# My small mistake with canned hamburger.



## oraltool (Feb 19, 2009)

Well, you learn from your mistakes, most of the time. I hope by me telling of this one someone else won't make this mistake.

Ok. I like canned tomatoes and so i have canned juice and whole peeled tomatoes for several years now. have also canned fruit and fruit pie fillings.

So i buy a large canner. I want to can hamburger in case electricity is turned off. I canned 10 lbs of hamburger with onions. I did that with success and let them sit. This past weekend I was sick and so thought I would try out one of the quart jars of my work. Well, I opened the can and was sadly met with the contents smelling like canned cat food. I tried using it but it was just too nasty. I work with a nice lady who discusses food topics with me and I told her of the situation. She said it was the onions. She has canned hamburger many times with great results. NO ONIONS. I love onions, I thought I was saving me some time and of course saving onion in my food stuffs at the same time. Boy was I wrong. Unless you like the flavor of cat food I guess you can can any thing you want or have the stomach for. Anyone else have such a situation?


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## SaskDame (Aug 27, 2010)

Too many to mention. When it reminds me of dog food or we would need dogs teeth to eat it, it goes to the dogs. Good thing our dogs are not fussy.


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## JayJay (Nov 23, 2010)

But if you use the canned beef in chili or beef/veg soup, will it maybe be okay without the cat food taste??


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## lotsoflead (Jul 25, 2010)

oraltool said:


> Well, you learn from your mistakes, most of the time. I hope by me telling of this one someone else won't make this mistake.
> 
> Ok. I like canned tomatoes and so i have canned juice and whole peeled tomatoes for several years now. have also canned fruit and fruit pie fillings.
> 
> So i buy a large canner. I want to can hamburger in case electricity is turned off. I canned 10 lbs of hamburger with onions. I did that with success and let them sit. This past weekend I was sick and so thought I would try out one of the quart jars of my work. Well, I opened the can and was sadly met with the contents smelling like canned cat food. I tried using it but it was just too nasty. I work with a nice lady who discusses food topics with me and I told her of the situation. She said it was the onions. She has canned hamburger many times with great results. NO ONIONS. I love onions, I thought I was saving me some time and of course saving onion in my food stuffs at the same time. Boy was I wrong. Unless you like the flavor of cat food I guess you can can any thing you want or have the stomach for. Anyone else have such a situation?


we find that it;s best not to put any onions or seasonings in except salt.IT's alway easy to put the onions on the burger after.


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## Clarice (Aug 19, 2010)

I lightly brown my ground beef, drain grease, put in jar and cover with hot beef broth. No need for salt and the beef broth is salty. Process quarts for 90 min. @ 10#s. To use in a dish I drain the broth off and save it to put over my dog's food. The meat is delicious. I also use beef broth when I can venision.


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## JayJay (Nov 23, 2010)

I canned my stew beef and got a few pints of broth...waste of time??

Not if electricity fails...we have a half beef in the freezer, no generator, and I see it as meat not lost.
In fact, thinking about canning some of that ground beef...(and I won't put onions in it):congrat:

Thanks for sharing this mistake.


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## oraltool (Feb 19, 2009)

I will be doing more hamburger because that is so versatile. I'll just have to add them in afterwards. I LAUGHED TO MYSELF TONIGHT. tHE WIFEY THINKS i'M NUTS AND HORDING. I just said oh well, sue me for canning some meat. I could be sitting on my A$$ collecting dust and fat. If we ever get in a tight spot maybe then she will appreciate the efforts I have put forth.


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## JayJay (Nov 23, 2010)

I see it as being one step closer to having a meal ready...the beef for dishes is cooked and ready to throw in.:congrat:


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## Jason (Jul 25, 2009)

Oraltool, from a new canner, thank you for sharing that. we don't have a pressure canner yet, but last night we got a big pot to use as a water bath canner. We just used our big pot before, which really isn't big enough. Anyway, DW canned 3 pints of venison the other day. Using my cousin's technique, she cubed the meat, packed it into the jars, boiled it for a few hours, and it made its own juice. All she added was a half teaspoon or so of salt. It tastes really good.


