# Canned Meat Review #2 (Chicken)



## ItsJustMe (Dec 12, 2020)

Well, I will say the chicken is a bit disappointing, but it may just be me. I was expecting chunks of chicken meat. It is, as the picture shows, just like the chicken that comes in the small "tuna"-type cans, which is not something I much like. The flavor is good, I just don't like shredded chicken.


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## ItsJustMe (Dec 12, 2020)

Hmmm...can't seem to find the edit feature? Anyway, it looks just like the picture on the front of the can, so my bad.

I will eat it but it won't be my favorite.


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## inceptor (Nov 19, 2012)

ItsJustMe said:


> Hmmm...can't seem to find the edit feature? Anyway, it looks just like the picture on the front of the can, so my bad.
> 
> I will eat it but it won't be my favorite.


In the upper right hand corner of your post is 3 dots. The edit feature is there.


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## inceptor (Nov 19, 2012)

ItsJustMe said:


> Hmmm...can't seem to find the edit feature? Anyway, it looks just like the picture on the front of the can, so my bad.
> 
> I will eat it but it won't be my favorite.


I've learned to can meat. Mostly I canned chicken. Even home canning the chicken turns out more flaky than chunky.


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## NMPRN (Dec 25, 2020)

...but it's inexpensive and in stock. Looks like a good option for folks that don't want to can their own chicken. It'd probably be great In the right recipe.


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## inceptor (Nov 19, 2012)

NMPRN said:


> ...but it's inexpensive and in stock. Looks like a good option for folks that don't want to can their own chicken. It'd probably be great In the right recipe.


That's why I also have some of that. I already had a canner but never learned how to use it. At $1.75 lb for skinless/boneless breasts I thought it was time to learn. I surprised myself, I actually did pretty good.


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## inceptor (Nov 19, 2012)

NMPRN said:


> It'd probably be great In the right recipe.


Actually that's kinda what I was thinking. Chicken and (whatever) tonight.


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## NMPRN (Dec 25, 2020)

My wife does a lot of canning but me and the dog stay out of the way when the pressure canner is going. 

...now I'm wanting some of my wife's hillbilly version of green chili chicken enchiladas


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## ItsJustMe (Dec 12, 2020)

inceptor said:


> In the upper right hand corner of your post is 3 dots. The edit feature is there.


Thanks!



NMPRN said:


> ...but it's inexpensive and in stock. Looks like a good option for folks that don't want to can their own chicken. It'd probably be great In the right recipe.


Yes, I'm sure you are right. Funny, I really like fish but not the canned (shredded) tuna. Something about the texture? Anyway, I have 16 cans of this in my stash! I was raised "eat it or go hungry", so that is what I will do if/when things get hard, and be glad to have it, lol.

I have the greatest respect and admiration for folks who do their own canning.

Oh! I was in the local ACE Hardware yesterday and they had shelves FULL of canning jars, lids, etc.


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## inceptor (Nov 19, 2012)

ItsJustMe said:


> I have the greatest respect and admiration for folks who do their own canning.
> 
> Oh! I was in the local ACE Hardware yesterday and they had shelves FULL of canning jars, lids, etc.


I knew I would need to learn canning at tome point. But it sat new in the box for about 5 years until I decided it was time. Fortunate for me I have friends who are good at it and I asked a whole lot of questions.

Ball impressed me. The reason for the shortage was they have a normal slow season and scaled back. The scamdemic was unexpected but when they found out there was a shortage, Ball quickly began full scale production and the shortage didn't last nearly as long as people expected.


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## Megamom134 (Jan 30, 2021)

inceptor said:


> I knew I would need to learn canning at tome point. But it sat new in the box for about 5 years until I decided it was time. Fortunate for me I have friends who are good at it and I asked a whole lot of questions.
> 
> Ball impressed me. The reason for the shortage was they have a normal slow season and scaled back. The scamdemic was unexpected but when they found out there was a shortage, Ball quickly began full scale production and the shortage didn't last nearly as long as people expected.


