Pressure Canning Spaghetti Sauce With Meat
Spaghetti sauce with meat is a delicious and versatile sauce that can be used for a variety of dishes. It's a classic Italian sauce that can be served over spaghetti, used as a pizza topping, or even as a base for soup. If you make a large batch of spaghetti sauce with meat, you can preserve it with a pressure canner and enjoy it for months to come. In this article, we'll show you how to pressure can spaghetti sauce with meat.
Why Pressure Canning?
Pressure canning is a method of preserving food that involves heating the food in a closed jar at a high temperature. This process kills bacteria, viruses, and other microorganisms that can spoil food. Pressure canning is necessary for low-acid foods like vegetables, meats, and spaghetti sauce with meat. These foods must be processed at a higher temperature than can be achieved with a boiling water bath canner in order to kill off the harmful microorganisms.
Ingredients
Before you start canning spaghetti sauce with meat, you'll need to gather the necessary ingredients:
- 10 pounds of tomatoes
- 1 pound of ground beef
- 1 onion, chopped
- 6 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 green pepper, chopped
- 1 cup of red wine
- 1 tablespoon of salt
- 1 tablespoon of sugar
- 1 tablespoon of dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon of dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon of red pepper flakes
Instructions
Once you have all your ingredients, follow these steps to pressure can your spaghetti sauce with meat:
- Wash and chop the tomatoes.
- Brown the ground beef in a large pot over medium heat. Drain off the excess fat.
- Add the chopped onion, garlic, and green pepper to the pot and cook until the vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes.
- Add the chopped tomatoes, red wine, salt, sugar, oregano, basil, black pepper, and red pepper flakes to the pot. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
- Ladle the hot spaghetti sauce with meat into clean quart-sized canning jars, leaving 1 inch of headspace at the top of each jar.
- Wipe the rims of the jars with a clean, damp cloth to remove any food residue.
- Place the lids and bands on the jars and tighten until just finger tight.
- Place the jars in a pressure canner with the recommended amount of water and process according to the manufacturer's instructions.
- Remove the jars from the canner and let them cool on a towel for 24 hours.
- Check the seals on the jars by pressing down on the center of each lid. If the lid does not pop back up, the seal is good.
- Store the jars in a cool, dark place for up to one year.
Tips for Pressure Canning Spaghetti Sauce With Meat
Here are some additional tips to keep in mind when pressure canning spaghetti sauce with meat:
- Always use fresh ingredients and follow the recipe carefully to ensure a safe and delicious end result.
- Use jars specifically designed for canning, with new lids and bands.
- Do not reuse jars or lids that have been previously used for canning.
- Make sure your pressure canner is in good working condition before you begin.
- Adjust the processing time and pressure according to your altitude. The higher the altitude, the longer the processing time and higher the pressure.
- Be patient and allow the jars to cool completely before checking the seals.
Conclusion
Pressure canning spaghetti sauce with meat is a great way to preserve a large batch of this delicious sauce for future meals. Follow these instructions carefully and be sure to use fresh ingredients to ensure a safe and tasty end result. With a little practice, you'll be pressure canning all kinds of foods in no time!