Pressure Canning Beef

Last month I provided a review of and links for the latest (2015) USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning.  I thought my edition was the next most recent, from 2009, but as I looked at it this morning I saw it was from 1994.  (!!!)  And I also was reminded, by means of a little sticker on back, that it was free from my state cooperative extension office. So if you have yet to obtain your own hard copy, and if your state or local office is close, you might see whether they have copies already printed and free for the taking.
Anyway, there have been a few changes from previous editions, and some of these changes involve the canning of beef.

While the directions for preparing beef using the hot pack method have not changed, things are a little bit different for the raw pack method, which I have always favored.  As has been my experience, and as the Guide notes, "[t]he natural amount of fat and juices in today’s leaner meat cuts are usually not enough to cover most of the meat in raw packs."  If using the raw pack method, which is still safe and acceptable, the meat at the top of the jar may not be covered by the meat juices.  As such, it's going to turn dark and may appear less appetizing.  Some may think it has spoiled and is unsafe to eat.  And that may be reason enough to start using the hot pack method.  It's certainly something worth considering.


For both raw pack and hot pack methods, fill jars with strips or cubes of beef to one inch below the rim of the jar and add salt--one teaspoon per quart, one-half teaspoon per pint.

• For raw pack, do not add any liquid.  Liquid is never added when canning raw meats.  The meat produces its own juices.  
• For hot pack, add boiling water, meat broth, or tomato juice.

For both methods, wipe rim of jars very carefully with vinegar.  Most say to just use hot water, but when dealing with foods that may have fat on them, vinegar will cut that fat and make for a better seal.  Put on lids and bands and process per instructions for your particular canner and your altitude and jar size.  Pints are processed for 75 minutes and quarts for 90 minutes; the variations in the processing directions are for the amount of pressure necessary depending on your style of pressure canner and your altitude. 

That's all there is to it.

When times get really interesting, and when cooking fuel becomes expensive either in terms of money or of time spent gathering, and time for preparing food becomes even more scarce than it already is, being able to preserve foods and having those foods ready to eat will be really invaluable. 

And even more invaluable will be having learned how to do this before the crisis hits.

Links to related posts:
Canning Hamburger
Canning Bacon 
Canning Chicken
Canning Ham
Canning Pork   
The Complete Guide to Home Canning review

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