Canned 14 qts of chicken today

[Guest]

Local store had boneless, skinless chicken breasts for $1.49 lb. This will be the first time I have canned meats. No spices were added. The first batch, I had 3 jars that did not seal. Seals were new, jars were cleaned before seals added, and the seals were hot. Not really sure what happened. Seals looked like that had made contact all the way around. The second batch is cooling down now. I added water to these jars for 1" headspace and heated the seals up a little hotter. I'm also going to let them cool down a little slower by leaving them in the cooker until the water is cool. We'll see what happens.

[goatlady]

Most common reason for a nonseal is not wiping the rim of the jar clean before adding lid and ring. Even a tiny bit of grease on the rim will prevent a seal. Slow cook is good. I remove my jars from the canner immediately, set on a thick towel on the kitchen counter and then cover with another towel to prevent too quick a cook which can crack the jars. Do not tighten the ring when you take the jars out of the canner, that sometimes slips the seal loose. Once the jars are totally cool and sealed you can take the rings off the jars with no harm done.

[boltgun308]

The last 7 jars sealed up with no problems. I ended up with 11 out of 14 good jars. I figure roughly 2 lbs per quart so not too bad I guess. Thinking I will do pork next.

Question: How much canned meat do you figure I need for 4 people in a week or month PAW? I was thinking minimum 6 lbs per week for 4 people. If so, I have a long way to go.

[onebigelf]

Figure one jar per meal. You aren't going to be able to preserve things once the jar is opened. You can space it out by interspersing meat-free meals, just make sure your calorie count is sufficient to the high work levels that are likely to be the norm. I usually can dark meat. The breast meat seems to dry out on me more. The leg quarters are also cheaper AND I expect to need the calories and fats. Frontiersmen in this country, particularly in the winter, struggled to find fats because the game meat was so lean. They would literally eat gobbets of fat from animals when it was present.

John

[Patriot Prepper]

Just a thought, but protein is usually not the most important nutrient for preppers. Protein is easy to store.

What's more difficult is getting quality healthy fats. Contrary to popular opinion, your body needs fat - quality fat. Americans get too much junk fat, and that is unhealthy. Storing quality fat is a challenge. Eating skinless chicken breasts over a long period without getting enough fat causes a nutritional imbalance that could lead to damage to the brain and nervous system. Many quality fats go rancid quickly even when properly stored.

Also keep in mind that the majority of the word's populations do not eat meat or much of it. Billions of people eat little or no meat. We are not carnivores and do not have a nutritional need for flesh foods.

Everyone in our retreat has learned how to live in an extremely high level of health without the use of meat products. We are not vegetarians but we can easily live without meat indefinitely.

I went without any meat products for over 7 years and for 2 of those years, only ate raw food. No meat, chicken, fish, eggs, or cheese, milk etc.

I am 60 years old and do not have health issues. I have not been to a doctor in over 35 years and do not take any prescription or over the counter drugs. Feel great and am full of energy.

I am only mentioning this because flesh products in the first several years are not the best strategy. I believe if there is a WROL or TEOTWAWKI situation, there will possibly be hoards of people trying to steal you food and supplies. Cooking and using fire gives off a scent and will attract those people.

Detoxifying your body and getting it to adapt to alternative protein sources is an easier prepper lifestyle. If law and order is eventually reestablished, you can then go back to cooking and eating flesh products. Today, I eat flesh products on a limited basis. When TSHTF I will go to a different diet.

I have lived weeks at a time with high energy using nothing more than water and a handful of bee pollen or spirulina, etc. Training your body to overcome hunger can be a life preserving discipline. When people start changing their diets or restricting food intake, they will get negative reactions as toxins are released into the system. I have also live on nothing but pure water for several weeks and sustained a high energy level. Being able to do that in a survival situation could save your life. Most people get very bent out of shape when they go without food for a day or two.

i am only bringing this up, because many preppers have not really thought about this. Take control of your body, discipline yourself, and prepare for survival, by learning how to get super healthy, and live with less food while maintaining strength and energy. When you detoxify and train your body, and eat quality food, you metabolism becomes more efficient.

[goatlady]

Was just re-reading the OP and realized you said you added water to the jars of meat. That's really not necessary as as the meat cooks it will produce it's own broth in the jar. That added water may have been why there were a few seal failures - the excess liquid bubbled out of the jars, contaminated the jar edge and prevented a seal. The meat in the jar does not need to be submerged in liquid to stay safe on the shelf.

[Lowdown3]

Good post PP. We don't need the big serving of meat at every meal thing that a lot of people feel they "have" to have.

[boltgun308]

The ones that failed were the ones I did NOT add water to. I don't necessarily think adding the water helped, but it does look a little better on the shelf covered with fluid. Thanks for the help guys.

[PerryJeff]

I have never canned meats but need to do this in the future. I love the taste of several canned meats. I have a couple freezers but as we all know the potential problem there.

PP I am very interested in your post Especially since you are a meat eater choosing when and when not. A lot of the alternative protein sources I have heard from vegetarian point of view.

What's more difficult is getting quality healthy fats. Contrary to popular opinion, your body needs fat - quality fat. Americans get too much junk fat, and that is unhealthy

I would like to hear more on this I agree with you on the body needing fats not sure which is good and which is junk fat?
[QUOTE][Detoxifying your body and getting it to adapt to alternative protein sources is an easier prepper lifestyle./QUOTE] I would like to hear more on this? I may not do a thing you suggest but I like making my decisions from a knowing the facts. That’s why I don't like a lot of the vegetarian info I have read it seems like they start from their end point and then go back and try to make it fit.

