First, I have to start this off by telling you about this app I stumbled upon to find discounted groceries in our area! And no, this is not sponsored. It is called Flashfood and the Meijer grocery stores in our area put discounted meat and produce in a cooler up front. You can go on the app and snag what you want for a discounted price. Most of the food is close to its best by date, so you’ll want to either prepare it fast or freeze it. I snagged several 3 pound packages of ground beef for less than $2 a pound the other day using the Flashfood app and threw it in the freezer to deal with at a later date. I wanted to try my hand at pressure canning taco meat, and this was the perfect use for all the ground beef I had found.
I just pull out my meat a day or two prior to using it, place it in the refrigerator, and then it’s ready when I go to cook my meal.
|Use my flashfood referral code when you download the app, and when you spend your first $10, you’ll get $5 in rewards! (Code – HAYD3QTAQ)
Preparing Your Taco Meat
You are going to prepare your taco meat just like you would any other taco meat. I browned all 3 pounds in a large wok until it was thoroughly cooked. Then I used 3 packs of taco seasoning and followed the instructions on the back. After you have browned your meat, you will add the 3 packages of taco seasoning and water and let it simmer. Do not cook the water all the way out of the meat, as you will want this for when you pack your canning jars.
Prepare Your Canning Jars
Because we are a family of 4, and usually only 3 of us are eating dinner, I decided to can my taco meat in pint jars. This is just enough meat for us all to enjoy a few tacos and since it heats up so quickly, I can always prepare another jar. Our water is super hot at our farmhouse, so I wash my jars, lids, and rings with soapy hot water, and then fill the jars with hot water and set aside so they are warm when I am ready to hot pack them with the food.
Hot Pack Your Jars
Once your taco meat is done, go ahead and use a funnel to add your hot taco mixture to your jars. Make sure to leave enough headspace or you risk your jars not sealing. Once full, wipe the edges with a clean cloth, and place your lid on top. Tighten rings fingertip tight, making sure not to over tighten.
Pressure Canning Taco Meat
I used my Nesco digital pressure canner to can my taco meat. You will process pints for 75 minutes and quarts for 90 minutes. If you’re using the Nesco digital pressure canner, you will add 8 cups of water to the pressure canner and then place your jars inside. Close the lid and make sure the vent is set to exhaust. Set your timer and press start. When the display counts down and displays E0, turn your vent to airtight. Canner will display OFF when it is done. Let rest for an hour before removing your jars and letting them cool on a towel for 24 hours. Remove rings so you don’t get any false seals, and check seals.
Watch the Video on TikTok
Pressure Canning Links + Resources
- Nesco Digital Pressure Canner
- Canning Jar Lifter
- Canning Jars – Quarts
- Canning Jars – Pints
- Canning Funnel
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