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Do You Can Raw Chicken

Do you can raw chicken? Have you ever tried canning chicken at all?

Canning meat is one of my favorite things to can!

It is literally one of the easiest things to can, too.

Believe me, if you have ever put in the hard work of canning tomatoes or peaches, then you are going to love how easy it is to can chicken.

Canning Chicken is as Easy as One, Two, Three

Canning chicken really is as easy as one, two, three.

Number One: Cut up the chicken

Number one: Cut up the chicken into any size pieces you prefer.

You are dealing with raw meat here, so you definitely want to make sure everything is nice and clean both before and after working with it.

I cut my chicken into about one-inch chunks. I do not worry about making them all uniform in size. Some pieces end up bigger, while other pieces are smaller. It doesn’t really matter either way.

Number Two: Fill up Jars

Number two: Fill up jars and add in salt.

I like to use pint-size jars for the majority of my canned chicken. I do, however, can up a few quart-size jars too.

Pint jars typically hold one-pound of meat, while quart jars hold two pounds.

I put the raw, cut-up chicken into clean jars, then add salt to each jar.

I prefer to use my Himalayan sea salt while canning, but as long as it doesn’t have added iodine, it will work.

Most people just go to the regular grocery store and pick up a box of plain salt.

That is actually what it will say on the box – Plain Salt.

It might also say, Canning Salt.

Just don’t use the regular iodized table salt.

I add in a half-teaspoon of salt per pint jar, and a full-teaspoon of salt to my quart jars.

Technically, you don’t need to add salt to your canning. It does, however, help with the preservation, and pulls the flavor out of the meat. Yum!

I put a wooden skewer into the jars to remove the bubbles, then wipe down the lips of the jars.

Brand new lids are added to the top, and my used rims are put on finger-tight.

Number Three: Pressure Can the Chicken

Number three: Pressure can the chicken.

Do not use a water bath canner to can meat. Ever!

Meat must be pressure canned in order to be processed properly. A water bath canner doesn’t reach the temperatures needed to can meat.

I am able to fit eleven pints, or seven quarts into my pressure canner at a time.

There is a little rack that goes into the bottom of the canner so that my jars are not setting right on the very bottom.

The jars are put in, then I add the recommended amount of water into the canner.

I seal it up, then wait for the canner to start giving a steady stream of steam for a total of ten minutes.

I add my recommended weight, and process for the recommended about of time.

You can find all of the recommendations for your altitude in the Blue Ball Book of Canning.

I highly recommend that you own your own copy, if you are at all interested in canning.

Raw Pack or Cooked Meat

I prefer to use the raw pack method when I am canning chicken, pork, beef, and venison.

The thing to remember when doing a raw pack is do NOT add liquid. It will create its own liquid while being processed.

Canning Chicken is a Great Way to Get Started Canning

Canning chicken, or any meat, is really a great way to get started canning. It is super easy, and so fulfilling to watch your pantry grow right before your eyes.

How to Use Canned Chicken

Canned chicken is absolutely delicious! It is thoroughly cooked meat, which means you can literally eat it right out of the jar.

Do you love fast food?

You can’t get any faster than home-canned meats.

Just open the jar!

I use my canned chicken in a variety of ways.

Chicken Salad Sandwiches

Add chicken to the tops of your salads

Chicken quesadillas are super fast to make with canned chicken.

Buffalo chicken dip

Anything that requires shredded chicken! Quit wasting so much time cooking up and shredding the chicken at meal time. Just pull a can of the pantry shelf.

Soups and stews

The list goes on and on!

There are only good things to say about having your own canned chicken on the pantry shelf!

Look for Deals on Skinless, Boneless Chicken

I am always on the look out for some good chicken sales so I can can it up.

Find a good deal?

Buy as much as you can afford.

I throw all of it into my freezer until I find time to do some canning.

Then, I just thaw it out, and can it up.

Never can frozen meat. Always make sure it has thoroughly thawed first.

It’s So Easy to Can Raw Chicken

It’s so easy to can raw chicken!

Are you ready to start canning chicken?

Let me know in the comments all about your canning experiences.