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If you have ever felt nervous about canning meat, you are not alone. When I was first learning, I did a lot of research and I was still nervous! I hope this blog post can help you reduce the overwhelm that comes with pressure canning and start preserving with confidence!
Canning ground beef might sound intimidating, but once you understand the process, it’s actually one of the easiest and most practical foods to preserve. In this guide, I’ll walk you through exactly how to do it safely and confidently.
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This post is all about how to pressure can ground beef
Table of Contents
Is it safe to can ground beef?
Yes! Canning ground beef is absolutely safe if done correctly. To can something low acid such as meat, you will need a pressure canner. Water bath canning does not get hot enough to kill all of the bacteria and make your meats shelf stable, even if the jars have sealed. It is always recommended to use a USDA tested recipe such as this one.
If you do not have a pressure canner and want to purchase one, I would highly recommend the “For Jars” pressure canner. It is reasonably priced and is very simple to use with an easy locking system. I purchased it with my own money but I am an affiliate for For Jars.
If you want to purchase it, you can use my code “CALM10” for a discount.
Why you will love canned ground beef
Having shelf stable beef ready whenever you need a quick recipe is a game changer. There are a few reasons you may consider canning ground beef such as:
- Having meals that are fast and convenient so you can eat more meals at home. Tacos in under 5 minutes? I think so!
- Clearing space in your freezer (they get full so fast!)
- Reduce the stress that comes with power outages. If you don’t have meat in the freezer, there is no worry!
- Start a shelf stable, working pantry that lasts years. Canned meat lasts up to 4 times as long as frozen meat!
Speaking of a shelf stable pantry...
If you are interested in starting a scratch made pantry, dry mixes are the easiest place to start. They don’t require any canning and can be made in bulk so you are always ready to make scratch made meals. If you want to check out my pantry mixes recipe guide, check it out below!
What equipment do you need?
For canning ground beef you will need:
- A pressure canner (NOT pressure cooker- they are not the same thing)
- Pint or quart sized mason jars. They must be safe for pressure canning so stick to trusted brands like “For jars” or “Bernardin.”
- A jar lifter to place and remove the hot jars from the canner
- A canning funnel to fill your jars (this one is optional for ground beef but does cut down on mess!)
Step by step instructions
Start with the meat
To pressure can meat, we need to start with cooking it. Yes this is counterintuitive but it is the way you can ground meat. If you throw raw ground beef in the canner, it can clump together and the heat may not penetrate it fully. Cook until lightly brown.
While you are cooking the meat, preheat the canner (add 3 quarts of water to the bottom and 1 tbsp of vinegar) and add the clean, empty jars inside to preheat. Hot foods go into hot jars and cold food into cold jars.
Drain (or strain it)
You don’t want extra fat in the jars so do your best to drain off the fat. I like to use a mini fine mesh strainer but a slotted spoon would also work. Remember to never pour grease or fat directly into your sink. It can clog! Make sure you leave an inch of headspace (the space from the top of the food to the top of the jar.)
Add salt
For a quart of meat, you can add 1 tsp of salt and for a pint you can add 1/2 tsp. If you want different seasonings, make sure you use a USDA tested recipe.
Wipe rims with vinegar
Use a clean cloth or paper towel dipped in vinegar to give the rims a very good wipe and inspect each jar for cracks. I clean the outside of the top and the top rim really well. You don’t want any gunk affecting the seal.
Add lids
Lids such as Bernardin and For Jars do not require pre heating but some jars might. Always consult the box of your lids to determine if you need to pre-warm your lids. Make sure you give them a clean with hot soapy water before use either way.
Can it up part 1
Place the jars gently in your pressure canner trying to leave a small amount of space between the jars so they don’t hit together during the canning process. If your canner allows 2 layers, add the divider between the 2 and slightly offset the jars from the bottom set of jars. Ensure the lid is clicked on properly and crank the heat.
Allow the steam to vent steadily for 10 minutes before adding your weight (figure out your altitude prior to canning to know how many pounds of pressure you need. I always need 15 lbs.)
Can it up part 2
Allow the canner to come up to pressure (it will say the number on the gauge) and then start your timer. Pints get canned for 75 minutes and quarts go for 90. When the timer goes off, turn the heat off and let it come to room temperature naturally.
When the canner pressure is at zero, carefully open the canner and point it away from you to let out all the steam. I like to leave my lid slightly ajar for an hour or 2 to allow the cans to come to room temp slowly.
Very carefully lift the jars out of the canner (do not hit them on anything or the jar could crack or explode.) Place them on a towel on the counter and allow them to sit until they are completely cooled and then check the seals.
How to check your seals
Start by removing the ring on each jar and immediately you should be able to see if any of them didn’t seal. Next, press down on the tops of each jar. If you hear a popping noise, the jar did not seal. A sealed jar sounds like a “thunk.”
If you do hear a thunk, try to pull the lid off of the jar. If it pops off easily, it did not seal. It should hold string when force is applied. Place non sealed jars in the fridge to be used within a couple days and sealed jars get wiped, labelled with the date and item inside and then placed in a cool, dry, dark place.
How long does canned meat last?
Home canned meat is said to have a shelf life from 1-3 years depending on how it is stored (cool, dry and dark locations are best.) Compare this to the shelf life of frozen meat Which is 3-9 months depending on the cut and you have a clear long term winner.
How to use canned beef
Canned beef reminds me of taco bell beef. Very soft and tender meat. This can be an odd texture to get used to at first but the convenience is worth it!
- Try this ground beef recipe with my homemade taco spice for taco night!
- Use it in a quick spaghetti and meat sauce.
- In hamburger soup
- Anywhere else you would normally use ground beef!