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Canning Ground Beef and Other Meats

Cook Time2 hours
Author: Constance Smith - Cosmopolitan Cornbread

Ingredients

  • ground beef Lamb, Sausage, Veal, Venison, Veal, Pork or Bear (See Note in post about Poultry)
  • beef bouillon I use Better than Bouillon. You can also use water or tomato juice instead (see note)
  • water for mixing with bouillon
  • salt optional

Instructions

  • To begin, you’ll want to wash and prepare all of your canning equipment. Jars should be inspected for chips or cracks, and everything washed and clean.
  • Prepare your pressure canner with the 2-3 inches of water (refer to your canner’s user manual.) Turn your stove burner on low, so that it is beginning to get warm.
  • Cook the ground beef in a large skillet, breaking it up with a utensil. Cook it until it is browned, but not cooked all the way through. It’s okay for there to be pink bits here and there. (See recipe post.)
  • Meanwhile, place your canning liquid (water, broth or tomato juice) in a large pot. Bring it to a boil, and reduce the heat to a simmer.
  • When the beef is browned, spoon the beef into your canning jars using a slotted spoon to leave the grease behind. If you wish, you could also strain the meat using a colander.
    Fill the jars to 1 inch of headspace.
  • You can add salt if you like, up to 1 teaspoon for a pint, 2 teaspoons for a quart.
  • Add enough of the canning liquid to cover the meat.
  • Use a bubble wand to remove any trapped air bubbles. Add additional liquid if needed to restore the 1 inch of head space.
  • Dip a damp cloth into white vinegar, and clean the rim of your jars very well. This is especially important when canning meats, because the grease from the meat can hinder the jars from sealing.
  • Position a lid and ring on your jar, and tighten finger-tight. Place it in your pressure canner. Repeat the process with all the meat.
  • When your meat is all jarred up, close and seal your pressure canner. Bring the heat up until you have a steady stream of steam coming from the vent pipe. Allow the steam to vent for 10 minutes.
  • After 10 minutes, place your weight or regulator on the pipe and bring your canner up to the appropriate pressure. Process your jars for the time required. Pints: 75 minutes, Quarts: 90 minutes. Pressure is 10 lbs. See the chart in the post for adjustments if you live over 1,000 feet elevation.
  • After your canner has done processing, turn off the heat and allow the pressure to come back down to zero naturally. Do not manually vent the pressure.
  • Once the pressure is down to zero, wait another minute, then remove the weight/regulator. Wait another minute.
  • Carefully remove the lid from the canner, and allow the jars to sit there another minute.
  • Use your jar lifter to transfer the jars to a lined surface in a draft-free location. Let the jars cool 12-24 hours or until they are completely cool. I usually let them go until the next day.
  • Remove the rings, test the lids to make sure they are sealed. If you have a jar that didn’t seal, stick it in your fridge to use right away.
  • Wash your jars with warm, soapy water. Label the jars, and put them in your pantry for future meals.

Video

Notes

You will need approximately 1 cup of liquid per pint of ground beef, or 2 cups per quart. Have a little extra prepared in case you need more.

See This Recipe:

https://cosmopolitancornbread.com/how-to-can-ground-beef/

Equipment Used

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