If you want to freeze it your options are essentially unlimited and you can use most any recipe for chili and alter the ingredients however you wish.

But if you want to can it, given the safety restrictions on canning, the options are limited. Most chili recipes are not safe for canning so you are limited to one of the 2-3 recipes approved for canning safety such as this one linked below. And of course it would have to be pressure canned.

NCHFP - Chili con Carne

It allows for 1 cup of chopped peppers of your choice. Plus you can leave out the beans if you prefer.

Dave

Hi Dave,

I had never thought of canning chili before. I would love to give it a try. I have a few questions about possible changes that might be safe to make based on other threads.

1. I would want to add ground cumin and garlic powder.

2. I would prefer to change the beef to ground turkey.

Also, have you (or others in this forum) made it? How was the flavor and how did you feel about the texture?

Finally, about the water level in the pc... When it says three inches, is that measured before you put the jars in? If so, it gets very high after putting in the jars. If not, how high should the water be after adding the jars when you have a long processing time like 75 minutes?

Thanks so much for your help!

"When it says three inches, is that measured before you put the jars in?"

Yes, water goes in before the jars. Has to so it can be heating and it is normal for the level to rise to about 1/2 up the jars as they displace the water. Plus additional water is needed for long processing times.

The 3" is MINIMUM and some manuals call for 3 quarts. That is what I use as in my canner that gives you approx. 3-4" deep. For meat and long processing I increase that by about a pint or so.

Dried spices don't cause any problems other than taste changes - some will get quite intense during storage so go easy on them. They can always be added after you open the jars. You can sub turkey if you wish as long as it is first pre-cooked. We make ours with venison so no idea how the turkey will taste.

Dave

I want to try the linked recipe. For the quarts of tomatoes, may I use 32 oz cans of crushed tomatoes from the grocery store? My garden tomatoes have long ago been eaten and I removed the plants.

No safety issues Lucille, it is just the effects of the double processing on the food texture and end flavor when using already canned tomatoes in something to be canned. Same goes for the beans.

Dave