Canning Chicken or Poultry

Raw Pack or Hot pack directions
Bone in or Boneless

These canning chicken directions work for chicken, duck, goose, turkey or wild game birds. It is great for home made soup or casserole recipes.

Here is a page on canning venison cubed - raw packed

The directions and pictures here are for a raw pack, bone in or boneless.

For hot pack directions simply cook chicken until about 2/3 done. Pack and process with the directions on this page the same as a raw pack. Personally since it does not save any processing time I don't see the point in hot packing chicken. But it is perfectly safe and you may prefer it.

When canning chicken you must use a Pressure Canner

Prepare

Gather your canning supplies canning chicken

Pressure Canner
canning jars
canning seals and rings
jar lifter
canning funnel
tea kettle or pot to boil water
sharp knife or kitchen shears
towels, dish cloths and potholders

Ingredients
Chicken - Your choice of boneless or bone in. Any chicken parts can be canned. Separate meat at the joints.

Depending on the size of your chicken pieces. Quarts will hold 6 or 7 drumsticks, or 5 to 6 thighs. These estimates are bone in.

I have not yet canned boneless chicken breasts. As soon as I do I will estimate what will fit in a jar. But it will all depend on the size of your pieces.

Start by preparing jars,and get water in your canner heating.
(see Pressure Canning for full directions)

Procedure

Prepare your chicken. Separate pieces at the joints if needed. De bone if you prefer.

I don't care for soggy chicken skins so I remove mine. You can leave it on or remove it according to your preference.

Pack raw chicken into hot jars. Leave 1 inch head space.

canning chicken
Packing tips:

For drumsticks it works well to pack 4 legs with the meaty sides down. Then add 2 or 3 to the top, meaty sides up. This way the drumsticks nestle together and fill the jar nicely.
Another packing tip is to pack half the jar and add a little boiling water. Then top the meat off and fill the rest of the jar with hot water or broth. This makes it less likely that you will have large air pockets stuck between your chicken pieces. You'll still need to remove air bubbles.

Add liquid, either boiling water or broth, leaving 1 inch head space.

After you have filled your jar, remove any air pockets by sliding a narrow non-metallic item between the jar and the meat. I like to use an orange peeler. A small spatula or other instrument would work also. Do this even if you've filled halfway and added water then filled the rest of the way. canning chicken

Wipe the rims of your jar clean with a damp cloth or paper towel. This prevents any food particles or grease from interfering with the seal.

Add your lids and screw bands. Tighten finger tight.
canning chicken

Place jars in your pressure canner and process according to pressure canning instructions.
canning chicken

Boneless will have a different processing time that bone in chicken. Be sure and read carefully and get the correct time requirements.

Process

With bone-
Process pints 1 hour 5minutes and quarts 1 hour 15 minutes.

Boneless-
Process pints 1 hour 15 minutes and quarts 1 hour 30 minutes

Adjustments for Pressure Canner
Altitude in Feet	Dial Gauge Canner	Weighted Gauge Canner
0-1000	10	10
1001-2000	11	15
2001-4000	12	15
4001-6000	13	15
6001-8000	14	15
8000-10,000	15	15