.
I’m a canning fiend these days!
I have been busily canning meals-in-a jar, about 6 quarts twice a week — and have been running out of places to store them.
Then I noticed, in my 1950s era house, a place in the basement with wooden shelves placed for no apparent purpose between the studs in the basement wall (in the utility room). The shelves were far too narrow for any useful purpose — or so I thought — until I realized they were exactly the right size for canning jars! Some original owner of thsi house must have had her husband put up these shelves.
Hi ACM! Don’t those jars look just so purty up there on those shelves? I’m sure you’ve sent a quiet thought of thanks to the original owner of those shelves. I know just what you mean; the basement in my parent’s house has a 2×4 ledge all around the inside of one room, just perfect for a row of canning jars. (s)
What have you been making? I just took another 7 jars of Traditional Chicken Soup (as opposed to Ginger or Lemon) out of my canner. It smelled so good putting it up that I had to make another big pot of chicken noodle soup for dinner because that’s what everybody wanted! Now I’ve got the end of a big ham I’m trying to figure out what to do with.
Hi Northstar! I’m pretty much going through all the meal recipes in Ball’s Blue Book. So far meat stew, 10-bean soup, and seasoned meat — kinda like a spaghetti meat sauce, I guess. Each one has been a big hit with my picky eating family, so that’s a real motivating factor. And yeah, the jars look great all in a row; it is a really nice feeling, kind of in tune with autumn, I guess, or stocking your pantry for the winter. I look forward to trying chicken stew and soups next.
Northstar ‘Now Ive got the end of a big ham Im trying to figure out what to do with.’
…try home-made ham and pea soup (I add carrots and onions too)- it’s awesome!
Ohhh, I’d forgotten about that one! I love pea soup! (But one child is allergic, so it’s forbidden food at our house. But thanks!)
Sorry to hear that Northstar:-) We’ve got a few allergies in our house to contend with too- can’t have turnips in my beef stew for instance (sigh)
My second favorite thing to do with left-over ham is quiche. I make pie-size ones(usually 4 at a time) have 2 for dinner and freeze 2 for a busy day or unexpected company.
It’s fun to see all the ‘All American’ canner fans…I have 4 of them…a 910, a 921 and 2–941′s. I’ve been busy teaching some ladies online how to can different things…we’re doing pressure canning items and water bath canning items, because there are some things that can be canned just using a huge stock pot full of water to process jars in. This week we’re water bath canning garlic jelly and pressure canning hamburger meat. The garlic jelly actually came out awesome, and I took some of that and mixed it with some soy sauce and marinated pork in it, grilled it, and it had a really great flavor.
I noticed that some of y’all are canning meats and that’s alot of fun. Just the other day, I pulled out a quart jar of chicken breast chunks I had canned a year ago and made chicken divan with it. I also made some falutas from the canned beef I had canned and the kids went nuts over them. The best part was the recipe said to take fresh meat, simmer it for a few hours till it started falling apart so that it could be shredded. Since my meat was home canned, the chunks shredded very easily and instead of it taking me hours to make a meal, it took a few minutes. It’s inspiring me to can more meats because those will be vital in emergencies and I’m coming up with more and more ideas to make with simple canned meats.
Tomorrow I think I’m going to teach them how to home can simple hamburger meat, and also some things like sloppy joes, chili, etc. I’ve long since run outta room to store all my jars, but I hafta say there’s gotta be a better place to stack all the cases other than my dining room…lol
Shad.
I believe those little shelves inbetween the studs are called fire breaks—to keep flames from shooting straight up between the studs in event of fire.
shadddup-at 22:55 I only DREAM of the day I own 2 941′s it would for sure help out
It was my pleasure to teach 3 families to can meat this summer once you start using it you can become addicted to the ease of preparing a meal. It really helps knowing chicken is canned at 240 degrees for 90 min. One of the families doesn’t what to prep in any way and thinks I am nuts- however they are now canning like crazy meats veggies sauces not as preps it is for the busy times in thier lives holidays etc.
