Post and Pictures by Sheila
I first cleaned my work area and laid out all the tools I would need during the canning process.
I then washed and trimmed the fat off my meat before cooking it.
I browned the stew meat before placing the meat in the jars. I added beef broth to the stew meat.
I opened a jar of stew meat and added some bbq sauce to have bbq beef sandwiches. The beef melted in my mouth.
I hope you are all enjoying being a Master Food Preserver as I am. If any of you have any questions do not hesitate in contacting me at svansonpfs(at)yahoo(dot)com.
I have also canned 120 jars of fresh meat. chicken, stew meat and hamburger.
Related Fact Sheets from the National Center for Home Food Storage Preservation
Could you be more specific which cut of meat that you used. Stew meat could be a few different cuts. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteHi Sheila, I have canned raw meat before. Is it better to cook a little before canning?
ReplyDeleteLinda Thomas
Also one more question how long is it safe to store bottle meat. I have some chicken and beef that is three years old do you think it's still ok?
ReplyDelete@Linda,
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry I don't have your email to send you this directly. If you cook the raw meat before hand, it tends to keep its shape better during the canning process. I don't know if you can really tell from these pictures but if you go to this link
http://masterfoodpreservers.blogspot.com/2011/03/master-food-preserver-class-day-2.html
the very last jar on the right is meat canned without cooking it first. The meat still tastes the same, but cooking it first gives it a nicer look.
For question #2, from the National Center for Food Preservation website it states:
http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/questions/FAQ_canning.html#5
"How long will canned food keep?
Properly canned food stored in a cool, dry place will retain optimum eating quality for at least 1 year. Canned food stored in a warm place near hot pipes, a range, a furnace, or in indirect sunlight may lose some of its eating quality in a few weeks or months, depending on the temperature. Dampness may corrode cans or metal lids and cause leakage so the food will spoil."
Use within a year is optimal, however I have chicken that is 2-3 years old and it is just fine. Just make sure you never eat processed foods if it is no longer sealed.