# New to canning!



## Immolatus (Feb 20, 2011)

Of all the dumb luck. We have a new roomie (long story, my girls daughters boyfriend, ok, that wasnt so long) and he has a pressure cooker!
We have jars but no lids, so I have to get some but I need some advice.

I'll figure out how to use it, but my questions are:
*What should I can first as an easy experiment?*
Something easy and cheap but worth canning so if I screw it up its no big deal. I'd like to do something the girl will eat, so I'd like to do something just to try it, and then crack it open and taste it. Does that even make sense?
I'd love to do some meat, but we dont eat much and the girl doesnt look psyched about the idea. I'll leave that for later.

*Looking through the forums I'm a little confused about whether or not meat/chicken should be cooked first. I get the impression it shouldnt?*
I would think that for LTS/SHTF it should be already cooked, just in case, so if needed I could just open it and eat it, no? Does the cooker (wow this sounds like a dumb question to me) cook the food as its doing it thing?

*If whatever I can is well sealed, should it last indefinitely? Or do the seals not last forever?*

Some of my questions were answered here and here, but I'd like to hear from yall who've actually done it.

It looks like all the pics I see on here the screw lid is left on, but most of you said you remove them. Most of the pics were from exsheeple, and maybe they had just come out of the cooker. I am shooting for my stuff to look like those.

I am pretty excited about doing this. I'll get started this week, tomorrow Im off to the local LDS warehouse, which is kind of a trek for me.

Thanks in advance!


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## cybergranny (Mar 11, 2011)

Make sure your jars are actual canning jars. Only they can withstand the heat and pressure.

Meat can be cooked or raw. It's a matter of preference and time. Eg. we just canned up a bunch of turkey sausage and chorizo. We cured in the fridge, fried up patties and crumbles and then canned. I've canned chicken, pork loin and beef raw as well as cooked. If I get a bunch on a really good sale, I'll do raw to save time.

It does cook as it cans. But things like chili, soups, stews we cook slightly then put in the jars and can.

You leave the screw bands on for 24 to 48 hours then remove and wipe down your jars before storing in a cool, dark place. As long as the jars are sealed they may last up to five years. Anything suspicious or a loose lid, you toss immediately, don't even think of tasting it.

The easiest in my mind is dry beans. Wash, check for debris, put in the jar with seasonings and add boiling water to within an inch and pressure can. Done and ready to eat. Cheap experiment too. Depending on the bean it's only a bag or 2 for pints.


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## OldCootHillbilly (Jul 9, 2010)

Lids should stay sealed fer a real long time, till the food starts ta spoil an maybe pops em off.

Shelf life on canned foods, a range be upta 5 years an some folks have gone longer. I try ta use it up in 1 ta 2 personally.

Do the beans but throw in some weanies, that way ya get ta try the meat to. Reason some meats be cooked a bit before cannin is ta add in some flavour ta the meat. Ya gotta be carefull what seasonins ya can with cause they can get real strong durin the process.


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## neldarez (Apr 10, 2011)

I think the easiest thing I've done is the chicken in pints.... a lot of chicken will fit! I buy boneless skinless chicken breasts at costco.......just cut off any fat, rarely is any, and cut into hunks or strips and put into pint jars. I stop right at the jar threading. I do not add salt or water........just wipe off the top, put on hot flat, snug on the ring and process.........don't forget to vent for 10 minutes before putting the rocker on. When process is all done and the pressure canner is safe to open ( after all pressure has dropped) take out your chicken and you will have gorgeous juice inside, doesn't always come all the way up but it doesn't matter. Tender, oh my, really really, tender. next morn I take rings off wash jar and store.......I was soo scared the 1st 2 times I did it.......now I'm getting kinda cocky about it!! Good luck, it's kinda fun..........oh, don't forget to add a splash of vinegar to your water...that stops the white scale to form on your jars and on the inside of your cooker.


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