Tuna should first be thoroughly cleaned, boned, and cut up before canning. It can then be put into small, sterilized canning jars with some salt and olive oil. A pressure cooker is also needed when canning tuna. The canning jars are cooked in the pressure cooker for a little more than an hour and a half. Any jars that have not sealed properly should either be eaten immediately or refrigerated.
Fresh tuna should be used when canning tuna. The guts, head, skin, and bones should be removed. Skinless and boneless tuna can also be purchased from a local fish market. Some individuals also prefer to remove the dark bloodline from the fish.
The tuna should be cut up into chunks after it has been thoroughly cleaned. Chunks that are 1 to 2 inches (2.5 to 5 centimeter) big should be sufficient when canning tuna, as pieces this size fit easily into the canning jars. Small 8-ounce (240 milliliter) canning jars should be used to can tuna. Larger jars can promote bacterial growth, resulting in a spoiled product. All jars, lids, and rings should be sterilized before canning tuna.
New canning jars should be washed with soap and hot water before they are sterilized. Submerging the jars, lids, and rings in boiling water is one method of sterilization. The pot can be removed from the heat after a few minutes, and the jars can sit in the water until they are ready to be used. A person can also run all parts of canning jars through a dishwasher with the hottest water possible.
The chunks of tuna can then be added to the jar. When canning tuna, it is important to make sure that there are virtually no air bubbles between the pieces. If necessary, smaller chunks of fish can be used to fill any gaps between larger chunks. Also, a 1-inch (2.5 centimeter) gap should be left between the top of the fish and the rim of the jar.
A generous amount of salt should then be sprinkled on top of the fish. Other seasonings can also be used to infuse flavor into the fish. Garlic, rosemary, and jalepeño peppers are some examples. Olive oil should then be added to the jars when canning tuna. Again, a space of roughly 1 inch should be left between the top of the fish and oil and the rim of the jar.
When all of the fish, seasonings, and oil have been added, the lids can be placed on the jar. The metal rings should also be screwed on lightly. A few inches of water and a spacer should then be added to the bottom of the pressure cooker, and it should be placed on the stove over high heat.
The jars full of tuna can then be added to the pressure cooker. These should be placed on the bottom of the pressure cooker in a circle. If there is enough room, another layer of canning jars can be placed on top of the first layer.
A pressure cooker lid should be securely fastened and locked into place. Canning tuna usually requires 10 to 15 pounds of pressure. The pressure can usually be regulated by turning the heat either up or down. The jars of tuna should be cooked 90 to 100 minutes before removing the pressure cooker from the heat.
The pressure cooker lid should not be removed until the pressure gauge reads zero. This can take 15 minutes to an hour. The jars can then be removed and set on a towel to cool before being stored. Any jars that have not sealed properly should be consumed right away or stored in a refrigerator and consumed within a few days.