Canned meat can significantly increase your chances of survival: it can sustain high and low temperature, be ultimately nutritious, and cure your hunger in the wilderness. Canned meat can be anything, from beef, pork, fish, bacon, tuna, salmon, turkey, you name it. TO learn all about canned meat and its benefits to a survivor, read the following article.
Canned meat is one of the underrated products. It is good not only for survival situations but also for everyday life. It has a pleasant taste, is rich in useful microelements, and is easy to consume.
This article will tell you everything you need to know about canned meat and why it is such a great survival food.
For many, this may be a revelation, but the canned meats market is very diverse. You will find meat for every taste, and not just standard canned food familiar from childhood.
Below we will tell you about the best-canned foods in our opinion, which we advise you to stock up for an emergency.
TOP Best Canned Meat
Poultry Meat
Valley Fresh 100% Natural Turkey Breast
Valley Fresh Turkey Breast cans are ideal for turkey soup as they are 100% turkey breast. Valley Fresh Natural Turkey Breast may be blended with egg noodles and veggies for a perfectly delicious meal.
Kirkland Signature Premium Chunk Chicken Breast
Canned Beef
Armour Corned Beef Hash
- straight from the can
- frying in a pan.
The first method is also acceptable, but when you get a toasted crisp on corned beef, it is a real delight.
It is important to get the calories you need when camping or surviving, and it is easy to do that with a couple of eggs and Armor Corned Beef Hash for breakfast.
Each serving of this meat is high in fat, sodium, and 22 g of protein.
Hormel Beef Tamales
Hormel Beef Tamales are great on their own or paired with a side dish. For example, try stirring with red beans. If the dish looks bland to you, just add Tabasco or another hot sauce.
Hormel Beef Tamales are great for diversifying your diet.
Keystone Canned Beef
Keystone Canned Beef is available in 14.5 oz cans. We think this is a plus, as one serving is just enough for one meal, and you do not need to think about where to store an open can.
Sausages And Spam
Armour Vienna Sausages
Hormel SPAM
Hormel SPAM is rich in fat, protein, and calories, as well as nitrite and sodium (but canned meats cannot be without them).
Hormel Spam has an affordable price, which comes in handy when you buy many products for future use.
Pork And Ham
Armour Banner Sausage
Armor Banner Sausage is a good choice for a long trip, hike, or picnic. Ignore the picture on the Armor Banner Sausage packaging, meat inside the can is not presliced.
Butterfield Farms Diced Canned Ham
Butterfield Farms Diced Canned Ham is high in salt. If you think the ham is too salty, you may pre-rinse it underwater to rinse off excess salt.
This ham has a nice texture, so it seems like a winning option for us.
Dak Premium Canned Ham
We recommend buying Dak Premium Canned Ham online as you can often find attractive deals on this product.
This canned ham is a fairly popular family choice.
Seafood
StarKist Solid White Albacore Tuna in Water
StarKist Solid, White Albacore tuna, is rich in proteins and microelements. The presence of water provides a dense texture and a lighter flavor to this tuna sort.
StarKist Solid White Albacore is easy to use in salads, casseroles, and sandwiches.
Wild Planet Wild Sardines in Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Wild Planet Wild Sardines can be shared with someone else and eaten as a sandwich with dark bread or crackers.
Genova Yellowfin Tuna in Pure Olive Oil
And of course, Genova Yellowfin Tuna is rich in protein and omega-3s.
Best Bulk Deal: All-Natural Mixed Canned Meats By Survival Cave
Canned Meats By Survival Cave does not add fillers or preservatives, so it is an excellent health choice. Meat contains only natural healthy protein, without growth hormones.
Read these reviews and see that these canned meats are also delicious.
And the bonus is that you can order a bulk of Canned Meats By Survival Cave at once at the best prices. In one fell swoop, you will fill all your shelves and get a quality supply of meat.
What is Canned Meat
You definitely saw canned meat on the stores’ shelves, and more than once bought canned tuna for salads. But canned tuna or canned ham is not everything that it has to offer.
