We have all had times when we get home from work, and realize we still have to fix supper for the family. After a long day at work, the last thing I want to do is cook over a hot stove for very long to put a meal on the table. These "Meals in a Jar" options make putting supper on the table a breeze! The best part is, they are totally customizable. Spend some time prepping and canning, store them in your pantry, then enjoy an effortless supper when it is needed!
In this post, I will share with you some of my favorite Meals in a Jar. I will share with you not only the recipes for what goes in the jar itself, but also how my family enjoys using those preserved meals.
If you do not have the time, means or willingness to home-can these meals, you can use store purchased canned food to adapt as well. The choice is yours and absolutely no judgement from me!
I will break it down into two sections. The recipes for each Meal in a Jar will be listed first. These are the base for the meals. If store purchased canned food is used, then just purchase a large can, or two smaller cans to replace the quart of home-canned food. The second section will be how I adapt each Meal in a Jar into different styles of meals. These are mini-recipes to change up the food in the jar, this adds variety to what is served.
Recipes for Meals in a Jar:
- Beef Stew
- Chicken Soup
- Chili
Beef Stew:
This makes a hearty beef stew, packed with the vegetables you like! If you don't care for one of the vegetables, it is ok to omit. I have even just canned the vegetables by themselves, using the same canning times, and they turn out amazing.
Ingredients:
- Beef (uncooked)-trimmed and cubed into 1-2 inch pieces. I have used stew meat, roasts that were on sale, or a very lean brisket, whatever is on hand or on sale will work.
- Potatoes-peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
- Carrots-peeled and cut into slices
- Onion (optional) - cut into chunks.
- Celery (optional)-cut into slices
- Beef broth base
Depending on how many quart jars you are wanting to process, you can adjust the amounts in the recipe to fill the jars desired. A 5-pound roast was enough for 6 quarts for me, however, you can adjust the amounts in the jar according to your preferences, adding more or less of an ingredient to your taste.
Fill each jar with the ingredients for the beef stew. Allow the meat to be on the bottom, then layer the rest evenly. Fill tightly but do not "pack" contents,(see photo below) you just don't want it loosely filled or any empty spots.
Using hot broth (I like to make mine a bit concentrated) fill each jar, leaving 1 inch headspace.
Use a plastic knife or a bubble popper to remove any bubbles in the jar around the sides. Add more broth if needed to bring it back to appropriate headspace.
Note: Do not thicken before canning. Thickening agents can be used after opening for heating.
Process in a pressure canner, 90 minutes for quarts or 75 minutes for pints.
*The Ball Blue Book and the National Center for Home Food Preservation only recommends hot pack as a way to can beef stew. As you can see, I raw pack my meat and veggies as I prefer the overall outcome. From my own research, I’m comfortable with this method, however, you need to decide what’s best for you and your family. However, I have recently discovered that layering the ingredients as I have shown here is a safety issue and can create density problems. IF you choose to follow the raw pack method, please mix the ingredients together before placing in the jars.
This link will show you the NCHFP recommended recipe: https://nchfp.uga.edu/how/can_04/soups.html
Although I usually always follow their recommendations, this is one that I defer from .
Raw ingredients tightly filled but not packed.
Already canned beef stew from a different batch
Chili:
Note: It is not advisable to can chili with beans AND meat in quart jars. If you desire to have meat in your chili when canning, you can do so using pint jars, and following the recipe found here: https://nchfp.uga.edu/how/can_05/chili_con_carne.html
This recipe will be for the chili beans only, meat can be added after opening the jar for heating.
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups red kidney beans
- 2 cups black beans
- 1 1/2 cups light red kidney beans
- 1-2 onions (to taste and preference)
- 2 teaspoon tomato paste concentrate
- 2 packets of chili seasoning, or equivalent of seasoning mix (use less or more according to your preference for taste)
- 5 cans of diced tomatoes
Place dried beans in a large pot and cover with water. Soak 12 to 18 hours in a cool place (overnight typically works well). Drain water.
To quickly hydrate beans, you may cover sorted and washed beans with boiling water in a saucepan. Boil 2 minutes, remove from heat, soak 1 hour and drain.
Cover beans soaked by either method with fresh water and remaining ingredients and boil 30 minutes.
