Home Can your own Bacon, better and cheaper

Canned goods storage life has many factors. I have had more problems with commercial canned products than I have had with my home canned items. Either can go bad no matter how careful you are. #1 always follow all normal canning directions and work in a clean area when canning. #2 Canning is a form of science, seriously cut down on distractions, and stick to the job at hand until done. #3 Not all jars will always seal. You have to check them closely by hand. If a jar does not seal, you have a few choices. a. refrigerate and use shortly. b. reprocess. c. toss the contents. Do not mix jars that did not seal with ones that did. That would be nothing less than a stupid form of Russian Roulette. #4 Wild temperature swings is not good for commercial or home canned items. Think cool and dry. My primary canned food storage area is a 12 by 16 foot super-insulated (R-38 top and sides on concrete slab) area where the temperature stays at 40 to 70 degrees year round. #5 When you are about to use a home storage item, inspect it prior to adding it to other ingredients. Visual. does it look normal? no odd discoloration, no leaks, seal intact, no cracks in the jar. Do the pop test on the lid. It should be pulled down in center, as when originally sealed. You should not be able to push down on it and hear a pop. It should be firmly pulled down. Open it carefully so as to not damage the glass jar edge. Any canning jars damaged while opening are now trash. Smell. If it doesn't smell right to you, don't eat it if the smell is off. Dump the contents into a separate bowl or pan before combining with other ingredients. Take one last look and smell before you commit.
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99.9 percent of the time you will have no problem with the contents. Stop and think about all the commercial crap that has been recalled over the years. If you did due dilligence all along the way, your home canned stuff should be fine. But, I always check anyway!!!
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Last but not least. Rotate your food storage!!! Nothing last forever. First in, first out. Do it!!!
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All of the above are things I do naturally and sort of take for granted as the way to do things to keep me and mine safe. I will say no more about it for that reason. Some common sense is reguired to live and survive. JMHO

 

I could use some good chicken canning ideas, as I dont like the chicken I canned.

 

if you look at the use by date a lot say for best falvor not that itgoes bad they just want us to throw it away and buy more

 

I've been wanting to start canning...which pressure cooker do you all like? I love the idea of canned bacon because my husband could eat bacon on a flipflop and think it was delicious

 

I like the Presto because it is inexpensive and easy to use. I have 3, and have been using them for years. I love the "American canners", and eventually plan on purchasing one. They are very expensive for someone just starting in canning however.

 

Thanks. Is there a good size for someone just beginning? When I looked at them I couldn't believe how many sizes there were!

 

21 quart is what I have I think. Only the two largest Presto Pressure cookers are rated for canning and have the pressure gauge.
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I just checked Presto's new product line. The 16 qt or 23 qt models will serve you fine. 16 qt can be found for around $72 or less

 

This is sorta off topic, and for Ladyhawke. The 16 qt and 23 qt Presto canners will allow you to can 7 quarts jars in one batch. Many of my soup recipes come close to filling a 5 quart pot, and is really too much for 2 or 3 people to consume at one sitting. Often now when making soup, I use a larger stockpot (12 or 16 qt) and double the recipe. Once I have the meat browned (if the recipe calls for it) and all ingredients in the pot, and hot, I fill 7 quart jars with the not yet fully cooked and simmered soup. Those go in the pressure canner and get processed side by side with me finishing the soup for immediate use in the pot I started with. By the time the meal is over, I will have a full belly, very little in the way of leftovers, and 7 quarts of canned excellent convienence food home canned and cooling on a folded towel on the counter prior to going into the pantry. In winter it helps to heat the house. It is very little extra work for twice the food almost ready to eat (only requires warm up). The extra canned soup doesn't require refrigeration or take up refrigerator space. It's just a bonus on several levels. JMHO .... and its a way to practice with your new canner.

 

I consider home canning to be a very important aspect of food storage and survival both before and after the SHTF. It is a skill one would be advised to learn and participate in. Bacon is a vice many enjoy. Canning bacon at home is a technique new to most all of us. Previously, commercially canned bacon was difficult to find and expensive. We also strive to do things ourselves and cheaper here if possible. Who is to say what is of value and what is not. Different people have different ways of doing things and needs. Knowledge and experience is power.

 

Cannibalism? Dude that is going to be a stretch. We've got a lot of rats,cat,dogs before we need to go that far. Might run out of hot sauce though. Reminds me, I should add some more to the preps just in case.

 

Tacmotusn thank you for The added info. I don't think I will be canning any humans any time soon deedee, but I thank you all for the 411 to help me improve my skill sets in this area

 

I love bacon. Sometimes I cook it with a little apple juice for flavor, and also to pretend I'm not feeding my face and waistline.

 

Hmmmm, now there is a possible tasty variation. Maybe sprinkle slices laid out on paper with black pepper, then sprinkle lightly with a warm honey apple juice mixture. Finish wrapping and rolling as normal, and process in the canner.
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You have my taste buds on full alert and expectation wanting to try some that way.

 

I buy the 3lb package of bacon ends and pieces at the grocery store, and seperate it into 3 sandwich bags and shove it in the freezer. Would do a 4th, but the bacon that would have gone in the bag always ends up in the frying pan so I don't bother.

 

Great thread... and another diamond value of How to do... and with the guess work removed too...
Many many thanks!

 

Wrights has some very good thick sliced bacon I like the maple the best, and the Way I love it is as done as a chicken fried steak, cut in half 6 slices= 12 pieces, then dipped in na egg/milk wash dipped in seasoned flour then deep fried in melted lard.
But of that could have been why I had my heart attack..................................

 

I went out and purchased the magazine to be sure I had the article. I have to agree with TACMOTUSN. The article says to use "masking paper" but I for one do not trust what the glue portion is made of, nor where it came from.
Plan on using parchment paper, instead. Cannot be too careful, and not about to try something that is made in China.

 

Save a lot grocery stores have 10 pound boxes of bacon for less than $17. I had them open a box for me so I could see what I was getting. It was thick sliced quality bacon. It was more than I expected. Tomorrow I will be doing a batch. I am going to increase the amount packed in each quart closer to 2 pounds by making my parchment paper 12 x 24 instead of 12 x 18. also I will be sprinkling both fresh cracked black pepper and brown sugar on the bacon before covering with the second parchment sheet and folding and rolling. I will give a report sometime tomorrow.
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ps: I bought 2 boxes (or 20 pounds total)