grey canned chicken - Ask Extension
I recently canned some chicken thighs in a weighted pressure cooker according to directions. To my surprize the chicken not submerged in its own broth...
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grey canned chicken #289541
Asked November 09, 2015, 3:47 PM EST
I recently canned some chicken thighs in a weighted pressure cooker according to directions. To my surprize the chicken not submerged in its own broth looks dark colored (brown/grey ) from the inside out. It is well sealed. I checked for concave lid,pressed on the lid-it did not pop up and lastly I tapped it with a spoon-it made a high pitch sound. Not sure what to make of it. Thank you for your time. I hope I put enough information. My question is why did this happen and is it safe to eat? Thanks again. Wendy -New to canning.
Multnomah County Oregon
Expert Response
This is quite common with most meats when canned raw. It shows up more on the light colored poultry. It is just from the air exposure in the jar. It gets a little worse during storage, but it is safe. It won't change the flavor or texture much, but, as you have noticed, it doesn't look great.
You could add a little liquid (water or broth) to the jars when processing, in case the natural juices aren't enough to fully cover the meat pieces, but most people don't.
It sounds like you are doing everything right.
You could add a little liquid (water or broth) to the jars when processing, in case the natural juices aren't enough to fully cover the meat pieces, but most people don't.
It sounds like you are doing everything right.
