Canning Chicken Meat

[wyoDreamer]

I would add at least a little salt for flavoring - not necessarily all that they call for but at least some. I don't use much salt when I cook so I made a light broth from "Better Than Boullian" brand Chicken flavor (about 1/2 the strength of a regular stock) , then I filled the jars with 1 pound of raw chicken meat and then added broth to 1/2 way up the jar. Tasting the chicken before using it and I think it needs a touch more salt.

I don't use much salt in cooking, it is always the last seasoning to go in because it is so easy to oversalt stuff for me.
But, I don't like veggies canned without salt either - so if you are salt sensitive or don't use salt - ignore my suggestion.

 

[Arielle]

I would love to revive this thread as it really hits the spot!! lol I'm looking to can and need to refresh some old skills from 30 plus years ago canning with my mother.

Mac if you are still around, I would LOVE to know did you really can all 18 qts in ONE batch?? I can only find a 23 qt canner-- is this big enough??Found the answer as I read on-- you have one HUGE canner!! a 30 qt and a 41 qt will fit all those packed 18 qt mason jars; but I don't use a gas burner outside, so I"m limited to the std size that will fit on my range unit.

ANd how was the meat-- are you still eating these 30 hens a year, two years, later?

Well, we did some today. It was a long day. The processing went well. We processed thirty hens. It was the first time I had processed birds en masse versus the occasional bird or two here or there. We used a 30 gallon stock pot for a scalder and an EZ Plucker that I bought a few weeks ago. It was just my 17 year old son and I, and I think we were done with the processing in about 2.5 hours.

I cleaned out the scalding pot and threw all 30 birds in there to cook. The birds were a little lighter than I thought and dressed out at 2.5 lbs. At that size all 30 fit in the pot with just a little room to spare. It took an hour to bring the pot up to a simmer and then we simmered the birds for an hour. We removed them from the water onto large aluminum cookie sheets, let them cool for a little bit, and deboned them.

It came to 22 lbs of meat which went into 18 quart jars. I figured the quart jars would fit about two pounds of meat, but it it was actually 1.25 pounds per jar. I processed them all at one time in our large pressure canner and finally shut off the propane a couple of hours ago.

I haven't tried any yet, but it looks good... I think a gallon of chicken grease has soaked into my pores and the house smells like a chicken soup factory, so I'll hold off on trying it for a little bit.

As I said, it was a long day (we still have to catch and load up 900 more hens when the truck comes at 9 PM tonight), but we did put up 22 lbs of chicken. It seemed like a lot of work, but then it was just me and one helper. I kept thinking about my grandmother canning 6 or 7 jars at a time on her gas stove in a tiny farmhouse kitchen and was thinking that all in all we did pretty good.

 

[Arielle]

You know, this makes a very good closing argument for the dual purpose vs CX argument. If you are interested in having a sustainable flock, and you also can (and I hope I'm not the only one) this seems like the perfect solution.

Like others, I've debated the whole CX versus dual purpose thing back and forth. I decided to go with CX this time, but since I also plan to can my chicken (and stock) I think you've swayed me over to the DP side. I've found that my free range DP chickens get enough bugs, seeds, and weeds that I don't have to buy feed. (I have a cow and they do get plenty of clabbered milk as well.) There's nothing any easier or cheaper to raise than healthy, free range DPs. And they even reproduce for me!

Thanks for helping me clarify which direction we want to go in!

Quote: We are thinking alike!! I know you may never see this but thank you for mentioning the value of the real dp birds. At least I have a solutin for the many hens that have no buyers. I can turn them into food for us rather than sell them at a loss. Yeay.

 

[Mac in Wisco]

I would love to revive this thread as it really hits the spot!! lol I'm looking to can and need to refresh some old skills from 30 plus years ago canning with my mother.

Mac if you are still around, I would LOVE to know did you really can all 18 qts in ONE batch?? I can only find a 23 qt canner-- is this big enough??

ANd how was the meat-- are you still eating these 30 hens a year later?

Yes, we did 18 quarts in one batch. We have the 41 qt All American canner that I described above. http://www.allamericancanner.com/allamerican941pressurecanner.htm

This is not something for the kitchen stove top though, it's way too large and heavy. We use it on a large propane burner in the garage.

The meat is great. We use it in casseroles or chicken helper and the like. I think this thread was from two years ago. We did another batch of canned meat last fall. After I deboned all of the birds and had my canning meat last year, I also put all of the remnants back into the pressure cooker along with some vegetables and canned up a bunch of chicken stock. We even saved all of the fat, clarified it and froze it in pint jars (smaltz).

 

[Arielle]

Glad you mentioned how you handled preserving the schmaltz-- I did wonder about that. I love to cook in all the rendered fats from the meats we cook--nothing wasted here AND it tastes so good!

I plan to buy a new PResto canner either today or tomorrow and need to know what extra supplies I need to make canning easier, or have back up parts on hand in case of emergency. I look at the canners and the pics and descriptions are a bit lacking. I do like to "hear" the canner and not stand staring at the dial. I'm also concerned that the dial type can be off, but the sound method is always right.

 

[foreverlearning]

Glad you mentioned how you handled preserving the schmaltz-- I did wonder about that. I love to cook in all the rendered fats from the meats we cook--nothing wasted here AND it tastes so good!

