# Pressure cooking butchered Chickens~then pressure canning



## Becka03 (Mar 29, 2009)

I have 10 butchered chickens in the freezer- I want to can some broth and meat from them if it isn't too tough- here is my question- 
I want to pressure 'cook' the chickens first right? 
Then- pull the meat off them and use the broth from pressure cooking them to pressure can them?

ughhh I am trying to figure the easiest way to do this- to make room in the freezer- we haven't pressure canned meat or broth before- and I have never pressure cooked chicken before- LOL- these suckers are ones I butchered myself- which I had no idea how to do either- but I try to learn new skills all the time- I teach myself alot by asking questions here!

any advice?


----------



## CottageLife (Jul 20, 2009)

I'd suggest posting this in the 'preserving' forum  You can raw pack meat and it will make it's own juices. You can also hot pack with cooked meat and the 'broth'. 

I think you have a few options - cut off some of the meat and raw pack. Then make chicken stock with the bones and leftover meat on the bones and can that up. Or just cook it all and can meat/broth/soup. You can also see about canning the chicken with the bones - check the Ball book.

Good luck!


----------



## nehimama (Jun 18, 2005)

You can do it!


----------



## Becka03 (Mar 29, 2009)

Cottagelife- I know- but that forum isn't as quick as this one and I usually stay in this forum
i don't think that I can raw pack these chickens- they were 2 yr old layers so I was going to pressure cook them to make them more tender- they are like 3 lbs each- I wonder if I can put more than one in the pressure cooker at a time... at least 3 or 4 in there?


----------



## Cyngbaeld (May 20, 2004)

Thaw the meat. Cut the white meat off and raw pack in pints and/or half pints. Leave the dark meat on the bones and raw pack in quarts. Put 1 tsp salt in qts and 1/2 tsp in pints and fill with water leaving 1/2 inch headspace. 10# for 75 min for boneless pints or bone in quarts. http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/5000/pdf/5330.pdf


----------



## Cyngbaeld (May 20, 2004)

They will be perfectly tender raw packed and pressure canned. I can tough old roosters and they are fine.


----------



## Becka03 (Mar 29, 2009)

Cyngbaeld said:


> They will be perfectly tender raw packed and pressure canned. I can tough old roosters and they are fine.


Awesome- thanks for the info- this will save us a massive amount of time this weekend!


----------



## snowcap (Jul 1, 2011)

I use this site to get times for pressure canning:
http://nchfp.uga.edu/how/can_05/chicken_rabbit.html


----------



## Kel T (Aug 19, 2011)

I cleaned out the chicken coop this past fall and canned up old hens with doing it raw pack. The meat is nice and tender after canning.


----------



## doing it in NM (Feb 5, 2007)

What cyngbaeld said, but I put the bones and skin in a big pot and make broth, then I use that instead of plain water to put over the chicken. Any left over I can or freeze for all the good things broth is for, other soups, stuffing, etc. When you can legs and thighs whole they just slip off the bone for cassaroles, chicken salad and other things.


----------



## stef (Sep 14, 2002)

I agree with what's been said: you don't need to double process them. Just can them according to reliable instructions, the size jar, the time and pressure appropriate for your elevation. 
You probably know this, but if you decide to hot pack the chicken, make sure your jars are hot, matching the water waiting in your canner. This way you minimize jars cracking from a sudden change in temperature. 
You will be happy with the results, I'm sure. 

I see you say you've never pressure canned meat (including chicken?) before. Be sure you carefully read the instructions in your canning manual; keep everything clean and follow venting and timing directions. 
When it comes time to remove the jars from the canner it is normal that the contens are bubbling. 99.999999 % of the time that means the jar has sealed properly. 

Set the jars in a draft-free area, on a folded towel or wooden cutting board, again, to prevent an abrupt change in temperature and protect against the jars cracking. 

Pressure canning is really not hard, but you have to stay there with your canner. You can't start canning and then go on to another project because you want to make sure the canner gauge is wiggling at the correct pressure.


----------



## Belfrybat (Feb 21, 2003)

You have received good advice. If you pressure cook the chickens, then pressure can them, you'll basically end up with strings. Been there, done that -- not pretty. Plus raw packing is so much easier.