 Canning is the thing I plan on learning this summer. I have always been scared of pressure cookers since I was a youngster when my neighbor lady was severely injured when hers exploded, but they are safer now and as long as you do it right it should be safe. Spoken by the woman who blew up her fridge last summer making ginger beer, so guess I am still nervous, but I will get one and learn how to use it if it kills us, hope not.


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## NMPRN (Dec 25, 2020)

Our Presto canner looks like the nuclear reactor off an old soviet submarine but it's safe. ...I'm sure all the modern ones are. 

The real drama in canning is waiting for the lids to go "tink" when the jars are cooling (I guess that's when you know the jar has sealed successfully).


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## inceptor (Nov 19, 2012)

Megamom134 said:


> Canning is the thing I plan on learning this summer. I have always been scared of pressure cookers since I was a youngster when my neighbor lady was severely injured when hers exploded, but they are safer now and as long as you do it right it should be safe. Spoken by the woman who blew up her fridge last summer making ginger beer, so guess I am still nervous, but I will get one and learn how to use it if it kills us, hope not.


That's why mine sat in the box. I bought it in 2014 and didn't use it until last summer. The very first thing I did was to run a batch of water in jars to test while I read the instructions. Presto even recommends this. The Ball book basically gives you step by step instructions and as long as you plan on being in the kitchen when you do this, you'll be fine. 

I canned a whole lot of meat. I had a couple of jars not seal correctly but that's to be expected. I am fortunate enough to have easy access to some who have been canning for years and I utilized that I can promise you.


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## AquaHull (Jun 10, 2012)

I have a couple of those chicken cans, the ground beef was horrible and the critters wouldn't even eat it.


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## ItsJustMe (Dec 12, 2020)

AquaHull said:


> I have a couple of those chicken cans, the ground beef was horrible and the critters wouldn't even eat it.


Interesting how different people have different tastes. Personally, I really liked the ground beef and my little dog gobbled his small portion like he was starving. I would trade you the chicken for the ground beef, lol.


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## Beechnut (Sep 6, 2020)

Megamom134 said:


> Canning is the thing I plan on learning this summer. I have always been scared of pressure cookers since I was a youngster when my neighbor lady was severely injured when hers exploded, but they are safer now and as long as you do it right it should be safe. Spoken by the woman who blew up her fridge last summer making ginger beer, so guess I am still nervous, but I will get one and learn how to use it if it kills us, hope not.


You're right they are much safer now. The exploding ones were in (for the wife and I) our grandmothers time. I've actually seen the old ones a couple times in yard sales. No pressure relief valve or anything. Bombs waiting to happen if you get busy doing other stuff and aren't timing the jiggles.

Blowout valves and gages have made them much, much safer and nearly idiot proof.


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## Pokey1 (Jul 6, 2021)

ItsJustMe said:


> Well, I will say the chicken is a bit disappointing, but it may just be me. I was expecting chunks of chicken meat. It is, as the picture shows, just like the chicken that comes in the small "tuna"-type cans, which is not something I much like. The flavor is good, I just don't like shredded chicken.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


You ight try par-cooking the chicken n broth before canning, then you'll get chunks instead of shreds.


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## ItsJustMe (Dec 12, 2020)

Pokey1 said:


> You ight try par-cooking the chicken n broth before canning, then you'll get chunks instead of shreds.


This is commercially canned, bought at Walmart.


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## Beechnut (Sep 6, 2020)

Canned chicken isn't the greatest thing, but it's not bad either. Try using it in omlettes or quesadillas when it comes up on your rotation list. I usually rotate a can of green chilis at the same time.


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## charito (Oct 12, 2013)

ItsJustMe said:


> This is commercially canned, bought at Walmart.


 I don't think I'd seen it in WalMart Canada, but maybe I'm just not observant enough with new stuff. Which section of the aisles would that be shelved?


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## Denton (Sep 18, 2012)

charito said:


> I don't think I'd seen it in WalMart Canada, but maybe I'm just not observant enough with new stuff. Which section of the aisles would that be shelved?


Aisle six at the Walmart near me. The canned meat is all in the same place.


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## Beechnut (Sep 6, 2020)

Should be floating around in the same isle as Spam and other canned meats.

