# Canning Chicken



## Meerkat (May 31, 2011)

We bought some thighs on sale to can. Any help will be appreciated.

We have canned beef before and it all turned out great. Be first for chicken.


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## Moby76065 (Jul 31, 2012)

Make sure you hot pack it. This means you brown it first. Otherwise it will look like a biology experiment. It will be fully cooked, but still look raw. It tastes great but still looks pink. If you brown it first, it looks good, tastes good.


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## UncleJoe (Jan 11, 2009)

Pretty much the same way you did the beef.

Me personally, I remove the skin and stuff as much raw meat in the jar as possible while still leaving about an inch of head space. Some folks will cook it first. I then fill the jars with water and a half teaspoon of sea salt. Iodized table salt will cloud the broth.

Process 90min for qts. 75min. for pts. Those times are for elevations under 1000'


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## *Andi (Nov 8, 2009)

UncleJoe said:


> Pretty much the same way you did the beef.
> 
> Me personally, I remove the skin and stuff as much raw meat in the jar as possible while still leaving about an inch of head space. Some folks will cook it first. I then fill the jars with water and a half teaspoon of sea salt. Iodized table salt will cloud the broth.
> 
> Process 90min for qts. 75min. for pts. Those times are for elevations under 1000'


:ditto:

While I've done it both ways... I raw pack just about all meats now. (minus the salt... but that is just me lol)


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## Cotton (Oct 12, 2013)

Perfect timing on your post. I was planing to slaughter 12 hens next week. Don't want to feed them through the winter with low egg production. I've been reading about it on the net, blogs, forums.

Q. Anyone have an estimate... how many pounds of meat from that many RI hens?

Q2. I've read repeatedly that people can light and dark meat separately but explanation as to why. Can someone elaborate?

Thanks


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## Guardian (Jan 17, 2012)

Cotton said:


> Perfect timing on your post. I was planing to slaughter 12 hens next week. Don't want to feed them through the winter with low egg production. I've been reading about it on the net, blogs, forums.
> 
> Q. Anyone have an estimate... how many pounds of meat from that many RI hens?
> 
> ...


1. Depends on the overall weight initially but I estimate about 75% of gross (undressed) weight.

2. Have not noticed a difference between white or dark meat but there is some taste and texture difference between the two.

Personally I can them raw and firmly pack, not "stuff" the jars and then "Process 90min for qts. 75min. for pts. Those times are for elevations under 1000'" as Uncle Joe says. I omit the salt as well because I can add that when I use it.


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## *Andi (Nov 8, 2009)

Cotton said:


> Perfect timing on your post. I was planing to slaughter 12 hens next week. Don't want to feed them through the winter with low egg production. I've been reading about it on the net, blogs, forums.
> 
> Q. Anyone have an estimate... how many pounds of meat from that many RI hens?
> 
> ...


Just the way I do it ...

Best of luck and let us know how it works out...


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## OldCootHillbilly (Jul 9, 2010)

I do it a couplea ways.

Fer just eatin chicken, I'll bone it out, sprinkle a bit a seasonin on it. Then toss it on the bar-b fer a bit. Hot pack inta jars with some liquid an can it.

Fer stuff such be chicken an noodles er such, I'll bone it out, pack inta jars, add some seasonin an water then process.

Really boils down ta personal choice.


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## Cotton (Oct 12, 2013)

Many thanks, in the last couple of years I’ve killed a few chickens, froze some and ate some immediately. I was a kid the last time I took part in a large slaughter for canning and don’t remember some of the details.

Funny story from long ago… We slaughtered more than 30 chickens. First they were caught and put in burlap bags. A de-assembly line was set up. Grandma was ringing necks and tossing them onto a table. The kids were plucking. On the next table mom and an aunt were butchering.

There was one chicken that was stunned, not killed. It got plucked and made it onto the butchering table where it “woke up”. It jumped off the table and took off, followed by everyone!

We were all chasing this “nekid chicken” running for its life!  Around and around the barn, should have been a cartoon!!! Recapture took several minutes! I was laughing so hard I was of no use! 

If I end up with another nekid chicken I'm going to film this one!!! :2thumb:


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## Wellrounded (Sep 25, 2011)

I raw pack unless it's smoked chicken. I do quite a bit of smoked chicken stock, soooo good.


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## Dakine (Sep 4, 2012)

Chicken is the meat I can most... I not only can it in excess, I also use it even when I have fresh yard bird waiting to be canned in the fridge.

Ive never hot packed chicken, ever. if that angers the food gods then so be it. ..i..

I buy boneless skinless chicken breasts on sale for 1.88-2.09 per lb here, and that saves me a TON of TIME!!! on breaking down and canning the cheaper cuts. I can get the leg and thigh quarters for sale at half the price, but since it costs me 3x more of my time... I'm not willing to do it. I'll spend the extra buck per lb. and save the time.

That's just me, YMMV 


welcome to canning and be careful, it's addictive


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## goshengirl (Dec 18, 2010)

Raw pack, hot pack - it's all personal preference. You'll figure out which you like best. 



Dakine said:


> I buy boneless skinless chicken breasts on sale for 1.88-2.09 per lb here, and that saves me a TON of TIME!!! on breaking down and canning the cheaper cuts. I can get the leg and thigh quarters for sale at half the price, but since it costs me 3x more of my time... I'm not willing to do it. I'll spend the extra buck per lb. and save the time.


I like to get it bone-in, because I love making (and canning) broth. Especially during cold/flu season.


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## Meerkat (May 31, 2011)

Do yall add liquid ,I know most of you do? I figure if we add liquid some of the broth can be used for us or give dogfood a little more nutrition.

