Canning meats was once the only was to preserve them for any length of time; freezers are a relatively new phenomenon. Not so many years ago, when a farm family butchered their annual cow or hog, most of the meat had to either be eaten immediately (that would have taken a really large family and some friends to boot!), or canned to eat in the months ahead. They cooked their roasts and canned them, ground their sausage and canned it in patties, canned ground beef, chickens were stewed and canned, or just cut up and canned for frying.
Today, the idea may interest you from the standpoint that if you have canned meats on your shelves, then you have the makings for many "instant" meals. For instance, Seasoned Ground Beef can become:
- Sloppy Joes
- Spaghetti Sauce, when added to your home-canned sauce
- Pizza topping
- Casseroles
- Instant Soups, when combined with your home-canned vegetables
- Tacos
- the list can go on and on, just use your imagination.
Won't it be nice to have canned meat for quick meals right there on your shelf, before spring arrives, the days lengthen, and, there is less time to cook because your energy is focused on gardening and other outdoor duties? These meats are also a wonderful accompaniment to all those fresh vegetables you will soon be harvesting from your garden.
Preparation
Make sure that all your work surfaces are very clean: cutting boards, knives, etc.
Check jars for cracks, scratches, or nicks, and only use jars in perfect condition.
Sterilize your jars and prepare your two-piece lids per manufacturer's instructions; keep your jars warm.
When packing meats, use only the broth or boiling water as you liquid and do NOT thicken the juices - you can do that when you are ready to cook with it.
Be sure to wipe the rims of your jars clean before the lids are affixed - if they are not clean, the jars will not seal properly.
Before using any home-canned meats, bring the meat to a boil and simmer it for 15-20 minutes before tasting or adding to a recipe. (If the recipe will simmer - soups, spaghetti sauce, etc, you can add it to the pot with everything else. If it will go in tacos or salads, simmer it first.)
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