Meat Stock — NCHFP

Safety classification

Tested

Testing authority: National Center for Home Food Preservation (University of Georgia / USDA-derived guidance)

Safety reviewed: 09/09/2026

Processing details

Method
Pressure canning
Pack style
Hot pack
Jar size
Pint or Quart Jars
Headspace
1 inch
Processing time
Pints: 20 min; Quarts: 25 min
Pressure
Dial gauge: 11–14 psi by altitude; weighted gauge: 10 psi at 0–1,000 ft and 15 psi above 1,000 ft PSI
Gauge
Both

Altitude adjustment: Dial gauge: 11 psi at 0–2,000 ft; 12 psi at 2,001–4,000 ft; 13 psi at 4,001–6,000 ft; 14 psi at 6,001–8,000 ft. Weighted gauge: 10 psi at 0–1,000 ft; 15 psi above 1,000 ft.

Source & provenance

Publication
Meat Stock
Date
Adapted from USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning, revised 2015
Page / location
Online recipe page
Country
United States
Region
Georgia / national U.S. guidance
Original language
English
Translation
Original language
Source reliability
Primary official source
Image provenance
Ai Generated
Tested USDA/NCHFP pressure-canning directions for meat stock or broth.
Two sealed quart jars of pressure-canned clear amber meat stock

Safety classification: Tested recipe from NCHFP.

Meat stock canning safety

MethodPressure canning only
PackHot liquid pack
Jar sizesPints or quarts
Headspace1 inch
Yield/limitYield varies by meat, bones, and water

Safety boundary: Do not leave bones or excess fat, add thickeners, use larger jars, or water-bath can.

Processing details

Method
Pressure
Pack style
Hot
Jar sizes
Pint or Quart Jars
Headspace
1 inch
Processing time
Pints: 20 min; Quarts: 25 min

Tested recipe source: USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning via NCHFP

Meat stock timeline

  1. Prepare: Prepare stock from sound meat and bones, remove bones, cool, and skim excess fat.
  2. Pack: Reheat the defatted stock to boiling and fill hot jars.
  3. Process: Pressure-can pints 20 minutes or quarts 25 minutes.

Equipment for meat stock

Affiliate disclosure: Equipment links may earn a commission at no added cost; safety guidance is independent.

  • Pressure canner with rack and tested dial or weighted gauge
  • Pints or quarts Mason jars with two-piece lids
  • Large pot, canning funnel, jar lifter, headspace tool, and bubble remover

Visual method guide

  1. Prepare and strain the stock.
  2. Remove all bones.
  3. Cool and skim excess fat.
  4. Reheat to boiling, fill with 1-inch headspace, and pressure-can.

The official source and WPRM recipe card remain authoritative.

Safety essentials

Tested NCHFP pressure-canning procedure. Cool and skim excess fat, then reheat the stock to boiling before filling jars.

What is meat stock?

This tested process pressure cans hot, strained, defatted meat stock or broth.

Before you begin

  • Remove every bone.
  • Cool and skim excess fat.
  • Do not add flour, starch, noodles, or dairy.

Altitude-adjusted pressure schedule

Dial-gauge pressure canner
Jar/productTime0–2,000 ft2,001–4,000 ft4,001–6,000 ft6,001–8,000 ft
Pints20 min11 psi12 psi13 psi14 psi
Quarts25 min11 psi12 psi13 psi14 psi
Weighted-gauge pressure canner
Jar/productTime0–1,000 ftAbove 1,000 ft
Pints20 min10 psi15 psi
Quarts25 min10 psi15 psi

Two sealed quart jars of pressure-canned clear amber meat stock

Meat Stock — NCHFP

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Tested USDA/NCHFP pressure-canning directions for meat stock or broth.
Course: Soup/Meal
Cuisine: United States

Ingredients

Stock
  • prepared meat stock or broth skim excess fat before canning

Equipment

  • 1 Pressure canner Dial- or weighted-gauge pressure canner appropriate for altitude.
  • As needed Canning jars Pints or quarts; quantity depends on stock yield.
  • As needed Two-piece canning lids Use new flat lids and prepare according to manufacturer directions.

Directions

  1. Prepare stock from sound meat and bones, remove bones, cool, and skim excess fat.
  2. Reheat broth to boiling.
  3. Fill hot jars leaving 1-inch headspace.
  4. Pressure process pints 20 minutes or quarts 25 minutes.
  5. Dial 11/12/13/14 psi by altitude; weighted 10 psi through 1,000 ft and 15 psi above.
Keep this card open while you work. Ingredients and directions stay together on larger screens and stack clearly on phones.

Recipe Notes

Meat stock is low acid and requires pressure canning.
Exact source: https://nchfp.uga.edu/how/can/preparing-and-canning-poultry-red-meats-and-seafoods/meat-stock/

Questions or results?

Discuss this recipe with the canning community. Community comments do not replace the tested source or safety classification shown on this page.

Tried this recipe?

Share your results how it turned out.

How to serve meat stock

Use in soups, gravies, sauces, rice, braises, stuffing, and casseroles.

Meat stock questions

Can vegetables be added?

Use the stock formula as tested; add vegetables when preparing the final dish or follow a separate tested soup recipe.

Can I use a boiling-water canner?

No. This low-acid food requires pressure canning.

What if pressure drops?

Restore the required pressure and restart the full processing time.

Meat stock versus meat soup

Stock is strained liquid. Soup contains solid ingredients and follows a longer, separate process with specific fill rules.

Meat stock troubleshooting

Why is there fat on top?

Cool the stock and remove excess fat before reheating it to boiling for filling.

What if a jar does not seal?

Refrigerate promptly or follow authoritative reprocessing guidance within the permitted time.

Source & provenance

USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning, Guide 5, via NCHFP. Tested USDA home-canning process.

Editorial review: Supporting blocks checked against the official source on September 20, 2026. The WPRM recipe card was preserved.

Typical canning season

Season: All Year

Months: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December

How much of the main ingredient should I grow?

Not applicable as a garden crop; plan purchases or harvest separately

This recipe does not have a reliable garden conversion. Plan a purchase or harvest separately, and do not use garden estimates to alter the tested recipe.

Garden yields vary by cultivar, climate, soil, pests, and care. Always measure the exact prepared ingredient amount required by the tested canning recipe.

Share Your Canning Experience

Have you canned this recipe? Share your results, adjustments, and questions. For safety, please include your jar size, processing method, processing time, and altitude when relevant.

Recipe Rating




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