Pressure Canned Moose Chili

Becca

Super Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Feb 26, 2012
Messages
2,037
Location
Wasilla, Alaska
I have been pressure canning the last several years as an alternative way to preserve meat and fish without requiring a fridge or freezer. Home canned goods are great because you can pop the lid and have food that is already cooked and ready to eat, without any defrosting or additional prep required. As a beginning canner, my first projects were raw-pack meat and fish, meaning that you put the food into your sterilized jars un-cooked and let the canning process cook it for you.

Running multiple canners to process salmon last summer:
e4f403c1.jpg


A jar of pressure canned moose meat:
1455418c.jpg


As I have gained experience and confidence, I have been wanting to pressure can some of my own chili or soup, always looking for yet another use for all the ground game meat we have in the freezers and a way to have single servings of my favorites on hand. Chili and other soups are a little more time consuming to pressure can in that they are done with the "hot pack" method--you have to cook your chili to a simmer and then the hot soup is ladled into hot jars and then processed. Yesterday I finally had the time, supplies and ingredients all available at once to make canned chili happen! Better yet, my sis-in-law expressed interest in canning with me, so we teamed up and made a day out of it, pressure canning both my moose chili and a batch of her white chicken chili in a 9 hour canning blitz!

The safety of pressure canned goods depends on the density and ph of the product being canned, so for canning I only use recipes tested and published by the cooperative extension service.

Quart jars in the canner:
CD4DFC0C-5BA9-43AD-AF5B-6165C0F83321-6166-0000038A5E115DE5_zps83e9ba64.jpg


The pint jars of moose chili cooling on the counter:
39613FB0-7781-4CC3-A134-27EB270B697D-6166-0000038CCCB699CB_zps5a642aed.jpg


You have a lot of down time while the pressure canner is processing, so we also did a double batch each of tomato bruschetta mix and strawberry chocolate sauce in the water bath canner while we were waiting.

Here is one of each type of product we made yesterday:

E5A18CDA-1A7B-443E-A7F4-05DF7FCF6F92-6166-0000038CC3B5314B_zpsfc95267f.jpg


Pressure canning has opened up a lot of options for me in terms of preserving and cooking game meat and fish. I have been thinking of writing a more thorough article on pressure canning, but wasnt sure if folks are interested?
 

Chuffness

FNG
Joined
May 13, 2012
Messages
73
Location
Utah
Sweet. Ive been eyeing an All American 921 myself lately... Soon as I get the funds im gonna pull the trigger. I was planning on doing just plain meat. But having some ready to go chilli is a great idea.
 

Daniel_M

WKR
Joined
Jan 17, 2013
Messages
1,428
Location
Wasilla, Alaska
Lookin good. I banned quite a bit this year and have expanded that into pressure cooking meats.

Moose ribs ala pressure cooker are awesome.
 
Last edited:
OP
Becca

Becca

Super Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Feb 26, 2012
Messages
2,037
Location
Wasilla, Alaska
How long will meat and fish last if it's pressure canned?

Assuming the jars stay sealed, the food is supposed to maintain nutritional content up to at least 5 years I believe. Of course there are people out there eating stuff longer than that...as long as the lids don't pop or bulge it's "safe", but might not be quite as good when it's that old. My parentd are still eating canned salmon from '10 and haven't noticed any difference in taste or texture. Most canning resources recommend storing the glass jars away from light and heat. We keep our flats of jars in our crawlspace, and I just bring up a dozen or so at a time.
 

River Rat

WKR
Joined
Apr 29, 2012
Messages
726
Location
Missouri
Thanks Becca, We canned deer and turkey meat it's great to have on hand to make a quick meal.
My wife wants to know about the strawberry chocolate sauce.
 
Joined
Jun 10, 2012
Messages
598
Location
NorCal
Becca, definitely a 'how-to' article....and what is "cooperative extension service"? Look forward to learning more.
 
OP
Becca

Becca

Super Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Feb 26, 2012
Messages
2,037
Location
Wasilla, Alaska
I will work on a more organized "how to" article and see if we can't get it posted up soon!

