Canning Chicken Meat

[Mamagigi]

I have no clue. I meant to get a picture of him but when his spur tore into my arm, all rational thinking went out the window. I'm 5'10" and his beak came past my knee (ask me how I know.) lol From the previous owner, he was a mixed one and the oldest. I can tell you all the other roos backed away from him so he definitely didn't have to fight for food. I got a little more than 2 quarts of chicken and 3 quarts of broth. Everything just fell off the bone... next time I will put a timer on it so I don't cook it so long. Tastes yummy.

Edit: My daughter DID take a picture of him. Not that great but maybe you guys can tell me.

 

[Arielle]

Quote:

good reason to leave the rings on!!

 

[Arielle]

So I did another chicken this evening, the mean one. It went much better than last night. He's in the pressure cooker right now so I can debone him. This sucker was much bigger than any bird I've gotten at a store. Weighed him and after everything was removed, what went into the pot was 14.6 lbs. Long night ahead but looking forward to putting him on the shelf.

I have no clue. I meant to get a picture of him but when his spur tore into my arm, all rational thinking went out the window. I'm 5'10" and his beak came past my knee (ask me how I know.) lol From the previous owner, he was a mixed one and the oldest. I can tell you all the other roos backed away from him so he definitely didn't have to fight for food. I got a little more than 2 quarts of chicken and 3 quarts of broth. Everything just fell off the bone... next time I will put a timer on it so I don't cook it so long. Tastes yummy.

Edit: My daughter DID take a picture of him. Not that great but maybe you guys can tell me.

Holy Cow that is big!! I raise speckled sussex and he looks like a speckled sussex only on steroids. SS are med birds. NOt large, and not HUGE.

Im starting a meat project, and he would have been perfect to add to the pot!! lol

 

[Arielle]

THe lid is off my first batch of canned meat. My first batch of canned anything since my teenage years. YEs I am stoked.

I did notice the water int he bottom has oil and the color indicates the fluids came out of the jars. Ideas??? I followed directions to leave 1/2 not filled.

Was someone saying 2 inches is better??

(Off to bed.)

 

[foreverlearning]

I have no clue. I meant to get a picture of him but when his spur tore into my arm, all rational thinking went out the window. I'm 5'10" and his beak came past my knee (ask me how I know.) lol From the previous owner, he was a mixed one and the oldest. I can tell you all the other roos backed away from him so he definitely didn't have to fight for food. I got a little more than 2 quarts of chicken and 3 quarts of broth. Everything just fell off the bone... next time I will put a timer on it so I don't cook it so long. Tastes yummy.

Edit: My daughter DID take a picture of him. Not that great but maybe you guys can tell me.

I have no clue but that is a big boy!

THe lid is off my first batch of canned meat. My first batch of canned anything since my teenage years. YEs I am stoked.

I did notice the water int he bottom has oil and the color indicates the fluids came out of the jars. Ideas??? I followed directions to leave 1/2 not filled.

Was someone saying 2 inches is better??

(Off to bed.)

When you can it is natural to have some leak out. The long processing times and high pressure lead to this. I leave the fat in my broth, so for safety I leave 2" head space to try and prevent the liquid (fat) from getting under the seal. Every time I can I take the first one to pop and try it out. They pop when they cool to a certain point so I figure the first to pop was the coolest coming out of the caner thus most likely to have any flaws if any.

***I do not have any proof that the first to pop would most likely have flaws if any. This is my logical thinking on what I understand about caning over the years. I still suggest checking all jars for imperfections.***

 

[Arielle]

Quote: lol ANd my logical brain thought-- check them all. lol

Leaving 2" seems like a waste of space and I am struggling with this concept-- I'll get there eventually. Probably when the lids stop sealing probably. lol

 

[foreverlearning]

lol ANd my logical brain thought-- check them all. lol

Leaving 2" seems like a waste of space and I am struggling with this concept-- I'll get there eventually. Probably when the lids stop sealing probably. lol

It does seem like a waste to me as well, but I moved to larger jars to deal with it. I just really like the fat in there and try to stay on the safe side. As far as the warning to check lids: I used to teach a beginners canning class in an area where common sense was lost. I would tell them how to check their lids and then have them do it so I knew they knew how to check at home. On more than one occasion I had people ask "Why do I have to check them all, this one is good?"

In this same area people would buy sharply dented rusty cans of food at the store. I guess I shouldn't have been surprised, but every time I think about it I feel the need to warn people just in case.

 

[Arielle]

Oh your warning was well placed!! I completely understand.

I took a foods class in college-- very interesting in all regards. DH and I worked in the college kitchens and he in restaurants. My mother a cook and a canner. SOme where I learned NEVER take a can dented at the rim-- maybe DH impressed that on me, IDK. It makes complete sense that that kind of damage can compromise the seal of the folded metals.

Good of you to teach these basic skills. I'm a firm beliver of being able to be self sufficient on many subjects. Probably why I like your username!!

And I'm teaching my kids. THey can cook. ANd they were cutting the summer squash tonight for canning. Wash hands, clean cutting board and knife, Sterile jars and lids. Wash fruit before cutting. NOt a completely aseptic system, but reasonable to produce a healthy, safe product to eat.

Can I start with cold food for canning?? THe directions all seem to be based on hot foods.

 

[foreverlearning]

The reason all directions are based on hot foods is because of those people that can bust Pyrex. When I do cold foods, I add a little warm liquid. You don't want the jars to be too cold when they hit the hot water because there is a chance that the wide difference in temps can cause it to bust. I warm the jars, place cold items in it, and add warm liquid of choice for the recipe. I would not suggest dry packing cold.

It sounds like you two are going a great job with your kids. What they learn from you will be passed down to their kids if for nothing else a great family time tradition. It is important for them to learn basic skills in self sufficiency. Too many people rely on the fact that someone else can do it so "I" will be fine. Do you remember when China had SARS? What would happen if they ever got something worse? I hope they don't but if they ever did the CDC would stop imports to prevent spread. Most of the items that make our lives easier comes from other countries.

Learning new things is very important to me. I will never know it all, but everything I learn can be passed down and shared with others for good. Every one has their own talent, some can build and help that way, some can heal, and I have an ability to absorb, filter, and retain mass amounts of information.

 

[Arielle]

Our children are the future. I"m really concerned about the epidemic proportions of the degenerative deseases that are caused by the high carb diet we modern humans eat. What I realized is that I can grow or raise most of the best foods for a long healthy life. Canning the chicken and turkey meat is one step toard that goal. So thanks for sharing.