For the canned meat process, heat is used, which destroys microorganisms that could spoil the product. Therefore, it can be stored for a very long time. This product is high in protein.
There is a huge variety of canned meats on the market, with many online and grocery store options.
We recommend stocking up on canned meat for survival situations and using them to prepare various delicious dishes in everyday life.
What features of canned meat should you pay attention to?
Shelf life
Always keep an eye on the current expiration date of your canned food. A good inventory strategy may make this easier. Put new products at the further corner of your shelf, so you will take foods that stay longer and gradually replace them with new ones, like “first-in, first-out.” You should read more about storage rack organization methods here.
Check all canned meats and their shelf life periodically, see that the cans are in good condition and do not rust or leak.
Proper storage may extend the life of canned meat by 5 years after the expiration date. And the conditions of this storage are not so difficult. You need to place the cans in a dark and dry place, such as a cellar or pantry, and keep the temperature no more than 75 degrees.
High Sodium Content
A point to pay attention to, especially if you are monitoring the amount of salt you consume. In the preservation and canning process, a lot of salt is added to kill the harmful bacteria. In addition to salt itself, various spice mixtures are added, which also contain salt.
If you are looking for a low sodium diet, then you need to compensate for the high salt content in canned meats with something else. For example, if you are preparing a salad, you should not add additional salt but mix it with fresh vegetables.
There are low sodium canned meats. Take a look at them.
Note that pre-flavored canned meats contain more salt than regular meats.
Various Meat Packaging
- jars;
- cans;
- foil packets.
If you are canning meat or other foods at home on your own, you will most likely use glass jars. Metal is used in industrial production.
Previously, tin was widely used for cans, but now it has been replaced by steel coated with food-grade plastic to protect foods from unpleasant odors and corrosion.
This packaging has many advantages:
- takes up less space;
- produces less waste;
- lighter in weight than glass or metal jars;
- some packages may be resealable (but then you will need to put them in the refrigerator);
- less water required for packaging;
- no airspace required;
- withstands high temperature and pressure.
All this allows manufacturers to make a product of higher quality and use fewer additional fillers for this.
Fillers And Preservatives in Canning
In canned meat, you cannot do without preservatives. This is necessary to avoid mold and bacteria, and it also increases the shelf life of the product. We already mentioned that manufacturers add a lot of salt, but they also use nitrates and nitrites.
Unfortunately, not all people are tolerant of preservatives. Some may have allergies. Therefore, you need to be careful when choosing canned food. An alternative is sodium ascorbate. But it is not possible to completely replace nitrites since this is an immediate part of meat preservation.
Serving size and meat packaging
It is important to keep a balance in this matter. Yes, the larger the package, the cheaper the meat may cost you. But remember that if you open the package and do not finish the meat, you will have to keep it in the refrigerator; otherwise, the meat will spoil very quickly. Therefore, large cans are worth buying only if you are confident that you can store them further under the necessary conditions or eat them at a time (for example, if you are with a family). If you rely only on yourself, then it is better to take smaller packages.
Transporting large cans may be another problem. They may be a real burden in your backpack, but they may be distributed among the group members if the packages are smaller. Which, in truth, will increase the amount of packaging material.
When calculating meal storage per person, you also have to be careful. In addition to meat, canned food may include broth or gravy, which reduces the amount of meat and protein in a serving.
If you plan for meals and nutrition for survival situations, we advise you to consider options that use the entire contents of canned food, including gravy, and not just meat. This will cut down on unused food leftovers.
Why Canned Meat is Better For Survival Food
We will look at three reasons why canned meats are better suited as survival food:
- Preservation
- Sterilization
- Convenience.
1. Meat Preservation
This is an awesome feature for survivalists as it allows products to be kept at a simple room temperature without additional refrigeration. Even without electricity, you will have a non-perishable supply of food rich in fat and protein. Canned meat may remain edible for many years.