To anyone interested in purchasing a pressure canner, I can't say enough good about the All American canners--- all metal so there is no gaskets or seals to maintain. That being said they are kind of expensive. I found my giant model on amazon for the same price that they wanted for the smallest version at our big box store here in town, and I got free shipping! They may have caught on to that though, wouldn't be the first time Moffats have wrecked free shipping deals for everyone...getting companies to ship stuff up here for free often makes them think twice :) if you go with the largest model I have keep in mind that it may not fit on the stove inside if you have an over range microwave. I use the propane burner outside or in the garage, or borrow the smaller version from Family for smaller batches of stuff.

Becca, definitely a 'how-to' article....and what is "cooperative extension service"? Look forward to learning more.

the cooperative extension service is a branch of the USDA that operates in each state, usually in conjunction with a state university. They are the ones who do all the food and agriculture research, and thus the most reputable source for information about safe recipes, processing times, pressures, etc.


Thanks Becca, We canned deer and turkey meat it's great to have on hand to make a quick meal.
My wife wants to know about the strawberry chocolate sauce.
The strawberry chocolate sauce turned out a bit more like jam than I expected, I probably added too much pectin! Still yummy though, and gets more pourable if heated up. I found the recipe for that one on the ball preserving website I think. Lots of great canning resources on the web, but just consider the source for anything you find. I am really careful with where I get my canning recipes, in the interest of not poisoning everybody :) Just because someone's grandma did it for years and no one ever got sick isn't always a guarantee that the recipe is really safe.
 
Joined
Mar 4, 2012
Messages
427
Location
Western Colorado
There is a fellow on here that talked about Pressure cookers prior that I had read. Told my wife cool we should do this etc etc one evening sitting on our deck. Couple months later...I get a big -O- Christmas gift and its the Presto Pressure Cooker (I think he worked for Presto). i have the Christmas wrapping off it but have yet to even cut the tape to look in the box. I would assume there must be some sort of small cooking recipe booklet inside. Totally clueless, though i am far from dumb in the kitchen..should have kept quiet:p
I would like to know more:rolleyes:
 
Joined
Apr 22, 2012
Messages
7,524
Location
Chugiak, Alaska
We do a lot of canning every year also, but so far only salmon. I think next year I may start playing around with canning some different meats and trying some different recipes. Here's a couple photos from last years salmon processing. I also went ahead and built a cold smoker to smoke the salmon as I felt that with canning and hot smoking I ended up cooking the fish twice, and the final product turn out a little too dry for my taste. The heat source is outside and away from the actual smoker and then the smoke is plumbed into the box so the temperature in the box is the same as the ambient temperature outside.
ytezu8a5.jpg
2u8atava.jpg
vepamuse.jpg
 
Last edited:
OP
Becca

Becca

Super Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Feb 26, 2012
Messages
2,037
Location
Wasilla, Alaska
There is a fellow on here that talked about Pressure cookers prior that I had read. Told my wife cool we should do this etc etc one evening sitting on our deck. Couple months later...I get a big -O- Christmas gift and its the Presto Pressure Cooker (I think he worked for Presto). i have the Christmas wrapping off it but have yet to even cut the tape to look in the box. I would assume there must be some sort of small cooking recipe booklet inside. Totally clueless, though i am far from dumb in the kitchen..should have kept quiet:p
I would like to know more:rolleyes:

Might have been Les Welch? As I recall he works for presto...

Did you get a pressure cooker, or a combo cooker/canner? They are somewhat different in that the cooker can't be used for canning, but the combo device is good for both. I haven't done much pressure cooking, but will have to give it a try one of these days! Bust into it, I bet there are some good recipes in there :)




We do a lot of canning every year also, but so far only salmon. I think next year I may start playing around with canning some different meats and trying some different recipes. Here's a couple photos from last years salmon processing. I also went ahead and built a cold smoker to smoke the salmon as I felt that with canning and hot smoking I ended up cooking the fish twice, and the final product turn out a little too dry for my taste. The heat source is outside and away from the actual smoker and then the smoke is plumbed into the box so the temperature in the box is the same as the ambient temperature outside.
ytezu8a5.jpg
2u8atava.jpg
vepamuse.jpg

Simply awesome AKTB! Those "smoke then can" days are some long, exhausting ones! If you can do that you will have no trouble canning meat or chili....
 

Goober

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Jul 22, 2012
Messages
109
Location
Central Wisconsin
Becca: Tip for you if you do can some soup: NO NOODLES. I canned some homemade Chicken Noodle soup with good home-made noodles. When pressure cooked the noodles swell crazy and will soak up ALL the liquid in the jar. It was still edible, just needed to add water when warming. Pretty surprised when I took them out of the cooker though and there was no liquid left!
 
