Rodney, thank you. I tried to find the recipe in the NCHFP, I'm concerned that there is none there.

Not safety issue but a quality one. Even when the chicken is not covered completely with broth after processing it is still safe but it may darken over time.

Since it is difficult to know in advance how much broth the processing will produce -some chickens make more, some less - you risk boil over/siphoning and weak seals due to grease on the rims when you add broth ahead of time. But the alternative is to be content with the amount of broth that results with none added even though it often won't cover all the chicken. The choice is yours but for appearances and quality sake NCHFP recommends you do hot processing rather than raw.

So if you choose to go with the Ball instructions for raw expect some siphoning to happen and double check the seals after the jars have cooled completely for tightness. You may have to reprocess one or two. Be sure to wash all the rims really well with hot soapy water before storing to get all the grease off.

Personally I never do raw pack on any meats anymore but if I did I'd use NCHFP instructions simply because there is less chance of post-processing problems and re-dos. JMO

Dave

What form of chicken are you working with?

Form? She is wanting to can raw-packed chicken meat.

Dave.

The Ball / Bernardin Complete Book calls for added liquid with raw pack chicken pieces. (2015, page 398) "Pack poultry into room temperature jars (for raw-pack) or hot jars (for hot-pack) to within a generous 1 inch (2.5 cm) of top of jar. Ladle hot water of broth into jar to cover poultry, leaving 1 inch (2.5 cm) headspace...."

In So Easy to Preserve, (2014, page 98) the directions for Raw Pack chicken pieces specifically say, "Do not add liquid." One would have to ask Dr Elizabeth Andress, author (who's also head of the NCHFP), why. See attached photo.

Dr. Andress has addressed the issue in the past with the clarification I discussed above - the issue of increased boil-over/siphoning that might result in weaker seals when liquid is added to raw chicken before processing.

Think about it - Given that raw chicken when processed without added liquid normally fills the jar at least 1/2 full with broth and sometimes more, if one fills the jar with broth leaving only a "generous 1" head space" before processing where is that extra liquid going to go?

It is basically 2 different cooking processes - boiling vs. roasting. Granted when chicken is boiled in broth it will not produce as much additional broth from the meat as when it is roasted with no broth but it will still increase the amount of liquid somewhat.

Still it isn't considered a safety issue - either end result is considered safe - just an appearance, flavor issue with possible associated problems with the added broth you need to be aware of.

Hope that clarifies.

Dave

"Dr. Andress has addressed the issue in the past with the clarification I discussed above" Do you have a reference for that, would be interested in seeing what she said (I only hot pack, just curious is all.) thanks! :}

I've been wanting to try pressure canning chicken this year and was wondering about this same issue. I found a canning blog where the author commented that she/he raw packs their chicken, as cooking the chicken prior and hot-packing really serves no purpose. She/he also says the raw-packed chicken produces enough broth on its own to cover the chicken during processing.

Here is the link: Canning Chicken

I may have to give this a try, along with another batch of raw packed chicken with just a little added broth, and see what works best.

That's Sharon Peterson. She raises her own chickens for the most part I think, so there's a chance that one small factor for her might be that they might be juicier than supermarket ones. Her husband does the butchering.

"She/he also says the raw-packed chicken produces enough broth on its own to cover the chicken during processing."

Perhaps for her they do. Especially if she is raising her own chickens. But there are many of us here who can attest to the fact that with store bought chickens the broth seldom covers the meat. How much meat is exposed varies widely from 1/2 the jar to only the top inch or so IME. Which is what makes it so difficult to determine how much pre-broth to add.

But for me the main difference between raw and hot pack isn't the broth issue but the flavor. Why eat boiled chicken when you can instead eat seasoned, flavorfull roasted chicken? That is the purpose served by the pre-cooking IMO.

Dave

Dave, I totally hear you, and I'm all for more flavor. Do you find a difference in texture/quality between the pre-cooked chicken and raw-packed? I would think the pre-cooked (roasted) chicken would be really over cooked after processing. To add to that thought, what if you then use that twice-cooked chicken in a dish that needed additional cooking, like a casserole or soup?

When you hot pack it isn't fully cooked. Instructions say something like only 1/2-3/4 cooked so I find the processing just 'finishes it off" and it doesn't get dry because of the flavored broth I add to the jars. We either oven roast ours with peppers, onions, and seasonings or grill it or beer-can cook it whole and then can it. Great straight from the jar, on pizza or in enchiladas or added to cooked dishes.

Try both ways and see which you prefer.

Dave

Dave, when you roast your chicken prior to canning, do you brush it with oil or anything? DH says I have to spray the grill before putting any meat on it. Does that affect anything?

Not sure I understand. Oven roasting and grilling are 2 different things. For roasting nothing is needed in the way of added oils as the chicken fat makes it own so no you wouldn't brush it with oil. But for cooking on the grill then spraying the grill first with PAM or similar makes no difference in the chicken itself, it just helps the grill.

Does that answer your question?

Dave

Yes it does - Thanks!