39 Pints under $79 - pressure can-o-rama!

Recipes/ Final Made Product in Pints: 
 Beef Stew with Veggies: 14 Pints (7 Quarts) 
 Petite Sirloin:                  3 Pints 
 White Potatoes:             10 Pints (3 Quarts 4 Pints) 
 Chili without Beans:         8 pints 
 Chili Beans:                    4 pints   


**UPDATE: Garden Vegetable Soup - 7 pints. 
I was able to take all the leftover vegetables and make a nice hearty Garden Vegetable Soup (recipe posted today 1/10/15)  all I needed was the can of large tomatoes from my pantry @$2.99 - new total $80.66 for 46 Pints (aka 23 Quarts)                              

 Shopping Day  1/3/2015                   
 Chili Powder  $5.19 
 Stew Meat *not on sale 5.13 lbs  $21.08 
 Petite Sirloin Steaks 3.57 lbs  $15.95 
 Celery 2 lbs  $1.58 
 Carrots 3 lbs  $2.98 
 Potatoes (Russets) 20 lbs  $1.98 
 Diced Tomatoes 6 Cups  $5.98 
 Ground Beef 5.15 lbs   93/7  $20.15 
 Onions 3 lbs  $1.99
 Dry Beans 3 Cups  $.79 
 Tomatoes           $2.99 **
               
 Total =  $80.66

It all started with a “why can?” comment.  I started out canning mostly jams and jellies, which are water-bath canned and high acid.  I was happy adding pickled items into that mix too. This summer however, with a ‘bumper crop’ of tomatoes and green beans, I decided I wanted a Pressure Canner so that I can get some tomato sauces and canned green beans ‘under my canning belt’ so to speak.  That was my venture into Pressure Canning.  I like it – it gives me the confidence to grow a larger garden next year in hopes I can make more of the items we have now fallen in love with.  It’s only January and we are down to one last Pint of green beans and 4 pints of tomato sauce! *gasp!   I decided this Winter to sit down and pick an array of recipes that I could Pressure Can and see if we indeed enjoy them.  Pressure Canning meat is very easy but, let’s face it – the jars that come out of the canner are very unattractive!  You can look around the Internet and I bet you won’t find a bunch of “Hey! Look at this Gross looking meat in a jar” photos… that is, until I post mine!  I’m not ashamed!  The Chicken was FABULOUS!  The old “making a silk purse out of a sow’s ear” applies here!!  Since the chicken went so well, I PC’d (Pressure Canned) chicken stock, then after Thanksgiving I PC’d turkey soup and the resulting “bone broth” from the leftovers.  I felt like I was ‘getting things done.”  Then I decided to sit down and do a quick shopping trip, armed with 4 recipes that all shared common ingredients:  Beef, Potatoes, Tomatoes, Carrots, Celery and Onion.  If I could make it all work out, I’d be happy.  I knew I couldn’t do ALL the recipes in one day but the only truly ‘time consuming’ recipe was the beef stew.  I like to cut everything by hand so I tackled that recipe first.  Making Beef Stew during a white out blizzard and cold – why not!  It’s either that or shoveling…below is a list of the recipes and their cost...

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I did take photos as things progressed...for a while I felt a bit overwhelmed, like I was indeed "cooking for an army!!"  but I quickly got into the swing of it all...I still think every 'canner' needs a personal sous chef and dishwasher/helper as washing and sterilizing are of big importance in my kitchen (and should be the same for all that 'can') 

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While reviewing recipes - I read that filling out the canner load with beans is a great way to get extra bonus from all that hardwork and energy your canner will be doing...since my last recipe was only going to be 3 pints, I went ahead and made up 4 pints of "chili beans" and SO HAPPY that I did - they are wonderful!! I already posted that recipe on here last night...I didn't originally shop for the dry beans (I had them in my pantry) but, I threw a nominal cost associated with how much I used into the totals above.  

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Beef Stew with Vegetables

1 Tbs. vegetable oil (I used a non-stick pan, and no oil) 
4 to 5 lbs. stewing beef, cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes
12 cups cubed peeled potatoes
8 cups sliced peeled carrots
3 cups chopped celery
3 cups chopped onions
4 1/2 tsp. salt
1 t. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
Boiling water

Prepare weighted or dial gauge pressure canner, jars, and lids. 

In a large non-stick skillet, heat oil over medium high heat. Working in batches, brown beef adding oil if absolutely needed. Transfer beef to large stainless steel saucepan. (I used my 8 qt stock pot). Add potatoes, carrots, celery, onions, salt, thyme, pepper, and boiling water to cover the ingredients. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. 

Ladle hot stew into hot jars leaving 1 inch headspace. Remove air bubbles and adjust headspace by adding more stew if needed. Wipe rim with paper towel moistened with vinegar. (The vinegar helps to remove any fat that may be on the rim) Center lid on jar. Screw band on fingertip tight. 

Place jars in pressure canner. Lock lid and bring to a boil over medium heat. Vent steam for 10 minutes. Process in canner for pints for 75 minutes at 10lbs at sea level to 1,000 ft.  for weighted gauge and 90 minutes for quarts. For dial gauge process at 11lbs of pressure at sea level to 2,000 ft.  **adjusting for your altitude.

Once the time has elapsed turn off heat. Let the pressure return to zero naturally. Wait two minutes longer, then open vent. Remove canner lid. Wait 10 minutes, then remove jars, clean, cool and store.


Recipe by: Ball complete book of home preserving

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CANNED PETITE SIRLOIN 

CUT-UP MEAT (strips, cubes, or chunks) Bear, Beef, Pork, Lamb, Veal, and Venison
Remove excess fat. 

Raw Pack—Fill jars with raw meat pieces, leaving 1-inch headspace. Pack down lightly, DO NOT ADD LIQUID. Adjust jar lids. I added a pound of cubed meat to each pint jar along with 1/2 tsp salt *canning salt and 1/2 tsp minced garlic (optional) 


Place jars in pressure canner. Lock lid and bring to a boil over medium heat. Vent steam for 10 minutes. Process in canner for pints for 75 minutes at 10lbs at sea level to 1,000 ft.  for weighted gauge and 90 minutes for quarts. For dial gauge process at 11lbs of pressure at sea level to 2,000 ft.  **adjusting for your altitude.

Once the time has elapsed turn off heat. Let the pressure return to zero naturally. Wait two minutes longer, then open vent. Remove canner lid. Wait 10 minutes, then remove jars, clean, cool and store.


Recipe by: Presto 

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WHITE POTATOES


Potatoes, White - Cubed or Whole
Quantity: An average of 20 pounds is needed per canner load of 7 quarts; an average of 13 pounds is needed per canner load of 9 pints. A bag weighs 50 pounds and yields 18 to 22 quarts – an average of 2½ to 3 pounds per quart.

Quality: Select small to medium-size mature potatoes of ideal quality for cooking. Tubers stored below 45ºF may discolor when canned. Choose potatoes 1 to 2 inches in diameter if they are to be packed whole.

Procedure: Wash and peel potatoes. Place in asorbic acid mix to prevent darkening. If desired, cut into 1/2-inch cubes. Drain. Cook 2 minutes in boiling water and drain again. For whole potatoes, boil 10 minutes and drain. Add 1 teaspoon of salt per quart to the jar, if desired. Fill jars with hot prepared potatoes, leaving no more than 1-inch headspace.  Cover hot potatoes with FRESH boiling water, leaving 1-inch headspace and covering all pieces of potato.  (Caution:Do not use the water you cooked the potatoes in; it contains too much starch.)  Process Pints 35 Mins and Quarts 40 mins. at 10 lbs pressure for Dial Gauge *adjusting for your altitude.

Recipe by: National Center for Home Food Preservation

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Chili Con Carne 
Makes 6-8 pints  

Ingredients: 
5 lbs. ground beef (I used 93/7)
2 cups chopped onions
2 cloves garlic, minced
6 cups quarts crushed or diced tomatoes
spice mix: 
1/3 cup chili powder
2 tsp ground cumin 
2 tsp salt
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp red chili flakes
1/2 tsp ground black pepper

Directions: 
Brown ground beef in a large stock pot, drain off all fat, add in onions & garlic, cook 2-3 mins Drain off fat - I use a colander in the sink. Shake out the excess fat and I blotted lightly with a paper towel. Pour back into large pot and tomatoes and spice mix. Simmer chili for 20 minutes. Skim off any excess fat.

Using hot, sterilized jars fill jars with chili leaving 1" headspace. Remove air bubbles and adjust headspace if needed. Wipe rims of jars with dampened clean paper towel that has been dipped in white vinegar.  This will help remove any fat that may have been dripped on rims of jar and ensure a better seal. Adjust lids with bands to finger tip tight and process in pressure canner. Process at 10 pounds pressure - Pints 75 minutes and Quarts 90 minutes (adjusting pressure/lbs to your altitude, as needed.)  

Recipe from: Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving 

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CHILI BEANS *a great way to fill out a canner load! 

Ingredients: 
to each pint jar add: 
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp minced garlic
1/4 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp dried, minced onion

Quantity: An average of 5 pounds is needed per canner load of 7 quarts; an average of 3¼ pounds is needed per canner load of 9 pints--an average of ¾ pounds per quart.

Quality: Select mature, dry seeds. Sort out and discard discolored seeds.

Procedure: Place dried beans in a large pot and cover with water. Soak 12 to 18 hours in a cool place. Drain water. To quickly hydrate beans, you may cover sorted and washed beans with boiling water in a saucepan. Boil 2 minutes, remove from heat, soak 1 hour and drain. 

Cover beans soaked by either method with fresh water and boil 30 minutes. Fill jars 3/4 full with beans, add spices and cooking water, to 1-inch headspace.

Process Pints 75 mins at 10 lbs. Quarts 90 mins at 10lbs pressure or according to your altitude.  

Bean Process by: NCHFP 
Spice Recipe by: Jennifer Shambrook "I Can Can Beef!" 


All photos by: Diane Baker for Canning and Cooking at Home 

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