----------



## terri9630 (Mar 12, 2012)

If you raw pack you don't have to add liquid. The chicken will provide its own juices. We do ours to save on freezer space. With pressure canning meat the salt is optional (according to my ball book). I don't use it since I prefer to season while cooking.


----------



## mtnviewfarms (Apr 18, 2011)

Hi - I pressure can chicken all the time and you've been given the correct advide about NOT pressure cooking them before pressure canning the meat.

I normally hot pack my chicken - like to even cut up the meat into 'chunks' as most of my recipes call for it that size - saves time later. I never add any salt either as has been said previously, not necessary in the 'process' and I like to season too while cooking.

I always use the 'wide mouth' pint canning jars when processing the chicken - or any other meat as it's much easier to get it out and easier to clean the jars after.

When I'm initially cooking the chicken until meat is 'no longer pink' in prep for hot pack
canning I also have the bones in there so it's making chicken broth.

When I have my semi-cooked chunks of chicken in the jars I just scoop out enough broth to cover them leaving the recommended amt. of head space.

Make sure you are doing it at the right pressure as I had to adjust mine up - I live in the North GA Mtns. and at my elevation I have to process at #15 lbs. for 75 minutes and my book says not to use quart jars for canning meat as well.

Your pressure canned chicken will come out extremely tender doing it for 75 minutes.

Enjoy the part of your weekend that you won't have to use 'double prepping' your chicken from the freezer!


----------



## backwoods (Sep 12, 2004)

I take frozen chicken, dump into a water bath canner with water, cook til not pink. Remove all meat to colander & cool. Set broth in frig to cool overnight so that it can be skimmed. When cooled,remove meat from bones and skin, refrigerate til next day. Next day I heat the meat with the skimmed broth, ladle the meat out and and put in hot jars, then pour the broth over meat, and pressure can. A water bath canner holds 10 # of frozen meat at one time very well. I prepare all the meat to be canned on the 1st day, then do all the processing the 2nd day. For me, it simplifies things because I only have to focus on one particular job at a time. 
Lots of folks prefer to do it different ways, just be sure to process it for the correct amount of pressure & time, as stated before. HAPPY CANNING!


----------



## margoC (Jul 26, 2007)

doing it in NM said:


> What cyngbaeld said, but I put the bones and skin in a big pot and make broth, then I use that instead of plain water to put over the chicken. Any left over I can or freeze for all the good things broth is for, other soups, stuffing, etc. When you can legs and thighs whole they just slip off the bone for cassaroles, chicken salad and other things.



That's what I was going to suggest as well. I would de-bone the chickens and can. Then the next day cook those meaty bones and cartilege and pick the meat off the bones, for a nice meaty stock. I think you have to process the same amount of time as meat because of the density (as opposed to broth). 

I do them separate days because of time contraints.


----------



## backtocolo (May 1, 2012)

I like to cut the white meat off the carcas. Process with a pinch of salt and pepper, no liquid. Roast the rest in a covered pan. Cool enough to handle. refrigerate the meat. Bones, cartilage and skin go into the stock pot with a tablespoon of cider vinegar, onion, celery and carrot. Cook overnight. Strain. I use a fat seperator pitcher to get the fat off the stock. I heat the pieces of meat in the stock, hot pack and then process. If there is any stock left over it gets canned as well. With the vinegar going in the stock pot you end up with a more substanstial stock.


----------



## margoC (Jul 26, 2007)

I did not know that about vinegar!


----------



## ceresone (Oct 7, 2005)

and, let the jars sit in the canner awhile after the lid comes off, didnt know for years that removing them at once causes liquid loss in the jars


----------



## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

ceresone said:


> and, let the jars sit in the canner awhile after the lid comes off, didnt know for years that removing them at once causes liquid loss in the jars


The last post before yours was over 3 years ago.


----------



## CountryCabin (Mar 8, 2007)

ceresone said:


> and, let the jars sit in the canner awhile after the lid comes off, didnt know for years that removing them at once causes liquid loss in the jars


Thanks for pulling up this old post, I am sure they will be a few ppl that find it very useful!


----------



## ceresone (Oct 7, 2005)

LOL__thats me--day late--dollar short


----------

