Canned Beef Stew

Your Key Ingredient:

NESCO Smart Canner

Grocery Ingredients:

  • 4.5 pounds beef stew meat, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
  • 1 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 12 cups cubed, peeled potatoes (about 12 medium)
  • 8 cups sliced carrots (about 16 small)
  • 3 cups chopped celery (about 5 stalks)
  • 3 cups chopped onion (about 4 small)
  • 1.5 tablespoons salt
  • 1 teaspoons dried thyme
  • 0.5 teaspoons black pepper
  • 8 cups boiling water

Directions:

  1. Prep canner and jars: Prepare your NESCO Smart Canner. Heat jars in simmering (not boiling) water until ready to use. Wash lids in warm, soapy water and set bands aside.
  2. Brown the meat: Heat 1 tablespoons vegetable oilin a large saucepot and brown the 5 pounds beef stew meat, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes in batches.
  3. Add vegetables and seasonings: Add 12 cups cubed, peeled potatoes (about 12 medium), 8 cups sliced carrots (about 16 small), 3 cups chopped celery (about 5 stalks), 3 cups chopped onion (about 4 small), 5 tablespoons salt, 1 teaspoons dried thyme, and 0.5 teaspoons black pepperto the browned meat. Cover everything with 8 cups boiling water (approximate, to cover). Bring to a boil, then remove from heat.
  4. Fill jars: Ladle the hot stew into hot jars, leaving 1 inch headspace. Remove air bubbles, wipe rims clean, center a hot lid on each jar, and apply the band until fingertip tight.
  5. Load canner: Place the liner pot in the canner with the wire rack on the bottom, feet down.
    Load the filled jars onto the rack.
  6. Add water and close lid: Add water to the canner as directed by your NESCO manual for pressure canning (commonly around 8 cups, hot or cold depending on jar/content temperature). Close the lid to CLOSED.
  7. Set pressure and time: Select High pressure canning for low-acid foods. Press Time+ and set 75 minutes for pints or 90 minutes for quarts. Set the Pressure Limiting Valve to Exhaust. Confirm the pressure your unit holds on High matches the tested pressure for your altitude (10 lbs at 0-1,000 ft weighted-gauge, or higher above that — check your manual).
  8. Begin venting: Press Start. The panel LEDs rotate as steam vents for up to 30 minutes; the unit beeps and shows E10 once temperature is reached, then counts down to 0.
  9. Seal valve to begin processing: Switch the Pressure Limiting Valve to Airtight; the unit resumes and begins the processing countdown.
  10. Process: Let the process time count down fully — 90 minutes for quarts, 75 min for pints. Steam release during this phase is normal. The canner will beep three times and display OFF when done.
  11. Depressurize, cool, and check seals: Turn off heat and let the canner cool to zero pressure on its own — do not force it. Let jars stand 5 more minutes, then cool in the canner another 10 minutes before removing. Cool jars completely on a towel, undisturbed. Check seals after 24 hours — the lid center should not flex when pressed.

 

Canning method: Pressure canning \ 75 min (pints) / 90 min (quarts) at 10 lbs pressure (adjust pressure for altitude)