Canning chicken: A step-by-step guide for safe and delicious preservation

Canning chicken at home is an excellent way to ensure you have a convenient, ready-to-use source of protein on hand. By following USDA guidelines, you can safely preserve chicken that retains its flavor and texture for months. In this post, I'll walk you through exactly how I can chicken, with all my tips along the way ;)

Chicken directly out of the canner

Why can chicken?

Canning chicken offers several benefits:

• Convenience: Pre-cooked chicken ready to use in a variety of dishes.

• Cost-effective: Buying chicken in bulk and canning it can save money.

• Long shelf life: Properly canned chicken can last up to a year or more.

• Space-saving: Canned chicken doesn't take up valuable freezer space.

Ingredients and equipment

Ingredients:

• Fresh chicken (cut-up whole birds, breasts, thighs, or drumsticks)

• Salt (optional)

• Water, broth, or canning liquid of your choice

Equipment:

• Pressure canner (mandatory for meat canning)

• Pint- or quart-size canning jars

• Lids and bands

• Jar lifter

• Funnel

• Ladle

• Tongs

• Cutting board and knife

• Large pot for cooking chicken (if hot packing)

• Clean towels and paper towels

Step-by-step USDA canning process

Prepping the jars

1. Preparing the chicken

• Choose fresh, high-quality chicken.

• Trim off as much fat as you can (fat on the rims can stop the lids from sealing), then pat the chicken dry with paper towels. No need to rinse it: rinsing raw chicken just splashes bacteria around your sink.

• Cut the chicken into pieces suitable for canning (you can leave it bone-in or debone it).

2. Hot pack vs. raw pack

Canning: Raw pack

• Hot pack: Cook the chicken by boiling, baking, or roasting until about two-thirds done. This method allows more chicken to fit in the jars and often results in better quality and flavor.

• Raw pack: Pack raw chicken pieces into jars. This method is quicker and easier but may result in more liquid loss during processing.

3. Preparing the jars

• Wash jars, lids, and bands in hot, soapy water. Rinse well.

• No need to sterilize the jars for pressure canning, the canner takes care of that. Just keep them hot until you're ready to fill them.

4. Filling the jars

• Using a funnel, pack the chicken into the hot jars, leaving 1 1/4-inch headspace for raw pack or hot pack.

• Add 1/2 teaspoon of salt per pint jar or 1 teaspoon per quart jar, if desired.

• For hot pack, fill jars with hot broth, water, or cooking liquid, maintaining the headspace. For raw pack, do not add liquid as the chicken will produce its own juice.

• Remove air bubbles by running a non-metallic utensil around the inside edge of the jar.

• Wipe the rims of the jars with a clean, damp cloth.

• Place lids on jars and screw on bands until fingertip-tight.

5. Pressure canning

• Place the jars in the pressure canner, following the manufacturer’s instructions for your specific model.

• Lock the lid and let the canner vent for 10 minutes before you put the weight on (don't skip this one!).

• Process pint jars for 75 minutes and quart jars for 90 minutes at the right pressure for your altitude and canner type (see my altitude chart). I'm at 2,273 feet, so I use 15 lb on my weighted gauge.

6. Cooling and storing

• Turn off the heat and let the canner cool down naturally until the pressure reads zero (no rushing it!). Then remove the weight, wait 10 minutes, and open the lid away from your face (that steam is no joke!).

• Remove jars using a jar lifter and place them on a towel to cool undisturbed for 12-24 hours.

• Check seals by pressing the center of each lid. If the lid doesn't flex up and down, it's sealed.

• Label and store sealed jars in a cool, dark place. Unsealed jars should be refrigerated and used within a few days.

Tips for success

• Use a pressure canner: Water bath canning is not safe for meat. Always use a pressure canner.

• Maintain headspace: Proper headspace is essential for sealing and preventing spoilage.

• Adjust for altitude: Up in the hills like me? It's the pressure you adjust for altitude, not the time (my altitude chart has all the numbers).

• Check for bones: If canning bone-in chicken, ensure no bones are protruding, as this can affect the seal.

Canning chicken according to USDA guidelines ensures a safe, delicious, and convenient source of protein that you can enjoy throughout the year. By following these steps, you can confidently preserve chicken and have it ready for any meal. Happy canning!