Ready-to-Eat Canned Meat Products

Imagine having to peel and boil tomatoes yourself for a curry, and the time consumed in preparing meat, instead of just opening up a can of pre-cooked meat products where you simply need to add water and heat for a few minutes. As a result of our busy schedule, most of us don’t have time to cook great tasting dishes. The process followed to prepare these canned products sterilizes the contents of the cans, keeping nutrients in and impurities out. The canned food can actually be higher in nutritional value than the fresh items.

Canning does not affect proteins, carbohydrates and fats. If you take canned meat products, it will have the same quantity of protein and fat after canning as it had before. So, from this point of view, you don't have to feel sorry about choosing a can for a quick and convenient meal. The fresh meat products can lose more nutrients by lying in storage for a week or long.

Canned products are comparable to their fresh-cooked counterparts in nutritional value. Canning meat is done by professionals as there are chances of cross contamination from a seemingly clean kitchen, if done by home canners. Nearly any kind of meat can be canned. It is made sure to trim away any gristle, bruised areas or excess fat. Meat is processed in a pressure canner. The processing time may seem long, but the investment of time now is so worth it in the end.

Some common types of Canned Meat Products are Tuna, Chicken, Ham, Liver Wurst, Spam, Turkey, Bacon, Sardines, Sausage and Beef. Tuna is heated in a frying pan with seasoning and then placed inside the rice balls. It is also very common in sandwiches and salads. This comes in oil or water, white or dark meat. Canned chicken is used similar to tuna. In America most people will eat Ham straight out the can but if you are from Hawaii or Japan this is almost always fried. The most commonly known canned ham is Spam(r). Around their holidays, Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas canned Ham becomes very popular and widely available in the local grocery stores.

Liver Wurst is European product which is most common in Germany, Netherlands, Sweden, Slovenia, Serbia and Hungary. Spam is probably the most common canned ham in the United States as stated above and very popular in Hawaii. Spam was introduced in the later part of the thirties as a meat product for those fighting overseas during World War Two. It also comes in Turkey, Spicy, as well as light and low salt varieties. Turkey usually comes in chunks. Canned turkey is usually available at camping stores or pantry supply stores. You can use this in soups and casseroles. Canadian bacon is canned but then technically it is just sliced ham.

American Sardines come in oil or water but olive oil tends to make the fish taste better. They also have varieties that include tomato sauce or mustard. At camping and survival stores they have canned sausage that crumbles when you cook it so would be perfect for those who enjoy sausage and biscuits or sausage pizza. Canned beef comes in chunks as well as hamburger.

It is good to know that when preparing your food storage pantry most canned meat can last a good 10 years and if you have a usual rotational schedule, you will be able to consume protein on a regular basis and that too within your budget.