They are bone-in chicken parts, and the jiggler never stopped jiggling. Raw cold packed quart jars. Realized the canner was dry upon removing the lid. They are still sealed 6 hrs in. I need a new canner now, can't get one until tomorrow, but would be within 24 hours.
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2May I ask why you are canning raw meats?– bob1Commented Oct 2, 2022 at 23:49
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1wait... how do you get the cans to proper canning temperature without cooking them 🤔– EstherCommented Oct 3, 2022 at 13:31
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@bob1 canning raw meat is common. The meat cooks during the pressure cooking time.– Debbie M.Commented Oct 3, 2022 at 15:16
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@DebbieM. Ok, just never come across it - would need to be very careful that they are completely cooked during process.– bob1Commented Oct 3, 2022 at 18:23
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2 Answers
No, they are not safe to re-process. This essentially has become a "can I partially cook foods, cool and then finish cooking" question (such as the linked one).
Without the proper cooking time, you can not be certain that pathogenic bacteria have been properly inactivated and they could grow over the intervening time. Re-cooking does not prevent production of any toxins, some of which are heat stable (heat stable enterotoxins) and can still cause serious illness, even if the bacteria are killed off.
Yes, they are safe to reprocess within 24 hours.
Home canning of meat products was formerly the norm for preservation and food security prior to refrigeration. For those unfamiliar, refer to these resources:
- USDA - Complete Guide to Home Canning, Guide 5, Preparing and Canning Poultry, Red Meats, and Seafoods
- Pacific Northwest Extension - Canning Meat, Poultry, and Game
@bob1 is partially correct - there is a concern of spoilage and toxin production, but not heat-stable enterotoxins and not from e. coli, C. perfringens, S. aureus, or B. cereus. The linked question refers to non-pressure canned meat that is still raw.
Assuming you used a 10lb pressure jiggler and followed a standard recipe, the fact that it continued jiggling indicated that pressure in excess of 10 psi and temperature ~240F was sustained even after running dry - the heat input went to heating the steam and not the water. From the Minnesota University Extension:
Weighted gauges will either keep rocking gently or make a frequent jiggling noise to indicate if the correct pressure is being maintained. Read the manufacturer's instructions to know how a particular weighted gauge should rock or jiggle.
In this scenario, the chicken was likely processed for full destruction of C. botulinum, let alone the other pathogens above, which have a significantly lower thermal survivability. The concern is the possibility of C. botulinum spores and their germination, with the associated production of their heat-labile (not stable) toxin.
For added safety and peace of mind, you can reprocess before possible germination, within 24 hours. The chicken should be treated as a previously cooked item requiring reheating and hot-fill for processing referenced in the Pacific Northwest Extension resource. For added safety, you can cool and refrigerate the chicken to <4C/40F with the lids loosened until you're ready to reprocess.
Follow standard guidance for reprocessing - most will describe scenarios for jar seal failure, the Kansas State Extension also specifically lists incorrect pressure as a condition for reprocessing.
For your next canner, if it doesn't come with a dial I'd strongly recommend getting one that can be easily tested and verified/calibrated - it'll take out the guesswork on process lethality.
