Protein!

Since my wife first started canning on a whim last summer, we have done a fairly good job of embracing the canning lifestyle.  Without getting all 'holier than thou' since perfection and I ARE NOT on speaking terms...I'm not sure how you can be a proper prepper without canning.  Or at least without knowing how to can.  I'm not sure it makes sense for someone like me to go buy green beans or corn on the cob, and process them into cans at home...it's probably much more economical to buy flats of cans, or #10 cans, or dehydrated corn...but it's reassuring to know that I do have the skill, and have proven it by canning things I've grown in my own garden.

One things lacking in our preparations is a lot of protein.  My wife likes to point out that beans and rice ARE a complete protein, but...well, it's just not the same as MEAT.  We have some store bought cans of tuna, and chicken, and chili...but that's about it.  After that it's up to me to provide fresh meat for the stew pot...which is fine as long as my wife doesn't ask what the meat is being added to the pot.

Unless we start canning our own meat.  Which I did today. 

 

It actually makes sense from more than just a 'prepper' standpoint.  Canned ground beef is much more user friendly than frozen ground beef....no thawing...just crack open a jar and heat it up for whatever use you want.  Plus, with all the Doom and Gloom about how much food prices might go up because of the drought, it's a good way of stocking up while stuff is cheap.  Today I bought 9 pounds of ground beef for $2.40 a pound at Fred Meyers.  I ended up with 7 full pints, and enough left over to stretch some re-fried beans into some tasty nachos.  

Hopefully, I am successful this hunting season, and I can use this practice to can some venison stew meat this fall.