I ordered Clear Insta Jell from Walton Feeds. When I was inspecting the can the information side panel said the product was not for canning.
Obviously I made a mistake, what is the proper product for canning foods?
Thanks alot
I ordered Clear Insta Jell from Walton Feeds. When I was inspecting the can the information side panel said the product was not for canning.
Obviously I made a mistake, what is the proper product for canning foods?
Thanks alot
Cygnet- Thanks for the tip. My local Big Lots no longer has any. I bought ‘em all at $0.99 per dozen.
For the benefit of those who are considering stocking up on canning lids, Walmart has foolishly decided that canning is a summer activity and has put all of their canning supplies on clearance. They have standard lids for $1.39 and wide mouth for 1.89 per dozen. Anybody thinking of stocking up should look there, as I could not find a better price in several hours searching on the ‘Net, plus there is no shipping cost. Quart jars with lids and bands were $8 per dozen. If you get there early you may get a real deal. (no, I am not affiliated with Wally world)
Canning supplies are indeed seasonal items in most areas. I suggested some time ago that those who plan to do a lot of canning get the supplies before they are gone. Luckily, my local store has them all year long. Of course I can also get a 40 lb salt lick there to if I so desire.
no name at 21:13
Clear Jel is a commercial thickener, composed of a modified corn starch. It comes in a couple of versions, including one that sets up and thickens best in uncooked instant foods and another that works best in cooked foods. With the uncooked version (Instant Clear Jel), you combine it with an equal amount of sugar, stir it thoroughly into your food, and wait about 10 minutes for it to attain maximum thickness. The cooked version (Clear Jel A) is mixed with cold water before being added to your recipe. Since Instant ClearJel is pre-gelatinized (pre-cooked), it swells and begins to thicken instantly when added to cold water or fruit juices. ClearJel requires heating before the thickening process begins. There is a gradual increase in thickness during heating for both products. Maximum thickness is reached upon cooling. Both products resist syneresis (“weeping”) during storage. The manufacturer does not recommend Instant ClearJel for home canning, since it tends to break down during the canning process. Instant ClearJel is freezer-stable, however, ClearJel is not. Instant ClearJel is excellent for use in high quality pies to be frozen before or after baking.
The good news is that you can still use your Instant ClearJel, just perhaps not in the original manner you intended.
Shad.
shad, where do you get your regular Clear Jell? I’ve never seen it in stores, and I’d like to put up some pie filling.
Check your hardware stores too - my significant other found regular size canning lids $0.49 per box (one dozen lids).
shadddup at 22:55
I’ve started canning meat as a result of this website. It is something I had never done before, and was a little bit nervous about canning meat because of “fear” it would poison us. My grandmother had a root cellar full of all kinds of canned stuff, including meat. I have canned before, years ago, but never had canned meat. It has taken a large weight off my shoulder having this canned meat put up!
I have a question… about canning HB. There have been some comments that it may or may not be a good idea. I have canned at least 2 cases of HB, along with canning meatloaf. (We love meatloaf!) Canning book says chopped meat, which I suppose is not quite ground meat. I am just packing it into the jars raw, adding seasoning and tomatoes.
Yesterday, canned 7 quarts chicken stew and 7 quarts of beef stew!
beehiver — what store???! That’s a great price!
Enough Already @ 11:52 — I think the current thinking/testing on hamburger is that there isn’t enough circulation in the jar to thoroughly process the center of the meat, particularly raw packed. That’s why it’s recommended now to pack the meat pre-browned, in broth or water, for the convection. (One can also rinse out the fat that way, too.) That having been said, lots of people raw pack anyway. But remember, people used to put up food however they could, and though it worked *most* times, maybe not all. I canned some mincemeat — back in the old days, it would have been hot-water canned, meat plus fruit, sugar and citrus to make it acid enough to be shelf-stable… except when it didn’t make it. My mother was thrilled to taste mincemeat again but my father was repulsed — an aversion he probably got a lifetime ago from a bad batch.