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## Freyadog (Jan 27, 2010)

Clarice said:


> I lightly brown my ground beef, drain grease, put in jar and cover with hot beef broth. No need for salt and the beef broth is salty. Process quarts for 90 min. @ 10#s. To use in a dish I drain the broth off and save it to put over my dog's food. The meat is delicious. I also use beef broth when I can venision.


Clarice when you can venisonburger and you do not have beef broth(we don't eat beef) can you just pour boiling water into the meat? Also would you add beef bouillion or just plain water. Would the bouillion make it too salty?


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## Jason (Jul 25, 2009)

DW asked me to post this question. We have a couple chuck roasts frozen in the freezer. We are wondering if they can be thawed and canned, like fresh meat. I don't see why not but it's worth asking about. I realize it's more work than it's probably worth but we just want to try it to see how it turns out.


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## gypsysue (Mar 27, 2010)

When we lived in town and had electricity I bought 25 whole chickens on a good sale at a newly-opened grocery store, and put them in our upright freezer. 

Then we sold that property and bought this homestead where we live now. I canned up all the meat in the freezer, including all the frozen elk and venison and the 25 chickens. 

Worked out fine. Look in your canner instruction book for the times and pressures.


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## oraltool (Feb 19, 2009)

i have the canning down, i just put onions in with the hamburger and that was the mistake unless you like hamburger tasting like cat food smells. I don't particularly like cats and their goofy canned food. Were not picky eaters and I guess if that is all that is left at some point it would get eaten but it did taste really bad. We used it in Spaghetti sauce it left on heck of a wang to the tomato sauce. I'll never do that again.


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## oraltool (Feb 19, 2009)

JASON: Are you not concerned about botulism?? The spors live beyond 212 or i should say they don't die and you can't tell if they are dead by the appearance of your canned foods. 240 degrees is the temp the canner reached at sea level killing the sore so you can live another day. Maybe you folks do this all the time but I would say you have been damn lucky. I want to live and I sure as heck don't want to kill my family. THEY ARE PRESCIOUS TO ME. Please pressure canner all your meat you put up. I would hate to hear of a tragic mistake from improper prepping of food. I have heard that some low acid tomatoes require pressure canning because of the low acid in the fruit. Amazing the new varieties have been engineered to have less acid for better stomach appeal and I suppose mouth irritation if you eat alot of them. I usually just water bath them but I'm going to start using my pressure canner next season.


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## Jason (Jul 25, 2009)

That's what I needed to know. Thanks.


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## JayJay (Nov 23, 2010)

Jason said:


> DW asked me to post this question. We have a couple chuck roasts frozen in the freezer. We are wondering if they can be thawed and canned, like fresh meat. I don't see why not but it's worth asking about. I realize it's more work than it's probably worth but we just want to try it to see how it turns out.


We have a half beef....I cooked the stew meat, canned it, and even got broth for noodles, and other dishes..
It looks okay ..I'll know next time I make veg/beef soup.


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## CVORNurse (Oct 19, 2008)

*for Jason and wifey*

Jason, I have read through this thread. It sounds to me like ya'll waterbathed the deer?

You and DW really need to get The Ball Blue Book of Canning. You can also go to this site and download the USDA Canning Guide (which I actually use much more than my Blue Book. Downloaded, printed, and put in page protectors in a big binder)..... National Center for Home Food Preservation | USDA Publications

Canning is fun and rewarding, but not if someone gets sick from using a recipe that isn't proven to be safe.

I moved the next step to canning meat this year. Did a turkey and broth. And cannot wait to find some time to can some roast. Just waiting until I can catch a day or 2 off of work. And more than likely, mine will be from previously frozen meat. Because it will either be bought on sale, or from the steer we butchered. The butcher we used wouldn't let DH pick the meat up until it was frozen. Maybe some regulation he has to follow??


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## Jason (Jul 25, 2009)

We'ew looking at pressure canners now. We've decided that we like the jellies and stuff she's made and are ready to take the next step. Sometime within the next couple weeks we'll have a brand new one perking away in the kitchen.


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## CVORNurse (Oct 19, 2008)

Jason said:


> We'ew looking at pressure canners now. We've decided that we like the jellies and stuff she's made and are ready to take the next step. Sometime within the next couple weeks we'll have a brand new one perking away in the kitchen.


