5 Easy Canned Meat Recipes That Make Hearty Meals

Canned meat is a versatile food that should be in everyone's freezer or pantry as a bulk item. You never know when you might need some food that can last for years. With the right recipes, canned meat can be enhanced to taste delicious. If it's in your pantry, you'll never be at a loss for what to cook.

Transform Canned Meat Into Delicious Home-Cooked Meals

Turning canned meat into hearty meals is easy-to-do with the right recipes. If you're prepping for the long haul, you'll want canned meat in your pantry, fridge and freezer. From beef, to turkey, to chicken, it's simple to turn any canned meat into family-friendly meals. Worried it won't taste good? You just have to add the right flavors to make it a tasty dish. That's why we put together this list of hearty recipes for you to experiment with. Take a look at the 5 canned meat recipes and keep reading for all the ingredients and directions: 

• Stew
• Quesadillas
• Chili
• BBQ sandwich
• Spaghetti sauce

Canned Meat Recipe #1: Homemade Beef Stew

Ingredients:

• 1 can (14.5 ounces) Ozark Foods Beef
• 1 can beef broth
• 1/2 can tomato sauce
• 2 cups water
• 3 large red potatoes, peeled and chopped
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2-4 large carrots, peeled and chopped
• 1 cup diced celery
• Salt and pepper, to taste

In a heavy pot, combine chopped carrots, potatoes, onions and celery. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15-30 minutes. While the vegetables cook, combine canned meat, tomato sauce and beef broth in a large saucepan. Heat over medium heat until hot, about 3-4 minutes. Transfer all ingredients to a slow-cooker and heat on medium for 4 hours, stirring every 30-45 minutes.

Canned Meat Recipe #2: Cheese & Chicken Quesadillas

Ingredients:

• 1 can (14.5 ounces) Ozark Foods Chicken, drained and finely chopped
• 1/2 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
• 1/2 cup Cheddar cheese, shredded
• 2 tbsp. taco seasoning
• 2 tbsp. cilantro, coarsely chopped
• 4 10-inch flour tortillas
• Guacamole, for serving
• Salsa, for serving
• Sour cream, for serving

In a medium bowl, combine the canned meat, cheese, taco seasoning and cilantro. Heat a large frying pan over medium heat until hot, about 3-4 minutes. Place a tortilla in the pan and sprinkle with the chicken mixture. Top with a second tortilla and cook until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes. Flip with a spatula and cook the other side. Remove from heat once both sides are golden brown. Use a pizza slicer to cut into wedges. Serve topped with a dollop guacamole, salsa and sour cream.

Canned Meat Recipe #3: Homemade Turkey Chili

Ingredients:

• 1 can (14.5 ounces) Ozark Foods Turkey, drained and finely chopped
• 1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 15.5-ounce can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 3 tbsp. tomato paste
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 1 1/2 tbsp. chili pepper
• Pinch of salt
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 red or green bell pepper, diced
• Sour cream, for serving
• 1 clove minced garlic
• Shredded cheese, for serving

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until slightly soft, about 3-4 minutes. Add the canned meat, garlic, tomatoes, kidney beans, bell pepper, tomato paste, chili powder, and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then simmer over low heat for 15-20 minutes or until the flavors are blended. Serve topped with shredded cheese and a dollop of sour cream.

Canned Meat Recipe #4: Quick & Easy Pork Barbecue Sandwich

Ingredients:

• 1 can (14.5 ounces) Ozark Foods Pork
• 1 tsp. vegetable oil
• 3/4 cup barbecue sauce
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 4 large hamburger buns

Heat oil in a large skillet over low heat. Add the onion and cook it until soft, about 4-5 minutes. In a medium bowl, combine the canned meat and barbecue sauce. Pour into the skillet and cook until heated throughout, about 5 minutes. Scoop pork onto a hamburger bun and serve hot.

Canned Meat Recipe #5: Homemade Spaghetti Sauce with Ground Beef

Ingredients:

• 1 can (14.5 ounces) Ozark Foods Ground Beef
• 1 16-ounce box spaghetti noodles, cooked
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
• 2 15-ounce cans tomato sauce
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. pepper
• 3/4 tsp. sugar
• 2 tbsp. garlic powder
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• 3 tbsp. butter
• Parmesan cheese, for serving

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté onions and mushrooms until slightly soft, then add tomato sauce, salt, pepper, sugar, garlic powder and oregano. Cook for another 3-4 minutes, then add canned meat. Reduce heat to low, then cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Pour sauce over cooked spaghetti noodles and top with parmesan cheese.

Looking for bulk canned meat? Stock up here!

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Did you make any of these canned meat recipes? Let us know how it went in the comment section below!

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