Canned Pork Sausage

[firewalkerd1]

In the mid to late 70's I had the pleasure of squirrel hunting with my new wifes family. We camped for three days and I had a great and learning experience of the old ways. My wifes uncle would fix breakfast each morning and one morning we had canned pork sausage. This was canned in a qt jar. If I can remenber it was partly fried and packed in grease. Now I'm the only one left of the hunting party and no one in the family can remember the recipe. Does anyone have a recipe or have ever tried this way of keeping sausage.

[jim147]

I have a book in the cabin. I can't remember how long you have to cook it after putting it in the jar but it just said to make patties that would stack in the jar. Cook or not was up to you. Fill with water up to about a half inch from the top, put the lid on and cook.

It didn't recommend using grease for canning but I don't remember why. It also recommended patties because the loose meat was hard to get out of the jar.

I'll look for that book next time I'm in the cabin.

jim

[Longwood]

I have a book in the cabin. I can't remember how long you have to cook it after putting it in the jar but it just said to make patties that would stack in the jar. Cook or not was up to you. Fill with water up to about a half inch from the top, put the lid on and cook.

It didn't recommend using grease for canning but I don't remember why. It also recommended patties because the loose meat was hard to get out of the jar.

I'll look for that book next time I'm in the cabin.

jim
My mother used to can it and also beef and it was delicious.
Google, canning sausage or beef or meat, and all sorts of stuff pops up on it.

[Longwood]

My mother used to can it and also beef and it was delicious.
Google, canning sausage or beef or meat, and all sorts of stuff pops up on it.

I usually always take a can of beef from Brazil with me when I go camping. Makes a very tasty sandwich, hot or cold.
Not the American made, ground up guk, real canned beef. I sometimes use it to make a really quick beef stew.

[firewalkerd1]

I do remember the meat was in balls and the jar stored upside down. The meat must have been fried a little to be in grease.

[Longwood]

I do remember the meat was in balls and the jar stored upside down. The meat must have been fried a little to be in grease.
The grease comes out of the meat as it cooks. My mother never stored it upside down.
He probably did it that way so the grease went to the bottom and he left it there when he took the meat out of the jar. Try canning some, not so tender round, when it is on sale (almost) cheap. Better yet can some home grown or wild meat. I guarantee you will like it.

[waksupi]

I used to do it years ago. I would fry the sausage patties, put them in the jar, and pour the fat over them, to create an air proof cover of the meat. When you would take some out, always pour some melted grease back on top, to keep the seal. This is also the purpose of turning the jar upside down, to limit any air from entering.

I may have found that info in an old Bull Herter's cookbook.

[Longwood]

I used to do it years ago. I would fry the sausage patties, put them in the jar, and pour the fat over them, to create an air proof cover of the meat. When you would take some out, always pour some melted grease back on top, to keep the seal. This is also the purpose of turning the jar upside down, to limit any air from entering.

I may have found that info in an old Bull Herter's cookbook.
I did a quick Google search by typing canning sausage into the box at the top of the page.
It seems it has been done several ways. I got one site that say's cooking it first is a good way to get botulism and another site say's it should only be done by using a pressure cooker which is the way my mom did it.

[Finster101]

My Grandmother and my Mother both can them cooked. I've never gotten sick. They always used fresh sausage we had just ground, but I don't know why a store bought product would not work.

[Lloyd Smale]

any reason why when making summer sausage i couldnt take some fresh from the smoker and cut it to fit in jars and can it. Could a guy just drop it in as is without adding liquid and put it in the pressure cooker for 45 minutes or so? I know one of my neighbors does something simular with smoked fish.

[redneckdan]

Here is some info:

http://www.survival-preps.com/index.php?topic=567.0

Keep in mind that canning can change the taste of different spice mixes. I have personal experience with sage. Tasted great before hand but was reminiscent of a creosote bush after canning....

[Gee_Wizz01]

My Grandma always said never can anything with sage, as it WILL taste NASTY! I have personally verified that fact. I should have known better, Grandma was a wonderful cooked, and canned food all year round.

G

[DIRT Farmer]

Some of the local Amish toss the sasage links in the lard kettle and when the lard is boiled down put the links in the lard tin then cover with lard. the links are used as the lard is used. The people look healthy.

[firewalkerd1]

Thanks gang for all the great information. I hope to can some fresh sausage soon. I will post with the results.
Again, a big thanks.

[Junior1942]

I read about it in Elmer Keith's *Hell I Was There* book. So I fried enough sausage patties to fill a qt canning jar and filled the jar to the brim with the cooking oil. I stuck the jar down under the kitchen sink and forgot about it for several years. The patties looked edible and smelled fine, but I didn't have the nerve to try one.

[Thumbcocker]

Everything I have read about canning meat says you MUST pressure can to be safe.

[midnight]

I can a lot of meat but I always cut it into chunks like stew meat. I usually roast large chunks til the are about "medium". Cut into pieces and stuff tight into qt jars. Make gravy from the drippings and pour into jar leaving about 1 in air on top. Pressure cook at 10 lbs for 2hrs and let cool til pressure drops to zero. Do not run water on the pressure cooker to cool it or the liquid in the jars will boil and break the jar. Now your can add good roast beef to your food stash.

Bob

[legend]

NOW you did it........like i didn't have enough to do allready.

[firewalkerd1]

On some of the replies pressure cooking is advised. I'm not sure if they are talking about pressure cooking or pressure canning. It would appear that pressure canning/cooking would over cook the sausage. I have talked with some local elders since my first post was advised that they just partical cooked the sausage and put the product in the jar with the grease. Also turned the jar up side down to be able to get the sausage out better. One told me that the canned sausage didn't stay on the shelf that long to spoil. But the ones I talked with also didn't remember that much that was a few years back. ?????????????

[klcarroll]

The whole subject of canned meats is complicated; ......But pressure canning is certainly indicated!

Botulism poisoning isn't very common, but it is definately serious business when it happens!


Kent

[nanuk]

I did a quick Google search by typing canning sausage into the box at the top of the page.
It seems it has been done several ways. I got one site that say's cooking it first is a good way to get botulism and another site say's it should only be done by using a pressure cooker which is the way my mom did it.

a couple issues

sealing with grease is temporary and will not keep it from spoiling, or growing botulism

Pressure Canning is the ONLY safe method.

the reason many don't get sick from sausage is the SALTS in the sausage mix... Do NOT use grease for NON-CURED meats!

personally, I would NEVER can meat without pressurecanning.

[Longwood]

I went shopping yesterday and last night I had cold roast beef sandwich with lettuce, tomato, MiracleWhip and a dill pickle on the side.
I used the canned roast beef from Brazil

[MoldyJoe]

I have pressure cooked Deer and Elk that was freezer burnt. It sat in my freezer for a few too many years and I just cut off the freezer burn and cut it into stew meat size and pressure cooked it (If I remember it was 15lb weight for 45 min.) Read the directions in your pressure canning book. I used pints and my daughters served it to their roommates at college, the roommates asked where we got the fantastic "shredded beef" It keeps for years. Great use for old meat from the freezer. Joe

[tall grass]

Dad told us that his paternal grandmother put up a lot of their pork in sausage that was '...fried down and put into jars and stored in the cellar" . I think it would be good until the grease turned rancid. As far as the botulism goes if you have the meat hot and the grease far enough over the temperature to kill the botulism bacteria it should be safe. If there is pressure when you open it don't eat it no matter who put it up, commercial or homemade.

regards

Jim