Canned Pork Chunks (Raw Pack)

Ingredients

Instructions

1. 1Understand before you begin that pork is a low-acid food and must be processed in a pressure canner; a boiling-water bath is never safe for canning any meat, pork included.
2. 2Wash 7 quart jars in hot soapy water or a dishwasher and keep them hot; wash new lids and prepare them exactly as the manufacturer instructs.
3. 3Trim the pork of excess surface fat, since too much fat can affect the seal and give an off flavor, then cut the meat into uniform 1 to 1 1/2 inch cubes.
4. 4This recipe uses the raw pack method, meaning the pork cubes go into the jars uncooked; raw pack works well for solid cuts like shoulder or loin, while hot pack (browning first) can be used if you prefer firmer meat texture.
5. 5Pack the raw pork cubes loosely into the hot jars, without pressing them down, so liquid can circulate freely between the pieces.
6. 6Leave 1 1/4 inches of headspace at the top of each jar.
7. 7Raw-pack pork releases its own natural juices during processing, so added liquid is optional; if desired, ladle boiling water or boiling broth over the meat to cover it, keeping the 1 1/4 inch headspace, and add salt only for flavor.
8. 8Run a bubble tool around the inside of the jar to release air trapped between the meat pieces, then recheck and adjust the headspace back to 1 1/4 inches if it has changed.
9. 9Wipe the rim of each jar with a clean, damp cloth to remove any fat or juice, then center a lid on the jar and screw the band on fingertip tight.
10. 10Set the jars on the rack inside the pressure canner, add water as directed by the manufacturer, lock the lid, and vent steam continuously for 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 when processing ends and allow the canner to depressurize naturally; never quick-release a canner full of meat.
13. 13Once the gauge reads zero, wait 2 more minutes, then slowly release any remaining pressure, wait 10 more minutes, and unlock the lid.
14. 14Remove the jars to a towel-lined surface and let them cool, completely undisturbed, for 12 to 24 hours.
15. 15Check that each lid is concave and does not flex, wipe the jars clean, label them with the contents and date, and store them in a cool, dark place for up to about 1 year.
16. 16Before eating, boil the contents of any jar hard for 10 minutes to destroy any possible botulinum toxin, and throw away, without tasting, any jar with an off smell, spurting contents, or a lid that did not seal or is bulging.