Last week, our local grocery store had beef roast for only $1.97/lb. We thought it might be of poor quality for that price. It wasn’t. When Rob went down to check it out, the kind butcher offered to cut him some and package it up, as they were out in the display case. He asked how much Rob wanted, and Rob replied, “As much as I’m allowed to have!.” So, the man loaded up the trays, and Rob happily brought it all home to deal with.
It came in large slabs. I’m not sure what kind of roast it was.
I wanted to can some of it, so it would be shelf stable. I’ve only canned beef once before when some friends gave us some, so I had to look up the directions in my canning book. I found I could just press the chunks into the jars, add salt, and can for 75 minutes on 11 pounds of pressure, for pint jars, at my altitude, with my canner. I put 1/2 teaspoon salt in, although they recommended a whole teaspoon. I can always add more later, if needed.
Rob chunked it up and I washed and filled jars and loaded the canner. I got it going and sent Rob out to the covered porch in the freezing temperature to watch it. What a guy! He had to come in once to warm up a bit, but he got it done. My nephew and grandson enjoyed breaking the ice on the buckets with sticks–it was that cold for the entire time.
We froze one package of stew meat and a couple of roasts. I cooked 2 large roasts with carrots for the college group, my sister, and us to eat.
There were a couple of jars that did not seal. I noticed that there was a little food that had siphoned out and under the seals, which did not allow them to seal properly. I took that meat and put it into the crock pot with carrots, potatoes, home-canned tomatoes, onion and celery, along with some Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. After cooking all night on low, I added 3 of my basil-pesto cubes from the freezer and enjoyed delicious beef stew for breakfast.
I am very pleased with my beef project. The stew tasted great and the meat tasted just fine in there. The texture was about the same as if I had just put raw beef into a crockpot all night, so that was good. It was not stringy or mushy.
I had fun trying something relatively new to me and honing my food preservation skills. It is good to know that I was able to put something on my pantry shelves, as I decided I wanted to save freezer space for other things, other than the 2 roasts and small package of stew meat.
We buy beef from a farmer each fall, and have a great deal of it made up into steaks and hamburger. There are very few roasts each time. It’s great to have a couple of extra roasts to work with now.
I was amazed that beef was less expensive than chicken breast. We continue to feed quite a few people each week, and the Lord continues to provide all we need and more to do that. Getting this meat at this price was a true blessing. Although it was time-consuming, it was actually a very easy process. I’m glad we seized the moment!
I can beef pretty regularly when there is a great price and it one of our favorites to have on the shelf. I love to just make a gravy with broth or brown gravy mix and heat the meat in the gravy to serve over rice or mashed potatoes. It is a meal that can be ready with little work. I don’t add salt to my jars, just meat in there.
That sounds like a great way to use it! Thanks.
Oh, wow! That was such a great price for beef! The cheapest beef is $6.99/lb. at the grocery store I usually get my groceries from. It’s a good thing I prefer chicken to beef! 😀
I really couldn’t believe it was going to be any good for that price, but it was! What a blessing. There have been other times when the meat was on a super good sale and it looked terrible–lots of fat, etc., so to get it for this price was amazing.
I hope to be brave enough to can meat one day! That was a great price.
This is only my second time. I’ve already used the 2 that didn’t seal and the stew/soup came out wonderful, so I know it will be good.
What a fantastic price! I would have grabbed a bunch and done the same thing.
I don’t add salt to the meat I can for my use but the meat I send to my guys is salted and seasoned. I know they are eating it straight from the jar.
Beef appears to swell in the jars and the fatty juice will siphon out. I add a larger headspace of at least 1 inch. If it is really fatty like ham, I do at least 1 1/2 inch (sometimes more) headspace. I also add five extra minutes for ham since the USDA says it is more concentrated meat.
Have you thought about setting your cell phone up beside the canner outside with it on video conferencing? You could sit in the warm house and watch the gauge. My guys suggested I do that when they were here and we were taking turns in the kitchen with my big canner.
My electric Nesco canner is in the laundry room and we don’t have to watch it at all, just listen to the ear-piercing beeps to know when to close the valve. It holds fewer jars but it is convenient to be able to walk away.
Jeannie@GetMeToTheCountry
I never thought of doing that with my phone. In fact, it took me a minute to figure out what you were talking about doing:). I really am intrigued with the idea of the electric canner. I’m assuming it is like an Instant Pot, only for canning. It sounds amazing for small batches.
This is the one I have. I LOVE IT! It sits on my laundry room counter and I use it constantly, especially for leftover soups. It has changed canning for me because it is so much easier I do more. With big batches, I just run the canner all day long while I do other things and yes, I start it up and leave the kitchen to garden or go to bed. You aren’t supposed to do that but I have never had any problems. I gave one to Reese and he is learning to can. He would never sit in the kitchen and watch a canner but he will do this. He canned the meat in his freezer at his old apartment because he knew it wouldn’t stay frozen on the long move. He cleaned out his refrigerator and made soup that he canned and then ate it s at his new apartment. Two weeks ago Kroger had beef on sale and he bought it and potatoes, carrots onions and made 24 quarts of soup!!!! He misjudged the amount he was buying. (Lol) He loves the canner and I think you will too.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pvgIkkwYO7o&t=17s&ab_channel=RoseRedHomestead–That%22WomanwithaGadget%22
Jeannie
I didn’t watch the link yet, since I’m cleaning up after Easter, but I’m figuring it’s one of those awesome electric canners! I’ve seen a couple of people use them on U-Tube and I’m thinking about eventually getting one. It would be amazing to not have to watch it!