OP
Becca

Becca

Super Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Feb 26, 2012
Messages
2,037
Location
Wasilla, Alaska
Becca: Tip for you if you do can some soup: NO NOODLES. I canned some homemade Chicken Noodle soup with good home-made noodles. When pressure cooked the noodles swell crazy and will soak up ALL the liquid in the jar. It was still edible, just needed to add water when warming. Pretty surprised when I took them out of the cooker though and there was no liquid left!

Thanks for the reminder! I am pretty sure that noodles are a no-no when pressure canning....I think for the reason you described, and possibly because they cause a difference in density that makes it hard to ensure a safe home canned product. Most of the recipes and recommendations for home canned soups that I have seen advise you to leave noodles or rice out of canned goods, and add them back in when you open the can if that is your preference. Because I still consider myself a novice canner, I am pretty religious about sticking to tested recipes approved by USDA cooperative extension service, or another reputable source. IMO it just isn't worth risking making somebody sick to mess around with recipes that haven't been tested....
 
Joined
Mar 4, 2012
Messages
427
Location
Western Colorado
Opened the package and it is a combo (good deal). There was an extensive book inside read 90% of the directions, I am one of those kind of people. Does not seem to difficult at all. Inside the pot loosely there was a sheet of paper that warned of putting the canner on the type of heaters which are for Turkey friers......FYI. Couldn't or put another way, did not find in the directions how where why you should store jars a certain way. Bring on the lesson:D
 
OP
Becca

Becca

Super Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Feb 26, 2012
Messages
2,037
Location
Wasilla, Alaska
Opened the package and it is a combo (good deal). There was an extensive book inside read 90% of the directions, I am one of those kind of people. Does not seem to difficult at all. Inside the pot loosely there was a sheet of paper that warned of putting the canner on the type of heaters which are for Turkey friers......FYI. Couldn't or put another way, did not find in the directions how where why you should store jars a certain way. Bring on the lesson:D

My understanding is that the precaution against turkey fryers depends on your brand/model, as my canner (all American) doesn't have any such warning and this method has worked well for us. I will certainly look into it some more. It may have to do with any components on the outside of some brands being less heat resistant, but again I am not sure.

I have the article half way done, I need to finish the step wise directions and then I will try to get it posted up :)
 
Joined
Apr 13, 2013
Messages
1,109
Location
Beaverton, Oregon
Excellent thread. I think many people don't realize how freaking AWESOME home canned meat is! My mother was a big home canner, but somehow I lost the appreciation.......until recently. Over the last couple years I've been canning all sorts of meat. Bear, turkey, duck & goose, elk, deer and TUNA! Just finished canning some turkey chili meat, and a few cans of sweet curry goose for Vindaloo. I think this fall's bear will get canned in enchilada sauce and turned into picadillo/carnita. I can already taste it!

Anyway, cool thread! BTW, "troutbum" ...Nice job on the cold smoker. Kinda giving me an idea on how to recycle a freezer. (wink)
Hunt'nFish

A load of canned Bear
 
Last edited:

Hardstalk

WKR
Joined
Apr 29, 2012
Messages
1,094
Im jealous of not only your guy's domestic abilities. But also your ability to manage time and be able to do these things.

Very interested in step by step how to's I remember my mother doing my fathers summer and winter gardens for the upcoming season to have on hand. This was when I was 6 or 7 years old. Everyone would run like hell out of no where when she was first learning how to do it! she passed when I was 22 and With the circumstances of my teen years I missed out on all the recipes (she was a phenomenal cook) and the cool preservation methods she had.
 

Z Barebow

WKR
Joined
May 24, 2012
Messages
314
I bought a pressure cooker several years ago for canning venison. It works great! (I have a Presto). The finished product won't win any beauty contests, but it tastes great.

I use it as an ingredient for chili, mexican dishes and stroganoff.

Only pointer I can add is don't use your stove. (Especially if it is electric). You could kill it and tough to get cooker up to pressure. I use my Coleman Camp Stove.
 

30338

WKR
Joined
Jun 2, 2013
Messages
1,971
Been canning venison with raw pack for years. Curious about canning precooked taco meat and the other recipes sound great to. No salmon, but guessing I could can trout also. Lot to learn and jealous of those American brand canners.
 
Top