Canning your own is much cheaper, but the initial investment of the canner and supplies is expensive. If you want to put up a lot of meat (and other foods), I would suggest learning to can.
I canned 15 pints of chicken breasts yesterday to add to my supplies. I have canned chicken breasts, beef chunks (from a cut you would roast), hamburger, meatloaf, brisket chunks (my absolute favorite!!), pork shoulder, pork breakfast sausage, deer. I have hundreds of jars of shelf stable meat, that I have done myself, I know what's in them (meat and sometimes salt for most).
It is great when you can find a sale on meat and can what you get. I usually just go to Sam's and buy meat by the case and spend a day canning, cases are usually around 60-80 lbs. A pint jar holds roughly 1 lb of meat and a quart jar holds 2 lbs.
There are some great channels on YouTube for canning if anyone is interested.
I am interested! I’m getting into canning, but stalled because of a remodel. My biggest hindrance after that is that most of the recipes call for sugar. We don’t eat sugar... so that takes out at least 80% of recipes unless I go rogue.
Don’t add sugar. I can everything and have never added sugar except my spaghetti sauce and use some molasses but it could be left out or use natural one like maple syrup.
All meat is amazing but hamburger. It tastes like what canned dog food smells like. If you want to do hamburger I’d first make a burger. Fry slightly both sides. Just so it holds its shape. Layer in a jar with sliced onions and can. It makes it tolerable and of starving would be fine.
Chicken on the bone is probably the best. Looks like a science experiment in a jar and is a tad nasty removing but literally the best chicken you will ever eat. Just stuff a jar. Add a bit of salt. Don’t add any liquid and can. The chicken creates its own broth. So yummy.
And go rogue. Use the longest times for your ingredients so if you make a stew use meat times. And so on. Play around with recipes. Herbs can change dramatically in long canning times.
Ask around for canning equipment and jars. So many older ladies love giving away their items when they know it will be used. Also reuse jars and lids from the stores. The new ball lids are so flimsy and literally buckle it’s best to reuse anyway. Join a canning group and check out a couple books from the library. And enjoy!
Thank you!!! I love hearing from an experienced canner!!
There is a farmer’s market in my town, but only on Tuesdays. I think I’m going to start taking the time to go so I can get the produce I want to can.
I am keeping my eye on ads for supplies :) will be stocking up when remodel is done.
My MIL canned... but I didn’t know this until after she died. She was an amazing woman I called friend more than MIL. So much knowledge I could have gotten from her.
I bought a half cow and have been canning my meat. It's in the freezer and I defrost enough at a time to can it. Meat is the easiest to can imo. And lots of bone broth too. I'm using the presto canner and instantpot max for small pint batches. I'm raising rabbits too and will be canning their meat.
No sugar in the meat or vegetable recipes. Pressure canning will let you do them, not water bath. That's the largest expense, a good pressure canner. The All American canner is best IMHO. Also the most expensive...
I bought an All American... just need to use it. No gasket FTW! Most of the recipes (except basic meat) even in the pressure section of the book had some sugar added.
Canning your own is much cheaper, but the initial investment of the canner and supplies is expensive. If you want to put up a lot of meat (and other foods), I would suggest learning to can.
I canned 15 pints of chicken breasts yesterday to add to my supplies. I have canned chicken breasts, beef chunks (from a cut you would roast), hamburger, meatloaf, brisket chunks (my absolute favorite!!), pork shoulder, pork breakfast sausage, deer. I have hundreds of jars of shelf stable meat, that I have done myself, I know what's in them (meat and sometimes salt for most).
It is great when you can find a sale on meat and can what you get. I usually just go to Sam's and buy meat by the case and spend a day canning, cases are usually around 60-80 lbs. A pint jar holds roughly 1 lb of meat and a quart jar holds 2 lbs.
There are some great channels on YouTube for canning if anyone is interested.
I am interested! I’m getting into canning, but stalled because of a remodel. My biggest hindrance after that is that most of the recipes call for sugar. We don’t eat sugar... so that takes out at least 80% of recipes unless I go rogue.
Don’t add sugar. I can everything and have never added sugar except my spaghetti sauce and use some molasses but it could be left out or use natural one like maple syrup.
All meat is amazing but hamburger. It tastes like what canned dog food smells like. If you want to do hamburger I’d first make a burger. Fry slightly both sides. Just so it holds its shape. Layer in a jar with sliced onions and can. It makes it tolerable and of starving would be fine.
Chicken on the bone is probably the best. Looks like a science experiment in a jar and is a tad nasty removing but literally the best chicken you will ever eat. Just stuff a jar. Add a bit of salt. Don’t add any liquid and can. The chicken creates its own broth. So yummy.
And go rogue. Use the longest times for your ingredients so if you make a stew use meat times. And so on. Play around with recipes. Herbs can change dramatically in long canning times.
Ask around for canning equipment and jars. So many older ladies love giving away their items when they know it will be used. Also reuse jars and lids from the stores. The new ball lids are so flimsy and literally buckle it’s best to reuse anyway. Join a canning group and check out a couple books from the library. And enjoy!
Thank you!!! I love hearing from an experienced canner!!
There is a farmer’s market in my town, but only on Tuesdays. I think I’m going to start taking the time to go so I can get the produce I want to can.
I am keeping my eye on ads for supplies :) will be stocking up when remodel is done. My MIL canned... but I didn’t know this until after she died. She was an amazing woman I called friend more than MIL. So much knowledge I could have gotten from her.
I bought a half cow and have been canning my meat. It's in the freezer and I defrost enough at a time to can it. Meat is the easiest to can imo. And lots of bone broth too. I'm using the presto canner and instantpot max for small pint batches. I'm raising rabbits too and will be canning their meat.
No sugar in the meat or vegetable recipes. Pressure canning will let you do them, not water bath. That's the largest expense, a good pressure canner. The All American canner is best IMHO. Also the most expensive...
I bought an All American... just need to use it. No gasket FTW! Most of the recipes (except basic meat) even in the pressure section of the book had some sugar added.
I would love an AA, I just have a glass top right now that can't handle it so presto it is.
60-80 lbs! That's a looong day. Multiple canners?
Oh yeah! I have 3, but 2 going at once is about a I can handle. :)