Canning Pork in Spicy Broth (Ball Recipe)

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Roast pork in spicy broth is one of Ball Canning’s best pressure canning recipes, and it’s well worth a spot on your pantry shelf. One jar gives you tender pork, a well seasoned broth, and a head start on everything from quick bowls of soup to crispy taco filling.

Why You’ll Love This Meal in a Jar Canning Recipe!
A Quick Look at the Recipe
Ingredients for Canning Roast Pork
Canning Roast Pork in Spicy Broth
Altitude Adjustments
Serving Ideas
Pork Canning FAQs
Meal in a Jar Canning Recipes
Roast Pork in Spicy Broth (Ball Canning Recipe)
Pork Canning Recipes

This recipe has been reviewed for safety and accuracy by a Master Food Preserver certified through the University of Cornell Cooperative Extension.

Ball Canning’s recipe for Roast Pork in Spicy Broth is incredibly popular with home canners, and if you ask for favorite recipes on any pressure canning forum, this recipe is usually one of the most common replies.

This recipe starts with a quick roast to build real flavor before the pork ever goes into the jar, and that little step makes all the difference. The broth is warm and savory with garlic and oregano, with just enough crushed red pepper to keep it interesting without making it too spicy.

It’s one of my favorite recipes from the All New Ball Book of Canning and Preserving (2016).

Quart jars of canned pork on a white countertop. — Canning Roast Pork (Ball Canning Recipe)

Why You’ll Love This Meal in a Jar Canning Recipe!

While I love plain canned pork shoulder, this recipe gives you so much more. The quick roast gives the meat a browned, savory depth, and the broth has enough seasoning that the jar feels like a complete building block, not just meat stored in liquid. Even months later, when I crack one open, it still smells like something I cooked on purpose.

What makes this one especially useful is how flexible it is after canning. You can heat it and serve it like a brothy pork soup, or you can turn it into crispy taco-style pork with almost no effort. One jar can become dinner in the time it takes to warm tortillas.

A man holding a bowl of pork shoulder for a pork canning recipe, with a dog nearby. — Pork shoulder chopped into cubes for canning

A Quick Look at the Recipe

Recipe Name: Pork in Spicy Broth
Recipe Type: Meal in a Jar Canning Recipe
Canning Method: Pressure Canning
Prep/Cook Time: 1 hours roasting pork
Canning Time: 75 Min for Pints, 90 Minutes for Quarts
Yield: 3 quarts or 6 pints
Jar Sizes: Pint or Quart
Headspace: 1 inch
Ingredients Overview: Pork, Onion, Spices and Broth.
Safe Canning Recipe Source: University of Alaska Hearty Soups Canning Protocol
Difficulty: Easy! Be sure to roast the meat before packing in jars for best quality.
Similar Recipes: The process is very similar to making other homemade meal in a jar canning recipes, including Chicken and Gravy Meal in a Jar, Pot Roast in a Jar, and Beef Stroganoff. The meal itself is similar to other taco meat canning recipes, like Chipotle Beef Taco Meat or Chicken Taco Meat.

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Ingredients for Canning Roast Pork

This recipe is simple on purpose: a handful of pantry spices, a good broth, and a forgiving cut of pork that stays tender after pressure canning. Ball Canning wrote it as a small batch recipe to make just three quarts, but I multiply it and make big batches of it. (My All American Brand 930 will hold 14 quarts or 19 pints.)

You’ll need the following to make this recipe:

Pork shoulder (Boston butt): This cut stays tender and juicy after pressure canning, and the cubes hold up well in the jar.
Salt (split): Part seasons the pork before roasting, and the rest flavors the broth so everything tastes balanced.
Black pepper: Adds mild bite without competing with the oregano and garlic.
Canola oil: Helps the pork brown in the oven and adds just enough richness to carry flavor.
Chicken bone broth: Gives the jars a savory base with body, so the liquid is worth using.
Onion: Softens into the broth and adds sweetness and depth.
Crushed red pepper: Brings gentle heat that infuses the broth while the jars sit.
Dried oregano: The main herb note, and it pairs especially well with taco-style serving ideas.
Garlic: Adds the kind of flavor that still shows up after canning.

You can absolutely tweak the flavor profile while keeping the method the same. If you want to change the seasoning, swap in similar “dry spice” options like smoked paprika, ground cumin, or a touch of chipotle powder for smoky heat, and you can trade oregano for thyme if that’s what you have. The key is keeping it in the same general category of dried herbs and spices so you’re not changing the texture or thickening the liquid.

The broth is also flexible, since it’s really there for both flavor and moisture. Chicken bone broth gives the richest body and it’s the easiest to come by, but pork broth, rib broth or beef broth are good choices too. Vegetable broth will also work in a pinch.

Just pay attention to salt levels, because a heavily salted broth can make the finished jars taste overly salty. This recipe is designed for an unsalted or low sodium broth.

