Instruct:
Prepare your jars, lids, and ties according to the instructions in the Canning Guidelines link above. Soak the lid in hot water to soften the rubber gasket.
Mix everything in a bowl.
Mix all ingredients well
Pack tightly in clean jars. I like to add a little at a time and stomp to pack it in well. I used a rolling pin in a plastic bread bag (so the wood wouldn’t touch the meat).
Leave about 1 & 1/4 inches of head space. Try to remove as many air pockets as possible.
About an inch and a quarter of free space
Wipe the edges to make sure there are no bits stuck between the lid and the edges. Apply the strips by tightening them with your fingers. This will allow air to escape while preventing liquid or debris from passing through. Too tight will prevent air from escaping and therefore will not create a vacuum. Trapped air can also cause problems when trapped bacteria are not heated enough to be killed.
Twist the thread strips by hand.
Place in a pressure vessel with cold water. This is to avoid shocks. Light the fire and cover the pot, not heavy. Once the steam escapes, leave it for 10 minutes to create a vacuum in the pot. This allows for even heat distribution.
After 10 minutes of steam escaping, you may notice the pressure gauge increase from 0. Place a heavy object on the “nipple” to help increase the internal pressure. Pressurized steam will create the appropriate temperature needed to kill bacteria inside the vial within the specified/recommended time frame. Allow pressure to reach 10 psi before cooling down. On my gas stove, setting #4 maintains pressure at this level. If I go down, the pressure may not be maintained. When this happens, the countdown begins again. Set a timer with pressure held at 10 psi for a minimum of 90 minutes.
Once done, turn off the heat and let cool naturally. Do not remove weight. I usually go to bed around this time, then clean the pots the next day. I waited about 24 hours before testing the waterproofing. Look for jars that are not tightly sealed (lid still facing up instead of down); Refrigerate them and eat them within two weeks. (All mine are properly sealed.)
Check for leaks by removing the tie and then lifting the jar lid. The lid should not fall off.
All lids are recessed – sealed!
When ready to eat, the juices may curdle and prevent the meatloaf from sliding out of the pot as easily. Warm gently in the microwave or in hot water to melt the juice. The meat shrank and slid off the side of the glass jar.
This will then allow the meat to slide easily.
Slide out of the pot if you thaw the juice firstYou can eat it directly from the jar or fry it up to reheat outside.Tip: Store them in a dark, cool and dry room. Don’t bother re-gluing the strips. This will help you detect harmful bacteria more easily, because if you do not do it properly, botulinum bacteria will still exist and grow inside the vial (due to anaerobic conditions and high pH), they will create release air (more vacuum), this will push the lid open.However, once you’ve opened a good jar and have some leftovers, put the lid back on. Eat leftovers within two weeks.