Twigg
NES Member
I work a split shift and this gives me time to hit the local supermarkets during the day. I've got the timing down to a science; I show up right after the meat dept manager comes out with the "Big Yellow Discount Sticker" machine.
This is how I score fantastic deals like $1.00 off each on seven packages of fresh turkey thighs. I've found two turkey thighs will fit inside one wide mouth quart size Mason jar and I know our canner will hold seven quarts, so I grabbed all seven packages knowing I could run a full load through the canner.
The only thing is, in order to fit two thighs into each jar you need to de-bone them first.
Its a lil'bit of work involved but believe me this is well worth the effort. I wanted to have more pictures of this part of the process but as soon as I began everybody seemed to have more important things to do someplace else. Guess they thought I was gonna put them to work...
During this next part my hands were covered in turkey fat so I wasn't about to pick up the camera.
De-boning a turkey thigh is easy ...as long as you have a small sharp knife. Simply make one incision on the backside, along the length of the single bone from the smaller end of the bone and slice the tip of the blade alongside the bone and finish around the larger joint. Lift the bone out, fold the thigh over itself skinside out and place in a tub until you're ready to fill the jars..
Now, you're supposed to use a big wide mouth funnel to put your items inside the canning jars but I can't get the turkey parts to fit through the funnel without cutting them into pieces so I take a paper towel and very carefully wipe down the inside and outside of every jat to get any smears of fat or liquids off the glass. I like to add 1 tsp of dried onion flakes and 1/4 tsp of Bell's Seasoning to each jar after filling; makes 'em taste like Thanksgiving Dinner!
After filling the jars, set the lids on top and screw the rings down until they are just finger tight then back off a little bit so the jars can seal during processing.
Next they go into the canner for ninety minutes, then I turn off the heat and let it cool down. When the pressure indicator drops (canners vary, know yours !) I'll have pictures of seven turkey dinners which can sit on a shelf without refrigeration for months and will be absolutely dee-licious when opened.
Bubbling hot turkey parts.
Did some quick math and here's a little over 13 LBS of shelf-stable meat.
The really nice thing I like about home canned turkey is it hold it's texture (and flavor) exceptionally well. Two thighs averages out right around two pounds of meat so this gives the three of us a good supper with enough leftovers for two people to have lunch.
Your appetite may vary.
This is how I score fantastic deals like $1.00 off each on seven packages of fresh turkey thighs. I've found two turkey thighs will fit inside one wide mouth quart size Mason jar and I know our canner will hold seven quarts, so I grabbed all seven packages knowing I could run a full load through the canner.
The only thing is, in order to fit two thighs into each jar you need to de-bone them first.
Its a lil'bit of work involved but believe me this is well worth the effort. I wanted to have more pictures of this part of the process but as soon as I began everybody seemed to have more important things to do someplace else. Guess they thought I was gonna put them to work...
During this next part my hands were covered in turkey fat so I wasn't about to pick up the camera.
De-boning a turkey thigh is easy ...as long as you have a small sharp knife. Simply make one incision on the backside, along the length of the single bone from the smaller end of the bone and slice the tip of the blade alongside the bone and finish around the larger joint. Lift the bone out, fold the thigh over itself skinside out and place in a tub until you're ready to fill the jars..
Now, you're supposed to use a big wide mouth funnel to put your items inside the canning jars but I can't get the turkey parts to fit through the funnel without cutting them into pieces so I take a paper towel and very carefully wipe down the inside and outside of every jat to get any smears of fat or liquids off the glass. I like to add 1 tsp of dried onion flakes and 1/4 tsp of Bell's Seasoning to each jar after filling; makes 'em taste like Thanksgiving Dinner!
After filling the jars, set the lids on top and screw the rings down until they are just finger tight then back off a little bit so the jars can seal during processing.
Next they go into the canner for ninety minutes, then I turn off the heat and let it cool down. When the pressure indicator drops (canners vary, know yours !) I'll have pictures of seven turkey dinners which can sit on a shelf without refrigeration for months and will be absolutely dee-licious when opened.
Bubbling hot turkey parts.
Did some quick math and here's a little over 13 LBS of shelf-stable meat.
The really nice thing I like about home canned turkey is it hold it's texture (and flavor) exceptionally well. Two thighs averages out right around two pounds of meat so this gives the three of us a good supper with enough leftovers for two people to have lunch.
Your appetite may vary.
Last edited: