# Canning milk



## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

I have a freezer full of food and a large steer waiting his turn to go in it as well. I have no room for milk in my freezer. One of my jerseys had her baby yesterday, another will be at the end of the month and I'm really not sure when the third is due, probably in the next two months. I also have a few dairy does that look like they will probably have singles this year.
So I was thinking instead of buying another freezer that I have no room for I will can the milk. The milk is mainly just for any babies that will need milk later on. I'm making room for the colostrum but I want that milk too.
I have been googling all morning and have come up with so many different ways to do it and most don't even say if they are using quart or pint cans. I have about 50 quart jars so want to use those.
If anyone on here has canned milk before can you PLEASE take me by the hand and help me out :/


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## luvmyherd (Apr 9, 2011)

My advice is freeze your milk and can the meat. You must have a pressure canner to do either of these safely.
Canned milk usually tastes awful and it is dead. I can lots of goat and it comes out so tender and tasty. I can chicken and rabbit as well. It is not the quality of goat or beef but it is okay.
That being said, I have been giving some thought to canning some milk because I did not freeze enough to last the winter this year. It will be a test to see if it is even usable in baking and such.


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## luvmyherd (Apr 9, 2011)

This looks pretty comprehensive
http://razorfamilyfarms.com/cooking/canning-and-preserving-milk-at-home/

I do not sterilize jars when I can as the extreme temperatures in pressure canning kill everything. I just make sure they are very clean. That is my choice and not what is recommended by the FDA. (Who I do not trust farther than I can throw a fit.)
The Hoeger site says to just bring the pressure to 10 pounds and turn off heat. I believe that would render a superior tasting product but again; not FDA approved. I will be trying both so maybe we can figure this out together.


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

The trick to good canned milk is to not preheat the canner. 
Put the milk into clean jars, put them in the canner, then turn it on to heat. That way the milk heats slowly and doesn't get quite so much cooked taste to it. Cook at 10 lbs. for 10 minutes, then turn the canner off and let it depressurize naturally. The milk will be concentrated just like store canned milk and will need mixed half and half with water before using.


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## luvmyherd (Apr 9, 2011)

Sounds like really good advice goathiker.


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

Awesome thank you!! The mixing with the half water do that if I'm feeding it to the animals? Right now the plan is to have it for future bottle babies so I'm not concerned about the taste.......right now anyways but that doesn't mean I won't want to can for us later on. OH!! And how long do you know, will it last for?


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

Never mind I just read the whole attachment


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## Serenity Woods (Apr 2, 2012)

I hate to rain on anyone's parade, but the USDA do NOT recommend canning milk, even in a pressure canner. Please do some more research before trying this. There is a chance of contamination, especially by botulism, because of the fat content in the milk. Botulism can be fatal, and while there are certainly examples of people who have drunk milk they canned at home, you really are playing roulette when you do so.


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## NicoleV (Dec 12, 2015)

I canned goat milk before but I think I over cooked it because it turned out a slightly yellow color and was separated. I haven't tried it out yet but I'm sure I can cook with it. I would feel bad for any goat kid who would have to drink it though! 

I guess the trick is to heat it enough to kill bacteria, but not too much and too long to scorch or separate it. I was disappointed, but I'll try again this summer because I wanted to have milk to take camping and not need to have a cooler with us all the time.


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

NicoleV;1964769I would feel bad for any goat kid who would have to drink it though!
.[/QUOTE said:


> Have you ever tasted formula?? Lol that is some pretty nasty stuff right there and they drink it like its great!


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## lottsagoats1 (Apr 12, 2014)

Many years ago I used to just can milk like I did jam and such. I never had a problem with it and never used a pressure cooker. I used it for cooking/baking, like I would evaporated milk. I wouldn't tell anyoine to do it this way, but no one had told me back then I needed a pressure cooker, so I just canned it like I did my fruits and veggies.


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