Beef               |            |           |           |
Pork               |  3 hrs.    |   3 hrs.  |  2 hrs.   |    1 hr. 
Veal and all       |            |           |           |
other meats      |            |           |           |
Poultry and game   |            |           |           |

All meat stocks    |            |           |           |
with or without    |  11/2 hrs.   |  75 min.  |   1 hr.   |   40 min.
vegetables and     |            |           |           |
cereals            |            |           |           |

NOTE.—­This time-table is for No. 2 and No. 3 tin cans or pint and quart glass jars.  If larger cans or jars are used more time must be allowed for the sterilizing.  If canning in tin, scratch on the can at the time of sealing the initial of the contents.  For instance—­S.R. means spareribs; G. means goulash; R.B. means roast beef.  You can make out your list and mark accordingly.

CHAPTER VIII

FISH

People in some sections of the country are interested in canning mountain trout and others live where there is an abundant supply of either fresh-water fish or salt-water fish.  Heretofore we have been wasteful and lax about the fish supply.  But as we have learned to can vegetables and meats so we are going to learn to can fish.  Fish is really canned the same in every step after preparation as peas and corn are canned.

In order to have a good product, fish must be fresh when canned.  No time should be lost in handling the fish after being caught.  Putrefaction starts rapidly, and the fish must be handled promptly.  The sooner it is canned after being taken from lake, stream or ocean, the better.  Never attempt to can any fish that is stale.

PREPARATION OF FISH FOR CANNING

As soon as fish are caught it is advisable to kill them with a knife and allow the blood to run out.  Scale fish.  This is easily done if the fish is dipped in boiling water.  For canning, most varieties of fish need not be skinned.  If the fish is very large and coarse, the large back fin may be cut out and the backbone removed, but with most varieties this is unnecessary.  Cut off the head and tail, being careful to leave no more meat than necessary on the parts removed.  Remove the entrails and the dark membrane that in some fish (e.g., mullets) covers the abdominal cavity.  Thoroughly clean the inside.  The head may be cleaned and used for fish chowder.

If you wish to be sure that all blood is drawn out before canning, place the fish in a brine made of one ounce of salt to one quart of water.  Allow the fish to soak from 10 minutes to 1 hour according to the thickness of the fish.  Never use this brine but once.  If the meat of the fish is very soft or loose, it may be hardened by soaking in a brine (strong enough to float an Irish potato) for from 15 minutes to an hour, depending on the thickness of the pieces and the softness of the flesh.