How to Pressure Can Stock
Homemade stock is one of the most useful things you can keep on hand in the kitchen. It adds flavor to soups, stews, gravies, sauces, rice, beans, and braised dishes, and when it is already canned and sitting on the pantry shelf, it makes cooking that much easier.
Fresh stock does not last long in the refrigerator, and freezer space fills up quickly. Pressure canning gives you a safe, shelf-stable way to preserve it, so you can make a large batch and enjoy it for months to come.
The process is the same whether you are canning beef stock, chicken stock, turkey stock, or bone broth, as long as what goes into the jar is a strained liquid with no solids.
Why Stock Must Be Pressure Canned
Stock is a low-acid food, which means it cannot be safely canned in a boiling water bath. It must be processed in a pressure canner so the temperature gets high enough to destroy harmful bacteria and make the jars shelf stable.
That is why this is not an optional step. For stock, a pressure canner is the safe method.
Before You Begin
Before you start canning, your stock should already be made and ready to go. It needs to be:
fully cooked
well strained
free of bones, meat, vegetables, herbs, or other solids
not thickened with flour, starch, cream, or milk
skimmed of excess fat
If your stock has a thick layer of fat on top, chill it first and remove as much of that fat as you can before reheating. A little fat is normal, but too much can interfere with sealing.
This method is for clear liquid stock or broth only.
What You Need
Pressure canner
Canning jars, pints or quarts
New lids and clean rings
Jar lifter
Ladle
Bubble remover or nonmetal spatula
Clean damp cloth
Towel or cooling rack for finished jars
A pressure cooker is not the same as a pressure canner. For shelf-stable canning, use a true pressure canner.
Processing Times for Stock
Stock is processed at the same time regardless of the type of stock.
Pints: 20 minutes
Quarts: 25 minutes
Pressure for dial-gauge canners:
0 to 2,000 feet: 11 pounds
2,001 to 4,000 feet: 12 pounds
4,001 to 6,000 feet: 13 pounds
6,001 to 8,000 feet: 14 pounds
Step-by-Step: How to Pressure Can Stock
1. Prepare the jars and canner
Wash your jars, lids, and rings in hot soapy water and rinse well. Check the jars for any chips or cracks, especially around the rim. Even a small defect can prevent a proper seal.
Keep the jars hot until you are ready to fill them. You can do this by leaving them in hot water, in a warm dishwasher, or according to your usual canning routine. Hot stock should go into hot jars, which helps prevent temperature shock.
Place the rack in the bottom of your pressure canner and add the amount of water recommended by your canner manufacturer. Many canners use about 2 to 3 inches of water, but follow your own canner’s instructions.
At this stage, you are simply getting everything ready so once the stock is hot, the filling process goes smoothly.
2. Reheat the stock until it is hot
Pour your strained stock into a clean pot and bring it up to a gentle simmer.
It does not need a hard boil. You just want it fully hot before it goes into the jars. Filling jars with hot stock helps the food process properly and keeps the temperature more stable inside the canner.
Take a moment here to look at the stock. This is the time to make sure no bits of meat, bone, vegetables, or herbs are still floating in it. If needed, strain it one more time.
3. Fill the hot jars
Using a ladle, pour the hot stock into the hot jars.
Leave 1 inch of headspace at the top of each jar. Headspace is the empty space between the surface of the stock and the rim of the jar. That space matters because the liquid expands during processing, and the jar needs room to vent properly and then form a seal as it cools.
If you overfill the jars, liquid may siphon out during processing. If you leave too much empty space, the jar may not seal as well. For stock, 1 inch is the correct headspace.
Work one jar at a time if that feels easier.
4. Remove air bubbles
Slide a bubble remover or a nonmetal spatula down the inside of the jar to release any trapped air bubbles.
This step is easy to skip, but it matters. Hidden air pockets can affect the true headspace inside the jar. Move the tool around the inside edge a few times, especially if you see bubbles rise to the top.
After removing bubbles, look at the headspace again. If the level dropped, add a little more hot stock to bring it back to 1 inch.
