Canning Beef Stew

As the days get shorter and the first chill hits the air, there’s nothing better than a hearty, warm bowl of beef stew. If you're running a busy homestead, the freezer is great, but a well-stocked pantry is even better!

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Canning beef stew now means you lock in all that flavor and nutrition for months. Imagine coming in from the cold and having a delicious, ready-to-eat dinner waiting. It's a huge time-saver and a wonderful way to preserve your bounty for the coming winter.

Prepping for a Canning Day

Canning requires a few special items, especially when dealing with meat and low-acid vegetables like this stew. 

Before you start, make sure you have everything ready. You'll need a Pressure Canner, which is not a regular pot and is absolutely required for safe canning of this recipe. Make sure you know if you have a dial gauge or weighted gauge model and how to adjust the pressure for your specific altitude. 

You also need clean glass canning jars, new flat lids, and the metal screw-on bands. Have a large stockpot ready for heating your beef stock and another pot to keep your jars warm.

Preparing and Canning the Stew

This method uses a "raw pack," meaning we place the uncooked ingredients directly into the hot jars. Start by keeping your clean jars in warm water and washing the new lids in soapy water. You can optionally brown your beef in 1 tablespoon of oil before this step for deeper flavor, but it is not strictly necessary.

First, add the 4 to 5 pounds of beef stew meat to the bottom of the hot jars. Then, layer in the chopped vegetables. Next, pour boiling beef stock over the ingredients. 

The stew should be covered, and you must leave 1 inch of empty space (headspace) at the top of each jar.

Now, it's time to seal them up. Wipe the rim of the jar clean, center a hot lid, and screw on the band until it is "fingertip tight"—just snug, but not overly tight. 

Place the filled jars in the pressure canner. Process them at 10 pounds of pressure. Small (pint) jars require 75 minutes, and large (quart) jars require 90 minutes.

Once the processing time is up, turn off the heat and let the canner cool naturally until the pressure gauge reads zero. 

Do not try to rush this step! Wait 5 extra minutes, then carefully remove the lid and let the jars cool for 10 minutes more before taking them out of the canner. Let them cool completely on a towel for about 24 hours. 

Check that the lids are sealed—they should be concave (curved down) and not pop when pressed. Label your jars with the contents and date, and move them to your pantry shelf. You've just created a perfect, shelf-stable meal!

VIDEO: Canning Beef Stew

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