Canning Beef

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Now that I’m done canning my garden harvest my goal is to stock my shelves with more home canned convenience foods. Today I canned beef. Canned beef can be used for so many things. I will use it in soups, stew, enchiladas, casseroles .. the list is long.

I purchased 15 pounds of beef and cut it all into bite size chunks….



I canned the beef in pint size jars. A pint will hold about 1 pound of meat or a tad more if packed tightly. I put a ½ teaspoon of salt into the bottom of each pint jar and filled the jars with the meat. I packed them in the jar tightly. I did not add any liquid. The meat will create its own liquid as it cooks in the pressure canner.



After the jars were filled I wiped the rim with a clean cloth and put a lid and ring on. I put them in the canner…




I canned the beef for 90 minutes at 11 pounds of pressure (this pressure is according to my altitude. You can find out the correct pressure for your altitude here: http://www.simplycanning.com/altitude-adjustments.html ). I ended up with 14 pints of beef that is completely cooked (the meat will be tender and falling apart) ready to be used at a moments notice…

Comments

  1. StefanieOctober 20, 2012 at 6:10 AM

    We have done this with venison . So nice to have on hand.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. SusanOctober 20, 2012 at 1:57 PM

      what is the time & pressure for venison? might do this with hubby's deer this year.

      Delete
    2. CrystalOctober 20, 2012 at 3:52 PM

      Susan... venison would be the same as beef.. 75 minutes for pints and 90 minutes for quarts.. pressure is 10lbs (at least at my altitude.. check for your altitude).

      Delete
  2. CherylOctober 20, 2012 at 7:19 AM

    I do like having the canned beef on hand. I need to do some chicken now.

    Have a wonderful day.

    ~Cheryl

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. CrystalOctober 20, 2012 at 11:42 AM

      Cheryl.. chicken is next on my list too!

      Crystal :)

      Delete
  3. Created For HimOctober 20, 2012 at 12:49 PM

    Oh Crystal! I so need to do this! I don't have a lot of freezer space. I have a pressure canner I purchased new last year. One of those American something or others. I am TERRIFIED to use it. I had one blow up at my house when I was a kid.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. CrystalOctober 20, 2012 at 3:54 PM

      Created for Him... pressure canners today are very safe to use.. they don't blow up anymore as long as you follow the instructions. They have fail safe methods built in to prevent this from happening..

      Crystal :)

      Delete
    2. CrystalOctober 22, 2012 at 7:50 PM

      LOL.. Created for HIm.. I just realized who you are.. :D ... call me if you have any canning questions.. ;) :D

      Delete
  4. AnonymousOctober 20, 2012 at 7:35 PM

    Dear Crystal,
    What kind of beef did you buy? I know it is cheaper to cut it up yourself.
    Thanks and God Bless,
    Kim in NC

    ReplyDelete
  5. Lyd StewOctober 21, 2012 at 2:37 PM

    My mom and I did this and it was the most tender delicious meat ever! Perfect in all kinds of dishes- great to have some good instructions though. Nice work!

    ReplyDelete
  6. UnknownOctober 22, 2012 at 2:37 PM

    Crystal have you canned fish before? If so any tips? My uncle wants me to can up some tiger trout and walleye for him, and since I have not canned it before looking for ideas.
    The beef looks great, I will have to try some of that very soon. Do you cut off as much fat as possible?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. CrystalOctober 22, 2012 at 7:30 PM

      Joanna.. yes I've canned lots of salmon.. you do it the same as I have done this beef.. stuff the jars with fish (no liquid added), wipe rims, put on lids and rings.. process for 100 minutes (pints or quarts)..

      On the beef.. yes, I cut off as much visible fat as possible..

      Delete
    2. mrsmAugust 22, 2013 at 10:15 PM

      Do you need to debone the fish?

      Delete
    3. CrystalAugust 23, 2013 at 7:16 PM

      No...

      Delete
  7. NeicyNovember 11, 2012 at 1:59 PM

    is it possible to can ground beed?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. CrystalNovember 11, 2012 at 2:04 PM

      Hi Neicy, yes it is.. you have to cook it first. Crystal :)

      Delete
  8. AnonymousMarch 4, 2013 at 7:21 AM

    hello, I have canned a few batches as above but the meat was a little though. This time i cockpot cooked the beef till is was falling apart then canned it for beef and noodles, ended up very nice!!! The roast are tough unless they r cooked slowly. Hope that helps...it does add another step but...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. CrystalSeptember 18, 2013 at 11:36 AM

      Anon.. it also depends on what cut of meat you use. I've found chuck pot roasts are not tough at all after being canned. Leaner cuts may end up being more tough. Crystal :)

      Delete
  9. LaurainKsSeptember 18, 2013 at 10:20 AM

    I would like to ask how you prepare your jars. Long ago I was taught to use the dishwasher as it sterilizes them nicely. However, I don't always like having to wait for the cycle to finish. Do you pour boiling water in the clean jars? Also, I see from the pictures that your canner holds 9 pint jars, as does mine. Yet you said you ended up with 14 pints...what did you do with the other 5 jars...wait and process them later? I'm assuming then that you didn't get them ready at the same time as the first 9? Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. CrystalSeptember 18, 2013 at 11:35 AM

      LaurainKs.. I either use my dishwasher or pour boiling water in the clean jars to sterilize them. With pint jars, I stack them. The other 5 sat onto of the bottom row of jars. So it was finished in one batch.. Crystal :)

      Delete
  10. LaurainKsSeptember 18, 2013 at 1:41 PM

    Wow. I guess I need a bigger canner, because I can't stack pint jars. That would be really nice. I've seen in other posts, like when you canned beans, that you had much more than would fit in one batch...I'm still curious how you handle that.

    Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. CrystalSeptember 18, 2013 at 9:45 PM

      I run multiple batches.. I wait until one batch is done, then fill the jars with boiling water and then heat up whatever it is I'm canning and fill the jars, and run the next batch.. Crystal :)

      Delete
  11. AnonymousOctober 15, 2017 at 8:59 AM

    Have you ever canned liver?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. CrystalOctober 16, 2017 at 7:19 PM

      I have not.. it would have to can for a long time and I'm thinking it would mush. Crystal :)

      Delete

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