Contents

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United States. Agricultural Research Service. Consumer and Food Economics Research Division
Page
Getting ready 4
Meats 4
Equipment 4
Canning methods 8
Packing 9
Closing jars 10
Sealing cans 10
Processing 11
Yield of canned meat from fresh 11
After-canning jobs 12
Cooling 12
Checking seals 12
Labeling 12
Storing 13
Spoilage 13
Directions for meat 18
Cut-up meat 18
Ground meat 19
Sausage 19
Corned beef 19
Meat-vegetable stew 20
Heart and tongue 20
Soup stock 20
Directions for poultry 21
Cut-up poultry 21
Giblets 22
Questions and answers 23
Index 24

This is a Consumer Service of USDA

Washington, D.C.

Issued February 1966

Slightly revised October 1972

For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office
Washington, D.C. 20402—Price 15 cents
Stock Number 0100-2612

Home Canning of Meat and Poultry

Prepared by
CONSUMER AND FOOD ECONOMICS INSTITUTE
Agricultural Research Service

Fresh, wholesome meats and fresh, wholesome poultry are suitable for home canning. Frozen meats also may be canned at home.

Popular meats for home canning are—

  • Beef, veal, mutton, lamb, pork.
  • Chicken, duck, goose, guinea, squab, turkey.
  • Rabbit.
  • Game birds.
  • Small-game animals.
  • Large-game animals.

Meat and poultry canned at home must be processed in a pressure canner. Either glass jars or tin cans may be used for home canning.

To insure the safety and wholesomeness of the meats you can at home—

  • Start with good-quality fresh or frozen meat.
  • Keep all meat, work surfaces, and equipment clean.
  • Make sure the pressure canner is in good working condition.
  • Pack and close containers carefully.
  • Process meat for recommended time.
  • Test seals after cooling containers.
  • Label containers.
  • Store canned meat in cool, dry place.

Acknowledgment is made to the research laboratories of the National Canners Association for consultation and advice on processing.

Follow all canning directions carefully. Processing times and temperatures were developed specifically for use with a pressure canner.

Meat may contain bacteria that cause botulism, a severe form of food poisoning. These bacteria are destroyed when cans or jars of food are processed at a temperature of 240° F. for the times specified.

There is a risk of botulism from home-canned meats if the processing temperature is lower than 240° F. or if processing time is shorter than recommended.

It is not safe to process canned meat in a boiling-water bath, an oven, a steamer without pressure, or an open kettle. None of these methods will heat the meat enough to kill dangerous bacteria in a reasonable time.

There also is a risk of botulism if shortcuts are taken in canning meats, if untested directions are used, or if processing times (pp. 18 to 23) are changed.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

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