Canning meals in a jar, need ideas

**ladytoysdream** · 11-01-2010, 06:58 AM

I was wondering how many people have ever canned a meal in jars by pressure canning. I got to thinking about power outages.
And it sure would be more frugal and convenient to have a meal in a jar ready to go. Save you gas and dollars instead of running out for a restaurant meal or take out food, when you don't want to cook at home.

I can't remember doing any single meal in one jar. I have however canned meat, pototoes, and one vegtable in different jars to be combined later to make a stew.

Lately I see my hubby is using more soups. I am thinking if I can a batch of things he likes , it would make it easier on me and him, for the winter, when neither one of us, knows how long he will be out plowing snow. It is hard to be creative at 9pm for a meal. And yes he has a cell phone, but doesn't normally give me a heads up and or he can't due to the weather situation. When the boss calls, they have to roll them big trucks.

I have found one recipe I want to try......
http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/how/can_05/...con_carne.html

**pop goes the weasel** · 11-01-2010, 08:41 AM

I have done cabbage,beef and potatoes, veggie soup that can be made into beef stew,( make biscuits and freeze them baked or unbaked) chili, bean and bacon or ham soup.I have take the soup packs from the meat department and boiled them with veggies for broth. You'd be surprised at the amount of meat that on those packs. Add noodles and you have either soup or if you thicken it, chicken and noodles. My MIL cans sausage for a quick sandwich and meatballs. Where we live the power goes out when you blow out a match , sometimes for quite awhile. The one year it was a two weeks until they finally found out where the problem was.

**Ceashels** · 11-01-2010, 08:51 AM

These are exactly things I want to learn!

I know my grandmother used to can meats and chicken but I don't have a pressure cooker to start learning just yet.

I'm not sure if canning the meal, protein, veggie, starch all in one jar would hold up as well as individual components or if it would just become a stew. I like the idea of a jar of meatloaf, a jar of green beans and a starch on the side.

This morning I'm cooking off some ground beef with small chopped veggies and some brown gravy that I needed to use up. I think it would can nicely then served over noodles when needed.

I'll be keeping up with this thread, thanks for asking!!!

**Durgan** · 11-01-2010, 06:06 PM

Originally Posted by ladytoysdream

I was wondering how many people have ever canned a meal in jars by pressure canning. I got to thinking about power outages.
And it sure would be more frugal and convenient to have a meal in a jar ready to go. Save you gas and dollars instead of running out for a restaurant meal or take out food, when you don't want to cook at home.

I can't remember doing any single meal in one jar. I have however canned meat, pototoes, and one vegtable in different jars to be combined later to make a stew.

Lately I see my hubby is using more soups. I am thinking if I can a batch of things he likes , it would make it easier on me and him, for the winter, when neither one of us, knows how long he will be out plowing snow. It is hard to be creative at 9pm for a meal. And yes he has a cell phone, but doesn't normally give me a heads up and or he can't due to the weather situation. When the boss calls, they have to roll them big trucks.

I have found one recipe I want to try......
National Center for Home Food Preservation | How Do I? Can Meats

I think pressure sterilizing meals for long term use is an excellent endeavor. this year I juice much produce, which can encompass most fruits and vegetables. This is in line with what you are contemplating.

Dried beans cooked then frozen are excellent, and these could be pressure sterilized for the basis of quick meals.

Stews and Chili and all soups would probably respond to pressure sterilizing and long term storage.

The refrigerator is only adequate for short term storage, and there is much waste.

A shelf full of cooked dried beans, chili, stew, soups, and various juices would satisfy most people for a quick nourishing meal. A raw onion and a baked potato or a bowl of squash and some bread would complete the main meal with little effort, particularly if one is really hungry.

**Lady_V** · 11-01-2010, 07:35 PM

Oh, thanks for the chili recipe, I have a weighted pressure cooker!

I am thinking about canning some pulled bbq pork, but still worried about killing off the carnivores. I have a 10 pound pork tenderloin defrosting in my fridge right now and I need to cook it up soon.

**ebonykawai** · 11-04-2010, 12:14 PM

I just canned 14 quarts of vegetable barley soup yesterday! I love canning, though it certainly can be labor intensive. I haven't been on this forum for quite some time. A year and a half ago, I lost my job, and now I have a small business. It's going pretty well, and I like to be on my own schedule, which allows for labor intensive activities, lol, like canning and baking bread and such (which is on the schedule for today). I picked up a wonderful grain mill and make all my bread from whole graisn now, I don't even buy flour anymore. Grains come from the local LDS cannery and they are CHEAP. I mean $6 for 25 lbs of wheat, come on, it's unheard of!!! Fantastic, I really recommend the LDS canneries.

Anyway, yes, you need a pressure canner to do meats and veg, and they can be a little pricey. I got mine from Amazon, it's the Presto 23-qt and was about $85. Best money I ever spent! Highly recommend this canner.

Have a great day, all!

**ladytoysdream** · 11-04-2010, 01:01 PM

Thanks for the replies. I appreciate it

My plan is to try some chili sometime soon. First I want to make a smaller batch for a meal and see how we like it. One of the recipes I been thinking about canning.

I still have some squash and pumpkin I want to get in the freezer first. That will be priority. I don't have a cooler area to keep them as is, for very long.

