# Raw Pack or Hot Pack?



## IndyGardenGal (Apr 5, 2009)

I bought a turkey with the intention of canning it. Do you prefer raw or hot pack for turkeys? I was *thinking* of deboning and raw packing meat, then boiling the bones, etc and straining it for canning broth.

This is my first time canning turkey, so I wanted to hear opinions.


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## Ruby (May 10, 2002)

That's what I do for chicken. I've never canned a turkey but just canned chicken yesterday. I prefer the cold pack method. I canned the chicken meat (breast meat) yesterday then boiled the bones with some salt and garlic and I have 5 quarts sitting on my counter now cooling.


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## Macybaby (Jun 16, 2006)

I can veni, chicken and rabbit raw pack, and DH and I are very happy with the results. We season it up depending on what we want to use it for, and sometimes I just empty out the broth that forms in the canning process, thicken that up and add the meat and serve over potatoes (also out of a can) for a very quick meal.

I also take what is left of the carcass of rabbit and chicken and make broth to can up. That gets used in all sorts of things - I love using it instead of water to make rice.


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## bluefish (Jan 27, 2006)

I hope this isn't hijacking, but would this work for an old bird as well, or would I want to cook it first? I've cooked old turkeys before and that part I know, but if I raw pack it, would it be tough?


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## Canning Girl (Jan 13, 2010)

I have done 3 turkeys lately and have roasted all of them in the oven first. The second one I took out before it was completely cooked, and deboning it took twice as long as doing the fully cooked ones. You can do it either way, but IME cooking it first saved effort. Also, I can't stand the way the jars look when meat is raw-packed. I like a nice clear broth without all the slimy strings of fat sticking to the edges of the jars. But that's just me!

As far as doing an old bird, I would think that by the time it is processed for 90 minutes, the meat will be nice and tender.


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## judylou (Jun 19, 2009)

I agree that pre-cooking (using hot pack) makes the deboning 10 times easier. Raw pack is fine for meat with no bones or if you want to can bone-in fowl, but if you want the bones out then I recommend hot pack.

thermopkt - hot pack also works best for the tough old birds. The pressure cooking will tenderize them but if you use hot pack it works even better.


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## bluefish (Jan 27, 2006)

Thanks!


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## Ohio dreamer (Apr 6, 2006)

I always raw pack. I don't worry about getting all the meat off the bird as I boil down the bones and remaining meat for broth. As mentioned on another thread I can more of a meat soup then straight broth...I don't strain out the meat. I can't see tossing all that good meat or jars of nothing but liquid as every thing I make is better with the meat bits in it.


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## Riverdale (Jan 20, 2008)

Because of our limited heating space (and limited time) we prefer to raw pack whatever we can can


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## Goldie (Feb 18, 2009)

This past week I have canned two turkeys...simmered them first until just done and made soups out of the meat and broth. Usually I bake them, but this worked out great.


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## sewserious (Apr 2, 2010)

I prefer raw pack; why cook that meat twice? Lots of extra work I think. I debone if needed, pack the meat, and cook the carcass/bones for broth. I do this with all meats; chicken, beef, pork, turkey. The only thing I pre-cook before canning is sausage and/or hamburger.


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## julieq (Oct 12, 2008)

We bake the turkey, then stew it overnight in a broth in one of our water bath canners (only pot we have which is large enough). Then pull the meat off the carcass and pressure can turkey and broth the next day. It's nice to have dinner taken care of while we're planning on canning the next day!


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