This recipe is a great one for people starting their Pressure Canning journey. Canning meat to store and use later is a good alternative to freezing and makes for savvy future planning. This process below is known as Dry Canning and meat is raw packed and the canning process kills all bacteria. The same process can be done using other cuts of meat like Pork which we do in large chunks, no bone and leaving a little fat on, adding fennel and some salt produces a very tasty result. Just meat and no liquid needs to be added. You may be wondering what is the liquid at the end that you see as you didn’t add any – that’s the meats natural juices which is also why it is important to leave some fat on.
For the chicken we like to make in 500ml jars as we find there is sufficient chicken to turn into a meal when you want to make things such as chicken pie, shred through salad, add to a curry sauce or make a chicken soup. The chicken falls off the bone easily without the bone disintegrating. Cooking on the bone keeps in all the nutrients and helps keep the meat tender after canning.
What you will need~
Chicken Drumsticks – skin on – choose ones that are not too large and ensure they similar in size to each other for even cooking.
Salt for seasoning
*for variation to the plain chicken you can also sprinkle a flavour mix over the drumsticks – we have done Moroccan and Cajun spice along with the salt.
GoodLife Jars with 2pc Dome and Band lids – clean and cold
You are going to raw pack the chicken. Sprinkle each drumstick with some salt and then place your drumsticks meat down with bone facing UP into your jars. You should be able to get about 4-5 drums into a 500ml jar depending on their size. If the bone exceeds the rim of the jar you may need to lop it off with a cleaver. Its super important that the bone of the chicken does not get close to or touch the lid when it is screwed on. There must be a good headroom gap at the top otherwise the sealing of the jar may be compromised.
Wipe the top of the jar rim with a damp paper towel dipped in vinegar to remove any residue before putting your dome seal in place. Screw on your band ‘fingertip’ tight and place each jar into the canner. How ever many jars you do is up to you but keep them the same size for cooking times. Most canners fit the following:
14 x 500ml jars with 2 layers of 7 jars using a second canning rack in between layers
– 75 minutes cook time
7 x 1 Litre jars – 90 minutes cook time
Follow your Pressure Canning instructions carefully and don’t be surprised if you hear the odd ‘ping’ during the cooking process. We usually wait a few hours once the canner is finished before opening. Do not be tempted to open the lid early.
When the jars are cooled check that the domes are sealed and remove the bands. Clean down well to label and store in a dark place. These jars of meaty goodness can be stored for years.