Canning seafood

[Patrick Gilmartin]

I am looking into trying to can my own seafood packed in oils and wines much in the fashion seen in coastal Spain. It seems as though there is no information available about how to go about this. Now, I understand using a pressure canner, but are there other things I should watch out for? Given that everything is packed correctly and sealed at the usda recommended pressures and times, am I missing anything else before diving right in?

[rlibkind]

I'm curious. Do you have access to really fresh, high oil-content fish? If you do, a worthy endeavor. But I'd avoid such a project if I couldn't get right-off-the-boat pristine fish.

[Martin Fisher]

Here in the US, home canning in oil or fat (or even adding oil or fat beyond what's specifically called for in a tested recipe) isn't recommended (as per the extension services mostly...Cornell and Penn State in my area) in any thing other than recipes that are officially tested for safety because added fats and oils have a tendency to insulate pathogens from the heat of a home canner. The rule applies to both pressure canning - which is essential when canning low-acid foods such as fish and seafood - and boiling water bath canning.

Having said that, there are some folks who ignore the warnings and take the risk.

IIRC, there is a tested recipe for tuna canned in oil in the USDA's Complete Guide to Home Canning.