Canning Raw-Packed vs Cooked Meat

Though no matter what method you choose you should always follow approved recipes and guidelines (and it goes without saying that meat must always be pressure-canned), after experimenting with both, I have come to the conclusion that I actually prefer to can cooked meat. Raw-packing is quicker and easier, but the end product has a flavor and odor to it that I don't care for (I've noticed this in tuna and other commercially canned meats, as well). And unless you are willing to take the time to re-cook it with seasonings of some sort, you'll end up eating a lot of plain meat. So from here on, I'll reserve that method for ham, and use the hot pack method for everything else.

Hot-packing actually allows for greater flexibility, because you cook the meat, then add hot liquid, and so can put up everything from plain meat to soup to stock. (Again, you should use recipes that have been approved. There are quite a number of recipes available online, which may or may not have been tested -- you'll want to use your best judgement on these.) The Ball "Complete Book of Home Preserving" has some good recipes to try. I picked up a load of pork cushion steak at a bargain, and so am looking forward to trying out a couple of the recipes. So my goal now is to put up things like chili and spaghetti sauce, that I can use to build a meal around later. The Ball chili recipe says you can alter the spices, so I might modify it slightly to make sloppy joes, as well.

Either way, raw packing or hot, it is very satisfying to be able to put together a supply of food, at a very reasonable cost, that will sustain us now and in the future -- and canned meat, in whatever guise, is definitely a part of that!