Test for canned meats?

**Rivershot** · 08-23-2013, 04:46 PM

I would like to know if there is a way to test my canned meats before it's to late?

So far I have only jared up a few and, reheated them a few months later and all was good but, I don't trust myself enough to can bunch and then eat them 3yrs later straight out of the jar.

Ant ideas?

Thanks

**canid** · 08-23-2013, 05:23 PM

If that is the case then you must decide whether you understand the principles of hard-canning sufficiently or not.

**Rick** · 08-23-2013, 05:27 PM

I hope these were canned in a pressure canner. There is no safe method for canning meat in a boiling water canner.

If these are home canned meats in a pressure cooker and you followed the directions then there are are a few different things you can look for. First, if you got a good seal then the lid (not the ring) should be under vacuum and pulled down. If you can push on the lid and it snaps down then back up you may not have a good seal. Second, your meat should look good. In other words there should be no area of discoloration or the meat should not look mushy. If bad the liquid will look cloudy or there may be signs of mold. Generally and I want to emphasize that word, generally spoiled meat will great a positive pressure in the jar and cause the lid to push up and or leak. Third, when you open the jar there should be a rush of air into the jar because the jar is under vacuum. If the opposite occurs, the food spurts out when you open it then it's probably bad. Finally, the meat will have a disagreeable odor when you open it. You may even see bubbles in the top of the food.

Hope that helps.

I have chicken and hamburger canned and it's 2 years old and still looks good.

**Rick** · 08-23-2013, 05:29 PM

If he just started then I understand his concern. You can do everything correctly and have good product and still be second guessing yourself. No harm in getting a second opinion now and then.

**canid** · 08-23-2013, 06:06 PM

Indeed, but the point is to know what 'everything correctly' is, and to never stray from it. The confidence will follow with reinforcement. Note that you never catch a hospital wondering it they used the autoclave correctly.

**Rick** · 08-23-2013, 06:17 PM

Yet.........

**LowKey** · 08-23-2013, 08:05 PM

Yep, it just takes practice to get to the confidence in your product stage. When you first do canning you are all clumsy and things don't always go smoothly. That's where your insecurity is coming from.

A couple things to add to Rick's list of badness:

I don't keep the rings on my jars after the seal is set. I take them off after 24 hours and inspect the seal to be sure there was no siphoning of food out of the jar. This happens on cool down and while the seal may not break, there could be a pathway for badness there if food particles have compromised the seal. I have yet to do a batch of applesauce in a water bath canner that didn't vomit all over the counter (any hints greatly appreciated. It's apparently the easiest thing to make and the only thing I haven't been able to can properly.)

Also, Botulinum spoilage can be odorless and colorless. It's really recommended you reheat your canned low-acid foods to simmering boil for 10 minutes or so to kill any possible toxin.

**Rick** · 08-23-2013, 10:33 PM

The biggest problem I have is usually something on the lip of the jar when I put the lid on. I try to wipe the rims just as I lay the lid on but the tiniest dang thing can ruin the seal.

I can't help you on the apple sauce. I've never made it.