Be alert to signs of spoilage when you take meat containers from storage. Bulging jar lids or rings, gas bubbles, leaks, bulging can ends—these may mean the seal has broken and the food has spoiled. Test each can by pressing the ends; ends should not bulge or snap back.
Check the contents as you open the container. Spurting liquid, off-odor, and color changes in meats are danger signals.
Sulfur in meat often causes metal lids or cans to darken. This discoloration does not affect the safety of the meat.
How To Can MEAT—raw pack
PN-1311
1. Cut meat carefully from bone. Trim away most of fat without unduly slashing the lean part of meat.
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2. Cut meat in jar-length pieces, so grain of meat runs length of jar. Fill jars to 1 inch of top with one or more pieces of meat.
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3. Set open, filled jars on rack in pan of boiling water. Keep water level 2 inches below jar tops. Insert thermometer in center of a jar (above), cover pan, and heat meat slowly to 170° F. Without thermometer, cover pan; heat slowly for 75 minutes.