Pressure Canning Salmon

There’s something deeply satisfying about preserving your own protein, not just fruits and vegetables. Home-canned salmon is one of the most rewarding foods to stock in your pantry. Rich in flavor, healthy fats, and protein, canned salmon becomes a go-to ingredient for quick meals, emergency preparedness, and nutrient-dense eating. Whether you’ve caught it yourself or found a great deal on fresh filets, canning salmon preserves its integrity and elevates your pantry game.

A Brief History of Canning Fish

Fish preservation dates back thousands of years; dried, smoked, salted, and eventually, canned. Canning fish became commercially viable in the 1800s, especially in coastal regions of North America and Europe. In Alaska and the Pacific Northwest, salmon canning exploded during the 19th century, supporting both the economy and food supply. Today, home canners can safely preserve salmon thanks to established pressure canning guidelines that ensure food safety and shelf stability.

Nutritional Benefits of Salmon

Salmon is one of the most nutrient-dense proteins available. It’s loaded with omega-3 fatty acids, which promote heart and brain health, along with high-quality protein, B vitamins, selenium, and potassium. Canning salmon at home preserves these nutrients without added preservatives or unnecessary sodium, giving you a clean, healthy protein source at your fingertips.

Using Home-Canned Salmon in Meals

Home-canned salmon is extremely versatile. Use it in salmon patties, stir into pasta with lemon and capers, or make a creamy salmon spread for crackers. It’s perfect in salads, chowders, or tossed into rice and grain bowls. Because it’s fully cooked during the canning process, it’s ready to eat straight from the jar ideal for quick meals and grab-and-go nutrition.

Home-canned salmon offers a beautiful blend of self-reliance, clean eating, and convenience. Adding a lemon slice and fresh dill creates a subtle infusion that brings brightness to each jar, without compromising safety or shelf stability.

Another delicious option is adding half of fresh jalapeno or onions slices. No matter how you choose to season your salmon, it is also delicious all on its own. It’s a perfect way to enjoy the bounty of a fishing trip or seasonal sale all year-round.

Pressure Canning Salmon

Yields: 6 to 8 half-pint jars per 3–4 pounds of raw fish (about 1 pound per pint)
Processing Time: 110 minutes for half-pints and pints

Ingredients

• Fresh salmon (cut into jar-sized pieces, skin on or off)

Optional Ingredients per Jar for flavor

• 1 thin lemon slice per jar
• 1 small sprig fresh dill per jar
• 1 garlic clove and 1 onion slice
• ½ fresh jalapeno
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• ½ teaspoon salt per half-pint

Instructions

1. Clean salmon thoroughly. Rinse with cold water and remove excess dark meat, bones, or skin as desired. Cut salmon into chunks that fit snugly into the jar. Leave a 1-inch headspace when packing.
2. Place a thin lemon slice along the inside of the jar, top with a sprig of dill if desired. Add ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon of oil, if desired, over the top of the fish before sealing. The oil adds a rich mouthfeel and enhances shelf-life texture.
3. Wipe rims with a damp cloth dipped in vinegar. Apply lids and rings and hand tighten.
4. Process in a pressure canner at 10 PSI or according to your canner type and elevation. Process half-pints and pint jars for 110 minutes.

Ingredient Tip: King, sockeye and farmed Atlantic salmon naturally contains a high oil content so when pressure canned, it produces its own rich juices and fat within the jar. When using leaner cuts of salmon, like pink, chum or soho salmon or tail sections, or when aiming for a softer texture, adding a small amount of oil when home canning salmon is acceptable.

Happy Canning!
xo
Diane, The Canning Diva
www.canningdiva.com

Canning Salmon Safely

Recipe by The Canning Diva

5.0 from 1 vote

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

30

minutes

Home-canned salmon is extremely versatile. Use it in salmon patties, stir into pasta with lemon and capers, or make a creamy salmon spread for crackers. It’s perfect in salads, chowders, or tossed into rice and grain bowls. Because it’s fully cooked during the canning process, it’s ready to eat straight from the jar ideal for quick meals and grab-and-go nutrition.

Ingredients

US Metric

• Fresh salmon (cut into jar-sized pieces, skin on or off)

Instructions

• Clean salmon thoroughly. Rinse with cold water and remove excess dark meat, bones, or skin as desired. Cut salmon into chunks that fit snugly into the jar. Leave a 1-inch headspace when packing.
• Place a thin lemon slice along the inside of the jar, top with a sprig of dill if desired. Add ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon of oil, if desired, over the top of the fish before sealing. The oil adds a rich mouthfeel and enhances shelf-life texture.
• Wipe rims with a damp cloth dipped in vinegar. Apply lids and rings and hand tighten.
• Process in a pressure canner at 10 PSI or according to your canner type and elevation. Process half-pints and pint jars for 110 minutes.

Notes

• Ingredient Tip: King, sockeye and farmed Atlantic salmon naturally contains a high oil content so when pressure canned, it produces its own rich juices and fat within the jar. When using leaner cuts of salmon, like pink, chum or soho salmon or tail sections, or when aiming for a softer texture, adding a small amount of oil when home canning salmon is acceptable.
• Optional Ingredients per Jar for flavor
  1 thin lemon slice per jar
  1 small sprig fresh dill per jar
  1 garlic clove and 1 onion slice
  ½ fresh jalapeno
  1 teaspoon olive oil
  ½ teaspoon salt per half-pint

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