Monday 25 November 2013

Canned turkey and vegetable soup.

We love soup, in  every shape and form. I grew up in a fairly large household as did my husband, where there was always a big pot of soup on the stove to feed the hungry hordes. At our house it was mainly  mutton, as that is what there was plenty of  and occasionally it was chicken if we had a feral rooster or two to get rid of. Mum always grew a big vegetable garden and the soup was always thick  wholesome and yummy....always brings back good memories of home.
When  I learned that you could pressure can meats,I started to pressure can  my soups, also mainly chicken and lamb. We only recently made a batch up the farm and canned it. I have included this into this post just to show how i usually made it.


We were lucky to find a bargain at our local chicken factory sales shop, they were selling massive turkey wings for $2.00 per kilogram.It was for sale in 12 kilogram boxes. We chopped these into three sections each, the meaty end we used for the soup pots ,the mid pieces we put into the smoker and the tips were doggie treats.
I placed the turkey into the pots with pre- prepared chicken stock and cooked until the meat started to fall off the bones,I then removed the bones and added  pre-canned tomatoes and corn,chopped carrots, celery, onions, potatoes, herbs, and salt,pepper, garlic and any sauces I could find.
This then simmered on the stove for an hour or so until all flavours merged and vegetables cooked.

after this I removed them  off the stove and cooled a little, I then  filled all my hot jars, debubbled, wiped rims with paper towel and white vinegar, placed pre-simmered lids on and screwed on the bands finger tight. These were then processed at 75 min 10lbs for pints and 90 min 10lbs for quarts.

After the first batch of 14 quarts was complete, I removed them and then processed a second batch of pints to give to my elderly  mum  for handy quick meals for her. She finds them invaluable.
So , when we came back home  to the coast we thought that the turkey was such a good buy that we would purchase some more. his time after having seen so many raw packed  soups on the canning sites, we decided to give it a go as well.

This time,  Brian sat and trimmed the meat off the bones(which we froze for the dogs) while I prepared  the carrots, onions, celery and potatoes ready to layer in the jars as follows.




We had purchased 12 kilograms of turkey wings, the meaty end pieces that we used with bone in weighed about 6 kgs, it produced enough trimmed turkey to do two full canner loads of pints (38 altogether)


After layering the meat and vegetables, I added garlic, mixed herbs, chilli,pepper,( BBQ sauce to the first batch and Home made tomato sauce to the second batch), and filled the jars to about 1 inch from the top with chicken stock(I used stock powder dissolved with water this time),de-bubbled and adjusted liquid, wiped rims clean with paper towel and white vinegar, topped with simmered lids and screwed on the bands finger tight.We then once again used our new brilliant outdoor  propane set up to process the soups.


We processed the pints for 75 minutes at 10lbs pressure for our altitude, and then turned off the gas, cooled the canner down  and removed the lid. The two of us then  carried the canner inside to unload the jars onto a bath towel covered bench top to cool overnight.
Next morning, I removed bands, checked seals, washed jars and bands, stored the bands away with the rest of the multiplying hordes  labelled the jars and stored in the pantry.

This is a brilliant way to make soup, quick and easy, also a heck of a lot cheaper than my old way(unless you do the first cook on the wood stove), and the final product  was amazing. This will be many,many quick meals for me when Brian is away working or we just want a lazy hot  meal, and as we are trying to watch our weight this also helps with portion control.
Will I do this again, Yes  I most certainly will.
I am learning so much every day from all the amazing people from all over the world that I meet  on the canning and  homesteading sites that I have contact with, and I am sure making many life time  acquaintances.
We live in an amazing time in history and I for one  am loving it.
So my friends,
until we have the pleasure of meeting again,
Cheers for now,
Jane.

6 comments:

  1. I am totally impressed Jane! I have just started using Ball Mason jars and love them. I was using Fowlers Vacola jars but have found them a little difficult. I have only been water bath canning pickles so I am still fairly new to preserving. Your soup looks really yummy!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks,
      The mason jar system is just so easy,and pressure canning is too, I had an initial fear but after the first session I was soon over that.
      Cheers,
      Jane

      Delete
  2. Great job Jane! They would indeed be handy for a quick meal, and the best thing is you know what ingredients are in them.

    I am sweet talking my hubby right now, hinting how I want one of these canners, Great birthday or Christmas present don't you think? lol!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We got ours on Amazon Tania, saved $200 after delivery compared to what the supplier up at kempsey was selling them for.i really wonder how i ever preserved without it now, it just does so much.
      Thanks for your help,
      Jane.

      Delete
  3. Dear Jane,
    Beautiful work. Really enjoyed you sharing the first way to do it and this raw pack method. Love it and your pictures and the "off gridness" way! Your sharing has inspired me. I am gearing up to make this. I so hope you don't mind a few questions? Its just the meat or do you leave a bit of fat in there, skin? Could I use any meat off the turkey, not just the wings? Are those russet potatoes on top?
    Just got my pressure cooker and am going to practice with a marmalade and jelly or two and Friday I am getting the turkey!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Pink, thanks for popping by,
      Glad you liked the turkey soup, I have found it great. As to the meat, we trimmed the skin and the fat off the best we could. I don't think it would matter which turkey meat you used, we chose wings as they were cheap on the day. I can't remember which type of potatoes I used sorry, it was just whatever I had happened to pick up in the bag at the supermarket.
      Good luck with the pressure canner, you will be hooked for sure, it becomes very addictive.
      Catch you again some time
      Cheers,
      Jane

      Delete