Canning Question

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I am new to pressure canning. I would like to can things like, homemade soup, chili, speg sauce, and other prepared meals like pot roast. If I were to cook a pot roast with potatoes, carrots and onions and put in jars, how long would I process and how many pounds of pressure? I can't find anything is the canning books. Thanks so much to you canning experts.

-- Lori (ABaby72@aol.com), September 17, 1999

Answers

Lori - I don't know anything about canning, but if you can do this what a great idea! I'm the worst canner in the world, but I'm trying to learn. I'll be reading the responses with great interest.

-- citygirl (citygirl@idirect.com), September 17, 1999.

I wouldn't recommend canning the potatoes, carrots and onions together with the pot roast; the time needed to properly process the pot roast (75 minutes for pints/90 minutes for quarts) would almost surely turn the veggies into mush! But... can jars of roast to your heart's content -- I have, and it's delicious! Try cutting it into chunks, too, for even more recipe ideas.

A rule of thumb when combining foods to be processed is you MUST use the longest processing time recommended. For example, I can spaghetti sauce with meat. Although the sauce is more tomato sauce than it is meat chunks, I still process for the 75/90 minutes required for meat, because it contains meat. The processing time for tomato products is usually less, but since this has meat in it, I process at the longer time.

The amount of pressure needed depends on what elevation to sea level you are. Depending on where you live, you will process from 10 to 14 lbs. Find out for sure what pressure you need to process at BEFORE you start canning.

There is a very good chart in the Ball's Blue Book of Canning that can help you out, and I highly recommend it. Another valuable resource for canning information is your county local extension office. Most of these offices also have the equipment to test your pressure gauge for accuracy (another MUST).

Pressure canning foods is a real nifty thing ONLY if one is scrupulously clean when canning, and extremely CAREFUL about processing procedures (using the correct amount of pressure and processing times). You don't want to risk food poisoning because you took a short cut or weren't exactly sure you did it right.

-- Wilferd (WilferdW@aol.com), September 17, 1999.


Lori, Your meat and veggies would pressure can very well. The veggies would certainly NOT turn to mush. In that Ball Blue book of canning you will find several recipes for beef stews and other meat/vegetable combinations.

If you purchase a Ball Blue book, get a new one.

To can that meat and vegetable combo you have mentioned, you will: 1) pack the meat and vegetables in sterile quart jars, loosely. 2) Add 1 teaspoon salt per quart if desired. 3) Pour broth over the jar contents leaving a 1" head space, wipe mouth of jars with a clean, damp cloth. 4) Remove air bubbles by inserting a plastic spatula in the jar around the inside perimeter of the jars. 5) Apply hot lids and rings 6) Process at 10 pounds pressure for 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Sylvia

-- Sylvia (msbrit@usit.net), September 19, 1999.


Lori, you can locate the Ball Blue Book in Wal-Mart alongside the other canning items. It's only about $4.00 and also has sections on freezing and dehydrating food. It's indispensable!

-- Jill D. (jdance@mindspring.com), September 19, 1999.

Sylvia,

Perhaps you and I have differing palates, eh? I've tried the meat/veggie combinations, and they're pretty mushy - not at all what one usually thinks of when envisioning a pot roast with vegetables. Oh well...individual taste preferences and all. : )

However, anyone who is canning ANYTHING, whether it is meat, vegetables, fruit, etc., needs to process at the correct pressure for their particular altitude; processing at 10 pounds is not 'generic' for everyone, and could possibly lead to underprocessing of the food/food spoilage. The Ball Blue Book has a chart for what altitudes need what pressure.

-- Wilferd (WilferdW@aol.com), September 20, 1999.



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