FOOD Canning pork

[Border Collie Dad]

I have a few quarts of pork I want to can but it's been a while since I've done this.
I have a pressure canner.

My parents (and I) always cold packed.
I wanted to refresh mysaelf and checked out the Ball book.

They don't show how to cold pack.
Only hot pack.

Is there some reason not tol cold pack pork?

Thanks

 

[Kathy in FL]

I raw pack most of my meats unless it is in a soup or ground beef.

 

[Sherrynboo]

I cold pack pork and chicken all the time. I just cut it up in chunks and process it.

 

[Border Collie Dad]

Thanks.
That is how it's been done for generations here at Peach Hill.

Thought it odd that the Ball book didn't cover it.

 

[Publius]

Quart jars pack the meat in below the fill line and fill with water to fill line.
Pressure cook at 12 pounds or close to it for 1 hour 30 minutes or 90 minutes which ever works out for you as it's the same. Pint jars get cooked for less time and not sure how long as we never can meat in any thing but quart jars.

 

[anna43]

Check the USDA website for the latest information. I was told by Extension specialist a month or two ago that the Ball Blue Book has a few things that differ.

 

[kyrsyan]

I cold pack. Otherwise the meat tastes over cooked to me.

 

[oops]

Last I heard…n I have not researched it…fda was talking about stopping their recommending raw pack/cold packing any meat…another…just in case someone does something really stupid type recommendation...right wrong indifferent...

 

[moldy]

I usually hot pack mine, more for looks than anything. I like beef and pork browned, and chicken I cook because I can get more off the bones that way.

 

[John Deere Girl]

I usually hot pack mine, more for looks than anything. I like beef and pork browned, and chicken I cook because I can get more off the bones that way.

I also hot pack meat when canning.

 

[ainitfunny]

I cold pack all meat before pressure canning.
You know you can cold pack ham hocks before pressure canning them? ( for beans, peas, cabbage dishes , and other Ham hock special dishes)
And cold pack sausages like Kielbasa.

 

[tnphil]

I have a few quarts of pork I want to can but it's been a while since I've done this.
I have a pressure canner.

My parents (and I) always cold packed.
I wanted to refresh mysaelf and checked out the Ball book.

They don't show how to cold pack.
Only hot pack.

Is there some reason not tol cold pack pork?

Thanks

Cube pork loins (or whatever) and pack raw. Do NOT add a lot of water, it will only leak out the top. Liquid will come out of the pork itself. Put quarts in pressure canner, vent for 10 minutes with steam coming out. Process 90 minutes at 15psi.
Same for beef, chicken, venison, etc.

 

[energy_wave]

I only raw packed pressure canned chicken years ago and seem to remember adding canning salt, iirc.

 

[Coulter]

Couple of months ago for the first time I raw packed chicken qts. Canned it for the correct amount of time and looked at it awhile back and the chicken looked somewhat raw. Is this normal? I'm have canned a lot of stuff including meat just never chicken. Thanks

 

[tnphil]

Couple of months ago for the first time I raw packed chicken qts. Canned it for the correct amount of time and looked at it awhile back and the chicken looked somewhat raw. Is this normal? I'm have canned a lot of stuff including meat just never chicken. Thanks

No, it's not raw.
Open a quart-the chicken should shred really easy, even at room temperature. If it doesn't, you didn't can it properly.
At 15psi, the jars in the canner should reach about 255 degrees and it will be quite done and tender.

 

[kyrsyan]

In the canning groups, rae packed chicken and pork are called ugly chicken and ugly pork. They look gross, but they taste great.

 

[Toosh]

You might consider a second resource. They discuss both hot and raw pack:

National Center for Home Food Preservation | How Do I? Can Meats

 

[Millwright]

Ok

This doesn't involve chunky bridesmaids.

Nevermind.

 

[Border Collie Dad]

Quart jars pack the meat in below the fill line and fill with water to fill line

My mom never added water.
Just a teaspoon of salt.
She didn't use a pressure canner, either.

I am using a pressure canner!!!

Even though I've canned pork in the past without one and didn't die.

 

[Border Collie Dad]

Thanks, all, for your replies.
I've canned pork a number of times in the past.

Just needed to know if it was ok to raw pack or if something had changed.

 

[billet]

The only canning of pork I do is garbage canning.

 

[Rabbit]

I usually can Boston Butts in pint jars. I cut it up into cubes and raw pack it. Fill the jars just below the threads, about an inch, and put on the lids and bands, finger tight. It makes juice so you don't add any liquid. Process pints in a pressure canner for 1 hour and 15 minutes, and quarts for 1 hour and 30 minutes.

I'm at sea level so 10 lbs of pressure works for me. As always do your research your safety is up to you.

There is a lot of fat with pork but it congeals at the top of the jar and is easy to remove. I always cook canned pork for at least 10 minutes on high before serving it.

