Michigan State University Extension
Preserving Food Safely - 01600628
10/13/97

### CANNING MEAT AND POULTRY, GENERAL INFORMATION

        Use  only good-quality meat or  poultry-- home-produces

    or
    purchased from a farm or store.

        Chill home-produced meat immediately after slaughter to

    prevent
    spoiling and to permit tenderizing.   Meat is easier

    to
    handle when it is cold.  For thorough chilling, keep meat

    at
     a  temperature below 40 degrees Fahrenheit until time to

    prepare
     it for  canning;  can  it  within  a few days after

    slaughter.

        If  refrigeration is not available and if  the  maximum

    daily
    temperature is  above 40  degrees Fahrenheit,  process

    the
    meat as soon as body heat is gone.

        If meat must be held for longer than a few days, freeze

    it.
     Store  frozen  meat  at  temperatures   of   0  degrees

    Fahrenheit
    or  lower until  canning  time.   Then cut or saw

    frozen
    meat into pieces  of desired size.

        If  frozen meat is thawed before canning,  thaw it in a

    refrigerator
    at  a temperature  of 40 degrees Fahrenheit  or

    lower
    until most of the ice crystals have disappeared.

        Keep  all  meat clean  and  sanitary.   *Rinse  poultry

    thoroughly
     in  cold  water,  then drain.   To  control  the

    bacteria
    that cause spoilage,  keep everything that  touches

    meat
    as clean as possible.

        Keep  all  meat as cool as possible during  preparation

    for
     canning.   Handle  it rapidly;  process it as  soon  as

    containers
    are packed.

        To insure the safety of canned meats and poultry,  jars

    or
     cans  must be processed in a pressure canner  to  get  a

    sufficiently
    high temperature for a long enough time to kill

    all
    bacteria that cause spoilage or food poisoning.

    Pack
     meat loosely  in containers.  Work with one  glass jar

    or
     tin can  at  a time.   Keep  precooked  meat  hot  while

    packing.
     Use boiling liquid- broth, meat juice or water- if

    directions
    call for added liquid.

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