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Pressure-canned hamburger is one of the most useful foods I keep on my pantry shelves. It is already cooked and ready to add to soups, casseroles, Sloppy Joes, shepherd’s pie, tacos, and many other quick family meals.
I have preserved meat for my family for years, but safe canning instructions matter more than personal preference. Ground beef is a low-acid food and must be processed in a pressure canner using a current, tested method. Never process hamburger in a boiling-water canner, multicooker, or electric pressure cooker.
The directions below follow the tested hot-pack method from the National Center for Home Food Preservation. Before beginning, check your altitude and follow the correct pressure for your type of pressure canner.
Use the Tested Hot-Pack Method for Hamburger
Although some solid cuts of meat have tested raw-pack instructions, the tested home-canning method for ground or chopped meat is hot pack.
Lightly brown the hamburger before placing it in the jars. Hot packing helps remove excess fat and allows the meat and hot liquid to heat evenly during processing.
Do not add onions, peppers, garlic, flour, thickeners, or other vegetables unless you are following a tested recipe that specifically includes them. You can always add your favorite seasonings and vegetables when you open the jar and prepare your meal.
Step 1: Lightly Brown and Drain the Hamburger
Place fresh or completely thawed ground beef in a skillet and lightly brown it, breaking it into pieces as it cooks.
Drain off the excess fat. Do not rinse the hamburger with water, and do not add flour or other thickeners.
Keep the meat hot while you prepare the jars and boiling liquid for the next step.
Step 2: Prepare the Jars and Hot Liquid
Wash your canning jars, lids, and bands according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Keep the jars hot until you are ready to fill them.
Bring water, meat broth, or tomato juice to a boil. The tested hot-pack method requires hot liquid to be added to the jars with the browned hamburger.
Salt is optional and is added for flavor—not for safety or preservation. If desired, use ½ teaspoon of salt per pint or 1 teaspoon per quart.
Step 3: Fill the Jars
Loosely pack the hot, browned hamburger into the hot jars. Do not press or pack the meat tightly.
Cover the meat with boiling water, meat broth, or tomato juice, leaving 1 inch of headspace at the top of each jar.
Remove trapped air bubbles with a nonmetallic bubble-removal tool and adjust the headspace if necessary. Wipe each jar rim, center the lid, and tighten the band until it is fingertip tight.
Place each filled jar into the prepared pressure canner.
Step 4: Pressure Can the Hamburger
Ground beef must be processed in a pressure canner. Follow your pressure canner manufacturer’s instructions for the correct amount of water, loading the jars, securing the lid, and operating the canner.
Allow a steady funnel of steam to escape from the open vent for 10 full minutes before closing the vent or adding the weight. Let the canner reach the correct pressure before beginning the processing time.
Process:
- Pint jars for 75 minutes
- Quart jars for 90 minutes
For a dial-gauge pressure canner, use:
- 11 pounds of pressure from 0–2,000 feet
- 12 pounds from 2,001–4,000 feet
- 13 pounds from 4,001–6,000 feet
- 14 pounds from 6,001–8,000 feet
For a weighted-gauge pressure canner, use:
- 10 pounds of pressure from 0–1,000 feet
- 15 pounds above 1,000 feet
If the pressure falls below the required level at any point, bring the canner back to the correct pressure and restart the full processing time from the beginning.
When processing is complete, turn off the heat and let the canner depressurize naturally. Do not force-cool the canner or remove the weight early. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions before opening the lid, and tilt the lid away from your face to avoid the steam.
Step 5: Cool, Check, and Store the Jars
Using a jar lifter, remove the jars from the canner without tilting them. Place them upright on a towel or cooling rack, leaving space between the jars.
Do not tighten the bands or press down on the lids. Let the jars cool undisturbed for 12–24 hours.
After cooling, check each seal. Remove the bands, wash and dry the jars, label them with the contents and date, and store them in a cool, dark, dry place.
Refrigerate any jar that did not seal and use it promptly or follow current safe instructions for reprocessing it within 24 hours.
How to Use Home-Canned Hamburger
Before opening a jar, check that the lid is firmly sealed and that the jar has not leaked. When opened, there should be no spurting liquid, mold, unusual odor, or other sign of spoilage. Never taste food from a jar that appears questionable.
Properly pressure-canned hamburger is already cooked, but I heat it before serving or adding it to a meal. Drain the liquid if your recipe does not need it, then use the hamburger anywhere you would normally use cooked ground beef.
Some of my favorite quick meal ideas include:
- Sloppy Joes
- Shepherd’s pie
- Hamburger soup
- Tacos and burritos
- Casseroles
- Pasta sauce
- Chili
- Beef and gravy
Having safely canned hamburger on the pantry shelf can make busy-day meals much faster.
Save Money by Canning Hamburger Bought on Sale
I watch for good sales and markdowns on ground beef. When the price fits my budget, I purchase an extra amount to preserve for future meals.
Only buy what you can safely refrigerate, freeze, or process promptly. If you freeze the hamburger before canning, thaw it completely in the refrigerator before beginning the hot-pack process.
Buying at a genuinely good price and preserving the meat safely gives my family convenient meals without paying full price later. This is strategic shopping at work: purchase useful food when the price is right, preserve it properly, and use it when your family needs it.
Safe Pressure Canning Is Worth the Extra Care
Home-canned hamburger is convenient, versatile, and helpful when I need to put a meal together quickly. However, meat must always be processed with a current, tested pressure-canning method.
Do not change the jar size, headspace, processing time, pressure, or ingredients listed in the tested directions. Check your altitude before starting, follow your pressure canner manufacturer’s instructions, and make sure a dial gauge is tested regularly for accuracy.
For the complete tested instructions and processing tables, visit the National Center for Home Food Preservation’s Ground or Chopped Meat guide:
Have you ever pressure canned hamburger? I would love to hear how you use it in your family’s meals.
Build a Pantry That Works for Your Family
Pressure-canned hamburger is only one way to create a useful pantry. The goal is not to fill every shelf at once—it is to gradually stock foods your family will actually eat and use.
Build a Better Pantry will help you decide what to stock, organize what you already have, reduce waste, and create a practical pantry that fits your family and budget.
Build a Pantry That Works for Your Family
Pressure-canned hamburger is only one way to create a useful pantry. The goal is not to fill every shelf at once—it is to gradually stock foods your family will actually eat and use.
Build a Better Pantry will help you decide what to stock, organize what you already have, reduce waste, and create a practical pantry that fits your family and budget.
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