 

[Sherrynboo]

That canned pork will make the best barbque sandwiches!

 

[Border Collie Dad]

That canned pork will make the best barbque sandwiches!

That sounds good.
We always just put it in the oven and roasted it.

I usually can Boston Butts in pint jars.

What I have is some roasts that I usually smoke and pull.
My wife has decided that we (she) don't like that and so we should cube it and can it.

Not terribly opposed to this since I like canned pork a lot, too.

I cut up a couple of these so far this morning and not sure I want to keep going.
The scraps are more than the cleaned canning meat.

IIRC, we canned mostly leaner cuts.

 

[Sherrynboo]

Might be too late now but you can also use the fattier cuts to grind up for sausage. Just add seasonings and put in the freezer.

 

[tnphil]

That sounds good.
We always just put it in the oven and roasted it.


What I have is some roasts that I usually smoke and pull.
My wife has decided that we (she) don't like that and so we should cube it and can it.

Not terribly opposed to this since I like canned pork a lot, too.

I cut up a couple of these so far this morning and not sure I want to keep going.
The scraps are more than the cleaned canning meat.

IIRC, we canned mostly leaner cuts.

I try to catch pork loins when Kroger has them for $1.49 or $1.99 per pound. 5 loins will generally fill 7 quart jars. Not a lot of fat to be trimmed. Same with boneless chicken thighs when a good price.

 

[Border Collie Dad]

We have these in the freezer from the last whole pig we bought.

I suppose I can grind the scraps for sausage and cook the bones for soup.

 

[Night Owl]

Just cut off the excess fat. You can cook the fat down into lard and delicious crunchies to snack.

 

[john70]

Where to get the USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning​

You can get a chapter by chapter PDF download version of it on the NCHFP site or a USDA Complete Canning Guide 2015. Merged PDF (merged Feb 2016.) HealthyCanning did the merge of the separate PDFs into one PDF for your convenience for use on tablet reading devices, etc. You have our word that we made no alterations at all in the merge.

Do not buy hard copies of it on Amazon. Hard copies sold there have been known to omit important advice. The current authorized hard copy seller is Purdue University Extension.

 

[john70]

USDA Canning Guide, 2015

USDA Canning Guide, 2015​

Product code: AIG-539

Price​

$25.50/ Each

Add to Cart

Description​

This is the most up to date canning guide currently available, and Purdue Extension is the only authorized retailer.

Introducing the USDA's New Complete Guide to Home Canning -
a 196 page, full-color, spiral-bound resource book
for people who are canning for the first time or for experienced canners who want to improve their canning practices. Available as single copy (AIG-539); or order in bulk, and save - 25 copies per box.

 

[john70]

2006 JK Ball Complete Book Of Home Preserving : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

HAS A NICE PDF OF

2006 JK Ball Complete Book Of Home Preserving​

 

[Bubble Head]

We always can pork raw along with other meats, Like to add a little allspice, clove, bay leaf and a couple rings of onion for spiced pork. One half teaspoon of canning salt per pint. Seventy five minute pressure cook at 15 pounds after allowing the air to release first. Let the pressure cooker natural release. Gotta go with the higher pressure due to are altitude. Quarts require 90 minutes. Canning meat makes for a great meal and quick. We never add water since the meat will always make its own juice.
Getting ready to can some beets. Did one batch and spiced them using apple cider as the liquid. All I can say is WOW,

 

[Border Collie Dad]

Just cut off the excess fat. You can cook the fat down into lard and delicious crunchies to snack.

Not that kind of fat.

Just testing the canner.
Haven't used it in a while.

 

[packyderms_wife]

Thanks.
That is how it's been done for generations here at Peach Hill.

Thought it odd that the Ball book didn't cover it.

I don't know which BBB. you have but do know that there have been some changes made in the most recent edition that are... questionable.

We raw pack all of our meats, they go into the jar cold, sometimes we add water, sometimes we don't... it all depends on if we are wanting "gravy" when we open a jar. If you do add water only had a half of a cup or so since modern processed meats contain water, etc., in them.

except ground beef, you want to par cook it before canning, otherwise it gets really weird.

 

[Border Collie Dad]

Just checked and I have a 2006 edition.
Surprised it is that old.

My parents always raw packed with no water.
Canner checked out so I'll start in a little b it when wife is done monkeying around in the kitchen.

 

[Old Gray Mare]

I've seen warnings not to can cured meats but never an explanation as to why(?). The exception was there are some recipes in Ball's Blue Book that include preserved meat, I think more as a seasoning and in specific proportions and amounts compared to the rest of the ingredients in their recipe.

 

[Border Collie Dad]

I got all of two quarts out of all that.
I'll grind up the scraps today and see if they will work for sausage.