Hi Lee - there are some tested and approved recipes for canning meats but as a general rule, cooking recipes don't safely translate to canning recipes. Modifications of your recipes are required. Sometimes it is only the addition of more water to decrease density but sometimes those modifications to make them safe are extensive - it all depends on the recipe.

So to answer your question simply - no you usually cannot take your own recipes for chili and beef stew, etc. and safely can them. But you can usually find a safe approved one that is fairly close or you can always freeze them.

If canned, all meat products must be pressure canned, no BWB allowed. The link below takes you to the current approved guidelines and recipes for canning meats. Hope it helps.

Dave

Here is a link that might be useful: NCHFP - Canning Meats

The NCHFP Dave linked to also has a section on soups which will provide some good direction.

Basically, assuming you have a pressure canner, you can process poultry, rabbits, game, beef, pork, fish, some seafood.

Looking at the Ball Blue Book (current edition), I see safe-tested canning recipes for Bean Soup, Beef in Wine Sauce, Beef Stew with Vegetables, Beef and Chicken Stocks, Chicken Soup, Chili, Goulash, even a Clam Chowder Base.

Carol

Here is a link that might be useful: NCHFP - How to Can Soups

Suggest that you also do a search through this forum to find more recent info on canning meats. I much prefer curing, drying, and freezing however.

Thanks for the replies and links from Dave and Carol. Never even new the NCHFP existed!

Thanks for your reply ksrogers. I did a search for "canned meats" before I posted this question and it came back with nothing. Thought that was a little funny then. Will try it again. Curing and drying is something we also want to learn about. We are exploring all our options.

That Ball Blue Book sounds like a handy thing to have. Will try to find one.

Lee

You need to be a little less strict with the search engine (which is awful!). Here are results I found. We are also in the process of trying to get the GW people to set up a nw forum for meat handling, curing, sausages, and many other things we can do to preserve meats. There is also a link to a thread that gets you involved with trying to get a meat forum started.

Here is a link that might be useful: can meat

Thanks for the links ksrogers.

About the Ball Blue Book...

My Father owns 2 bookstores and I called him and asked him to look up the BBB for me. He says there are many editions and compilations of this book. What was the last publishing date of the book most on this forum refer to as the BBB. That might help to determine which book I'm looking for. Thanks.
Lee

I bought my last Blue Book in 2007. It is dated 2006. The cover has a picture of a Cheesecake with blackberries on top. I think they keep the same cover for a few years.

If you can't find it locally (availability varies from region to region) you can purchase the Ball Blue Book from the company. Check the link below.

Also, I recommend you check out the Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving. It's more thorough and available on Amazon. (Amazon also offers the Ball Blue Book but it's not currently in stock.)

Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving

Carol

Here is a link that might be useful: Ball Blue Book

Same here - 2006.

Dave

I saw the Ball Blue Book at Walmart last year with their canning supplies. Hardware stores that carry canning supplies may also carry it.

Walmart near me just got a new supply of Ball Blue's for under $7.00. Same cheesecake cover.

I was recently to every Wal*Mart in driving distance. None had the Ball Blue Book and none had citric acid. How much does the lemon juice change the flavor of canned toms?

I just ordered the BBB from the ball site. Shipping was only $2.

greenhouser,
Do you have any home brew stores in your area. That is where I found citric acid in Norfolk.
Melly

Here is a site for citric at a pound for $2.25, and 10 pounds for $15.00 Not sure if its 'food grade' however, so you have to ask. Its used in making some soaps