Simple & Succulent Canned Whole Chicken

Submitted by Gran D

"This is basically the recipe I use for all my canned meat. I grew up with no electricity so all our meat had to be canned or fresh. When any one shot a moose or elk it would be shared around the comminity (about 7 families) and the rest would be canned. Mom would go back to her family on the prairies and can all the old laying hens and bring them home. When my kids were growing up I canned chicken just for a treat. PLEASE BE SAFE AND USE A PRESSURE CANNER FOR ALL MEAT!"

 

• Ready In: 1hr 50mins
• Ingredients: 2
• Yields: 1 quart
• Serves: 4-6

ingredients

• 1 whole stewing chicken
• 1 teaspoon salt

directions

1. Remove any giblets which may be in chicken and scrub well.
2. Wash one, one or two-quart canning jar (depending on the size of the chicken).
3. Add 1 tsp salt to jar.
4. Pack raw, skin-on chicken into the jar. If it won't fit you may have to cut it up a bit. Leave 1/2 to 1 inch head space.
5. Put jar lids in hottest tap water.
6. Clean the lip of the jar carefully to ensure a good seal and place lids and screw-tops on jar; finger tighten.
7. Place in pressure canner filled with enough water (not hot) to come 1/2 to 3/4 of the way up the jars.
8. Process for 90 minutes after pressure has reached 15 lbs.
9. Please note that it is not necessary to add any water to the jars- the chicken will make a delicious broth which will be gelled unless it is heated. Do not de-bone chicken as the bones are neccessary to make a good broth.
10. * I often do chicken pieces in pint jars as I live alone. In which case I only add 1/2 tsp salt and reduce the processing to 75 minutes at 15 lbs pressure.

Reviews

[patpierce99]

It is not safe to can chicken, or any other meat, in 1 2 quart jar. It is also not safe to can whole chickens or leave the skin on chicken when cannnig, as it will turn rancid. Back in grannies day, these things were considered acceptable, but modern science is now used to determine what is safe, and what is not. Please use the following link for safe food preservation recipes from National Center for Home Food Preservation. https://nchfp.uga.edu/

 

[La Cuisine]

I am trying pressure canning for the first time. I purchased 2 qt jars for canning my chickens, then found all resources state not to can anything other than apple or grape juice in them. Has anyone used 2qt (64oz) canning jars for pressure canning chickens before with safe results? I'd be disappointed to let my jars go to waste since although I can a huge variety of products, giant jars of apple and grape juice are not all that appealing to me. Thanks!!!

 

[Beansy]

Great recipe to share. Also good instructions. I also can meat. It has such a special taste of its own besides being convenient. Canned meat has so many uses. Thanks for sharing this.

 

[Pam M.]

Zero stars, unsafe to use 2 quart jars. This page should be removed. https://nchfp.uga.edu/how/can_home.html

 

[Ingrid S.]

We have been canning chickens like this since I was a young girl! I remember doing this beside my mother and grandmother and still do it to this day. As long as you have a pressure cooker and are very careful to be sterile this is a safe way to preserve your chicken. The broth on his chicken will completely blow your mind?? and not only that it makes quick weeknight suppers a breeze. Also for times like right now, with the coronavirus when you're stuck at home it's sure nice when you can look in your pantry and see it stocked top to bottom with your own home canned food that will see you through difficult times at a fraction of the cost of buying the same stuff. Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe.