Sunday, March 8, 2015

It's not St. Patrick's Day! But...

March is the month when corned beef & cabbage goes on sale. It is a fantastic meat to pressure can. On St. Patrick's Day I don't have to cook, since I have everything already in my food storage. 


I have been evaluating the meats I have stored. I use more chicken than anything. I do use canned tuna. But just from the taste point of view after pressure canning, I really like corned beef! Each March, I stock up with the sales to go ahead and can some more corned beef. 

First assemble all your equipment needed. Wash everything, including jars. lids and rings.

Last time I am tried something new. I determined that the chunks should be about 3 ½ inches in size to fit well in the jars. Using a lid for a measuring device, since it is the correct size.


 This time I bought the flat cut briskets. More expensive, but far less waste from trimming off the fat.. I cut the brisket into 3 ½ inch chucks.



Filled the cleaned jars with meat.


 

Add an equal amount of the brining packet to each jar. Add water. Use something to release the air pockets from the jar & add more liquid. Leave enough head space. I only fill to the bottom line.




Add freshly washed lids and rings. Tighten “finger tight”.


Put in pressure canner. Add lid. For my Presto, turn stove on high until you get a steady stream of steam flowing from the vent. 
Allow to vent for 10 mins., then add appropriate weight (mine is 10 lbs.). Check your canning book for appropriate pressure.
Bring temp back up until weight is jiggling. Start timer. Pints 75 minutes, Quarts 90 minutes. 
For weighted canners, reduce heat until the weight jiggles 3-4 times in a minute.



After the allotted time, take off the heat and let set until pressure is completely reduced. The little “pop-up” will go down again. Remove jars with jar lifter. Listen for the “pings”.
Let cool & rest in a draft free place. Cover with a towel.
I like to check my lids to insure they have sealed. If they haven't, place in fridge to eat. (your are able to put on NEW lids and re-do the entire process if you want.)
The next day, I take off the rings and wash the jars.



This is 8 lbs. Which for us only equals 4 meals. When we have corned beef & cabbage, we eat a lot of corned beef. 
Related posts:
Do you need cabbage to go along with your corned beef? (285)

How to Dehydrate Cabbage...
Making Sauerkraut

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5 comments:

  1. That looks so good! As soon as I catch a good sale I'm going to try it.

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  2. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE corned beef & cabbage. Geeze, been so busy here, forgot about corned beef being on sale in March! Thanks for the reminder. I think I told you that we LOST the Farm we wanted to buy - well ran dry (in February), Seller refused to budge on price. We were so disappointed but kept moving forward - Found another Farm, more acreage and a much bigger house at a lower price. Sold our house, now we are trying to wrap up Farm #2 with Freddie Mac (it's a foreclosure sale). No closing date set yet, however, we closed on our home on Thursday,2/26. Puts us in a very scary situation but we have hope this will all work out. Might have to rent back for a few days, but I'd rather do that then move in such a rush.
    I hope to get back to canning as soon as we are moved and buy a stove. He! Hee!! No appliances with the Farm and we included all of ours with our home.
    Our friends think we are crazy for moving and basically starting a farm at our age. I just laugh it off and remark: "It beats sitting around in a rocking chair!" And I always say it with a big smile on my face.
    Off to find a clean towel to wipe my mouth now -- I'm drooling all over my keyboard looking at your yummy corned beef and cabbage dinner.
    As always - Thanks for sharing and being such a special inspiration to so many.
    Bobbie :)

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    Replies
    1. What a good thing to lose the first place. Things sound like things are going well.
      I had to laugh at your remark to your friends...I don't even have a rocking chair!
      What is a gramma supposed to do? Dance in the rain. :D
      At times i think I wish I had started this journey sooner, but then I am not sure I would appreciate it as much as I do at this point in my life!

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  3. I have been canning for years but I have never made corned beef. What is the brining packet? Is this a packet you buy or something you put together yourself?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Glenda,
      I just used the the packet that comes with the corned beef.

      Delete