How to Can Chicken in the Pressure Canner

The pressure canner is often an intimidating device, but it doesn't have to be!  By following your canner's instructions and making sure your canner is in top performing condition, you can enjoy the benefits of canning a variety of different vegetables and meats that otherwise would not be able to be canned.  A pressure canner is used for preserving those items that are not acidic on their own, such as green beans, potatoes, and meats.

Again, following your particular canner's instructions, here is how to can Rosemary-Garlic Chicken.  Our local grocery store was running a sale on a 10lb bag chicken hindquarters, so a friend and I bought 6 bags to can together.  

Materials Needed:
Uncooked chicken
Large stock pot
Salt
rosemary (opt)
garlic (opt)
quart and pint jars
proper lids and rims
large, shallow tub OR cookie sheets with sides
Pressure Canner
canning utensils (jar lifter, lid wand, towels, etc)

Step 1: Thaw chicken (if frozen), boil in large stockpot until cooked.  Put the contents of the 10lb bag into the stock pot and fill the rest with water.  Cook time ends up being about a half hour after boiling point.  Check first with a knife.

Step 2: Transfer chicken to tub/cookie sheets to cool.
 
Step 3: Separate chicken from fat and bone, stuff into jars.  I have a small family, so I use pint jars for the chicken and quart jars for the broth, but some larger families may find quart jars to be more efficient.  A pint jar holds just over a pound of shredded chicken.  Leave about 3/4 in headspace.

Step 4: Using broth from the stock pot and canning funnel, slowly ladle broth into chicken jars.  Add 1/2 tsp salt.  You can also add a pinch of rosemary and pinch of minced garlic as well for flavor.  Be careful not to add too much.  Maintain the 3/4 in headspace.  I just fill to the neck of each jar.
 
Step 5: Prepare lids and rims.  Put canning wand down the inside of each jar to unsettle any air bubbles that could have formed.  Wipe the top of each jar with a wet paper towel as any barrier will interfere with the seal.   Put on lids and rims, making finger-tight.

Step 6: Using your canner's directions, pressure can at 11 pounds pressure for 75 minutes (pints) and 90 minutes (quarts).

Step 7: While chicken is being canned, ladle chicken broth into quart jars with 1 tsp salt.  Using above steps 5 and 6, pressure can broth at 11 pounds pressure for 25 minutes.  

 Is canning chicken really worth the cost? 
YES, especially if you already own a pressure canner (or borrowed one!) and you got your jars for cheap or free.  My husband was kind enough to break down the cost compared to the tin can of shredded chicken you can buy from the store.  We are assuming your labor does not have a cost value.  
Canning at Home: (remember this number will be even less for you if you reuse your rims and did not have to pay for your jars.  I did this by putting a free ad in the classified section of our local paper!  I had calls from the elderly in DROVES)
10 lbs chicken hindquarters: $7 
1 dozen new lids: $2
1 dozen new rims: $2
7 pint jars, 7 quart: average of $5
TOTAL: $11 for roughly 7 pints (pounds) chicken and 7 quarts of broth

At the store:
1 can (15oz) shredded chicken breast: $2.99 (multiplied by 7 to equal our pressure canned chicken= $21)
1 can (15oz) chicken broth: $2 (multiplied by 7 to equal pressure canned broth= $14)
TOTAL: $35

AMOUNT SAVED BY CANNING AT HOME: $24 per 7 pounds chicken canned


TIPS: 
- I will actually can the broth first while I sit at the table to shred/pack the chicken into its jars.
- This is a full day project, and actually goes infinitely faster with a friend AND if she brings a second pressure canner.

Recipe Ideas for the Chicken:
-chicken salad (with mayo, celery, and halved red grapes)
-enchiladas
-chicken noodle soup
-crock pot chicken and rice (with white rice, cream of mushroom soup, milk, and onions)
-BBQ chicken pizza

Recipe Ideas for Broth:
-chicken noodle soup
-chicken and rice soup
-cream of potato soup
-additive for pea soup
-flavor water for crock pot chicken         

Happy Healthing!