Canning beef stew is a great way to have meals-in-a-jar for lunches, quick dinners, and even emergencies. You can even use venison, lamb, pork, or other wild game in this home canned beef stew recipe.
I spend a few days each summer canning beef stew. I also make other soups and stews, but we love beef or venison stew the most. While it’s hot outside, I enjoy putting together beef stew in a can because I can use fresh garden food.
My “recipe” for beef stew is more of a step-by-step guide, but I’ll give you some amounts. No thickening agents like flour, cornstarch, or arrowroot should ever be added to our canned beef stew (or any home canned products for that matter). You can make changes based on what your family likes. ).
I use these worksheets to plan and keep track of my home preserved food. You can get the worksheets emailed to you by filling out the form below.
Canning hearty beef stew is a time-honored tradition for making efficient use of cheap stew meat cuts It provides a quick, homemade meal ready anytime. While today’s guidance stresses that pressure canners are mandatory for low-acid foods like meat and vegetables, generations of folks have safely preserved stew using boiling water bath processing.
With proper sanitation, acidic ingredients, and adjusted cooking times, it is possible to can beef stew without a pressure cooker This article covers everything you need to know
Why Make Home-Canned Beef Stew?
Canning your own beef stew offers many benefits:
- Makes use of inexpensive stewing cuts of meat
- Lets you can in bulk when ingredients are in season/on sale
- Provides quick, hearty meals ready anytime – just heat and eat
- Saves money compared to store-bought canned soups or stews
- Makes great homemade gifts for family and friends
- Satisfaction of preserving tasty, homemade food
Tips for Safe Recipe Formulation
When developing beef stew recipes intended for water bath canning keep these tips in mind
- Cut meat and vegetables into small, uniform pieces to ensure even cooking.
- Minimize thickeners like flour or cornstarch that may interfere with heat penetration.
- Add an acidic ingredient like tomatoes or lemon juice to increase acidity.
- Season simply with salt, herbs and basic spices only.
- Use the hot pack method of filling jars (see below).
Equipment Needed
To can beef stew without a pressure cooker, you will need:
- Large stock pot with rack
- Mason jars (pint or quart, wide mouth recommended)
- New two-piece lids for each jar
- Jar lifter
- Lid lifter
- Bubble releasing tool
- Clean kitchen towels
- Permanent marker
Step-by-Step Instructions
Follow these steps to safely can beef stew using a boiling water bath:
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Prepare beef stew according to tested recipe as desired. Cook until tender but not mushy.
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While stew is still very hot, carefully ladle into sterilized jars using a wide-mouth funnel. Leave 1-inch headspace.
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Slide bubble releaser down jar sides to remove trapped air. Wipe rims clean.
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Apply lids and rings fingertip tight. Do not overtighten.
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Load filled jars into pot on rack. Add hot water to cover by 1-2 inches. Bring to a rolling boil.
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Start timer once at full boil. Process pint jars 90 minutes, quart jars 105 minutes.
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Remove jars and cool undisturbed 24 hours. Check seals are concave.
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Wipe down, label with name/date and store in cool, dark place up to 1 year.
Testing Seals and Storing
After processing and cooling 24 hours, test that jar lids have properly sealed. Press center of each lid. It should be concave and not flex up/down. Refrigerate any jars with poor seals for short term use.
Wipe exterior of jars clean and label contents and date. Store sealed stew in a cool, dark place up to 1 year. Over time, expect some darkening and softening but stew remains safe if seals are intact. Always inspect jars carefully before opening for use.
Serving Your Home-Canned Stew
When ready to serve stew, open jar and transfer contents to a saucepan. Gently reheat on the stove or in the microwave until heated through. Add extra seasonings if desired before serving.
Home-canned beef stew saves time and money while letting you enjoy delicious, hearty comfort food anytime. Follow these guidelines for safely preserving stew without specialized equipment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it safe to can stew without a pressure cooker?
It is possible to safely can stew without a pressure cooker using a meticulous boiling water bath process. However, pressure canning remains the recommended method for low-acid foods. Exercise caution and properly adjust cook times.