I have a 23 quart Presto. Love it other than having to use the guage instead of a weight. But if you can afford it, go for the All American. Fewer parts to wear out and have to replace.


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## Jason (Jul 25, 2009)

Thank you. We're all for suggestions and horror stories at this point. We don't need anything fancy and can't afford to spend tons of money, but we are able to make a sensible investment in something that will last (and keep us safe) for many years.


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## CVORNurse (Oct 19, 2008)

Bought my presto off of Amazon. It was right at 100 w shipping/handling. I actually went for it because I didn't have the extra 100 or more to get the All American. That and the fact both my mother and MIL had prestos that served them well. They passed them on to me, but they were so worn I couldn't make out the numbers to order replacement parts. I use both of them during canning season, as water bath canners, and to blanch my stuff in.


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## Clarice (Aug 19, 2010)

Yes Jason you can thaw and can the roast. I do this all the time. Cut into pieces that will fit thru the mouth of the jar. Brown on all sides. Place in the jar, cover with hot broth or water. Process qts. @ 10# for 90min. I often buy the cheapest cuts of beef and put in the freezer till I have time to can. The meat is so very tender after canning. Good Luck.


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## Clarice (Aug 19, 2010)

Freyadog, You can use hot water instead of broth but the meat won't be as tasty IMO. The bouillion cubes are very salty so if you use them omit adding any other salt and use the cubes sparingly. I save any bones that I get in my beef , freeze them till I have enough to boil to make broth. I have also used cubes or store bought beef broth. The idea behind browning the meat first is it will look more appetizing and release some to the flavor. You could make broth from the pan drippings, but I don't like the grease.


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## Freyadog (Jan 27, 2010)

Clarice said:


> Freyadog, You can use hot water instead of broth but the meat won't be as tasty IMO. The bouillion cubes are very salty so if you use them omit adding any other salt and use the cubes sparingly. I save any bones that I get in my beef , freeze them till I have enough to boil to make broth. I have also used cubes or store bought beef broth. The idea behind browning the meat first is it will look more appetizing and release some to the flavor. You could make broth from the pan drippings, but I don't like the grease.


Clarice, thank you for this information. I have 2 deer cut up and frozen. Was wanting to can this meat instead of keeping in freezer due to maybe power outages and such this winter. I love the idea of cooking the ground meat and then canning it. What a super idea. :2thumb:


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## Freyadog (Jan 27, 2010)

Freyadog said:


> Clarice, thank you for this information. I have 2 deer cut up and frozen. Was wanting to can this meat instead of keeping in freezer due to maybe power outages and such this winter. I love the idea of cooking the ground meat and then canning it. What a super idea. :2thumb:


Update here.
I canned 20 quarts of deer burger. I added nothing to the meat. Just boiled, drained, filled jars, added broth back to it and canned. It is gorgeous.


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## NotAGrasshopper (Oct 25, 2010)

Jason said:


> Oraltool, from a new canner, thank you for sharing that. we don't have a pressure canner yet, but last night we got a big pot to use as a water bath canner. We just used our big pot before, which really isn't big enough. Anyway, DW canned 3 pints of venison the other day. Using my cousin's technique, she cubed the meat, packed it into the jars, boiled it for a few hours, and it made its own juice. All she added was a half teaspoon or so of salt. It tastes really good.


Jason,

I know this was mentioned briefly above, but IT IS NOT SAFE to can meat or any other low-acid food using a water bath canner!

You might get away with it for a while but it's simply not safe. C. botulinum spores aren't killed at 212 degrees, which is the hottest your water bath can get.

Unless you want to spend weeks paralyzed in an iron lung - or die (or worse, kill someone else), knock it off and can using proper techniques!


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## tsrwivey (Dec 31, 2010)

Jason said:


> We'ew looking at pressure canners now. We've decided that we like the jellies and stuff she's made and are ready to take the next step. Sometime within the next couple weeks we'll have a brand new one perking away in the kitchen.


Pressure cookers are also great for cooking fast, a great way to conserve time & fuel.


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