Free up your freezer space and have shelf stable ground beef, perfect for fast and easy meal prep! Canned ground beef makes unexpected company for dinner a breeze to cook for, no more thawing, just pop open a jar and make your favorite recipe!
We have all had the unexpected person show up at the last minute for supper, and it usually happens on a night that our pre meal planning wasn't followed through. What should you thaw, what should you cook, how long will it take while they wait? With already cooked and canned ground beef all you need is a lid opener to turn this jar into a meal.
Canning ground beef can also free up so much freezer space! When you find a fantastic deal on ground beef at the store, then get home just to find that the freezer can not hold all of it. In just a few hours, you can have a shelf full of canned ground beef that is shelf stable, and not dependent on the freezer!
You will need the following items
- ground beef
- jars that have been washed in hot soapy water (estimate one pound of meat per each pint jar)
- lids that have been washed in hot soapy water
- jar funnel
- plastic knife or canning bubble popper tool
- colander or strainer
- 2 large bowls
- large spoon
- large skillet
- hot water
- beef broth powder (optional)
- salt (optional)
- pressure canner
- timer
- towel
- clean cloth
- vinegar
- jar lifter
Begin by inspecting your pressure canner, checking the seal, and valves before beginning can eliminate so many problems during processing. Add the recommended amount of water for your type of pressure canner. I have a Presto 23 quart, it recommends adding 3 quarts of water to the canner before adding the jars. Since these will be hot packed, go ahead and turn low heat on the canner to make sure it is hot when you put the jars in. Putting hot jars into cold water in the canner can lead to jar breakage.
Arrange your jars and lids on a towel for easy assembly after filling.
Brown your ground beef in the skillet. It is never safe to can ground meat of any kind without browning first due to the density of the meat preventing the heat to penetrate. This can cause the Botulism bacteria to remain within the meat. It may look cooked through, but the bacteria can still survive. Always thoroughly brown any ground meat before canning.
After the meat is browned, place a colander in a large bowl and drain the meat in the colander. The large bowl will catch the drippings, you can render them and save for future cooking if you like. You never want the drippings to go down a kitchen drain, it can really mess up plumbing. Allow the meat to drain while you get the next batch of meat browning.
Once the meat has drained for 5 minutes, gently press the meat with a spoon to help extract any excess fat. If desired, you can rinse the meat with hot water. Then pour the cooked meat into another large bowl to free up the colander for the next batch of cooked ground beef that will need to be drained. Repeat this process until all the meat is cooked.
During this time, you will need to get some water boiling, I use an electric kettle for this as it takes only a few minutes to have boiling water, instead of 30 minutes waiting for a pot to come to a boil.
One at a time, fill each jar with the cooked ground beef. Fill to the bottom of the ring part of the jars. Gently tap the jar on the towel to settle the meat. You can then add either salt or beef broth powder. If using salt, use 1 tsp per pint or 2 tsp per quart. If using beef broth powder, my family likes the flavor, use 1 1/2 tsp per pint or 3 tsp per quart. Fill each jar with hot water, filling to leave 1 inch headspace. Use plastic knife to run along the inside of the jars to pop any bubbles. Never use a metal utensil, this can cause tiny chips in the glass jar and lessen the integrity of the jar, or prevent it from sealing properly.
Once the bubbles have been popped, check the headspace again and add water to bring up to the 1 inch mark. Dip a clean cloth, or paper towel in vinegar, wipe down the rim on each jar. Place lids and rings on each jar making sure to only tighten finger tight. Tightening too tight can cause lids to buckle, and jars not to seal properly.
Gently place jars into the canner and place lid on canner following instructions for locking your type of canner.
Raise the heat to med/high on canner to bring the water up to boil. Once the canner is releasing steam steadily through the vent, set your timer for 10 minutes. The canner must vent for the full 10 minutes to allow for proper pressurization for processing.
After the 10 minutes of venting, place the weight on the vent stem. If you are using a canner with a dial, allow the canner to come up to the proper pressure for your elevation (see chart below). If you are using a canner with weights, select the proper weight for your elevation (see chart below) and listen for it to start rocking gently. Once the canner has come up to proper pressure, lower the temperature slightly to maintain the pressure. Do not lower too quickly as this can cause siphoning (liquid leaking out of the jars). Set the timer for the proper time for the jars you are using (see chart below). Do not leave the canner unattended, keep a check on the pressure, if it drops below the recommended pressure, the timer needs to be restarted. The canner must maintain at least the recommended pressure for the entire length of time in order to guarantee proper processing.
Once the time is up for the processing, turn off the heat and allow the pressure to completely drop. Most canners have a pressure tab lock that pops up when there is pressure inside the canner. Wait for this tab to drop back down before opening the canner, or removing the weight to prevent serious burns.
Once the tab has dropped, remove the weight, and allow to sit undisturbed for another 10 minutes to allow the pressure in the canner to regulate.
It is now safe to open the canner. Carefully open the canner, keeping the lid opening away from you to prevent burns. Set the lid down where it will not tip over, or be in your way. Using a jar lifter, carefully remove the jars one at at time. Use a towel to support the bottom of the jar while you move them to a toweled surface away from cold drafts. The towel on the counter prevents a cold counter from shocking the hot glass which could cause it to crack or completely break.
Avoid the temptation to touch the lids! Contents of the jars will still be boiling for some time, and the sealing compound on the jar lids will still be pliable and easy to disturb. Check the lids after 12 hours, but do not touch! Any lids that are not sealed (button in center should be down) need to be placed in the refrigerator for use, or reprocessed with new lids after checking the jar for cracks and chips along the rim. Wait for another 12 hours before touching the lids that did seal. After the 24 hours, remove the rings and gently wash with hot soapy water to remove any residue from the outside of the jars.
Congratulations! You have canned ground beef!
Label the jars with contents and date of processing and store in pantry or other controlled temperature room. I typically just use a sharpie and write on the lid, I know others who label the jar itself. If you use labels on the jar, make sure they are removable to prevent sticky residue being left on the jar once it is used.
When you open the jars for use, you will see a thin layer of fat inside the jar on top of the meat. This is normal and is easily removed when you open the jar. I just take a spoon and gently lift it out. Drain the broth off the meat if desired. I tend to save it for gravy, or if it isn't needed in my cooking that meal, then the dog gets the broth added to her kibble! I have used this canned ground beef in almost anything I would use ground beef from the freezer in, everything from pasta dishes, tacos, casseroles, and soups (keep the broth for soups).
I hope this was helpful in showing just how easy it is to preserve ground beef, or any type of ground meat, for a shelf stable and easily used pantry item.
For more information on canning ground beef, visit the National Center for Home Food Preservation.
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