2. Meat Sterilization
The meat goes through this process to increase its shelf life. Just remember that the meat stays fresh until you open the package. Then it must be stored in the refrigerator or eaten at a time.
3. Convenience
Canned meats are one of the most convenient foods for survival. All you need to do is open the jar and eat straight from it. The meat is already pre-cooked and even sliced. You may eat straight from the can, or you can mix the meat with additional foods. This can save you clean dishes.
But remember that you cannot eat only meat, diversify your diet with freeze-dried meals.
DIY Canned Meat
When you are canning fruit, you use a water bath, and its temperature only reaches 212deg. Meat needs a higher temperature, so you need to purchase a Pressure Canner. It can help you achieve temperatures above 250deg. At this temperature, bacteria in the meat will die.
Make sure your canning jars can withstand this temperature.
You may find suitable recipes on various specialist sites, such as The National Center for Home Food Preservation.
The most important thing in the conservation process is to follow recipe instructions and not skip the cleaning process strictly. Disinfection of dishes, cans is the first thing that you must do and do very carefully. After all, no matter how much you sterilize the meat, you cannot avoid bacterial contamination if it gets into a dirty jar.
Be careful. Then you will succeed.
Using Canned Meat Products in Recipes
Cooking a variety of dishes with canned meats can be just as fun as with fresh meat.
We will tell you how you may play with this meat and fish’s taste interestingly. Even if you have an outdated view of canned food as dog food, we are sure that you will want to try some options.
Canned meat is pre-processed, so cooking with it is very quick and easy. Even a kid can handle it.
So, here is what you can cook:
- The simplest and first thing that comes to mind is frying until crisp;
- Quick snacks using crackers, bread, and cheese;
- Salads, find your favorite combination, such as tuna and corn salad;
- Chicken sandwiches, beef, or fish products, or even sandwiches with chicken salad;
- Casseroles such as chicken with pasta or corned beef with potatoes;
- SPAM musubi, be sure to try this recipe;
- Soups;
- Breakfasts, as an idea — potatoes with eggs and chicken or beef;
- Mexican dishes, great for adding beef along with spices to a quesadilla or taco.
Best Canned Meat Summary
Canned meat is usually underestimated in everyday life, but it is a perfect form of the product that can make your life easier. By mixing different ingredients, you can diversify your menu.
There is a wide selection of canned pork, fish, beef, and chicken on the Internet and in your grocery store. You can definitely choose something to your taste.
It is a rich source of protein and calories. Make sure you take this into account when planning your meals.
If you are shopping for your bunker or emergency food supply, check out bulk deals that can be found online.
Canned foods are a great way of stocking products as it does not need refrigeration, just put in a cool, dark place, and the food will last for a long time.
Frequently Asked Questions – FAQ
Are canned meats bad for you?
Not if you choose the right one. In our article, you will find options for the best products that are free of harmful substances. But if you are monitoring your salt intake, it is better to take options with lower content, such as Wild Planet Wild Sardines in Olive Oil. Canned meats are rich in protein, fats, and carbs.
Does canned meat taste good?
Yes, the main thing is to find your product or brand. In general, we believe that almost every canned meat can be delicious if you add a couple of ingredients or fry a slice in a pan. Experiment with texture, mix ingredients, and be sure to get «your taste and flavor.» There is a wide selection on the market, so you will definitely find your favorite.
Is there canned beef?
Of course, there is. Canned beef can be found in almost any grocery store. We recommend checking out Armor Corned Beef Hash, Hormel Beef Tamales, or Keystone brand. You will find a low sodium content product from the latest manufacturer.
What is canned meat made of?
Always check the composition of the product before purchasing. In the good, you will find meat, salt, spices, water. Other preservatives are often used because, unfortunately, nowhere without them. Sugar is sometimes added.
Why should you choose canned meats?
It is a completely sterilized product with a long shelf life. It is a very convenient survival food. It is pre-prepared and does not require any additional processing. You can eat directly from the package. But lots of variations are also available – salads, omelets, casseroles, soups, snacks.