The book says pack it raw without any liquid. But I trust yall for better processing.

Don't know how much we have yet because we haven't taken out bones yet [ also should we take out bones or leave them in? ] . 

I'm thinking about browning it for extra flavor if it isn't too much. And we always add salt in case something happebns and it will at least have that much extra flavor. BUT! If there is a reason not to add salt please let me know.

:flower:


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## Caribou (Aug 18, 2012)

If you pack the jars well there won't be a lot of room for additional liquid. The meat will produce some liquid in the canning process that can be fed to the dog or added to your meal. I would do like goshengirl suggests and cook up the bones and skin then can the chicken stock.


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## Meerkat (May 31, 2011)

Caribou said:


> If you pack the jars well there won't be a lot of room for additional liquid. The meat will produce some liquid in the canning process that can be fed to the dog or added to your meal. I would do like goshengirl suggests and cook up the bones and skin then can the chicken stock.


Thanks Caribou, we decided to can the bones separate from the chicken, so that way we have enough jars to fill the canner and have plenty of broth for us and dogs if need be. Does that sound ok?

PS, we will add water to the bones though.


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## Meerkat (May 31, 2011)

Hope soon to be able to buy breast and can them too. That's all my friend cans is breast.


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## Caribou (Aug 18, 2012)

Meerkat said:


> Thanks Caribou, we decided to can the bones separate from the chicken, so that way we have enough jars to fill the canner and have plenty of broth for us and dogs if need be. Does that sound ok?


What I do is to take a turkey carcass or a bunch of chicken bones and skin and boil it up in a pot of water 
to make a stock. I boil this for two to three hours till the meat is falling off the bones. I let this cool and then pick all the meat off the bones and throw the bones away.

Since you are canning it you can just dip the hot stock out and pour it into your canning jars till you have enough for your cooker. The bones will all be at the bottom so they should present no problem. If you have extra stock this will make a great soup especially with all the meat you picked off the bones. I imagine the dog will love the skin.


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## Meerkat (May 31, 2011)

Caribou said:


> What I do is to take a turkey carcass or a bunch of chicken bones and skin and boil it up in a pot of water
> to make a stock. I boil this for two to three hours till the meat is falling off the bones. I let this cool and then pick all the meat off the bones and throw the bones away.
> 
> Since you are canning it you can just dip the hot stock out and pour it into your canning jars till you have enough for your cooker. The bones will all be at the bottom so they should present no problem. If you have extra stock this will make a great soup especially with all the meat you picked off the bones. I imagine the dog will love the skin.


 Well we forgot to put in salt.

We got 7 qt.s of thigh meat with no water added ' of course it was wet enough since we had it in cold water. ' and 7 qts of bones with added water.

Now have the 14 qts canning.Kitchen bleached and beans cooked enough to swell waiting for meat to finish.

We are both old and worn out now,haha. Of course we did lots of other things while canning.


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## readytogo (Apr 6, 2013)

*Canning chicken my way*

Chicken breast pack in hot broth with all fat removed and vegetables in a lite pickle brine, this chicken is ready for cooking in whatever recipe you want just add to rice, make salads, soups, croquets ,meat pies ,in other words readytogo at a moments notice.


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## SmokeyNJ (Jun 12, 2013)

I might have missed it..... Pressure canner or basic canning?

I have been holding off doing meats until I get a pressure canner.


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## brightstar (Apr 24, 2012)

SmokeyNJ said:


> I might have missed it..... Pressure canner or basic canning? I have been holding off doing meats until I get a pressure canner.


Always pressure for meats and low acid foods.


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## Hooch (Jul 22, 2011)

I have a cheating method I've found to be tasty...

when Safeway sells the rotessery chicken for 5 bucks..I grabbed 3 of them once and deboned all three..put the meat in a stockpot with water, and some of the big pieces of skin with some spices and carrots and potatoes I already cooked and let it simmer to gether for awhile. Then I scooped it all into jars and canned it..broth and all...it was good! 

I also just did the chicken meat that way like shredded chicken and threw out the skin after it simmered awhile. I added the broth I cooked it in. 

I usually raw pack chicken tho but I've been getting more creative with canning and havent poisoned myself yet...


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## readytogo (Apr 6, 2013)

SmokeyNJ said:


> I might have missed it..... Pressure canner or basic canning?
> 
> I have been holding off doing meats until I get a pressure canner.


Meats are pressure can as low acid foods ,as stated by one of the members here , I actually try to pressure can everything I make, and cook everything before canning ,stews ,soups ,chili`s ,this chicken here was raw pack in hot broth as per the vegetables but in a hot brine, I also add a small amount of powder citric acid to my canning for color and preservation, has never fail yet. Here is some info.
http://nchfp.uga.edu/
http://www.pickyourown.org/info.htm
http://www.freshpreserving.com/getting-started.aspx


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## brightstar (Apr 24, 2012)

Hooch I'm totally stealing this idea. So easy! Why didn't I think of that?!?! I know what I'll be doing this week  Thanks!


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## Meerkat (May 31, 2011)

Will also be catching the after Thanksgiving turkey,beef and chicken on sale. We can bones separate fro dog food later, we did this to our thigh bones and the bones are soft and easy to crush up and add to dog food.


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## Hooch (Jul 22, 2011)

meerkat...how do you process bones for dogfood..Id love to know


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## AZSas (Oct 27, 2011)

I grab every meat sale I can and cold pack. I get roughly 1 lb boneless per pint. When I have a whole carcass the bones go into a stew pot for a couple of days with veggies and trimmings. Then stock is canned and stored, sometimes strained sometimes not. Canning meat, soup. Broth, stock is just too easy to not do


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