Today I'm Canning Pork

The other day I sat at my kitchen table enjoying a cup of coffee and browsing through my local grocery store sale ad for this week.  I noticed they had boneless country style pork ribs on sale for $1.99 a pound.  I don't know how it is in other parts of the country, but you can't hardly ever find any kind of meat for that price here any more.  I told Oldest Son about the sale and he said he would stop on his way home from work yesterday and get some.

So late yesterday afternoon Son came in the door with just a bit under 28 lbs. of pork.  He said he cleaned out their display.  I know from past experience that when the store runs a sale on this kind of meat, it isn't the neat, evenly cut pieces that one usually gets.  Some of the pieces are large and thick while others are smaller.  It isn't as free of fat as pork loin, but the fatty bits are small and easily trimmed.  There is very little waste.

After supper I browned the pieces of pork in my cast iron frying pan.  I  could have skipped this part, but I think it helps keep the meat moist and adds to the flavor.  It was too late in the evening to start canning, so the meat went into the fridge overnight.

This morning I put the meat pieces into 9x13 cake pans and into the oven for 15 minutes just to warm them before packing into the jars.  I wound up with 18 quarts of pork.  I will use them like I might a pork roast.  One quart jar will yield one nice pork roast meal for one or two people with leftovers for sandwiches or soup.  I think that's well worth the time and money.