5. Wipe the rims and apply lids
Dip a clean cloth in water and wipe each jar rim well.
Even if the jars look clean, it is worth doing carefully. A bit of grease, stock, or fat on the rim can keep the lid from sealing.
Place the lid on the jar, then screw on the ring until it is fingertip tight. This means snug, but not forced. The lid needs to stay in place while still allowing air to escape during processing.
Overtightening the ring can cause sealing problems just as much as leaving it too loose.
6. Load the jars into the canner
Use a jar lifter to place the filled jars onto the rack inside the prepared pressure canner.
Keep the jars upright. Once all jars are in place, secure the canner lid according to the manufacturer’s directions.
Turn the heat on and let the canner heat up until a strong, steady column of steam begins coming from the vent.
7. Vent the canner for 10 minutes
Once the steam is flowing steadily, set a timer for 10 full minutes and let the canner vent.
This is one of the most important parts of pressure canning. Venting pushes ordinary air out of the canner so the inside environment reaches the proper temperature for safe processing. If air stays trapped inside, the canner may show pressure without actually reaching the temperature needed for safe canning.
After the full 10 minutes, place the weight on the vent pipe or close the petcock, depending on your canner style.
8. Bring the canner up to pressure
After venting, the pressure will begin to rise.
Watch the canner carefully and bring it up to the correct pressure for your canner type and elevation. Once the canner reaches the right pressure, that is when you start the processing time.
Do not start timing early.
For stock, process:
Pints for 20 minutes
Quarts for 25 minutes
9. Maintain steady pressure during processing
This part is where attention matters most.
The pressure needs to stay at or slightly above the correct level for the entire processing time. If the pressure drops below the required level at any point, the food has not been processed safely, and the timing must be started over from the beginning once proper pressure is reached again.
Try not to chase the pressure with constant big heat changes. Small adjustments work better. After a few batches, you will get a feel for where your stove needs to be.
With a weighted-gauge canner, listen for the proper rocking pattern recommended for your canner. With a dial-gauge canner, watch the needle and keep it steady.
10. Turn off the heat and let the canner depressurize naturally
When the processing time is complete, turn off the heat and leave the canner alone.
Do not remove the weight. Do not open the vent. Do not run cold water over the canner. Do not try to hurry it along.
The canner must return to zero pressure naturally. Forced cooling can lead to liquid loss from the jars, seal failure, and unsafe processing.
Patience here is part of safe canning.
11. Wait a little longer, then open the canner
Once the canner reads zero pressure, wait about 10 minutes before opening it. Then carefully remove the weight if needed, unlock the lid, and open the canner away from your face so the steam escapes safely.
The jars will still be very hot, and the liquid inside may still be moving.
12. Remove the jars and let them cool undisturbed
Using a jar lifter, move the jars straight up and out of the canner. Set them on a towel or cooling rack, leaving space between jars.
Do not tilt them. Do not tighten the rings. Do not press on the lids. Do not wipe them off right away.
Leave the jars undisturbed for 12 to 24 hours.
As they cool, you may hear the lids ping. That sound is simply the seal forming.
13. Check the seals
After the jars are fully cool, remove the rings and check the seals.
A properly sealed lid will be curved slightly downward and should not flex up and down when pressed gently in the center.
If a jar did not seal, refrigerate it and use it within a few days, or reprocess it within 24 hours using a new lid.
If jars sealed properly, wash off any residue on the outside, label them, and store them in a cool, dark place.
14. Store the jars correctly
Store sealed jars without the rings in place. This makes it easier to spot any seal failure later and prevents moisture from getting trapped under the ring.
For best quality, use home-canned stock within one year.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
A few mistakes come up often when people are learning to can stock:
Canning stock with solids still in it
This method is for strained liquid stock only.
Skipping the 10-minute venting step
That step is necessary for proper temperature inside the canner.
Starting the timer too soon
Timing starts only after the canner reaches full pressure.
Letting the pressure drop during processing
If that happens, the timing has to begin again from the start.
Trying to cool the canner quickly
Let it come down naturally every time.
Leaving too much fat on the stock
Excess fat can interfere with sealing.