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Learn How to Pressure Can Hamburger
Have you ever thought about canning hamburger?
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 meat.
Canning hamburger really is as easy as one, two, three, four.
Always make sure everything is super clean before canning.
Raw Pack or Cooked (Hot Packed) Meat
I prefer to use the raw pack method when I am canning chicken, pork, beef, and venison.
However, I always hot pack my hamburger.
Whether you raw pack or hot pack is just a matter of preference.
The thing to remember when doing a raw pack is do NOT add liquid. It will create its own liquid while being processed.
When you cook your meat first, always add a liquid to the jars before processing.
Number One: Cook the Hamburger
Cook the hamburger.
I have raw packed hamburger before, but I didn’t like the consistency of the final product.
It seemed more like what you would get when opening a can of wet dog food to me.
I prefer to hot pack my hamburger.
I cook it thoroughly with onions, peppers, garlic, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper.
I cook it without the onions and peppers if I plan on using it as taco meat.
Number Two: Rinse the Hamburger in Hot Water
Rinse the hamburger thoroughly in hot water.
Hamburger can be quite greasy.
Too much grease can make the canned meat turn rancid quicker.
The hot water tends to get the majority of the grease off from the meat.
A little fat left on the meat is fine.
Number Three: Pack the Meat into the Jars and Cover with Liquid
I like to use pint-size jars for the majority of my canned hamburger. 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 pack the cooked hamburger into clean jars, then add hot water to each jar.
You can use broth if you prefer.
I use a wooden skewer to de bubble each jar, then I wipe down the rims before adding the lids.
I always use brand new lids, then put the rims on finger-tight.
Number Four: Pressure Can the Hamburger
Meat must be pressure canned in order to be processed properly. A water bath canner doesn’t reach the temperatures needed to can meat.
Do not use a water bath canner to can meat. Ever!
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 add my recommended weight, and process for the recommended about of time.
I seal it up, then wait for the canner to start giving a steady stream of steam for a total of ten minutes.
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.
Using Salt While Canning
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.
I don’t add extra salt into my hamburger because I add it in while cooking it.
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!
How to Use Canned Hamburger
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 hamburger in a variety of ways.
Here are just a few:
Glorified Steak Sandwiches – I open a jar of hamburger with onions, peppers, and garlic already added into it. Sometimes I add in some mushrooms. I heat it up and top it off with mozzarella cheese. Serve on toast or bread.
Spaghetti sauce
Chili
Tacos
Sloppy Joe’s
Shepherd’s Pie
Hamburger Soup
The list goes on and on.
There are only good things to say about having your own canned hamburger on the pantry shelf!
Whatever you would normally use cooked hamburger for is exactly what you would use canned hamburger for.
Look for Deals on Hamburger
I am always on the look out for good sales on meat.
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.
Canning Hamburger is a Great Way to Get Started Canning
Canning hamburger, 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.
It’s so easy to can hamburger!
Are you ready to start canning hamburger?
Let me know in the comments all about your canning experiences.
Make sure you check out my articles on how to can beef and how to can chicken!
Pressure Canning Resources:
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