Fill each jar to leave 1 inch headspace, filling 3/4 with beans and topping up to headspace with liquid. Process according to the chart below.
Canned Chili Beans
Chicken Soup:
This is a versatile soup base that I use regularly. If you would would like a vegetarian version, omit the chicken and use vegetable stock. If you do not care for one of the vegetables, you may omit, but do not replace with a different vegetable.
Ingredients:
- One large chicken-cooked and deboned and cut into 1 inch pieces, or a variety of breasts and thighs cut into 1 inch pieces. You will want about 5 lbs. of meat.
- 1 large onion-diced
You can use a bag of frozen mixed vegetables if desired instead of fresh.
- 4 medium carrots-diced
- 3 celery sticks-diced
- 1 small bag of frozen corn (optional)
- 16 cups chicken stock (if chicken is cooked beforehand, you can use liquid from cooking the chicken)
- 1 tsp. dried parsley (optional)
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. pepper
- 1/2 tsp. poultry seasoning
- 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
Add all ingredients to a large pot. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer. Allow to simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Fill jars 2/3 with solids and the rest with liquid to allow 1 inch headspace, and process according to the chart below.
Note: Never add rice, pasta, or thickening agents to a soup when canning. These can be added after opening for heating.
Canned Chicken Soup
Adding variations to Meals in a Jar:
Once you have the Meals in a Jar processed and stored away in your pantry, or the cans of desired food purchased, you can think of all the different ways to serve them! I try to use these meals as a base and change up the add-ins each time.
Beef Stew:
One of our favorite ways to have beef stew is the traditional way, I thicken with a slurry of cornstarch and cold water. I serve it with some buttermilk biscuits on the side.
Another way to serve the beef stew, is to thicken it and serve over mashed potatoes! This is better if there are not a lot of potatoes canned in the stew itself. This is particularly hearty in the winter time.
Chili:
When you open your jar of chili, you can add some seasoned browned ground beef, or seasoned browned beef chunks if desired.
My family enjoys having chili with a variety of toppings and fillers such as:
- shredded cheese
- sour cream
- sliced green onions
- hot sauce
- jalapeños
- corn bread
- crackers
For a quick and hearty meal, I also will serve chili over rice. This makes a jar of chili go much further for not much of a cost increase.
If you canned or purchased chili with meat, you can do chili dogs! You just want to make sure that if it is home-canned chili it isn't too watery. It will make the hot dog bun soggy.
Chicken Soup:
The chicken soup is perhaps the most versatile of the Meals in a Jar options. Besides the fact that the soup itself is not seasoned very heavily, so you can change it up a lot just by adding more seasoning, you can add other fillers as well.
- Pasta can be added for a chicken noodle soup
- Dumplings (either homemade or cut up canned biscuits) can be added for chicken and dumplings
- Israeli couscous can be added for a different version of pasta in the soup. (recipe for this variation is below, it is a family favorite)
- A variety of additional vegetables or spices can be added to create a completely different flavor profile.
- Gnocchi can be added with some spinach, and heavy cream and flour to thicken for a creamy version.
- Rice, either white or wild can be added, depending on your preference. This would be a great way to use up some rice leftovers!
Food items you can use to customize your chicken soup.
Cut up biscuits in chicken soup to make dumplings.
Regardless of what is added, or not added to these Meals in a Jar, it is guaranteed to pay off with an easily put together meal that will taste like you just prepared it.
Chicken soup with couscous.
Recipe for Chicken Soup with Couscous:
- 2 quarts or 2 large cans of chicken soup (no pasta included if store-bought)
- 4 cloves of minced garlic
- 1 small onion diced
- 1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon if dried
- 1 cup Israeli couscous
- 1/2 cup frozen peas (optional)
- 1/2 lemon, zested and juiced
In large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, add 1 Tablespoon olive oil, ginger and garlic. Sauté for 30 seconds until aromatic. Add soup, and additional spices. Bring soup to a boil, then stir in couscous. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes.
Remove from heat and add frozen peas (if used) and the lemon juice and zest. Add salt if necessary.
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Such a great blog about taking some extra time when you can, to save the time when you can't. Great recipes and great photos.