FROM PRESTO
PRESSURE CANNING MEAT
Pressure canning is the ONLY SAFE METHOD for canning meat.
All meat should be handled carefully to avoid contamination from the time of slaughtering until the
products are canned. Animals should be correctly slaughtered, canned promptly or kept under
refrigeration until processed. If you slaughter your own meat, contact your local county agricultural agent
for complete information on slaughtering, chilling, and aging the meat.
Keep meat as cool as possible during preparation for canning, handle rapidly, and process meat as soon
as it is packed. Most meats need only be wiped with a damp cloth. Use lean meat for canning; remove
most of the fat. Cut off gristle and remove large bones. Cut into pieces convenient for canning.
To prepare broth, place bony pieces in saucepan and cover with cold water. Simmer until meat is tender.
Discard fat. Add boiling broth to jars packed with precooked meat and poultry.
Meat should not be browned with flour nor should flour be used in the broth to make gravy for pouring
over the packed meat. Pack hot meat loosely, leaving 1-inch headspace in Mason jars.
Meats may be processed with or without salt. If salt is desired, use only pure canning salt. Table salt
contains a filler which may cause cloudiness in bottom of jar. Use 1/2 teaspoon salt to each pint, 1
teaspoon to each quart. More or less salt may be added to suit individual taste.
Follow step-by-step directions for your pressure canner. Process meats according to the following
recipes.
When canning food in regions less than 2,000 feet altitude (dial gauge canner) or 1,000 feet altitude
(weighted gauge canner), process according to specific recipe. When canning food in regions above
2,000 feet altitude (dial gauge canner) or 1,000 feet altitude (weighted gauge canner), process according
to the following chart.
ALTITUDE CHART FOR CANNING MEAT AND POULTRY
ALTITUDE
DIAL GAUGE
CANNER
Pints and Quarts
WEIGHTED GAUGE
CANNER
Pints and Quarts
1,001 – 2,000 ft.
11 lbs.
15 lbs.
2,001 – 4,000 ft.
12 lbs.
15 lbs.
4,001 – 6,000 ft.
13 lbs.
15 lbs.
6,001 – 8,000 ft.
14 lbs.
15 lbs.
Processing time is the same at all altitudes.
CUT-UP MEAT (strips, cubes, or chunks) Bear, Beef, Pork, Lamb, Veal, and Venison
Remove excess fat. Soak strong-flavored wild meats for 1 hour in brine water containing 1 tablespoon of
salt per quart of water. Rinse. Remove large bones and cut into desired pieces.
Raw Pack—Fill jars with raw meat pieces, leaving 1-inch headspace. DO NOT ADD LIQUID. Adjust jar
lids.
Hot Pack—Precook meat until rare by broiling, boiling, or frying. Pack hot meat loosely in clean, hot
Mason jars, leaving 1-inch headspace. Cover meat with boiling broth, water, or tomato juice (especially
with wild game) leaving 1-inch headspace. Adjust jar lids.
Dial Gauge Canner—Process at 11 pounds pressure - Pints 75 minutes and Quarts 90 minutes. For
processing above 2,000 feet altitude, see chart for recommended pounds of pressure.
Weighted Gauge Canner—Process at 10 pounds pressure - Pints 75 minutes and Quarts 90 minutes.
For processing above 1,000 feet altitude, see chart for recommended pounds of pressure.
GROUND MEAT – Bear, Beef, Pork, Lamb, Veal, and Venison
With venison, add one part high quality pork fat to three or four parts venison before grinding. Use freshly
made sausage, seasoned with salt and cayenne pepper (sage may cause a bitter off-flavor). Add 1
teaspoon salt to each pound of ground meat, if desired. Mix well. Shape meat into patties or balls, or cut
cased sausage into 3- to 4-inch links. Cook until lightly browned. Ground meat may be sauteed without
shaping. Remove excess fat. Fill jars with pieces, leaving 1-inch headspace. Cover meat with boiling
broth or water, leaving 1-inch headspace. Adjust jar lids.
Dial Gauge Canner—Process at 11 pounds pressure - Pints 75 minutes and Quarts 90 minutes. For
processing above 2,000 feet altitude, see chart for recommended pounds of pressure.
Weighted Gauge Canner—Process at 10 pounds pressure - Pints 75 minutes and Quarts 90 minutes.
For processing above 1,000 feet altitude, see chart for recommended pounds of pressure.
PRESSURE CANNING POULTRY
Pressure canning is the ONLY SAFE METHOD for canning poultry.
Cut poultry into convenient pieces for packing and precook until medium done or until pieces, when cut,
show almost no pink color at the bone.
