Canned Wabbit

[Captain_Sternn]

So, I make a mean red beans and rice using a pickled pork recipe and I got to thinking. What about pickling wild wabbit. Would a basic pickle brine followed by an unpressurized water bath work or does the meat so drastically alter the end pH that you need to pressure can it?

[CanNerd]

After pickling you would still need to process it in a Pressure Canner to preserve it, otherwise its got a short life in the refrigerator.

[Captain_Sternn]

Thanks for the reply.

I was under the impression that you only need to pressure can things with a high pH. Wouldn't the acid of the pickling solution make it unnecessary? Kinda like when you can tomatoes.

[CanNerd]

You've acquired some wrong information somewhere. It is "low-acid" foods that need to be processed in a Pressure Canner because those foods are a breeding ground for the C. Botulinum (Botulism) spore which is very heat resistant. Vegetables and meats are low-acid foods.

Normally pickling provides a sufficient "high-acid" environment that it will suppress the growth of the Botulism toxin, but it does not stop other kinds of bacterias, yeasts, molds and fungi from growing. To suppress some of that growth for short periods the pickled product should be "refrigerated". For pantry storage at room temperature the product MUST be pasteurized (spores of the nasties killed) usually by Boiling Water Processing (212 F) for a specified amount of time.

Pickled meat, however, is a denser and has other issues than vegetables and the food scientists state that it must be Pressure Canned if you want to store it on the shelf at room temperature. The pickling itself is not sufficient to protect it.

For further information:
http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/how/cure_smoke.html

BTW, tomatoes are no longer considered high-acid and all canning recipes require the addition of bottled lemon juice no matter what method of canning is used, Boiling Water or Pressure Canning.

[Captain_Sternn]

For further information:
http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/how/cure_smoke.html

Good info. Thanks.