# First meat (chicken) attempt



## exsheeple (Mar 27, 2011)

My canner came last Friday and could not wait to try it out...caught boneless/skinless thighs on sale today so guess what I did this evening....
Here are the results....
4 pkg = 9 pts
well....I think next time I will cut the chicken in smaller chunks because I have a lot of wasted jar space.
Tips & advice welcome.


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## goshengirl (Dec 18, 2010)

Congrats on your new addiction! (and I promise you, it's an addiction  )

For what it's worth, I do both smaller sizes and larger sizes. I'll have cans of smaller sized chicken to be used with chicken fetuccini alfredo or chicken, gravy and rice. But I find it's also good to have jars of some of the larger pieces to use with a bbq sauce, or heated up with a coating of bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese. It's good to have a variety of sizes.

And I've gotta say, love your username! :2thumb:


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## exsheeple (Mar 27, 2011)

Thank you!!! I have 7 more pkgs of thighs to do later today....I am already addicted!  
Now all I have to do is go down into the basement and start digging out jars. I am thinking doing these into smaller chunks. I also have some beef in the freezer I picked up late last week I need to do, maybe tomorrow. I am thinking of changing my name to canningfool. LOL
The bread crumbs and p-cheese sounds tasty.


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## Berta (Apr 8, 2011)

Did you raw pack them without additional fluid? When I can chicken that way it doesn't matter if it's small or large chunks, the jars always come out looking like I should have put more in. 

Looks yummy!


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## DJgang (Apr 10, 2011)

Well...as a canning virgin, my first attempt this past weekend...chicken and ground beef.

my chicken looks just like that!

I too thought about cutting into smaller pieces, but I think i would rather cut it up cooked than raw, so I am going to stick with canning whole breasts.

I did... 9 pints and 4 quarts of ground beef, 3 quarts of chicken.

Husband says it looks horrible, I said...not if you are starving !

hey, have you got a food saver...if so get those jar attachments...they are just as addicting!


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## goshengirl (Dec 18, 2010)

exsheeple said:


> I am thinking of changing my name to canningfool. LOL.


I'd hold off on changing your name... have you tried drying yet? It'll be another addiciton.


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## goshengirl (Dec 18, 2010)

DJgang said:


> Husband says it looks horrible, I said...not if you are starving !
> hey, have you got a food saver...if so get those jar attachments...they are just as addicting!


Yeah, I got the same response at first - but now everyone is used to it here. (I think there's more than one reason why so much food is in cans instead of jars - cans are economical for the big companies, and the food just plain doesn't look right, LOL.)

When I open up the canned ground beef, the smell takes me back a few decades to my growing up years - but not because of fond memories. I swear the smell is just like the canned dog food my mom used to get! However, I boil it up in a skillet, drain off the liquid, and put it in with a box of Hamburger Helper, and it's very yummy. It's one of the few meals around our house that is guaranteed not to have leftovers. 

I've got those food saver attachments in my 'wishlist' at Amazon. One of these days I'll take the plunge with those, too.


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## ComputerGuy (Dec 10, 2010)

goshengirl said:


> I'd hold off on changing your name... have you tried drying yet? It'll be another addiciton.


Dehydrators are the bomb


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## snappy1 (Sep 2, 2010)

My chicken looks like the photo also! Still using chicken I canned in '09. Wish I had a big freezer so I could buy more in bulk to can later!


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## exsheeple (Mar 27, 2011)

Yes I raw packed them. I am thinking about doing whole thighs again but in quart jars, that should compensate for shrinkage. LOL Nevermind.....
I do have a dehydrator and use it to make deer jerky every year, but this year I will be expanding my knowledge base with that as well. My next toy will be a vaccum sealer as soon as my budget allows. 
I am glad to hear that my chicken looks the same or at least close to others on this site.
I am also thinking of trying a few shakes of rotisere chicken seasoning in a couple of jars to see how that works out. 
Thank you all again for the replies and by the way GG (goshengirl) I promise I will stick with the name!


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## goshengirl (Dec 18, 2010)

exsheeple said:


> I am also thinking of trying a few shakes of rotisere chicken seasoning in a couple of jars to see how that works out.
> QUOTE]
> 
> That sounds yummy. I've learned with seasonings to go light when canning - the processing makes the seasonings stronger (and with some the flavor is just totally off). I'm still learning how much/little to season, and which seasonings should be left for the heating-up time after the jar is opened.


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## Clarice (Aug 19, 2010)

If you will lightly brown the ground beef it will look better in the jar.


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## Clarice (Aug 19, 2010)

If you will lightly brown the ground beef it will look better in the jar. The chicken may not look pretty, but it sure taste good.


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## Emerald (Jun 14, 2010)

exsheeple said:


> I am also thinking of trying a few shakes of rotisere chicken seasoning in a couple of jars to see how that works out.





goshengirl said:


> That sounds yummy. I've learned with seasonings to go light when canning - the processing makes the seasonings stronger (and with some the flavor is just totally off). I'm still learning how much/little to season, and which seasonings should be left for the heating-up time after the jar is opened.


I have to agree with the "add seasonings when you open the jar" crowd... I have been canning tomatoes for years and other than the onion/bell pepper/celery in the stewed maters I always ended up having to add way more when I heated it up to serve. So now I just make it all plain and add what I want when I go to make supper.


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## exsheeple (Mar 27, 2011)

Well folks, I am at it again. I have 7 quarts of cold packed chicken in the canner as I type this. I should have taken a few pics as I was packing them, Sorry for that. WOW, you can fit quite a few chicken thighs in a quart jar!
I have also commited to my next project....beef. Found some that was marked for quick sale last week. Brought it home and put it in the freezer and took it out today to can it tomorrow. The sight of my shelf in the basement filling up is AWESOME! 
I am also trying to get my hands on some plastic pails so I can start filling those with whatever.....one day at a time!


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## exsheeple (Mar 27, 2011)

Hmmmm Just had a thought..... They say excellent for marinating, I am thinking excellent for canning too!!! hehehe


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## Emerald (Jun 14, 2010)

exsheeple said:


> Well folks, I am at it again. I have 7 quarts of cold packed chicken in the canner as I type this. I should have taken a few pics as I was packing them, Sorry for that. WOW, you can fit quite a few chicken thighs in a quart jar!
> I have also commited to my next project....beef. Found some that was marked for quick sale last week. Brought it home and put it in the freezer and took it out today to can it tomorrow. The sight of my shelf in the basement filling up is AWESOME!
> I am also trying to get my hands on some plastic pails so I can start filling those with whatever.....one day at a time!


Oh MY that looks good! You're doing a great job and isn't it nice to see shelves of shelf stable foods that you put up yourself!
On the matter of good buckets- check at any local bakery/doughnut shop and see if they will save buckets for you.. a local place here sells them (all cleaned too) for .99¢ a bucket with nice gasketed lids... We started buying them for utility buckets for around the house and then I started getting them to store my flour and sugar. I even used one to make a primary home brew bucket.


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## exsheeple (Mar 27, 2011)

Thanks Emerald. Yes it is nice to see the shelf filling up.
I will try what you suggested on the buckets. Thank you.


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## lotsoflead (Jul 25, 2010)

here's what our canned chicken looks like, we started using V8 or tomatoe juice for the liquid after someone said the canned chicken setting of the shelf looked like something from a biology class.


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## IrritatedWithUS (Jan 9, 2011)

:2thumb: Looking good, you guys!


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## exsheeple (Mar 27, 2011)

Thanks for the comments everyone and good job lotsoflead!!!!
I am not a huge fan of tomato based dishes so I think I am going to stick with the biology class specimen look for now. 
Happy Prepping everyone!!!!


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## goshengirl (Dec 18, 2010)

exsheeple said:


> I think I am going to stick with the biology class specimen look for now.


I like to box up my canning jars. At Sam's I'll pick up some lid-less cardboard boxes - maybe they're called 'flats'? - that will hold a half dozen jars or so. (You know how they have empty boxes at the ends of rows - I'll get the ones that held peanut butter jars or honey jars, the sizing seems to work well.) I'll slap a label on the front of the box and stack them on the shelves, and the boxes hide the biology specimen look.


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## exsheeple (Mar 27, 2011)

I dont mind the biology specimen look.... its kinda like a parent with an ugly baby...just because YOU think they are ugly, in a parents eyes the baby is beautiful. Well these jars are my lil babies. LOL


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## carolexan (Dec 28, 2010)

exsheeple that was such a funny analogy but it makes perfect sense LOL! Good job on your canning. I have chicken breast in the frig defrosting tonight and plan to can them tomorrow. What great addictions we all have. :wave:


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