Dry canned meat

How long will dry canned meat last? For small game like chicken and rabbits do the bones need to be removed before canning?

Zenola Sherman
Toledo, Ohio

I’m not sure what you mean by dry canned meat. Nearly all properly canned meat lasts almost forever unless the lids rust out. No, you do not have to remove the bones before canning small game. The meat cans up just fine with the bones left in. — Jackie

Canning chocolate sauce

I found this recipe on a website and I was wondering if it is really safe to can:

Homemade Chocolate Syrup/Sauce

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups water
3 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups Dutch-processed cocoa
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
2 Tbsp. light corn syrup

Cooking: In a small pot, on medium heat bring water and sugar to a boil and whisk in cocoa, vanilla, salt, and corn syrup. Whisk until all of the solids have dissolved. Reduce sauce for another 15 minutes until slightly thickened Filling the jars: On a dishtowel place your hot jars. Using your funnel in each jar ladle the mixture into the jars leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Remove air bubbles and refill to the proper headspace if necessary. Taking a clean paper towel wet it with warm water and wipe the rims of the jars removing any food particles that would interfere with a good seal. Using your magic wand to extract the lids from the hot water and place them on the now cleaned rims. Add your rings to the tops of each of the jars and turn to seal just “finger tight”.

Processing: Make sure your rack is on the bottom of the canner and place the jars in the water bath making sure that the water covers each of the jars by 1 to 2 inches. Add hot water to the canner if it doesn’t measure up. Cover the pot and turn up the heat under the canner and wait for the water to start boiling. Once the water has come to a boil start your timer for 15 minutes. When complete turn off the heat and remove the cover and let the jars sit for another few minutes. Remove the jars and place them back on the dishtowel in a place that they will sit overnight to cool. Do not touch or move them till the next morning.

Teresa Roh
New Freedom, Pennsylvania

I wouldn’t have a bit of a problem with canning this recipe. There’s nothing that would red-flag concerns for food safety; it’s mostly sugar and cocoa. — Jackie

Canning peaches

Oops! I read the Blue Book wrong and Pressure canned my peaches for 20 minutes instead of water bath. What can I expect when we open them, peach mush?

Dan Norgard
Prescott Valley, Arizona

Boy, Dan, I don’t know; I’ve never made that mistake … yet! The best I can say is open a jar and check them out. You can always use them in baking. I’ll bet they’ll taste good in fruit breads or in a plain cake, at any rate. — Jackie

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