So, what should I do with the cases of HB I’ve canned? Besides constantly checking on it!
EA: I think the problem is when the jar is packed solid full of raw meat in a mass. If you’re mixing it with tomatoes, they’re breaking up the ‘burg into sections, and they’re boiling, too. I think you’re ok — if it isn’t thoroughly cooked, and the enzymes are not deactivated and bacteria not killed, it will decay and smell *reallly* bad when you open it and you’ll know. Honestly, I know people who pack those pints solid full of raw hamburger and it’s fine, though I wouldn’t do it.
I gotta ask you, though, how on earth did you can meatloaf? We love meatloaf here, too!
Shad 8:47
Thank you for the clarification on the insta clear jell.
American 915 pressures canner Help please.
Somewhere on FW I read about using a wooden spoon to help getting the lid on or off…I can’t remember exactly and I can’t the helpful hint in my review of the threads. Does anyone know what I am talking about?
Thanks in advance for you much need help…a definite newbie in the canning world…scared but excited.
no name: TatatatAAAAAAA! Help is here!
First, make sure you’ve done that little bit of vasaline lubrication on the bevel and the wing nuts. When you are putting the lid on an AA it rocks on the bevelling and is the very devil to get on straight — and if you don’t, sometimes you don’t get a tight seal and have to start over. (Voice of experience here.) I found that I could get the lid level by running a flat wooden spatula that was just the right thickness (about 1/4″) all around the space between the lid and body of the canner. Look around your kitchen to see what you might have that’ll be a good spacer, it could be anything. Once you have the lid levelled, put up opposite wingnuts and just tighten a tiny bit. Then go around and put up opposite wing nuts two at a time until they are all done. Once they’re all in place, start tighting down opposites two at a time, one turn at a time. I hope this is making sense!
To get it _off_ : Don’t wait too long after the gauge hits “O” or it will really clamp down as it cools and contracts. Mine always sticks tight; to loosen it just put a flat screwdriver between those metal flanges and lever it up a little. It should pop quickly. You’re not gouging at anything — you’re using the shaft of the screwdriver for force (and it shouldn’t take much at that.)
Other miscellaneous advice: get a lid lifter or magnetic wand from the hardware to get lids/rings out of the simmering water and make sure your rings go on really hot, too.
Have fun! I’m writing while listening to my AA chatter — I’m putting up jars of ham & potato & onion soup right now! There’s nothing like seeing a shelving unit full of glittering jars of just-good-stuff.
Northstar
Thank you, Thank you.
I have read you exploits in canning many times…sounds great! I am hoping to fill all of these jars with good food and leave my dehydrated stuff for the long run.
“I found that I could get the lid level by running a flat wooden spatula that was just the right thickness (about 1/4) all around the space between the lid and body of the canner.”
Do you run the flat spatula around the rim “once” and then tighten the wing nuts or as you tighten the sets of wing nuts “measure” with the spatula or both.
Appreciate you!
PS
I read in the literature that we aren’t suppose to cook bean and rice in the pressure canner in a grey box in the instruction manuel…then in the text of the manual it says don’t fill over half (water and food)when cooking beans and rice because of the foam action clogs vents.
I planned on using the cooker WTSHTF to quickly cook bean and rice, if I can’t use my pressure canner I need to rethink my strategy. Any thoughts on these processes?
Thanks.
You’re welcome! I run the spatula around until the gap is even — if I overcorrect on one side, I have to poke the spatula in the other side until it evens out. I just use wood because it won’t gouge the metal. Once it’s even, I delicately start putting the wing nuts up but don’t tighten them until they’re all up and tightened just a hair. That way I don’t screw up the spacing as I tighten down fully.
So far as cooking the beans and rice… I tend to take them at their word if they say it might mess up the canner. What some here have done is pressure cook _jars_ of beans so they have them pre-cooked and ready to go. (Not to mention you can add your own meats, flavorings, etc.)What I am planning to do is buy a small cooker for fast-cooking meats. For things that need longer simmer times I’m planning on pre-soaking and then using a haybox for part of the cook time. (I have been using a towel wrapped around a hot pot in a large tupperware container but I think I’m going to come up with something a little better.)
