Canned Meatballs in Broth

Ingredients

Instructions

1. 1Understand before you begin that meatballs in broth are a low-acid food and must be processed in a pressure canner; a boiling-water bath is never safe for canning any meat product.
2. 2Wash 7 pint jars in hot soapy water or a dishwasher and keep them hot; wash new lids and prepare them exactly as the manufacturer instructs.
3. 3In a large bowl, combine the ground meat, eggs, breadcrumbs, salt, pepper, and garlic powder, mixing just until combined, then shape into small meatballs about 1 to 1 1/2 inches in diameter; keep the breadcrumb filler to the minimal amount listed, since dense starchy fillers can insulate the center of the meatball and slow the heat penetration needed for safe processing.
4. 4Brown the meatballs in a skillet or bake them on a sheet pan until they are cooked through on the outside (they do not need to be fully cooked in the center, since processing will finish the cooking); this hot pack step firms the meatballs so they hold their shape in the jar.
5. 5Pack the hot meatballs loosely into the hot jars, without pressing or stacking them too tightly, so broth can circulate around every meatball.
6. 6Leave 1 inch of headspace at the top of each jar.
7. 7Ladle boiling beef broth over the meatballs until they are fully covered, keeping 1 inch of headspace.
8. 8Slide a bubble tool between and around the meatballs in several spots to release trapped air, since round meatballs can hide pockets of air more easily than flat pieces of meat, then recheck and adjust the headspace to 1 inch.
9. 9Wipe the jar rims completely clean of any grease or broth, center a lid on each jar, and screw the band on fingertip tight.
10. 10Load the jars into the pressure canner, add water per the manufacturer's directions, lock the lid, and vent steam for a full 10 minutes before pressurizing.
11. 11Process pint jars for 75 minutes and quart jars for 90 minutes at 10 pounds pressure in a weighted-gauge canner up to 1,000 feet (15 pounds above 1,000 feet), or 11 pounds in a dial-gauge canner up to 2,000 feet (12 pounds from 2,001 to 4,000 feet, 13 pounds from 4,001 to 6,000 feet, 14 pounds from 6,001 to 8,000 feet).
12. 12Turn off the heat and let the canner depressurize naturally on its own; never quick-release when canning meatballs.
13. 13Wait until the gauge reads zero, then wait 2 more minutes, slowly vent any remaining steam, wait 10 more minutes, and unlock the lid.
14. 14Move the jars to a towel-lined counter and let them cool undisturbed for 12 to 24 hours.
15. 15Check that each lid has sealed, wipe the jars clean, label with contents and date, and store in a cool, dark place for up to about 1 year.
16. 16Before eating, boil the meatballs and broth hard for 10 minutes to destroy any possible botulinum toxin, and discard without tasting any jar with an off odor, spurting liquid, or a lid that did not seal or is bulging.