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Sunday, October 30, 2011

Canning Homemade Chicken Stock

I bought a 23 quart presto pressure canner on sale earlier this summer.  I had high hopes of canning vegetables from my garden, however due to a pretty mediocre harvest, there wasn’t enough to bother.  I have to admit, I went into the idea with a little reservation.  Growing up my mom canned, but only high acid foods, she was always afraid of possible poisoning.  So hearing this my whole life, I have always steered clear, until now.  After a lot of reading about it, really it’s easy, and as long as the directions are followed, I have nothing to fear.   
So the past couple weekends I have put my pressure canner to work canning chicken stock and it was really easy, and I've pretty much gotten over my fear of it.  Well maybe not entirely, I haven't eaten any of it yet...
Chicken Stock recipe and directions HERE
I strained my broth through a wire colander, which left quite a bit of sludgy stuff at the bottom of the jar.  The second batch I strained through cheesecloth in the wire colander and it was a lighter broth without the sludge. Both taste good, one just looks a bit nicer.
Ladle hot stock into clean hot canning jars, leaving 1” headspace.  Check to be sure jars are not cracked or chipped.
Wipe the rim of the jar clean and place on lids and bands and place in pressure canner.  Mine has a rack that goes in the bottom for canning, you don’t want the jars sitting on the bottom. 
Add boiling water to canner – mine calls for 3 quarts of boiling water
Process at 11 pounds of pressure for 20 minutes for pints and 25 minutes for quarts.  This seems to be the same no matter what canner you use.  Higher altitudes over 
Homemade chicken stock to enjoy throughout the year!
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