Cook up a Memory

Kelly Wambach 

With our summer nearing its end, it’s time to close up the garden and preserve what few vegetables and fruits remain. My fall canning and preserving usually includes dad’s green tomato relish, carrots, beets, a few jars of pickles, and homegrown horseradish.

One thing that was never attempted by my parents or me was canning meat. My mother had a fear of using a pressure canner, and I shared that fear with her. The stories told by old timers of exploding canners and jars of red ripe tomatoes clinging to every wall and ceiling scared me, but if you’re going to can meat, a pressure canner is a must.

My aunt Bunny, however, had no fear of the pressure canner. Jars of canned meats lined up on her kitchen countertop were a familiar sight when visiting the farm in the fall. I remember as a kid thinking all those jars of cold, cooked jelled meat reminded me of an episode from “The Alfred Hitchcock Hour.” They were definitely not the pretty jars of my mother’s pickled red beets or her crispy green bread and butter pickles, but a nice shade of brownish gray instead. You might even say leaning a bit more to the macabre. Today, when I’m canning meats, I like to add a sprig or two of rosemary and a slice or two of red bell pepper to my jars for a bit of color as well as a little flavor booster. Trust me; your jars of home canned meat will look much prettier on a day when you’re a little pressed for time.

Now that I’m all grown up, I have faced my fears and use a pressure canner for almost all my canning. Carefully following all recommendations and directions.

The recipes here are simple and quick using home canned meat that was properly canned using the instructions that came with my pressure canner. I’m not including instructions for the actual canning of the meat. That I’m leaving up to you and your canner’s instructions. The internet can also provide you with detailed instructions along with oodles of wonderful recipes. Take no shortcuts. Follow all instructions to the letter. The extra effort you make to prepare a few jars is well worth your time.

These are two quick and easy meals you can prepare in less than 30 minutes. You can, of course, adjust seasonings and ingredients to your liking, but this will get you started.

Beef or Venison Stroganoff

(Serves 4)

1 quart home canned beef or Venison.

3 Tbsp butter or olive oil

1 medium onion diced

8 oz fresh sliced mushrooms

1/2 tsp garlic powder

2 cups beef stock or broth

1/4 cup flour

1/4 cup cold broth or water

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 tsp pepper

Salt to taste

Saute onion, mushrooms, and garlic powder in butter or olive oil until tender. Add 2 cups broth to onions and mushrooms and bring to a boil. In a separate container, combine flour and cold broth or water until smooth. Slowly stir into broth and vegetables. Add sour cream. Gently add beef or venison and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer about 10 minutes. Stir often. Season to taste.

Serve over buttered egg noodles or cooked rice.

Optional: Garnish with an additional dollop of sour cream and fresh chopped green scallions.

Homemade 30 Minute Chicken Soup

(Serves 4)

1 quart home canned chicken

2 quarts chicken stock or broth

1 medium onion diced

1 stalk of celery diced

2 cups frozen peas and carrots

1 to 2 cups of your favorite pasta or noodle

1 tsp Italian seasoning

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 tsp garlic powder

Salt to taste

Remove skin, bones, and any cartilage from one quart of home canned chicken. Reserve jelled liquid from jar. Cut or break chicken into small bite-sized pieces.

Combine all ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 10 to 15 minutes until pasta is done. Adjust seasonings.

Canned meats are very tender. Always stir and handle gently to avoid shredding. I generally add at the end of my recipes.

You can remove bones, skin, and cartilage from your chicken before you can it. This will save you a little time when preparing your recipe. I like to leave the bones in when canning and trim only any excess skin. I think it adds additional flavor. Trimming more ahead of canning, of course, will give you more usable chicken in your jars. Adjust your recipe accordingly.

Conquer your fears. Drag out that pressure canner and “cook up a memory.”

Remember: “The most important ingredient in a recipe is the memory it conjures.”