If you’re swapping the meat, this recipe is happiest with cuts that stay tender under long processing. For pork, pork shoulder (Boston butt) is still the best choice because it keeps a moist, shreddable texture, while leaner cuts like loin can can up noticeably drier. You can use this same seasoned broth if canning ribs or canning sausage as well, and both stay nice and tender.

If you want to make a beef version, go with beef chuck or brisket, since both have enough connective tissue to become tender and flavorful in the jar.

Pork shoulder pieces on a tray for roasting before canning.

Canning Roast Pork in Spicy Broth

This is a hot pack pressure canning recipe, where you roast the pork and preserve it in a spicy broth with onions and seasonings. Don’t skip the roasting process, it’s essential to building good flavor, and maintaining texture after canning.

Roasted meat holds up better through the canning process, but is still tender in the center. The best of both worlds!

Roast the pork

Heat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Season the pork cubes with 1 teaspoon of the salt and the pepper, then toss with the oil until coated. Spread the pieces out in a single layer on a foil-lined rimmed sheet pan. Roast for about 30 minutes, just until you see browning starting around the edges.

Build the broth

While the pork is in the oven, combine the broth, onion, crushed red pepper, oregano, garlic, and the remaining salt in a 4-quart pot. Bring it up to a boil, then lower the heat, cover, and let it simmer briefly (about 5 minutes) so the flavors start to blend.

Fill hot jars

Get your pressure canner set up and keep jars hot. Add roasted pork to each jar, dividing it evenly between the jars, then pour the hot broth mixture over the pork. Leave 1 inch of headspace.

Run a bubble remover around the inside of the jar, re-check headspace, wipe rims, and apply lids and bands fingertip-tight.

Load the canner and vent

Place jars on the rack in a pressure canner that contains 2 inches of hot water (simmering, not boiling). Lock the lid, bring the canner to a strong flow of steam, and vent for 10 minutes before adding the weight or closing the vent.

Process

Once venting is complete, bring the canner to the correct pressure (see altitude adjustments below). Once at pressure, process jars as follows:

Pints: 1 hour 15 minutes (75 Minutes)
Quarts: 1 hour 30 minutes (90 Minutes)

When the time is up, turn off the heat and let the canner return to zero pressure naturally. After it reaches zero, wait 5 more minutes, then open the lid away from your face.

Cool jars

Let the jars rest in the open canner for about 10 minutes, then lift them out and cool undisturbed for 12–24 hours. Check seals, label, and store.

Altitude Adjustments

With pressure canning, the processing times stay the same at higher altitudes, but the pressures change. Here are the altitude adjustments for pressure canning:

For dial gauge pressure canners:

0 to 2,000 feet in elevation – 11 lbs pressure
2,001 to 4,000 feet in elevation – 12 lbs pressure
4,001 to 6,000 feet in elevation – 13 lbs pressure
6,001 to 8,000 feet in elevation – 14 lbs pressure

For weighted gauge pressure canners:

0 to 1,000 feet in elevation – 10 lbs pressure
Above 1,000 feet – 15 lbs pressure

Three Jars of Ball Canning's recipe for roast pork in spicy broth.

Serving Ideas

I honestly love this recipe anywhere you’d use well seasoned pork. That said, Ball Canning has specific instructions on turning this roast pork into pulled pork carnitas that are perfect for tacos, nachos or burritos.

To turn a pint jar into taco filling, start by pouring the contents into a saucepan. Bring it to a boil, then lower the heat and let it cook uncovered for about 10 minutes to concentrate the flavor.

Strain the pork into a bowl and save the broth. Shred the pork with two forks, then spread it on a foil-lined baking sheet. Bake at 375°F (190°C) for about 20 minutes, until you get crispy edges.

Serve the pork in warmed corn or flour tortillas with fresh cilantro and lime wedges. For toppings, I like shredded cheese, finely diced white onion, and something bright like chipotle tomatillo salsa or southwest corn salsa, and lime pickled onions. If the meat needs a little moisture, spoon a bit of the reserved broth over the pork right before serving.

Pork Canning FAQs

Do I have to use pork shoulder, or can I substitute another cut of meat?

Pork shoulder is the best choice for both quality because it stays tender and moist after processing. Lean cuts like pork loin can turn dry and stringy in the jar. If you do use another cut, keep the piece size, headspace, and processing instructions exactly the same, but expect a different texture. In terms of canning safety, any cut of pork (or beef) is perfectly fine in this recipe. Beef Chuck is a good substitute if choosing another protein.

How do I serve it as tacos (and get crispy edges)?

Warm the jar in a saucepan, bring to a boil, then simmer uncovered for 10 minutes. Strain the pork, save the broth, shred the meat, then bake it on a foil-lined sheet at 375°F for about 20 minutes until crisp at the edges. Serve in warm tortillas with cilantro and lime, and add your favorite toppings (onion, queso fresco, salsa, pickled radishes).

Can I process pork in a water bath canner?

No. Meat is a low-acid food, so this recipe must be pressure canned to reach temperatures high enough for safe preservation. A boiling water canner can’t get hot enough for meat, even if there’s plenty of broth or seasoning.