Roast pork in spicy broth is one of Ball Canning’s most popular pressure-canning recipes and deserves a place on your pantry shelf. Each jar delivers tender pork in a well-seasoned broth that jumps into bowls of soup, taco fillings, or quick weeknight meals with minimal effort.
This recipe has been reviewed for safety and accuracy by a Master Food Preserver certified through the University of Cornell Cooperative Extension.
Ball Canning’s Roast Pork in Spicy Broth is a favorite among home canners — ask around on pressure-canning forums and you’ll often see this recipe recommended. The technique is straightforward and yields consistent, delicious results when followed closely.
The recipe begins with a short roast to develop browning and depth of flavor before the pork ever goes into jars. The broth is savory and aromatic, with garlic and oregano and just enough crushed red pepper to keep the flavor lively without overwhelming the meat.
This version follows the small-batch formula from the All New Ball Book of Canning and Preserving (2016) and is easy to scale up if you want to make multiple jars at once.
Why You’ll Love This Meal-in-a-Jar Canning Recipe
Compared with plain canned pork shoulder, this recipe delivers more ready-to-use flavor. The quick roast adds browned, savory notes, and the seasoned broth means each jar is nearly a finished component — not just meat preserved in liquid. Even after months in the pantry, a jar still opens smelling like a purposeful home-cooked dish.
The canned pork is versatile: heat it up and serve it as a brothy pork soup, or crisp the shredded meat to make carnitas-style tacos with minimal effort. One jar can quickly become dinner, especially when you keep tortillas and simple toppings on hand.
A Quick Look at the Recipe
- Recipe Name: Pork in Spicy Broth
- Recipe Type: Meal-in-a-Jar canning
- Canning Method: Pressure canning
- Prep/Cook Time: About 1 hour roasting plus prep
- Canning Time: 75 minutes for pints, 90 minutes for quarts
- Yield: 3 quarts or 6 pints
- Jar Sizes: Pint or Quart
- Headspace: 1 inch
- Ingredients Overview: Pork shoulder, onion, spices, and broth
- Difficulty: Easy — roasting the meat beforehand improves flavor and texture
Ingredients for Canning Roast Pork
This recipe is designed to be simple and reliable: a few pantry spices, a good broth, and pork shoulder because it stays tender after pressure processing. Ball Canning wrote the original as a small-batch recipe that yields three quarts, but you can multiply it to fill a larger pressure canner if you prefer.
Key ingredients
- Pork shoulder (Boston butt): retains moisture and becomes shreddable after canning; cut into consistent 1½-inch cubes for even heating.
- Salt (divided): part seasons the meat before roasting; the rest seasons the broth.
- Ground black pepper: mild bite to balance the herbs.
- Oil (canola or olive): for browning the pork in the oven.
- Chicken bone broth (unsalted or low sodium preferred): provides body to the jars; pork or beef broth can also be used.
- Onion: thinly sliced so it softens into the broth.
- Crushed red pepper: gentle heat that develops while the jars rest.
- Dried oregano: the primary herb note that pairs well with taco-style serving options.
- Garlic: adds a flavor that carries through canning.
You can adjust the spice profile while keeping the method the same. Swap in smoked paprika, ground cumin, or a little chipotle powder for smoky heat, or trade oregano for thyme. Avoid adding ingredients that thicken the liquid or change the overall acidity; this is a low-acid meat recipe and must be pressure processed for safety.
Canning Roast Pork in Spicy Broth
This is a hot-pack pressure-canning recipe. Roasting the pork briefly before packing is important — it builds flavor and helps the meat hold a pleasant texture after processing.
Roast the pork
Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Season pork cubes with 1 teaspoon of the salt and the pepper, then toss with the oil. Arrange in a single layer on a foil-lined rimmed sheet pan and roast about 30 minutes, until light browning appears at the edges.
Build the broth
While the pork roasts, combine the broth, onion, crushed red pepper, oregano, garlic, and the remaining salt in a 4-quart pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer about 5 minutes so the flavors meld.
Fill hot jars
Prepare your pressure canner and keep jars hot. Pack roasted pork into jars, dividing evenly, then ladle the hot broth over the meat, leaving 1 inch headspace. Remove bubbles, recheck headspace, wipe rims, and apply lids and bands fingertip-tight.
Load the canner and vent
Place jars on the rack in a pressure canner with about 2 inches of simmering water. Lock the lid, bring to a steady flow of steam, and vent for 10 minutes before closing the vent or adding the weight.
Process
After venting, bring the canner to the correct pressure (apply altitude adjustments as needed). Process jars at steady pressure for the following times:
- Pints: 1 hour 15 minutes (75 minutes)
- Quarts: 1 hour 30 minutes (90 minutes)
When processing is complete, turn off heat and allow the canner to return to zero pressure naturally. After it reaches zero, wait 5 more minutes, then open the lid away from your face.
Cool jars
Let jars sit in the open canner for about 10 minutes, then remove them and cool undisturbed for 12–24 hours. Check seals, label, and store in a cool, dark place.
