Have you ever tried canning meat? It takes being confident enough to let it sit on a shelf without refrigeration and trusting that it will be ok to eat.

This was one of the hardest things to can for me (not hard to do, just the thought of it), but I wanted to try canned meat and see how it really held up. I was very pleasantly surprised at the outcome and it was actually really good.

Basic Canned meat (for beef) directions:

place jars in warm canning water to keep warm
cut off fat and cube the meat into 1-inch squares
heat water to boiling in a kettle or pan that you can pour from
fill the jars by raw packing in the meat
add 3 inches of boiling water
add lids and tighten finger tight
place in a pressure canner, cover, let vent for 10 minutes
after 10 minutes, add jiggler or weight and bring to 10 or 15 depending on altitude
process in a pressure canner for 90 minutes
let vent and sit out on towel until cooled for 24 hours

You’ll need:

Pressure canner
Pint jars or Quart Jars
Canning lids and bands (new lids for each jar, bands can be reused)
Canning tools: jar lifter, canning ladle, funnel, and bubble popper
Plus basic kitchen supplies such as a large saucepan, large prep bowl, liquid measuring cup, kitchen towels, tongs, mandoline, or knife and a cutting board.

Ingredients

stew meat, roast meat or round steak cubed
bay leaf
1 tsp salt per quart jar
any other seasonings you’d like to flavor your meat with

Canned Meat Canning Steps

Step 1: Prepare the equipment

put water into canner for the water bath
place jars in warming pressure canner
heat on medium-high heat to keep jars warm until ready to fill
heat water to boiling in kettle or pan that you can pour from

Step 2: Cut the meat

cut off fat and cube the meat into 1 inch squares
fill the jars by raw packing in the meat

Step 3: Canning the meat

add 3 inches of boiling water
add lids and tighten finger tight
place in a pressure canner, cover, let vent for 10 minutes
after 10 minutes, add jiggler or weight and bring to 10 or 15 depending on altitude
process in a pressure canner for 90 minutes
let vent and sit out on towel until cooled for 24 hours

Popular canned meat questions:

What is the best cut of beef for canning?

Round steaks or roasts are among the best cuts for canning because they are lean and not heavily marbled. These cuts require long cooking times to tenderize and, while tough, are long on flavor. The outside fat from the steaks needs to be trimmed away and discarded.

Can roast beef be canned?

The tougher cuts of beef usually used for pot roast — such as rump roast, top round, bottom round, eye of round, sirloin tip, etc. — can up beautifully. When opening the jar, don’t waste the broth that is in the jar, it’s pure gold: freeze it for use in soups, stews, risottos, gravies, etc.

Check out Healthy Canning and their Canning Beef Pot Roast recipe.

Check out My Windowsill Canned Beef canning recipe.

Check out Taste of Artisan’s Canned Beef recipe.

Check out Healthy Canning Beef Stroganoff in a Jar recipe.

Can raw meat be canned?

Yes, 100% you must use a pressure canner to can meat. A pressure canner is mandatory because meat is a low-acid food. A pressure canner is the only way to get the meat up to a high enough temperature, for a long enough time to make it safe for food storage. Don’t be intimidated by your pressure canner.

Check out Taste of Artisan’s guidelines article on How to Can Meat at Home.

Can you can frozen meat?

If meat must be held for longer than a few days before canning, freeze it. Store frozen meat at 0 F or lower until canning time. Trim meat of gristle, bruised spots and fat before canning. Too much fat left on meat can lead to sealing failures.

Does canned meat have to be covered in liquid?

The NCHFP further assures us, If all other processing variables are accurate, less than half of the liquid is lost from the jar and the jar seals, then the product is still safe for shelf storage. Product that is not covered by the liquid will darken.

Check out Homesteading Family Step By Step Tutorial For Canning Meat (Raw Pack Method)

How long will canned beef last?

Maya Feller is a registered dietitian nutritionist who says: “According to the USDA, canned meats should be stored in a cool and dry place. Canned meats can keep their best quality for two to five years.”

What is the longest-lasting canned food?

Spam, canned chicken, corn beef, canned ham, and tuna can last from 2 to 5 years after the can’s printed date, so long that it’s stored in ideal conditions.

Read the full article and get a free printable from Crisis Equipped – The Complete List of Long-Lasting Survival Foods + FREE Printable

What food never expires?

12 Non-Perishable Foods That Rarely Ever Expire

Baking soda: lasts indefinitely, though it can lose its leavening power over time. To test, combine 2 tsp vinegar and ¼ tsp baking soda. If it bubbles, you’re good to go.
Beans and legumes (dried, in general). Note: the older the beans, the longer they’ll need to soak and cook. Including:
- Black beans
- Black-eyed peas
- Cannellini beans (white kidney beans)
- Garbanzo beans (chickpeas)
- Great Northern beans
- Kidney beans
- Lentils
- Lima beans
- Navy beans
- Pinto beans
- Soybeans
- Split peas (dried)
Corn syrup
Hard liquor: Exception: cream liqueurs – because of the dairy, heed the label regarding “use by” dates.
Honey (raw): Natural sugar, high acidity and low moisture ensures this liquid gold lasts forever (archeologists have even unearthed edible honey in ancient Egyptian tombs). But it can crystallize over time. No worries – just set the jar in a pan of warm water to liquify.
Maple syrup (pure)
Salt: non-iodized salt (like natural sea salt) lasts forever. But even iodized table salt has a pretty long shelf life – five years.
Spices (dried): They will lose their aroma and flavor over time but are safe to eat indefinitely.
Sugar, including
- Granulated sugar
- Powdered sugar
- Brown sugar
Vinegar, including:
- Apple cider vinegar
- Balsamic vinegar
- Distilled vinegar
- Red wine vinegar
- Rice vinegar (unseasoned)
- White wine vinegar
Vanilla extract (pure)
White rice

Read the full article from Parade – 100+ Foods That Never Expire (Or at Least Not for a Very Long Time)

Items mentioned in this article:

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Canning Beef Meat in Pressure Canner – Canned Meat