What if I don’t have a pressure canner?
You can use a large stock pot or lobster pot deep enough to fully submerge jars in water by several inches. Place a rack at the bottom and fill with jars. Follow water bath processing steps.
Can I use a water bath rather than pressure canner?
Water bath canning does not achieve high enough sustained heat to reliably kill bacteria in low-acid foods. It is better suited to high-acid fruits and pickles. Carefully follow validated recipes if water bath canning meat.
Is there an alternative to pressure canning stew?
No, pressure canning is the only USDA-recommended method for low-acid foods. With precautions, it is possible to safely water bath can, but extreme care must be taken. Canning stew via any method has risks if not done properly.
What about oven canning stew?
Oven canning is extremely dangerous and should never be attempted. It does not achieve adequate heat to kill botulism spores and puts you at high risk of severe food poisoning. Pressure or validated water bath methods are the only safe options.
By carefully following these guidelines, you can achieve delicious home-canned stew without specialized equipment. However, pressure canning remains the gold standard. Canning stew via any method carries risks if proper technique is not used, so exercise caution.
Preparing the Beef Stew for Canning
When I get the chance, the first thing I do is boil my tea kettle, which holds almost a gallon of water. I also prepare the jars and lids. The jars don’t need to be cleaned because the beef stew will be processed for more than 10 minutes. Just wash them in hot soapy water and rinse them.
If’ I’ve planned well, I would have set out some frozen tomatoes to thaw the night before. If not, I pull out some tomatoes from the freezer and thaw them in the microwave. I always freeze our tomato harvest first so the skins will come off without blanching. I use about two-gallon bags of frozen tomatoes because we like a lot of tomatoes in our beef stew.
I put a little oil in the stock pot and sear about 6 pounds of beef. I use whatever is the cheapest. I’ve used stew meat, roast, and even a trimmed brisket. (I’ve also made canned venison stew using the same process. ) I don’t cook it all the way, just lightly brown it.
I take the meat off the heat when it’s done and add 2 tablespoons of salt, 2 teaspoons of thyme, about 2 teaspoons of black pepper, and 3–4 bay leaves.
Some people like to use beef bullion in their beef stew, but we like the fresh taste of beef stew that is made with tomatoes better. But if your family likes a more beefy beef stew, then feel free to use bullion.
Then I put the tomatoes and other vegetables in the pot. I usually put 3 peeled and chopped heads of garlic, 4 to 5 chopped onions, 3 to 4 pounds of chopped carrots, 8 to 10 pounds of diced potatoes, 6 to 8 cups of corn, and 2 to 3 pounds of okra. I love adding okra to our canned stews because the mucilage in the okra makes the stew a little thicker without making it unsafe.
I mix everything together and add water or tomato broth (or beef broth) if it’s not enough to cover the meat and vegetables.
Bring the soup to a boil and boil for 5 minutes.
Can I water bath can stew?
No! In order to can stew safely, you need a pressure canner.
I KNOW there are people who say they (or their grandma) just boils it for 4 hours and they are still alive. However, if you check out the CDC website for botulism cases from home canned food, every single one has been because someone was trying to water bath can low acid foods.
In this case, I’m going to trust that the USDA is telling the truth and looking out for our best interests. People can do what they want, but the risk is too high for our family. Besides, a $79 pressure canner can keep us safe.
I have two pressure canners, an All-American and a Presto. I love them both!! This is the All-American pressure canner I have – I can put 7 quarts or 19 pints in it. This is the Presto I have, it’s smaller but it’s also lighter and under$100.
I understand that some people are scared to use a pressure canner, but there’s no reason to be. If you follow the manufacturer’s instructions there is no risk of blowing up your kitchen. Modern pressure canners have safety valves to prevent that.
Looking for a step-by-step guide? Check out my book Pressure Canning for Beginners and Beyond. It has 94 recipes and step-by-step guides on how to can meat, beans, and vegetables.