# Canning Taco Meat Question



## WWhermit (Mar 1, 2012)

OK, so I'm grinding up 15 lbs of beef, browning the ground beef, and will add the taco seasoning, and pressure can in quart jars.

My question is, what type of liquid do I add in the jars prior to canning. Water will dilute the flavor. Beef stock would change the flavor.

What do you do?


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## PackerBacker (Dec 13, 2012)

I would can it as plain burger with pan juice and then season it when you get it out.


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## Caribou (Aug 18, 2012)

Packer has a good idea. Nothing but the meat in the jars leaves you with more options. There is no need to add liquid. While I have never canned ground meat I have canned meat cut into stew size chunks. This meat later became stew, casseroles of various kinds, tacos, sloppy joe, and several other dishes.


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## thenance007 (Oct 8, 2012)

I also always can my ground beef plain--but in pints, since many times that is all I need. A pint of cooked meat is enough protein for a day for 6 adults if we need to stretch it and have no refrigeration. That way, I can use it in hamburger stroganoff, any hamburger helper type dishes, chili, sloppy joes, etc. You can even just put it on a hamburger bun with a little salt and pepper and a slice of cheese melted open-face to make hamburgers. Seasonings tend to change flavors when canned, some get stronger and some disappear, so I prefer adding them when I'm ready to cook it. I barely cook the ground beef, just so it stays in little chunks instead of a big glob, and don't add liquid.


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## Dakine (Sep 4, 2012)

same here, with my meatloaf I switched from Quarts to Pints because I found that even with a pint jar, I have enough for 4 good portion meatloaf sandwiches. That's a lot for just one person. if I have to use these when there's no power I dont want to risk the spoilage from the quarts. I suppose with that in mind I should start consuming all of the quarts I already packed and re-can those with soup or something else of that nature... oh chili. A quart is really just 2 nice bowls of chili but 8 meatloaf sandwiches is a lot!

For ground beef and roast beef, I'm doing as mentioned above, I can it plain, and roast beef is cubed.


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## DJgang (Apr 10, 2011)

I prepare mine just like we are going to eat it. I use a little water with seasoning. And pack it in the jars...

I'm all about doing taco meat. I have little ones (12 and under) and if I'm down with a migraine or something they can at least open a jar, put some meat in the microwave. I don't have to worry about them heating up the stove and putting the seasoning, know what I mean?

Some time it's better to prepare all the way.

So that's my answer, a little water is all you need in the cooking pan not the jars.


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## cengasser (Mar 12, 2012)

We also can just the ground beef and can make what we want when we use it.


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## memrymaker (Dec 12, 2012)

I boil the hamburger (a method suggested by neldarez to get the grease off and give texture), then drain it. 

I season when I open the jar, but I guess you could also add the seasoning to a small amount of water after it's boiled. That would get the good "taco meat" taste mixed in before canning.


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## WWhermit (Mar 1, 2012)

I'll be doing many jars of plain meat as well this next couple days off. Just wanted to get some already seasoned meat into jars and can them to save time, and if things are complicated, as they may be if SHTF, having pre-seasoned meat can be a plus.


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## partdeux (Aug 3, 2011)

SWMBO cans it just the way it is


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## goshengirl (Dec 18, 2010)

When I can taco meat I just make up the ground beef and add seasoning and water to the skillet/pot, just as I would if I were making it to serve right then. Fill jars with seasoned ground beef, then use the liquid in the skillet/pot to pour in the jars. Seasonings can change during the canning process (and I'm usually big on canning stuff plain and seasoning it later), but I've found that the taco seasoning we use does just fine in the canning process. Can't remember the seasoning packet we use - Ortega I think? (sad that I can't remember - I just always get the same yellow packets no matter what store I'm in...)

It's really nice to have some jars already seasoned and ready to go. Like DJ says, it's easy for the kids if they need to get something on their own (and in my case, it helps for the hubby, too). Just open the jar, and it can even be heated up on the wood stove.


P.S. - when canning, I do like to rinse the ground beef a bit, just to reduce (not eliminate) the amount of fat in the canning jars. Just a personal preference.


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## Prepper69 (Jan 25, 2013)

I have not done taco meat...we dont eat alot of tacos but I have raw packed and pre cooked hamburger meat...I have to say I like the pre cooked meat ALOT better...the raw packed meat tastes like Taco Bell meat...very tender and not much texture to it. The pre cooked hamburger tasted like hamburger and had the same texture as I just had cooked it. I have not added any seasonings to the hamburger because I want to be able to use it however just like others have said. But with my chicken and beef stew I canned I added a buillion (sp?) cube to the jars...looks better in the jars that way and when we ate it, it tastes alot better also


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## neldarez (Apr 10, 2011)

I just did up some taco meat and I dropped the meat in boiling water, rinsed, mixed in taco seasoning and small amount of tomato sauce and canned....we just heat it up and it's ready to go! :beercheer: (Pepsi)


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