Folks - When I canned both the chunks of meat and the chicken thighs,
per instructions I did not add any liquid. During the processing,
some liquid came out of the meat/poultry, but it was not sufficient to
cover the meat/poultry, even with the shrinkage. This left me with
jars with product sticking above the liquid. I don't think "drying
out" is the correct term, but it looks bad.
Is there anyway to compensate for the lack of liquid so that no
product sticks above the liquid? - Mike

Michael Horowitz wrote:

> Folks - When I canned both the chunks of meat and the chicken thighs,
> per instructions I did not add any liquid. During the processing,
> some liquid came out of the meat/poultry, but it was not sufficient to
> cover the meat/poultry, even with the shrinkage. This left me with
> jars with product sticking above the liquid. I don't think "drying
> out" is the correct term, but it looks bad.
> Is there anyway to compensate for the lack of liquid so that no
> product sticks above the liquid? - Mike

You did the raw pack. Try cooking the meat first; pack the jars and
cover with broth.

How did it taste?

regards,
Bob

zxcvbob > wrote:

>Michael Horowitz wrote:
>
>> Folks - When I canned both the chunks of meat and the chicken thighs,
>> per instructions I did not add any liquid. During the processing,
>> some liquid came out of the meat/poultry, but it was not sufficient to
>> cover the meat/poultry, even with the shrinkage. This left me with
>> jars with product sticking above the liquid. I don't think "drying
>> out" is the correct term, but it looks bad.
>> Is there anyway to compensate for the lack of liquid so that no
>> product sticks above the liquid? - Mike
>
>You did the raw pack. Try cooking the meat first; pack the jars and
>cover with broth.
>
>How did it taste?
>
>regards,
>Bob

Hello Bob -

First, it tasted great, although it might be improved by some sauce
or gravy.
Second, yeah I did the raw pack - the instructions told me to!!!
Ok, how throughly do I need to cook the meat before declaring it
can-able? I'm thinking cooking it two time might be too much for the
texture.
PS - I went to ACE Hardware and ordered the small Presto canner,
although I'm not completely convinced my pressure cooker doesn't do
the same job. It will be in on Monday.

Regards, Mike

"Michael Horowitz" > wrote in message
om...
> Folks - When I canned both the chunks of meat and the chicken thighs,
> per instructions I did not add any liquid. During the processing,
> some liquid came out of the meat/poultry, but it was not sufficient to
> cover the meat/poultry, even with the shrinkage. This left me with
> jars with product sticking above the liquid. I don't think "drying
> out" is the correct term, but it looks bad.
> Is there anyway to compensate for the lack of liquid so that no
> product sticks above the liquid? - Mike

Perfectly normal. Doesn't affect the finished product one bit.
If I want to nibble on the canned venison, simply invert the jar before
popping the seal to coat the top chunks, or just dump into a bowl to get
some juice on them.

Mark

--
Four boxes protect our freedom: the soap box, the
ballot box, the jury box, and the cartridge box.

In article >, Michael
Horowitz > wrote:

> zxcvbob > wrote:
>
> >Michael Horowitz wrote:
(snip)
> >You did the raw pack. Try cooking the meat first; pack the jars and
> >cover with broth.
> >
> >How did it taste?
> >
> >regards, Bob
>
> Hello Bob -
>
> First, it tasted great, although it might be improved by some sauce
> or gravy. Second, yeah I did the raw pack - the instructions told
> me to!!! Ok, how throughly do I need to cook the meat before
> declaring it can-able? I'm thinking cooking it two time might be
> too much for the texture. PS - I went to ACE Hardware and ordered
> the small Presto canner, although I'm not completely convinced my
> pressure cooker doesn't do the same job. It will be in on Monday.
>
> Regards, Mike

Ball Blue Book says to simmer stew meat cubes in hot water until heated
throughout.

The NCHFP site (did I give you that URL?)
<http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/how/can_05/strips_cubes_chunks.html>
offers this:
Procedu Choose quality chilled meat. Remove excess fat. Soak
strong-flavored wild meats for 1 hour in brine water containing 1
tablespoon of salt per quart. Rinse. Remove large bones.

Hot pack - Precook meat until rare by roasting, stewing, or browning in
a small amount of fat. Add 1 teaspoons of salt per quart to the jar, if
desired. Fill jars with pieces and add boiling broth, meat drippings,
water, or tomato juice, especially with wild game), leaving 1-inch
headspace.
(Time chart and raw pack info is there, too)

If you don't have a preserving text, Mike, both the Ball Blue Book and
Putting Food By (often referred to here as BBB and/or PFB) are old
faithfuls. BBB is updated to one degree or another every couple years;
I don't think PFB has been updated for several years (I could be wrong).
Then, of course, there's the NCHFP site.

(Pssst, Mike! Cover the meat with broth for processing and
thicken it to make your gravy.) :-)
--
-Barb
12-28-03: Tourtiere picture added to my site: <www.jamlady.eboard.com>
Also a picture of my Baba Authorized struhadlo for making halushky
"If you're ever in a jam, here I am."

Melba's Jammin' wrote:

> Hot pack - Precook meat until rare by roasting, stewing, or browning in
> a small amount of fat. Add 1 teaspoons of salt per quart to the jar, if
> desired. Fill jars with pieces and add ... tomato juice, especially with wild game),

Oh, of course. If it can take skunk off the 6-year-old ("pretty
kitty!")....

B/

Melba's Jammin' > wrote:

>
>
>If you don't have a preserving text, Mike, both the Ball Blue Book and
>Putting Food By (often referred to here as BBB and/or PFB) are old
>faithfuls. BBB is updated to one degree or another every couple years;
>I don't think PFB has been updated for several years (I could be wrong).
>Then, of course, there's the NCHFP site.
>
>(Pssst, Mike! Cover the meat with broth for processing and
>thicken it to make your gravy.) :-)


Melba - Both text are on order as is a canner. Next week ought to be
very exciting.
BTW, I tried to answer you via e-mail at "
and got a folksy failure message. - Mike

In article >, Michael
Horowitz > wrote:

> Melba's Jammin' > wrote:
> >
> >If you don't have a preserving text, Mike, both the Ball Blue Book and
> >Putting Food By (often referred to here as BBB and/or PFB) are old
> >faithfuls. BBB is updated to one degree or another every couple years;
> >I don't think PFB has been updated for several years (I could be wrong).
> >Then, of course, there's the NCHFP site.
> >
> >(Pssst, Mike! Cover the meat with broth for processing and
> >thicken it to make your gravy.) :-)
>
> Melba - Both text are on order as is a canner. Next week ought to be
> very exciting.
> BTW, I tried to answer you via e-mail at "
> and got a folksy failure message. - Mike
>

Folksy, eh? Glad it wasn't rude! The spam was too much in September
with the Swen virus, Mike and I've munged my auto-reply address. Make
'earthBlink' into earthlink and you'll be good to go. I've a heavy
spamblocker on that account and I'll put your info on the 'whitelist' of
acceptable correspondents.
-Barb with the munged address
--
-Barb
12-28-03: Tourtiere picture added to my site: <www.jamlady.eboard.com>
Also a picture of my Baba Authorized struhadlo for making halushky
"If you're ever in a jam, here I am."