Canning Pet Food

Making your own pet food saves you money and ensures that your pet gets high-quality ingredients that you can control. If you prepare pet food in bulk, you can freeze it or can the food for long-term storage. Canned pet food can last a year or more without refrigeration, if stored in a cool, dry place. Since pressure canners are the only safe way to can meat-based foods, according to the United States Department of Agriculture Home Canning Guide, invest in one to quickly and safely can your homemade pet foods.

Things You'll Need

  • Pressure canner
  • Homemade pet food
  • Mason jars
  • Jar lids
  • Jar bands
  • Jar lifter
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Instructions

    • 1

      Prepare your homemade pet food using fresh meats such as chicken, fish, beef or rabbit, and a mix of vitamins, vegetables or grains, as specified in your pet food recipe. Many commercially available canned pet foods contain byproducts of human food production, so using fresh ingredients ensures that you know the origin of all ingredients in your pet's food. Remove as much fat from meats because excess fats can contaminate the seal of the jar.

    • 2

      Add the pet food mixture to the mason jars. You do not need to pre-sterlize the empty jars or lids when using a pressure canner.

    • 3

      Remove air bubbles in the jar with a plastic spatula. Leave a headspace of 1 1/4 inch at the top of the jar and wipe the rim with a damp paper towel. Check can lids for dents or sealing defects in the gasket. Place the lid, gasket down, on the jar. Fit the screw-band over the lid and tighten.

    • 4

      Add 2 to 3 inches of hot water to the pressure canner and place the rack inside. Lift each jar with a jar lifter, gripping the jar below the screw band. Keep the jars upright and place into the pressure canner rack. Place the lid on the canner and fasten it securely.

    • 5

      Leave the vent on the canning lid open and heat at the highest setting. When steam begins to flow from the vent, let it flow continuously for 10 minutes. Begin the pressurizing process by placing a weight on the vent or closing the petcock.

    • 6

      Check the pressure gauge and begin the timing process once the desired pressure is reached. For recipes containing chicken, turkey, beef, rabbit, lamb or venison, the pressure recommended is usually 11 PSI for a dial-gauge pressure canner and 10 PSI for a weighted gauge one (at sea level). Adjust the pressure depending on your location, increasing 1 PSI for every 2000 feet of altitude.

    • 7

      Run the canner for the time recommended by your manufacturer, usually 75 minutes for pints and 90 minutes for quarts. Check the gauge during pressurization to ensure a constant pressure at or above the recommended level is maintained during the process. If the pressure goes below this level, bring the pressure back up to the correct level and begin timing the process from the beginning, using the original process time.

    • 8

      Turn off the heat from when the timing is complete, remove the canner from the burner and allow it to depressurize. Allow 30 minutes for pints and 45 minutes for quarts.

    • 9

      Remove the weight from the vent port or open the petcock. Wait 10 minutes and remove the canner lid.

    • 10

      Remove the jars with the jar lifter and place on a towel or rack. Leave at least one inch between jars for proper cooling. Let the jars sit at room temperature for 12 to 24 hours.

    • 11

      Test the seal on each jar by pressing on the center of the lid. If the lid pops up after pressing on its center, it is not sealed properly and needs resealing in the pressure canner. Store the jars in a cool, dark cabinet.