I got myself a pressure canner for Christmas because I wanted to get into canning soups/stews and chicken broth. The concept of pressure canning was initially intimidating, but it's surprisingly easy to do (even though there's a lot of steps). As you can see in the picture, I did have some issues with siphoning (loss of liquid during the canning process). I think this is because I removed the canner from the stove heat too soon (but to be fair, that's what the original instructions said!). The amount of liquid lost here will not affect the food safety, unless you lose a lot so then you would want to eat it right away. This makes about 5 quarts.
Ingredients:
4 lb ground venison or beef
2 cups diced onion
2 cups diced bell pepper
3 cups dried black beans par-cooked*
2 8 oz cans of diced tomatoes (I used the garlic/oregano flavor)
1 quart of crushed tomatoes +1 quart water
1-2 cups tomato juice
5 T chopped garlic
2 T cumin
4 T chili powder
salt/pepper to taste
2T oregano
*not already canned beans! They will be mush, you will need the dried kind
Instructions:
1) The day before, soak your beans in water overnight. The next morning, simmer the beans for 30 minutes then drain. They will not be cooked, as they will finish during the canning process.
2) Cook the onions and peppers on medium heat until slightly soft, about 10 minutes
3) Add the garlic and stir for 1 minute, then add the meat
4) Brown the meat until barely cooked through, then add all the tomatoes/liquid, and seasonings. Add more liquid if needed
5) Bring to a simmer, then add the beans. Reduce heat to low
6) Sanitize jar lids/rims in boiling water for several minutes. Wash all jars with hot, soapy water (check jars for cracks), then place on a dish towel on the counter. Make sure jars are warm/hot before adding the hot chili to prevent cracking.
7) Add 3 quarts of water to your canner (or follow the instructions for your particular canner, usually 2 inches of water is enough). Heat water until just below boiling point, which is about 180 F.
8) Ladle the chili in each jar leaving 1 inch of headspace. Use a long spatula to run down the inside of the jars to remove any bubbles. Wipe the rim and outside/inside edges of the jars to remove any food debris before adding the lid/rim. Turn until finger-tight, but not too tight.
9) Place each jar into the canner immediately after filling and lock the canning lid in place. Make sure the steam vent cover is off.
10) Turn heat to medium-high and watch for a steady stream of steam. Once steam is flowing, allow to flow for 10 minutes then place the cover/valve over the vent.
11) Every pressure canner is different. My gauge is weighted and does not have a visual number of pounds/pressure. Watch your gauge until it reaches 10 lb pressure (my gauge moves in a steady rocking motion once it reaches pressure). Make sure you know where you are in terms of sea level, you may need to increase pressure if you are at a higher altitude (you can do a quick Google search to find out).
12) Process pints for 1 hour 15 minutes and quarts for 1.5 hours. Adjust heat as necessary to maintain the appropriate amount of pressure (about medium heat or slightly higher in my case).
13) Once done, turn off the heat and allow the pressure to return to 0. Don't touch anything during this time! This takes anywhere from 5-30 minutes.
14) After, remove steam vent cover and wait 5 minutes, then remove canning lid
15) Wait another 5 minutes (yes, this takes time!) and remove jars to a clean towel on the counter.
16) Let jars cool for 12 hours and don't touch them. Then you can check jars by pressing in the center for a seal. If there is no give in the center, the jar has sealed and good for 1 year. Any unsealed jars must be placed in the fridge or consumed immediately.
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