Northstar at 11:17 ~
The cheapest I’ve been able to find it so far is at The Ingredient Store…1 pound for $3.08
EnoughAlready at 11:52 ~
It’s great that you took the leap to home canning meats…I am discovering more and more recipes that I love making with them and the ease and convenience is incredible.
I can hamburger all the time. I would not however, can it raw. Probably the biggest reason is because there is varying degrees of fat in hamburger. Fat will cause your home canned product to go rancid much much more quickly. When hamburger is cooked, there is alot of grease that is normally drained off. I even rinse my hamburger in a collander after cooking it, to get rid of as much fat as possible. I wish I could post pictures here, cause I’d take some pictures of hamburger jars I’ve canned where I’ve rinsed the hamburger after draining it, and jars where I’ve just drained the grease. It’s shocking how much grease is still left in the hamburger meat by just draining it…when it’s been home canned by just draining, the jars have a decent layer of fat at the top and I know that I’m living on borrowed time (I’m probably even past the time where I could still use it…mine is a year old now).
Canning meats can be hugely successful if a few rules are followed. Unfortunately, although fat is in part, a flavorer to meats, it is the one thing that will cause it to deterioriate and go rancid the fastest.
I, being the hard headed pollock that I am, just threw out a ton of chicken stock I had spent hours and days making and processing. I allowed too much fat to remain in the broth and had convinced myself it wouldn’t really make that much of a difference. When I went to use the broth for cooking, it was no good, as it had gone rancid.
Lesson learned…and even *I* believe…lol
Personally, I’d start using up your hamburger that you have home canned by raw method in short order, and then look at it as rotating your stock, by re-canning hamburger again, but in a more reliable and safer manner.
Hope this helps.
Shad.
btw, the National Center for Home Food Preservation (the ultimate canning authority in my book) advocates home canning of hamburger meat:
http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/how/can_05/ground_chopped.html
Shad.
I canned the HB in July & August. There is some fat in it… and I used lean HB. I also made some with ground turkey or ground pork. I also made the meatloaf stuff, and some meatballs. The biggest problem I am having with fat/grease is with chicken. Even cook it, refrigerate it, and then can it. I can’t seem to get chicken that isn’t greasy. Best luck I am having is with beef (other than HB… sigh.) I trim fat off anything I can trim it off of, but HB is not something that I can do that with! I did everything according to the Nat’l cntr Home food preservation recommendations for HB. So about how long is it until this goes rancid? I keep checking on it. No discoloration. The grease is probably less than a quarter inch… of the yellowish stuff. The broth looks greasy.
The meatloaf… made it w/o eggs or milk (which I usually use.) Used bread and oatmeal, but much less than normally use. Added onions, bell peppers and tomatoes. Filled the jars about 3/4, added beef boullion. Look like little bitty footballs! (Figure it’s a “spam” alternative!) (Maybe not, now that I am worried about this HB canning.)
All I know is, I have followed the directions to the letter!
What if I stuck these “greasy” filled jars in the freezer? Is it too late to do that? Wouldn’t/shouldn’t that help preserve the stuff I’ve canned?
Great link shad…Thanks…
HI EnoughAlready I have had the most luck with chicken when I can breast only, it has very little fat. When canning beef I try to use bottom round and I use beef broth. Canning HB I use only gr.round and 2# fills a qt. jar. I have canned pork sausge but it is really bland so I have switched to canning the speicy stuff- much better taste. As a busy Mom the canned meat on hand has been wonderful for quick meals. Now that I am retired I still can alot. OOPS forgot to say I alway cook meat to drain off extra fat before canning. I have learned many lessons the hard way in my 30 years of canning.
When my grandmother canned sausage patties; she fried the patties till brown, put them in the wide-mouth pint jars, then filled them full with a mix of 1/2 melted lard and 1/2 broth made from boiling a ham bone to pieces.