Edit: Looks like denton beat me to it by three hours, but for some reason it didn't show his post until I posted.


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## Megamom134 (Jan 30, 2021)

I bought some and cooked it with salsa to make chicken tacos. Turned out to be pretty edible.


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## ItsJustMe (Dec 12, 2020)

charito said:


> I don't think I'd seen it in WalMart Canada, but maybe I'm just not observant enough with new stuff. Which section of the aisles would that be shelved?


In the canned meat section. Near the spam.


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## inceptor (Nov 19, 2012)

ItsJustMe said:


> In the canned meat section. Near the spam.


It may not be sold in Canada.


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## JustAnotherNut (Feb 27, 2017)

inceptor said:


> That's why mine sat in the box. I bought it in 2014 and didn't use it until last summer. The very first thing I did was to run a batch of water in jars to test while I read the instructions. Presto even recommends this. The Ball book basically gives you step by step instructions and as long as you plan on being in the kitchen when you do this, you'll be fine.
> 
> I canned a whole lot of meat. I had a couple of jars not seal correctly but that's to be expected. I am fortunate enough to have easy access to some who have been canning for years and I utilized that I can promise you.


Up until 2 and half years ago, I was deathly afraid of pressure canners and I think ya'll know I only water bathed even low acid foods, but was limited to what I was willing to do. After getting the PC I read articles, watched videos, asked questions, etc. I did see one video about doing a dry run......water in the pot yes, but no jars. So I tried that, with a good friend that is well experienced on the phone while doing this.......and it finally dawned on me, the one thing nobody mentioned.....was the heat settings during the process. 

When water bathing, we always had it on high to keep everything at a rolling boil. Well you can't do that with a PC. You start on high until you reach pressure and start jiggling, but then you start lowering the temp a notch at a time until you can keep the pressure and jiggle going without blowing a plug. Once I figured that out, it took alot of pressure off me. Though I still have a healthy respect for it, but if my gauge goes out I'm comfortable with knowing the sound of the jiggler when it's at the right pressure. Though I hope it doesn't fail. I now use it for everything. Dry soup beans are so easy, just add the dry beans to the jar, fill with water and process. You can add seasonings or meat as well. Homemade refried beans from canned pintos with or without bacon, onion & garlic. Just heat & mash (or not) when you're ready to eat it. Also soup beans in ham broth & chunks of ham, just add the cornbread. 

btw....even beef and pork comes out so tender it falls apart. Burger or other ground meats are fine.....cooked first, then dry canned (no liquid added). I've even done a couple jars of burger patties the same way, but haven't tried them yet to know if they hold well or not. 


Obviously the pressure canner has opened up a whole new world of canning for me. The possibilities are endless.


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## Beechnut (Sep 6, 2020)

JustAnotherNut said:


> btw....even beef and pork comes out so tender it falls apart. Burger or other ground meats are fine.....cooked first, then dry canned (no liquid added). I've even done a couple jars of burger patties the same way, but haven't tried them yet to know if they hold well or not.


Haven't tried burger patties, but sausage patties hold up very well.


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## charito (Oct 12, 2013)

Checked out the shelves at WalMart (Canada) - they don't carry it.


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## dwight55 (Nov 9, 2012)

Canning meat is far easier than anything else I ever tried.
Cut up the meat . . . put it in jars up to the shoulder of the jar . . . fill to 1 inch from top with purified (or at least boiled) water . . . OR . . . buillion water . . . 
Put on lids and rings . . . 
Into the pressure cooker: 10 lbs pressure . . . 75 minutes pints . . . 90 minutes quarts.
Turn of burner . . . set pressure cooker in the sink until the pressure goes down and the little piston drops . . . 
Remove jars and set on counter.
I can do 7 qts at a time or 8 pints in my cookers. As it is I have one I bought in a store . . . 2 from yard sales . . . and just keep rotating mine . . . when C is going on the burner . . . A is ready to come out of the canner . . . and B is still cooling inthe sink.
Best tasting canned meat I ever had.

May God bless,
Dwight


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