canning turkey

[canesisters]

This weekend I found a 17lb turkey marked down to $8. I couldn't pass it up.. but I do NOT want any more turkey right now.
I'm trying to get away from using the freezer for long term storage (and have been on a canning obsession lately). Does anyone have any recipes, tips, etc for canning a turkey (in pieces... of course..)?

 

[journey11]

I've canned chicken, both bone in and boneless. The process should be the same, as according to the BBB. Turkey legs are much bigger though, so I don't think you could do bone-in. I've also tried it both hot pack and raw pack. The hot pack turned out much better and more appetizing to me. The short boiling in water removes a lot of the fat that can otherwise ruin the seal on your jars.

Only thing about turkey though....I've also tried making ground meat out of a whole turkey before, and handling it raw is much messier than chicken, way messier! They are fattier birds, I guess. Maybe roasting it, then parceling out individual meals would be easiest, although it still would have to be frozen, but shouldn't take up quite as much room as a whole bird. If you do can it, be sure to trim off as much of that fat as you can. And you can use the bones to make broth to can too.

 

[canesisters]

Roasting is the plan (so far). He's brining right now and will roast tomorrow afternoon. I'm hoping to be able to cram the breast meant in a couple of jars - maybe the meat from the legs in another, etc.
Would you pack in chicken broth? Or just water? I'll probably take the little bits picked off before starting broth and make 'soup in a jar'.

 

[Carol Dee]

I got 3 quarts of broth canned from boiling the carcass after Thanksgiving meal. Looks good in the jars. Left over meat went into freezer. (seal a meal)

 

[canesisters]

I ended up with 3qts of white meat, 2 of dark meat and 1 of the mixed bits and pieces. Plus several of the broth.

Love my canner

 

[thistlebloom]

How did you end up canning it Cane? In broth or water?

 

[canesisters]

I brined and roasted him. Then just pulled off the meat, stuffed it in jars, added some garlic, salt & pepper, covered in water and let it rip. I gave one little pint to one of my drivers. He said that he opened it to taste it and ended up eating the whole jar... while his wife was cooking dinner.

 

[Carol Dee]

I brined and roasted him. Then just pulled off the meat, stuffed it in jars, added some garlic, salt & pepper, covered in water and let it rip. I gave one little pint to one of my drivers. He said that he opened it to taste it and ended up eating the whole jar... while his wife was cooking dinner. View attachment 5529

A sure stamp of approval.