She used the pressure canner; but told me of her mother simply packing the cooked patties in a solid lard pack, and slapping a lid on it…no canner at all, stored the jars/crocks in the cool spring house. ( NO canner…that’s makes me cringe . :-S )
I never remembered any going rancid …. ?? Or could it be that, we ate it faster then, then we do now ????
I am thinking of frying sausage in 1 inch balls or crumbles, simply because I LIKE crumbled cooked sausage in my oatmeal, and Cream of Wheat. My favorite is fried bacon; but does ANYONE KNOW HOW TO CAN BACON ????
I have heard how to can bacon but it is a NOT APPROVED practice so use at your own risk: (s)
Fry bacon until it is partially cooked but not crisp. Roll strips in parchment paper and pack rolls loosely into quart jars. Process at 90 min at 10 lbs or pressure appropriate for your elevation.
Well, I have just used my no-longer-new 921 pressure canner to preserve the first food I have ever canned myself in my life. There are nine pints of beef stew cooling on a towel on my counter. I like to cook and I’m really looking forward to having lots of healthy food stored on the shelf. I was as careful as I knew to be but am sure there are lots of tricks to this art that I still have yet to learn.
My mother used to water bath can peaches and pears every year, and she’d occasionally pressure cook roasts and such, but she never pressure canned that I recall. Thanks to all who tempted me while I lurked on this and other similar threads to the point that I finally jumped in and tried it. I really wanted to have this tool just in case TSHTF, but then I thought that there wasn’t much point in having the tools but no experience…. I think I’m going to have to build another root cellar. <grin>
LMWatBullRun at 00:52
It is truly a satisfying feeling to have your own home-canned food on a storage shelf. Sometimes I go down to the basement just to look at mine. It is exactly the way you like it, in the proportion that works best for you. How could it be any better!
May take a swing at canning some peaches and pears this fall. I always remember what a treat they were…Dried is nice but canned is better when it comes to fruit.
As far as preserving pork, I think you can dry it after it’s cooked. One possible way to preserve pork would be to cook it thoroughly, cut into thin strips, brine it with a very heavy salt brine and salt it with fine ground salt flour, then dry it. Have never tried this and have no idea if it would work or not, but I may look into that and report back. Salt-curing and drying through smoking works well for hams….
OK, I couldn’t resist. I just bought a small pressure canner and a small pressure cooker. I’ll tackle getting the canning recipes into the cookbook soon.
Though I’ve heard that food prices overall have gone up, in my area there still are specials on milk 3 gallons for $5, and chicken breasts, beef roast, and pork loin for well under $2 per pound. I keep thinking that meat prices will go up shortly, so my frige freezer is packed. If TSHTF, I hope there’s enough warning about potential power outages to can what’s in the freezer before it goes bad.
Mari at 13:00
I think there will be plenty of time, but I am working on canning soup beans and hamburger every opportunity I get.
In another post about the Hawaiian Earthquake yesterday, I mentioned that we had mason jars of huli huli chicken, beef stew, barbecue spare ribs, Korean short ribs, Kalua pig. This elicited drools from the readers and I was asked to post some of these recipes. Always happy to share my food, just keep in mind that I don’t use measuring cups or spoons. The pressure cooking side is always been the same for meat, 10 lbs for 90 minutes for the quarts. Let the Ball blue blue be your guide. For each recipe, I take out the bones and excess fat after cooking, but before putting in the jars.
Korean Short Ribs or Chicken 2 cups soy sauce 2 T sesame oil 1/2 cup white sugar 5 cloves garlic, minced 1/2 inch ginger root, grated
3 green onion, chopped
Mix all ingredents together. Poke your short ribs or chicken with a fork so the sauce can sink in. Put them in container, cover with sauce. If the chicken or ribs are not covered completely, make some more sauce. Put covered container in frig overnight. Barbecue over medium heat, turn frequently, use marinade to baste.
