27 replies to this topic

[Jeepers]

I want to can some ham and potato soup. My question is with the ham.

I was going to buy a fully cooked ham and cube it and can it. Use some for the soup and some just canned by it's self. I've been reading that the fully cooked hams turn very dark in the canning process because of the sugar the manufacturer uses. Supposedly it looks burnt. Anyone know if that is true? Anyone had issues with canning a fully cooked bought ham? I really didn't want to buy a raw ham and cook it. I wanted the already cooked, smokey, sugary cured ham. Sigh.

The soup I want to make has raw potatoes, onion, a little bit of carrot, ham and broth/water.

[kappydell]

Ive canned fully cooked hams, and yes they did darken a bit, but not really bad. What surprised me was that the water I canned them in turned reddish. They sure tasted fine though. I canned chunks for soup, scalloped potatoes, and to mash up for ham salad. Yummy!

[Violet]

You need to be mindful of the ham ingredients. They should not have any of the "lactate" things in them. Just plain old cured ham.

[Jeepers]

I found some ham today. It's just plain ham packed in water. It has a bone in it and fully cooked. But, I went ahead and pressure cooked it anyway because I need some liquid for the soup and I wanted it to shred easily. I'm so lovin' that electric pressure cooker for meat. Put the meat in, add water, set the timer and wait. Jeeper proof!

I'm going to make and can the soup tomorrow/today. It got late on me and I have a headache.

Oh, and a big sharp knife sure helps! I got one of those big honkin' 8 inch santoku knife.

[Jeepers]

Come to think of it, I think the type of hams where the canning liquid was turning nearly black, was the hams that were processed into a big oblong shape.

[Violet]

That would explain the ham doing that. They should not be canned if that is what they are. People just don't think things through all the time.
Glad you got the right kind.
I use a regular pressure cooker on the stove. Fixed a beef roast last night in it. My, it just melted ! Was so amazing. I have enough left for dinner tonight, too.

[Jeepers]

Finally almost finished with the ham. Right now I hate ham. When I can get the lid off of the canner it will be 24 pints of ham and potato soup plus 6 pints of just ham.

From now on I'm going to do the prep work (cutting meat shreds and veggies) one day and can the next. I'm so tired and sore from standing over the sink. I don't know how tall people do it. I'm about 5-2 1/2 and that sink and countertop keeps getting lower and lower.

[Midnightmom]

I'm about 5-2 1/2 and that sink and countertop keeps getting lower and lower.

Gee Jeepers! Could you be any more precise???



BTW-I am 5-2 1/4

[Midnightmom]

Violet - would pre-boiling the ham before processing it get rid of the sugars that turn red/brown during the canning?
I was in Winco today and they had butt portions of ham for $ .98/lb so I bought one.

[Jeepers]

Midnightmom...


In that case I would tower over you!

[Midnightmom]

*hiding behind the couch to get away from Jeepers frying pan!*

[Virginia]

Try being 4'11", then everything is toooooo high.

[Violet]

In those kinds of hams it is more of the dairy ingredients that are an issue. The sugar may caramalize, but that is not a safety issue. The dairy things can be.

[Jeepers]

In the jars of soup the liquid is almost clear. Not quite clear but it looks like normal soup broth. In the jars of just plain ham, the liquid is darker. Sort of like red wine would be only not that dark. Others have said theirs came out like that too. I'm just glad the soup turned out good.

[Midnightmom]

Got it cut off the bone. Will can it tomorrow.

[kappydell]

I bought more hams today to freeze and can. I have a (hopefully wrong) feeling meat prices (heck, all prices) will go crazy in January. I sure hope Im wrong, and all that happens is I have lots of stuff canned.

[Jeepers]

Kappy, that's why I've been on a canning frenzy. I know the prices are going to go higher too. I'm not really much of a meat eater but you wouldn't know it from looking at my shelves.

[Philbe]

Question for you canning people...I have a tephlon (?) lined "pressure cooker" that I bought many, many years ago. It has to rack inside to set anything on. It hold a terrific seal and has the "rattler" (what I call it) but no temp gauge. Can people use these to can? Would the jars be safe just sitting on the bottom of the cooker or must they have some sort of rack (I do have something that would work that's in my "Boss Cooker". I've used my pressure cooker many times to cook roasts etc., but never thought about using it for canning smaller jars. Sorry to seem dumber than dirt here...

[Canned Nerd]

Do you mean a "Teflon" coated pressure cooker? Unfortunately pressure "cookers" cannot/should not be used for canning purposes and it is doubtful that your "rocker" is set for 10 psi or 15 psi which is the pressure needed for canning.

[TheCG]

Question for you canning people...I have a tephlon (?) lined "pressure cooker" that I bought many, many years ago. It has to rack inside to set anything on. It hold a terrific seal and has the "rattler" (what I call it) but no temp gauge. Can people use these to can? Would the jars be safe just sitting on the bottom of the cooker or must they have some sort of rack (I do have something that would work that's in my "Boss Cooker". I've used my pressure cooker many times to cook roasts etc., but never thought about using it for canning smaller jars. Sorry to seem dumber than dirt here...

Do you know what pressure it holds? My pressure cooker does not hold enough for canning.