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The internet is running like poop today.
Kubota update
We gave Kubota two weeks to get his affairs in order and make his transition to whatever address he moves to. Things COULD be smoother.
I was able to get Kubota's phone activated by taking it to the Verizon store in Lansing but they bobbled the numbers. Kubota's phone now has my number and my phone is in-op. That is a major problem since Kubota is in the middle of a job search. The cosmos is clanging with bad harmonics.
Canning update
We got 39 pints of chicken canned. Two did not seal, probably because I cheated on headspace. One of them sealed on the second go-around. The other was the last batch and is now in the refrigerator.
Mrs ERJ suggested that I reinforce the shelving in the pantry. That is a nice problem to have.
Do you mean you left too little headspace?
ReplyDeleteI left too little headspace.
DeleteThe picture in my head is that the meat out-gasses and bilge flows between the lid and the rim of the jar. This actually happens fairly often.
With meat, fibers sometimes get trapped between them and the lid cannot seal.
Increased headspace gives the out-gassing more time to un-foam and bleed out without entrained food. It also creates a seal more quickly after pulling out of the kettle.
Or too much headspace?---ken
ReplyDeleteNever had the guts to can meat.
ReplyDeleteIf it gives you the willies you can always add some vinegar, malic acid or lemon juice to lower the pH (like summer sausage). Or, you can add some "pink salt" i.e. salt with saltpetre. Either method will erase the possibility of Clostridium bacteria like botulism or tetanus or C. diff.
DeleteMany types of food poisoning will make you wish you were dead but most of them are sissies for high temperatures. Clostridia create temperature resistant spores. Furthermore, they produce toxins that will kill you in very small doses. Fortunately, Clostridia are vulnerable to nitrates and low pH. The internet is your friend.
Pressure canning and additional "curing" agents are belt-and-suspenders.
For the record, pressure canning meat entails 75 minutes in the pressure canner for a pint which runs about 240 F. Quarts get 90 minutes.
I've had a couple of really bad bouts of bad food and it was horrible.
DeleteBut that botulism thing can kill !!
You can a lot of chicken. Do you typically can other meat? ( Such as Pork or Beef)? I have done a little of each of those in small batches. I was also wondering if you have ever de-boned and canned a turkey. I am looking closely at possibly canning a turkey or two in Quart jars. A couple of reasons. First, of course, Turkey is always " cheap" just before Thanksgiving. If inflation goes as expected having some cheap turkey dinners might be a real blessing. Secondly, speaking of inflation, I wonder if a turkey canned this year might be the only Turkey dinner you can afford and possibly the only one available in a couple of years.
ReplyDeleteWe canned venison last year.
DeleteRight now, turkey is very, very expensive. Maybe it will come down in price at Thanksgiving. Maybe not.
I thought about canning turkey but would need a better thawing process. Most turkeys are sold frozen and they are bulky. A sterilized barrel filled with water from the hose is a possibility.
My mom got me interested in canning pork and beef. She remarked that they had it as kids ( limited freezer space) and how tender the meat was. Also, if you are in a hurry it is a nearly instant protein for a meal. You want hot beef sandwiches?? Here is your roast already done. Cook the potatoes and re-heat the canned beef. As to the turkey, just having fingers crossed that prices go down. Most years you can get turkey for under $1 a pound and sometimes under $.75 7-10 days before Thanksgiving. If you are looking at a sterilized barrel for thawing you must be thinking ??5-8 at a time?
DeleteOur pressure canner holds 20, standard mouth pints. A-pint-is-a-pound-the-world-round.
DeleteI was thinking three or four turkeys. They are pretty bulky and I need to have enough water in the barrel to warm them up.
Mrs ERJ informed me that we are NOT going to ruin anybody's Thanksgiving by buying a bunch of turkeys BEFORE Thanksgiving. Otherwise, she is on board.
Have canned ground beef. And a friend gave us a jar of venison they canned.
ReplyDelete