Canning Turkey and Gravy Meal in a Jar
Canning turkey and gravy turns leftover roast turkey into a meal in a jar, with potatoes and onions in a seasoned broth. Thicken the broth into gravy and serve it over the turkey and vegetables.
Servings: 12 servings, makes 3 quarts
Equipment
- Pint or quart canning jars
- Canning lids and bands
- Slotted spoon
- Bubble remover
Ingredients
- 6 cups cooked turkey shredded, dark or white meat, see notes
- 2 cups potatoes peeled and diced
- 2 cups onions chopped
- 2 tsp salt or a non-clouding salt substitute
- 2 tsp poultry seasoning
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup dry white wine or more broth
- 4 cups turkey broth hot, or chicken broth, see notes
Instructions
- Prepare the pressure canner, jars, lids, and bands, and keep the jars hot.
- Pick the cooked turkey off the bones and shred it into bite-size pieces, leaving out the skin, bones, and gristle.
- Peel and dice the potatoes, and chop the onions.
- Put the turkey, potatoes, and onions in a large pot with the salt, poultry seasoning, pepper, and wine, and add enough broth to cover.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Keep extra broth hot for topping off the jars.
- Use a slotted spoon to fill the hot jars with turkey and vegetables to about 1 inch from the rim, full but not jam-packed.
- Ladle hot broth over the solids, leaving 1 inch headspace.
- Remove air bubbles, check the headspace again, and top up with hot broth to keep 1 inch.
- Wipe the rims, set the lids on, and apply the bands fingertip tight.
- Load the jars into the pressure canner, lock the lid, and vent a steady stream of steam for 10 minutes before adding the weight or closing the petcock.
- Process at 10 lbs pressure in a weighted gauge canner or 11 lbs in a dial gauge canner, quarts for 90 minutes or pints for 75 minutes, adjusting for altitude (see notes).
- Turn off the heat and let the canner return to zero pressure on its own. Remove the weight, wait 5 minutes, then remove the lid.
- Leave the jars in the canner 10 more minutes, then lift them onto a towel-lined counter to cool undisturbed for 12 to 24 hours.
- Check the seals, remove the bands, label the jars, and store them in a cool, dark place.
Notes
Recipe source: Ball's Chicken and Gravy Dinner in a Jar (The All New Ball Book of Canning and Preserving, first edition, pp. 274-275), packed hot under the hearty soup guidelines in University of Alaska Fairbanks Extension FNH-00065, Canning Soups and Sauces.
Yield: Fills 3 quarts or about 6 pints, from about 750 g turkey, 350 g potatoes, and 250 g onion.
Broth: About 3 cups ends up in the jars, with the rest for the pot.
Turkey: Use roast turkey within 3 to 4 days, if you refrigerated it promptly. For raw turkey, use the canning chicken and gravy recipe.
Substitutions: Celery can replace part of the onion, and carrots part of the potatoes, cup for cup. Don't add extra vegetables.
Do not add: Flour, cornstarch, butter, cream, noodles, or rice. Add them at serving.
Pressure canning only: Low acid. Minimum batch is 2 quarts or 4 pints.
To serve: Simmer the broth from a quart, stir in 2 Tbsp flour or 1 Tbsp cornstarch whisked into 1/4 cup cold water until thick, and serve over the warmed turkey and vegetables.
Altitude adjustments: The canning time is always 75 minutes for pints and 90 minutes for quarts, at any altitude. Only the pressure changes as you go up.
Dial Gauge Canners
- 0 to 2,000 feet: 11 lbs
- 2,001 to 4,000 feet: 12 lbs
- 4,001 to 6,000 feet: 13 lbs
- 6,001 to 8,000 feet: 14 lbs
- 0 to 1,000 feet: 10 lbs
- Above 1,000 feet: 15 lbs
Nutrition
Serving: 1cup | Calories: 139kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 50mg | Sodium: 660mg | Potassium: 361mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 14IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 27mg | Iron: 2mg