Canning tuna for dummies

Toadtamer · #1 09-05-2007, 10:22 PM

I canned some tuna over the holiday weekend and managed to snap off a few pics. Here are a few simple steps to follow to can your catch.

First, if you froze your catch, thaw it out so it is still slightly frozen and cut the blood meat out and slice into 3 to 4 inch chunks for the jars. Keep on ice or in the fridge until ready to use.

Wash your jars and caps in hot soapy water to sterilize.

Have hot water or whatever other liquid you wish to pour into the jars simmering on the stove to sterilize. (Chix broth, olive oil……….)

Pack fish into jars. Tight or loose, it’s up to you. The looser you pack it, the more liquid you will consume to fill it. Pour hot liquid into jars. Add any other items you wish at this time (Jalapenos, onions….) Fill to within ¾” from the lip. Any closer will cause a boil over during heating.

Use a chop stick in the jar to remove any air pockets. Refill jars if necessary.

This step is very important. Use a damp rag to wipe all of the debris from the lip of the jar. Any debris left will cause the lid to not seal properly. (I forgot to take a pic with real fish so I used newspaper) Place lid on jars, then tighten with a band. (Doesn’t need to be real tight – the glue on the lid seals the jars)

I use 2 All American pressure canners. Model #921 21 ½ quart home canners. Each canner can hold 14 pint jars. Both fit rather nicely on the stove top. I will paste the web site addy for All American at the bottom for anyone wishing to get into canning their catch.

The canners have a series of large wingnuts around the perimeter. These wingnuts must be tightened in a sequence so that the space between the lid and the pot is equal all around the perimeter. Make sure to smear a layer of Vaseline in the part of the lid the touches the pot for an air tight seal. To avoid mineral deposits on the jars, add a couple splashes of vinegar to the water at the bottom of the canner. The canner needs about ¾” of water.

Fill 2 layers of jars into the canner. Use a metal tray in between the layers.

Place the lid on the pot. Tighten up the wingnuts. Leave release valves open. Turn on burner to high. When a steady stream of steam is coming out of the release valve all air has exited the canner. Close the release valve by placing the automatic pressure weight on. Use the 10lb hole. If your canner only has a valve, close it. Bring canner up to 10 lb’s of pressure, lower the flame. Start timer. Let cook at 10lb’s of pressure for 110 minutes. Keep monitoring pressure and adjust flame as needed.

When done, turn off stove and let the pressure drop to zero. Unloosen wingnuts and open lid carefully. IT IS VERY HOT!! Use jar tongs to pull out of canner and set jars on newspaper to cool. You will immediately start hearing jars go pop-pop-pop. If the lid does not suck in, the jar did not seal properly and must be eaten immediately or repacked and cooked again.

I had 1 fatality out of 100 jars. The bottom cracked off of one jar. If jars come out fishy smelling, wash with soap and water.

Out of 7 Albies 25-30lb’s I got 8 cases and 4 jars. (100 jars total)

Hithard · #2 09-05-2007, 10:32 PM

Thats pretty sweet Ken. I'm definetly interested.

But did you have to post it fifty times?

EDIT: For some reason when I hit new post, there were about ten threads of this post. Although after going to Table Toppers I realized that there was some glitch? Who knows, computer ghosts.

Jureal · #3 09-06-2007, 12:25 AM

Just finishing up the first two batches as I type. The second batch will be done in about 30 minutes. That's 36 bottles of pints total. I used chicken broth with sliced onions, sliver of garlic and one bay leaf.

Oh yeah...forgot to add...Nice tutorial Ken. Thanks.

One more additional information. Lightly hit the top of the lids with a metal spoon to test if the seals are ok and a vacuum was formed. The sound is a definite tink tink tink and the seal is good. If it is a thunk, thunk, thunk...the seal is not good and you gotta refrigerate it and eat it soon.

I still have not perfected my technique in washing the lids and bottle lips as I still manage to get a few bad ones. I guess it is tuna sandwiches and tuna croquettes tomorrow....lol

Brad I · #4 09-06-2007, 05:52 AM

Thank you Ken.

Parts of it sounds familiar to us jam makers, especially the part about wiping the lip clean, checking for a tight seal (I wait 24 hours to be sure that the lid does not pop up), I also cool jam jars on a cooling rack like those used to cool cookies.

Was it correct that there is only 3/4 inch of water in the whole pot?

Does the canner come with the accessories mentioned, such as tongs, rack?

For anyone:

How long can the tuna be stored?

Does all tuna can equally well?

Any particular seasonings that are recommended?

TIA

Roxfisher · #5 09-06-2007, 08:08 AM

Wonderful. That is something I need to be there to learn. Now I need to go catch a tuna.

Tsuriya · #6 09-06-2007, 08:22 AM

Great post Ken.

Here is another done by Harry on BD.

http://www.bloodydecks.com/forums/fo...ing-101-a.html

Toadtamer · #7 09-06-2007, 08:48 AM

For some reason I cannot edit this website into my original post so here is a website with canning supplies and pressure cookers.

http://www.pressurecooker-outlet.com/canningsupply.htm

x-man · #8 09-06-2007, 09:29 AM

Thanks for the great tutorial Ken.
Last weekend I finished one batch (16 jars) of the fish from the ST 2-day. I'm planning on doing another batch this weekend. I usually don't put any liquid in mine since the tuna produces some liquid during the cooking process. But I think I might try some chicken broth on the next batch. I always put the jars and lids in a pot of very hot water just prior to packing them. This seems to soften the seals on the lids just a bit and I very seldom have a failure on the seal.

spize909 · #9 09-10-2007, 08:19 PM

Good info!
I do have a question. Why do you heat the liquid that you add to the jars?
I've never done it that way and never had a problem. I usually use chicken broth or olive oil with albies and no liquid added with yft (it generates lots of good oil on it's own).
I was also wondering about the amount of water. My recipe calls for 16 cups of water in the canner (same canner as yours).

Seems less in the canner and hot liquid in the jars could result in a faster heat up time. Last time I canned it seemed like it took forever to get to pressure.

I've got a great recipe for some smoked/canned tuna that I do. When I get around to doing what I have waiting in the freezer I'll post pix/recipe.
Was hoping to get some done before the Sept. 2-day but it looks kinda doubtful.....

Toadtamer · #10 09-10-2007, 09:04 PM

Hey Spize. Yeah, seems like it takes forever for the pot to come up to pressure. As far as the adding boiling liquid to the jars. I'm gonna have to go with the "speeding the boiling time" theory. I actually just went with the instructions in the All American manual. It states "The raw-pack method requires packing unheated prepared food tightly into hot jars, then covering with hot liquid". I need to pull out cases and wash the jars with soap and water. It is starting to reeek in one closet.