**katlupe** · 11-06-2010, 01:58 PM

I can just about everything. Since I always can my meat in broth it is easy to make it into a stew or with dumplings or biscuits and gravy. But I like to have other main dishes canned for what I call my fast food. Chili (several variations for variety), stews, soups, etc. I don't can anything that has pasta in it, but add the pasta when I am cooking it for the meal. It is a good idea to have your meals canned like this for emergencies, but I do this routinely.

**Brat** · 11-06-2010, 06:40 PM

When we had out own beef I would can the stew meat for beef and noodles, stew, and several other dishes. I put the meat in the clean jars uncooked and canned it that way..Family liked it better that in the freezer and it was a quick meal..

**urlelove20** · 11-18-2010, 03:48 PM

Well, I like the idea of a jar of meatloaf.

**Kacidee** · 12-01-2010, 11:37 AM

Hello! I'm brand new to this forum, and to canning. I'm nervous about canning meals & meat, to be honest... but I do have a question: Can I also can meals I make with packaged ingredients? For example, I make a mean chili, but I use canned beans, tomatoes, package of chili seasoning. How long would this last? Do I have to worry about the breakdown of added preservatives?

I realize this might be a silly question for you seasoned pros, but I sure would appreciate being able to glean from your wisdom & experience!

Thanks in advance!
Kaci

**ladytoysdream** · 12-01-2010, 01:02 PM

Originally Posted by Kacidee

Can I also can meals I make with packaged ingredients? For example, I make a mean chili, but I use canned beans, tomatoes, package of chili seasoning. How long would this last? Do I have to worry about the breakdown of added preservatives?

HI

I don't put any seasoning of any kind into what I am canning.
But other people might and be okay with it.
I suggest you try your recipe in a small batch and check it out.
Date your jars.

Currently I just got done canning venison. Cut it up into stew size pieces, and put it into the jars, raw pack, and then added boiling water. No salt. Seal and then pressure can at 10 pounds pressure. Quarts 90 minutes, pints 75 minutes.

Today my project is to can some boneless, skinless chicken breasts, I bought on sale yesterday.

I like to can cubed pototoes in quarts.

My next project I am going to can soon is celery, onions, and some peppers in plain water, I figure it can be part of a soup base.

I also been canning beans, my quick method

Another thing I do is to reread some of the canning book/recipes before I start the season. Also check the vent opening in your canner if it has been sitting for awhile before you start it up.
I prefer to err on the side of caution

I also just got done canning venison heart, liver, and the scraps up for the dogs in pints. They like it

**Josephhgoins** · 12-01-2010, 02:01 PM

Beans are always tricky for me. If you don't do them right they spoil. I agree with ladytoysdream that you should just try a small batch and see.

FYI, if you are using real mason jars, you can put it in the jars, screw the lids on and then put that in your freezer without problems. Just be sure to leave room for expansion. I do this with split pea soup.

**ladytoysdream** · 12-03-2010, 05:48 PM

Okay, my update on the chicken.
I did can 8 pints yesterday. Today I took one, and drained the juice off and then put the juice back, into the pint and back into the frig. I may experiment and see what kind of a gravy base it might make.
I then took the chicken, and it basically fell apart. Put it into a pot with a jar of store, chicken gravy (.98 from Aldi's) and warmed it up. Used it over bread and I had leftover mashed pototoes which were warmed up in the microwave. Excellent I thought and got a YUP from the hubby. So I guess I can buy more chicken this week on sale and have at it. So a pint is plenty for 2 people and even a little left over for the 2 dogs

BEANS - okay I cheated a bit here. I experimented a few days ago, when the canner was a jar or two short for a full load.
REMEMBER BEANS EXPAND THREE TIMES THEIR DRY WEIGHT.
So in a pint, I put 2/3 cup of dry beans. All I did to prep them is rinse/wash them off. Added enough boiling water to bring it up to the bottom of the neck. Had lids ready in hot water and put them on after wiping top of jar clean. I use a funnel to help keep it cleaner. Processed with the meat, the same amount of time.
Turned out perfect.......well I think so. So my project maybe tomorrow is to can some quarts of different kinds of dry beans. Thinking 1 hr + 15 minutes, for quarts. One hour for pints. At 10 pounds pressure.
Now I am not at all sure this is a proven recipe in a regular canning book. I also am going to do some lentils and some dry green peas/soup. I also have to find more of the 15 bean soup in a bag. That is some excellent stuff

My plan is to also feed the chickens some cooked beans for protein this winter. And so far, what I have fed them, they have gobbled up. I have quite the stash of dry beans to work with.

**ladytoysdream** · 12-04-2010, 11:41 AM

CORRECTION ...
dry beans in water in jar take 75 minutes pints, 90 minutes qts.

This morning, I canned dry beans - navy and kidney.
Green split peas. And one combination pint of fresh onions, peppers I had in the freezer and fresh celery. My total was 10 pints for everything in one canner load. My mixed veggie pint is for a stew sometime in the next day or so. I am still experimenting.

I also talked to a local slaughter house to get prices for beef heart and liver. Heart .79 #, liver .49 # and if I take a quanity , maybe a sweeter price. And if I ask for the economy liver/ pet quality, I can get a better price yet. The dogs are really going to love me