  Prepare and process meat and poultry according to general directions given. Directions specify the types of packs and types of containers suitable for each meat product listed. Instructions must be followed carefully to assure a product safe from spoilage. Detailed directions for canning meats are given on pages Detailed directions for canning poultry are given on pages How To Make BrothTo make meat or poultry broth, place bony pieces in saucepan and cover with cold water. Simmer until meat is tender. Pour broth into another pan; skim off fat. Add boiling broth to containers packed with precooked meat or poultry; fill to level specified in directions. PackingPack meat loosely in containers. Jars may lose liquid during processing if they are packed too tightly or too full. Work with one glass jar or tin can at a time. Keep precooked meat hot while packing. Use boiling liquid—broth, meat juice, or water—if directions call for added liquid. Two methods are used for packing meat: • Hot pack. Meat is precooked before it is packed in jars or cans. Boiling broth or boiling water is poured over meat before containers are processed in a pressure canner. (See • Raw pack. Meat is packed uncooked. Raw-packed meat usually is heated to 170° F. to exhaust—or remove—air from jars or cans before processing in a pressure canner. Directions for canning in glass jars require exhausting air from raw-packed meat products, except meat-vegetable stew and raw pack poultry, with bone. These two products may be processed without exhausting if they are raw packed in glass jars according to directions on pages Directions for using tin cans include exhausting air from all raw-packed meat. It always is necessary to exhaust air from raw-packed meat in tin cans before processing because air has no way to escape after cans are sealed. Exhausting airTo exhaust—or remove—air, set open jars or cans packed with raw meat on a rack in a large pan of boiling water. Water level should be about 2 inches below tops of jars or cans. Cover the pan. Cook meat in containers at slow boil until temperature at center of jars or cans registers 170° F. If a thermometer is not available, follow times given to cook meat until medium done. When raw-packed meat is heated to 170° F., air is driven out of the food so that a vacuum will be formed in jars or cans after processing and cooling. Exhausting air also helps to prevent changes in the flavor of canned meat. SaltSalt may be added to canned meat for flavor. It does not act as a preservative in canned meat, so it is not needed to make the product safe. If you decide to use salt, add it after meat is packed in the jar or can. Amounts for various sized containers are given in the canning directions. FatRemove as much fat as possible from meat before canning. Cut off all large lumps; trim marbled meat without slashing the lean unnecessarily. Do not use excessively fat meat or poultry for canning. After packing containers, wipe the tops free of fat. Any fat that gets on the rim of jars or cans may prevent an airtight seal. Closing JarsIf jar has a flat metal lid: Wipe rim of packed jar to remove fat and meat particles that might prevent a proper seal. Put lid on jar with sealing compound next to glass. Screw the metal hand down tight by hand. When band is screwed tight, this lid has enough “give” to let air escape during processing. Do not tighten band further after taking jar from canner. If jar has a porcelain-lined zinc lid: Fit wet rubber ring down on shoulder of empty jar. Don’t stretch ring unnecessarily. Pack jar with meat. Wipe rubber ring and jar rim clean. Then screw cap down firmly and turn it back ¼ inch before processing. As soon as you take jar from canner, screw cap down tight to complete seal. Sealing CansUse a can sealer in good working condition. Follow the manufacturer’s directions carefully. Wipe rim clean; place lid on can. Seal at once. PN-1327 ProcessingUse a pressure canner for processing meat. A pressure saucepan may be used for pint jars or No. 2 cans (see Follow the manufacturer’s directions carefully. Here are a few suggestions about using a pressure canner: • Put 2 or 3 inches of water in the canner; heat to boiling. Use enough water to prevent the canner from boiling dry. • Set packed jars or cans on rack in the canner. Allow space for steam to flow around each container. If there are two layers of cans or jars, stagger the top layer. Use a rack between layers of jars. • Fasten canner cover securely so that all steam escapes through the petcock or weighted-gage opening. • Let steam pour steadily from vent for 10 minutes to drive all air from the canner. Then close petcock or put on weighted gage. • Let pressure rise to 10 pounds (240° F.). The moment this pressure is reached, start to count processing time. Regulate heat under the canner to maintain even pressure. Do not lower pressure by opening petcock. Keep drafts from blowing on canner. Fluctuating pressure during processing causes liquid to be drawn out of glass jars. • Watch processing time carefully. When time is up, remove canner from heat immediately. • If meat is packed in jars, let canner stand until pressure drops to zero. Do not pour cold water over canner. When pressure is reduced suddenly, jars lose liquid. After pressure registers zero, wait a minute or two. Then slowly open petcock or take off weighted gage. Unfasten cover and tilt the far side up so steam escapes away from you. Take jars from the canner. • If meat is packed in cans, remove canner from heat as soon as processing time is up. Open petcock or take off weighted gage at once to release steam. Then unfasten cover, tilting far side up so steam escapes away from your face. Remove cans. Yield of Canned Meat From FreshThe number of jars or cans you get from a given amount of raw meat varies with the size of the pieces and the way the meat is packed. For a 1-quart jar, allow approximately the following amounts of fresh, untrimmed meat with bone or ready-to-cook chicken:
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