I have lived weeks at a time with high energy using nothing more than water and a handful of bee pollen or spirulina, etc. Training your body to overcome hunger can be a life preserving discipline. When people start changing their diets or restricting food intake, they will get negative reactions as toxins are released into the system.

You have me on the edge of my seat on this? Maybe start a new post... Please expand on this? Thanks Jeff

[Patriot Prepper]

Good post PP. We don't need the big serving of meat at every meal thing that a lot of people feel they "have" to have.

Thanks Lowdown. I try to teach people that they can survive without meat if they have to as long as they get the nutrition they need. And you are right, we do not need as much at every meal - it is actually harmful and a stress on the kidneys to eat too much high protein.

I did not want to sound like I was condemning meat eaters or promoting vegetarianism. Just pointing out an alert that you do not have to be shackled to meat protein sources. Thanks for the positive comment.

[Patriot Prepper]

[QUOTE=PerryJeff;35470]I have never canned meats but need to do this in the future. I love the taste of several canned meats. I have a couple freezers but as we all know the potential problem there.

PP I am very interested in your post Especially since you are a meat eater choosing when and when not. A lot of the alternative protein sources I have heard from vegetarian point of view.
I would like to hear more on this I agree with you on the body needing fats not sure which is good and which is junk fat?

[Detoxifying your body and getting it to adapt to alternative protein sources is an easier prepper lifestyle./QUOTE] I would like to hear more on this? I may not do a thing you suggest but I like making my decisions from a knowing the facts. That’s why I don't like a lot of the vegetarian info I have read it seems like they start from their end point and then go back and try to make it fit.

You have me on the edge of my seat on this? Maybe start a new post... Please expand on this? Thanks Jeff

Thanks Jeff. I did start another thread called Survival Nutrition. The program I use is a mixture of natural health methods that have been used for thousands of years along with modern methods. It is an art as well as a science, because everyone's body reacts differently, and is in a different state of health. Because of the complexities, it is difficult to do this on a forum. I have taught natural health method along with survival, Christian healing, and money management courses.

One of the oldest methods of cleansing and detoxifying comes straight from the Bible - fast and pray. Today the state of health of many people is so deteriorated and they are so toxic that simple water fasting may release toxins too fast. Many health authorities will often recommend a juice fast using diluted fresh juices with low sugar content as well as green drinks. Fasting is generally safe for anyone to undertake for 3 - 4 days without supervision. Longer fasts should usually be supervised. There are also many ways to detox specific organs of the body as well as the colon. There are colon cleansing methods, liver, kidney, gallbladder, etc. I also use herbs, etc.

I am also an expert in KI which is similar to yoga. I do not teach any Eastern religions, as I am a Christian. But there are techniques for cleansing specific organs and general health. Most of the methods increase your oxygen intake and relax the body.

Before thinking of going on a detox, I believe the first step is to really just start eating better, resting, de-stressing, exercising, sleeping better, think positive, etc. It all adds up. Once you get rid of the junk food, the negative media messages, and start putting healthy food and thoughts into your body and mind on a continual basis, you life will change.

I also teach that a person must start developing a deep spiritual foundation. I believe the messages that Jesus taught are being ignored. I am far from a "Holy Joe," and am not the prime example of a Christian, but I have a deep faith, and I know that God can heal me. My belief and faith is so strong, that I do not believe that disease or illness can conquer or defeat me.

There are many videos that I want to make, but somehow my time is very limited. I hope to be able to do more on a lot of subjects from health to designing retreats. I am just simply behind schedule. I hope this helps.

[mamarosa]

Mr. PP I too would like more info on how to get by with less meat. I would like to know about soy meal and food that is given to 3rd world nations called manna bags. I know soy is not for all but what can be a safe alternative and what type of fats are good. Any info would be highly appreciated, thanks in advance a very newbie and just going to begin prepping. .....mamarosa

[goatlady]

The best veggie protein can be found and used by the human body by combining grain and beans and rice and beans. The combo contains enzynes that release more usable protein to the body than each item alone. Many time the right combo will provide the body with more usable protein than will any meat of the same proportion. Just like there is more usable calcium in a serving of Kale than there is in an 8 oz glass of cow's milk, there are many, many veggies that will provide much nutrition to the body IF one does their research and takes time to LEARN about nutrition appropriately - NOT going by the "American" food triangle, recommended daily intake scales touted by our government. Those scales are not necessarily for promoting good health and nutrition so much as promoting the producing industry!

[trkarl]

Mr. PP I too would like more info on how to get by with less meat. I would like to know about soy meal and food that is given to 3rd world nations called manna bags. I know soy is not for all but what can be a safe alternative and what type of fats are good. Any info would be highly appreciated, thanks in advance a very newbie and just going to begin prepping. .....mamarosa

After studying this a bit I found that the Omega 3:6 ratio is way out of whack in the modern western diet. I started eating a lot of nuts, grinding flax seed and adding it daily to my salads, taking Barleans flax oil and Udo's 3-6-9 oils added to yogurt pretty much twice a day.

I noticed that getting head aches became a rarity and the joints in my hands quit hurting. I just figured that the joint pain was arthritis because my mother has it pretty bad and there would be nothing I could do about it. This is just my experience and I am not a doctor so don't take this as a diagnosis or approved treatment for any illness.

Do some internet searches on the omega 3:6 ratio. It's real interesting. Also get saturated fats and especially transfats out of your diet as much as possible. YMMV