posted 4 years ago
My ground turkey looks like that due to the fat separation. However, there are a lot of factors involved with home canned meats. Not knowing how you canned it means there are a lot of "what ifs" for us to be able to answer your question definitively.
Here are some hints to tell if your product is safe:
I'm assuming you pressure canned your turkey for the psi recommended for your elevation. The times are 75 mins per pint and 90 mins per quart. Boiling water canning is never recommended for canning low acid foods.
1. Is the seal intact? That is, does the button at the top of the lid wiggle up and down when you press on it? If it stays down, it's probably still safely sealed.
2. Do you hear a "sucking in" sound when you open the lid? If so, that means there was a vacuum inside. That's a good thing. "Sucking" sounds are good. LOL
3. Smell the product. Does it smell rancid at all? If so, throw it away. HOWEVER...botulism has no smell. That's why steps 1 and 2 are important.
4. Heat your product well (to boiling, if possible) for 10 minutes before consuming.
I would suggest removing your rings from your jars once your seals have been set for 24 hours. Any water that is trapped between the ring and the lid can rust out the seal, leading to a leak.