I plan to buy a new PResto canner either today or tomorrow and need to know what extra supplies I need to make canning easier, or have back up parts on hand in case of emergency. I look at the canners and the pics and descriptions are a bit lacking. I do like to "hear" the canner and not stand staring at the dial. I'm also concerned that the dial type can be off, but the sound method is always right.

I have a 41qt Presto as well, but mine fits on the stove. I bought it from True Value for $89. Mine is taller than the other 41qt and they did special order it for me, Took about a week and won't fit if you have a low range hood. Mine came with the 5, 10, and 15lb weights as well as the "dial". Look inside the box!!!! The reason mine had to be special ordered is because the sealed one they had didn't have the weights in it when the box said it did. No one, not even Walmart will say anything to you about opening it to see if it has everything. Make sure it has a rack (metal plate with holes in it), three weights (silver and black caps), and a good looking rubber seal under the lid. Also, make sure the lid locks (takes a little more to get the handles together). If you have not canned before you will love a jar lifter and a canning funnel. Ball sells kits with the funnel, jar lifter, and bubble removing knife for about $5. You can just use a regular butter knife, after filled stick the knife in the jar and rub in a circle around the edge to remove air bubbles. Remember to have plenty of towels on hand, I double them up to place my hot jars on so they don't cool too fast and possibly break. As far as backup supplies, you shouldn't need any. I have my 12qt that I had used for canning for 15 years with no problems. I upgraded for size as a normal canning day for me is 20gal in pint sized jars (takes forever in a small caner) however I still use the 12qt often for cooking.

 

[bachbach1]

I have one of the Pressure cookers they sell at Walmart, and I can do 7 quart jars at a time. I like this one because I can use it in the kitchen, and let it run while I am at my desk working where I can see it and keep an eye on it. I have a huge older pressure cooker, I don't use it much because of its size. I have been canning chicken for decades, raw, and pre cooked. Either way at least 10 PSI, and 90 minutes time to can. I put one tablespoon of vinegar, and about 1/64 of a teaspoon of type 1 Prague powder in each quart. The vinegar raises the acid level slightly, and the Prague powder fights any bacteria. Bacteria hate acid environments, and you don't taste 1 tablespoon of vinegar. The Prague powder has sodium nitrate in it, and if any bacteria are present and try to divide, the division breaks down the sodium nitrate, into sodium nitrite, which is deadly to bacteria. All commercial meat canned I have seen has traces of sodium nitrate in it for this reason. An old timer from the USDA I knew that inspected meat and canning processes suggested the additions. They are not necessary at all but I like the added safety mainly because if you ever have any contamination it will likely be botulism, and that is deadly. Besides chicken, I can a lot of pork, and beef too. It is great to have canned meat in my food storage. Plus it is fast to prep a good meal.

 

[foreverlearning]

I have one of the Pressure cookers they sell at Walmart, and I can do 7 quart jars at a time. I like this one because I can use it in the kitchen, and let it run while I am at my desk working where I can see it and keep an eye on it. I have a huge older pressure cooker, I don't use it much because of its size. I have been canning chicken for decades, raw, and pre cooked. Either way at least 10 PSI, and 90 minutes time to can. I put one tablespoon of vinegar, and about 1/64 of a teaspoon of type 1 Prague powder in each quart. The vinegar raises the acid level slightly, and the Prague powder fights any bacteria. Bacteria hate acid environments, and you don't taste 1 tablespoon of vinegar. The Prague powder has sodium nitrate in it, and if any bacteria are present and try to divide, the division breaks down the sodium nitrate, into sodium nitrite, which is deadly to bacteria. All commercial meat canned I have seen has traces of sodium nitrate in it for this reason. An old timer from the USDA I knew that inspected meat and canning processes suggested the additions. They are not necessary at all but I like the added safety mainly because if you ever have any contamination it will likely be botulism, and that is deadly. Besides chicken, I can a lot of pork, and beef too. It is great to have canned meat in my food storage. Plus it is fast to prep a good meal.

I never knew about adding the Prague Powder, I'll be adding it for now on. Thanks for the added info.

 

[Arielle]

Thanks you foreverlearning-- I remembered my mother using a knife too, nothing special. just a table knife. And I do have a canning lifter. IT has been sitting in my untility draw for 20 years hoping to have a job someday!!. I did splurge and buy the lids separator and lifter as I rmember burnt fingers finaging one lid to separate and get pulled out of the water by the finger tips. ANd I did buy a funnel, anotherone, I have ne an old aluminum and I did not want to be without if it should fail.

I'll look in the box to see if the jiggler is there- because I ordered one and I'm still waiting for it. Maybe I alread have one!!

Bachbach-- oh that is interesting about the Praugue Powder. Will look for it !!

My goal is to can up a lot of meat and I do wonder if the meat can be seasoned while in the can or if it isn't worth the effort.

Like a chile pepper in a jar for enchiladas. Or sprigs of thyme. Maybe the flavor develops too much on the latter.

And as of today my squash is outgrowing our needs. My mother canned this and it was always rubbery. lol And the frozen quarts were mushy. Tasted good though to a hungry kid.

Does anyone pickle summer squash?

 

[Elke Beck]

And as of today my squash is outgrowing our needs. My mother canned this and it was always rubbery. lol And the frozen quarts were mushy. Tasted good though to a hungry kid.

Does anyone pickle summer squash?

My mother used to make zucchini relish. It is good and uses up a ton of squash. Let me know if you want the recipe and I will dig it out. I think the recipe was from Ball.