When I make beef stock, I make sure that I allow a full 48 hours for it to simmer away before I even think about canning it. Since beef bones are so thick, I want to give them plenty of time to give up all the nutrients that they have into my stock. This is what makes stock so much better for you than broth. Broth has tastes good, but it is not cooked for extended periods of time, allowing whatever bones you may be using to give up all of their nutrients for you. Since it literally takes me 3 days from start to finish, I try to make a lot at one time.
As for how I make my beef stock, I roast the bones in a 400* oven for about 2 hours. The roasting allows the bones to give your stock a wonderful flavor.
Once they are done roasting, remove from the oven & place in your roaster. Don’t forget to also use the wonderful drippings in the bottom of your pan! They also help add to the flavor of your stock.
Once it’s done simmering, remove the bones & cooked veggies. This is what you should have. All of the marrow has been cooked out of the bones, & they have given up all the nutrients that they are going to.
At this point, you can save the cooled bones for your dog (place them in the freezer until you are ready to give them to your pet). We don’t have a dog, but my sister-in-law does, so I’m saving them for her . The veggie scraps went to my chickens. They loved them!
Turn the stock off & allow to cool. Once, cool, remove as much fat as desired from the stock before canning.
I, personally, do not remove all of the fat from the stock since this is a fat that is not bad for you, and a little in moderation is okay.
To can you stock:
Measure appropriate amount of water into your pressure canner (each canner is different – consult your manual).
Check all jars for any nicks/cracks before using.
Reheat your stock to a low boil. Ladle hot stock into HOT jars, leaving 1-inch head space Wipe rims with a towel dipped in a hot water/vinegar mix. Place HOT seals & rims on jars, tighten according to manufacturer’s instructions.
Place jars into can. Proceed with manufacturer’s instructions. Mine says to put lid on, wait for valve to pop up & allow steam to vent for 10 minutes. Place weight on & allow to come up to pressure.
Once you reach 10 lbs of pressure, process for 25 minutes for quarts, 20 minutes for pints. Once you have processed your jars for the appropriate amount of time, turn canner off & allow to coast down naturally. Once valve has dropped, remove weight, allow to vent for a few minutes. Always open the lid AWAY from you. There is still plenty of steam inside the canner that can burn you. If jars are still boiling fairly rapidly, allow to sit in canner for another 5 minutes, or until the boiling stops. Remove jars from canner & allow to cool completely – approximtely 12 – 24 hours – before moving.
I always place my jars close together on a towel to protect the surface I’m setting them on, and then I also cover them with another towel. This allows them to cool slowly & keeps any/all drafts off of them. Once cool, remove metal rims & check to make sure that each jar has sealed. If a jar has not resealed, you can either reprocess the jar or place in the refrigerator to be used in the next couple of days.
I had 2 roasters full & I ended up canning 28 quarts & 10 pints of beef stock, which will be added to my pantry. This was even after I used some of the hot stock to make dinner that day! It was delicious!
This post is linked to:
My Country Haven 