Altitude Adjustments
Processing times remain the same at higher altitudes, but required pressures change. Use the following guidelines for pressure canners:
For dial gauge pressure canners:
- 0 to 2,000 feet — 11 lbs pressure
- 2,001 to 4,000 feet — 12 lbs pressure
- 4,001 to 6,000 feet — 13 lbs pressure
- 6,001 to 8,000 feet — 14 lbs pressure
For weighted gauge pressure canners:
- 0 to 1,000 feet — 10 lbs pressure
- Above 1,000 feet — 15 lbs pressure
Serving Ideas
This pork works anywhere you’d use well-seasoned meat. To make carnitas-style taco filling, pour a pint into a saucepan, bring to a boil, then simmer uncovered about 10 minutes to concentrate the flavors. Strain and reserve the broth, shred the pork with forks, spread it on a foil-lined baking sheet, and bake at 375°F (190°C) for about 20 minutes until the edges crisp.
Serve in warm corn or flour tortillas with fresh cilantro and lime wedges. Popular toppings include shredded cheese, finely diced white onion, and bright salsas or pickled onions. If the meat needs moisture, spoon a little of the reserved broth over it just before serving.
Pork Canning FAQs
Pork shoulder is the best choice for texture and flavor because it remains moist and shreddable after processing. Lean cuts like pork loin often become dry and stringy. For a different protein, beef chuck is a suitable substitute because it also becomes tender during pressure processing. Regardless of the cut, follow the same piece size, headspace, and processing instructions for safe results.
Heat the jar contents in a saucepan, bring to a boil, then simmer uncovered for 10 minutes. Strain and reserve the broth, shred the pork, spread it on a foil-lined baking sheet, and bake at 375°F for about 20 minutes until the edges crisp. Finish with cilantro, lime, and your favorite toppings.
No. Meat is a low-acid food and must be pressure canned to reach the temperatures required for safe preservation. A boiling water canner cannot reach the necessary temperatures for meat, even when ample liquid is present.
Meal-in-a-Jar Canning Recipes
Canning Boston Baked Beans
Canning Chili Con Carne
Canning Chicken Pot Pie Filling
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Roast Pork in Spicy Broth (Ball Canning Recipe)
Equipment
-
Pressure canner
Ingredients
- 3 lb pork shoulder, boneless, trimmed and cut into 1½-inch cubes
- 4 tsp salt, divided
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- 1 Tbsp oil (canola, olive, etc.)
- 8 cups chicken broth
- 1 medium onion, halved and thinly sliced
- 2 Tbsp dried crushed red pepper
- 1½ Tbsp dried oregano
- 3 whole garlic cloves, minced
Instructions
-
Roast the pork: Heat oven to 425°F (220°C). Season pork with 1 tsp salt and the black pepper, then toss with oil. Spread on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet and roast about 30 minutes, until browning begins.
-
Season the broth: In a 4-quart pot, combine broth, onion, crushed red pepper, oregano, garlic, and remaining salt. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes.
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Fill jars: Keep jars hot. Pack pork into hot jars, dividing the meat evenly. Ladle hot broth over the pork, leaving 1 inch headspace. Remove bubbles, wipe rims, and apply lids and bands fingertip-tight.
-
Pressure can: Place jars on the rack in a canner with 2 inches of simmering water. Lock lid. Vent steam for 10 minutes, then bring to pressure and process.
-
Process pints 1 hour 15 minutes or quarts 1 hour 30 minutes at steady pressure.
-
Cool and store: Turn off heat and let the canner return to zero pressure naturally. Wait 5 minutes, open lid, let jars sit 10 minutes in the open canner, then remove and cool 12–24 hours. Check seals, label, and store.
Notes
Keep the cubes consistent: Aim for about 1½-inch pieces so the pork heats evenly during processing.
Roast just to brown: Look for light browning on edges — not fully cooked pork — to retain flavor in the jar.
Let the canner cool naturally: A natural depressurize with a brief rest helps prevent siphoning.
Don’t discard the liquid: The broth is useful for moistening shredded pork, spooning over bowls, or using fresh as a soup base.
Altitude Adjustments
Processing times stay the same at higher altitudes, but pressures change. For dial-gauge canners: 0–2,000 ft = 11 lbs; 2,001–4,000 ft = 12 lbs; 4,001–6,000 ft = 13 lbs; 6,001–8,000 ft = 14 lbs. For weighted-gauge canners: 0–1,000 ft = 10 lbs; above 1,000 ft = 15 lbs.
To serve (taco-style carnitas)
Pour jar contents into a saucepan, bring to a boil, then simmer uncovered 10 minutes. Strain and reserve the broth, shred the pork, spread on a foil-lined baking sheet, and bake at 375°F for about 20 minutes until edges crisp. Serve in warm tortillas with cilantro, lime, diced onion, crumbled cheese, and pickled or fresh salsas. If needed, splash on some reserved broth before serving.
Nutrition
, Carbohydrates: 2 g
, Protein: 15 g
, Fat: 6 g
, Sodium: 1410 mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.
Pork Canning Recipes
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