Precook by boiling in water or in a concentrated broth for more flavor. Make broth from bones and bony
pieces, neck, back, and wing tips. Pack hot meat in clean, hot Mason jars, leaving 1-inch headspace. Do
not pack food tightly.
Poultry may be processed with or without salt. If salt is desired, use only pure canning salt. Table salt
contains a filler which may cause cloudiness in bottom of jar. Use 1/2 teaspoon salt to each pint, 1
teaspoon to each quart.
Follow step-by-step directions for your pressure canner. Process poultry according to the following
recipes.
CUT-UP POULTRY
Cut poultry into serving size pieces. If desired, remove bone. Boil, steam, or bake poultry slowly to
medium done. Poultry is medium done when pink color in center is almost gone. Pack hot poultry loosely
in clean, hot Mason jars, leaving 1 1/4-inch headspace. Cover poultry with boiling broth or water, leaving
1 1/4-inch headspace. Adjust jar lids.
Dial Gauge Canner—Process at 11 pounds pressure.
With Bone – Pints 65 minutes and Quarts 75 minutes.
Without Bone – Pints 75 minutes and Quarts 90 minutes.
For processing above 2,000 feet altitude, see chart for recommended pounds of pressure.
Weighted Gauge Canner—Process at 10 pounds pressure.
With Bone – Pints 65 minutes and Quarts for 75 minutes.
Without Bone – Pints 75 minutes and Quarts for 90 minutes.
For processing above 1,000 feet altitude, see chart for recommended pounds of pressure.
Canning Meat
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By Thea Mann
Canning is the perfect way to preserve food for later use without the addition of chemicals and
additives found in commercially preserved foods. While many people will freeze meat in order
to preserve it for later use, not many have considered the convenience of canning meat. Canned
meat can last for many years when it has been properly handled and stored, giving it a longer
shelf life than frozen meat.
Nearly any kind of meat can be canned, but be sure you choose cuts and preparations that you
enjoy as well as high-quality meats. As with all things, the higher the quality of your meat, the
better your canned product will be. Lean meats, or meat with the fat trimmed, will be ideal for
canning.
When preparing meats for canning, never use any canning method but pressure cooking and for
the times recommended. Keep your meats cool while you prepare them (unless you are canning
cooked meats) and handle your food as quickly as possible to reduce risk of contamination.
Botulism and other food-borne illness are not able to be detected by sight, smell or taste. For this
reason, following proper canning procedures are essential. Heat processing (and pressure
processing, specifically) kills the bacteria that may contaminate your food, and the sealing
process keeps your food from becoming re-contaminated. If you observe that the seal is not
complete, you must either refrigerate or freeze within 24 hours. Do not guess when it comes to
canning, especially meats.
Pints should be cooked for 75 minutes and quarts for at least 90 minutes, and this is true whether
you are canning cooked or raw meats. You will gauge your processing time from the point when
your pressure cooker reaches 10 pounds of pressure (or 11 pounds if you are using a dial gauge
canner). The time and pressure used should be adjusted for your altitude.
When canning cooked meats, you will want to fill the jars with meat that is cooked to
approximately 2/3 done-ness and hot broth, leaving 1 1/4 inches of headspace. Ground meats are
generally better canned after cooking and with excess fats removed. Raw meats will be packed
without liquids.
If you wish to can fish, choose a fatty fish (but not tuna), and keep them on ice until ready to can.
Make certain the skin is next to the glass, and do not add liquids. The processing time for fish is
100 minutes. Do not can with head, tail, fins and scales and do not cook.
It is possible to can smoked fish, but not as simple as other methods. Smoked fish must be only
lightly smoked prior to canning and must be processed in a 16 to 22 quart pressure cooker. Tin
cans and quart jars are not safe for smoked fish. Fish should be cut into pieces that will fit
vertically into pint-sized canning jars with at least 1 inch of headspace. Do not add liquid to your
jars.
Different kinds and cuts of meat may require variations in temperature and pressure. Consult
tested, USDA approved and current recipes for all canning, as most food-borne illness are the
result of improper handling and storage of food.
It is highly unadvisable to attempt cooling your pressure cooking faster than by simply removing
from heat source. Once jars are removed from the canner, do not allow them to set in a drafty
location.
Once your jars have cooled for 24 hours, test the lids. They should be concave and not move
when pressed. If they do not meet these requirements, your seals are not secure and you must
reprocess or cold-store your canned meat.
Canning your own meat can give you the peace of mind of knowing what is in your foods as well
as being sure about the freshness and quality of the food that you eat. A small investment of time
is definitely worth it.