I’ve used both a beef broth or the same sauce recipe above plus half water to pack the ribs in. I’ve used a chicken broth to pack the chicken in.
Barbecued spare ribs
Cooking ribs
Cut the ribs into individual ribs. Cook the barbecue ribs on the stove in a pot of water. Add a couple of bay leaves, 3 cloves of garlic, some grated ginger, black pepper, 1 cup of lemon juice and 1/2 stick of maragine/butter. After bringing for to a boil, turn heat down slightly and cook for two hours. Meat should be extremely tender when done.
Barbecue sauce:
1 cup ketchup 1 cup vinegar 1/2 cup brown sugar 1/2 ts dry mustard 1 T chili powder dashes of Worcestershire sauce salt & pepper to taste
Mix all ingridents. Heat. Pour over ribs in jar.
Wife’s Beef Stew
2 lbs. stewing beef 1 onion 1 can stewing tomatoes, chopped (14 oz) 1 can tomato sauce (8 oz) chopped carrots, celery, potatoes (you know how many you like) salt and pepper to taste
Chop up the onion, fry in hot oil for a minute or two. Add cut up beef. Cook until brown. Add water to cover and boil for about 15 minutes or until tender. Add potatoes, cook for 5 minutes. Add carrots, stewing tomatoes and tomato sauce. Cook for another 5 minutes. Add celery and cook for 5 more minutes. All times are approximate, on Hawaiian time here, no more watch.
Kalua pig
Put a pork butt or shoulder in the crock pot, preferably the large one. Cover almost completely with water, add 1 cup of liquid smoke and a couple of tablespoons of Hawaiian salt (I guess this also goes by other names, but it’s the big grain crystals of salt). Cook for 10 to 12 hours on low. Use the broth to pack in jars.
When hungry, mix kalua and broth with cabbage, cook until tender.
Huli Huli Chicken
I won’t lie, I use a store bought sauce called Huli Huli sauce, but I’m not sure if you can get it on the mainland. Here’s a recipe I’ve used as well, but I like the store bought better.
1/2 cup soy sauce 1/3 cup brown sugar 1/4 cup ketchup 1/2 inch ginger root, grated 3 cloves garlic, minced 3 T white wine a couple of chile peppers, chopped
Mix all ingredents. Poke chicken with fork. Cover chicken, preferably overnight in frig. Barbecue and baste with marinade will cooking. Turn so it doesn’t burn.
We’ve actually used whole birds as well, on a rotissere, with kiawe wood, which turned out well. Mesquite charcoal is also recommended.
We packed with chicken broth.
Bon Apetite & Aloha
Mahalo Brah.
I’ll try these out in a couple of weeks.
a CUP of liquid smoke??? Are you sure??
You could cut it down some, but I’ve always used plenty to get flavor. In a 5 quart crock pot, you end up putting a good bit of water in it. Most people are accustomed to the small bottles of liquid smoke, maybe 8 ounces, but we buy it by the quart. Also, keep in mind, I don’t use a measuring cup, so this is a guestimate.
Hawn Kid,
Where do you get a quart jar of liquid smoke? I make a lot of jerky and would really like to get it in quart jars.
Cinda at 12:52
I buy the quart plastic bottles of Wright’s Natural Hickory Seasoning at a company here that sells restaurant equiment/supplies and bulk food items to restaurants, but is open to the public.
I’ve also found that rather than buying spices at the market in the 2 ounce bottles, I go to http://stores.ebay.com/Spice-Express for all my spices, because most 10–15 ounce big bottles of spices are $3.49 plus a flat $5.95 for shipping, so I’ll order 6 bottles at a time. Comes out much cheaper, I’ve been satisified with the quality and the service.
Aloha
Gordon Food Service sells 32 oz bottles of liquid smoke for $6.29. They have stores in Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, Kentucky, PA and Florida. No membership required. I have no affiliation with them but I like to shop there! Amazon.com sells the Wright’s liquid smoke for $17.99/gallon (plus shipping).Oh, and they sell the Huli Huli sauce too.