1. Wash canning jars, lids, and screw bands in warm, soapy water. Rinse well and keep jars in simmering water until ready to fill.
2. Put several cups of water into a medium-large stock pot or cast iron saucepan. Place the ham bone, boil, and simmer it covered for 1 hour. Remove the ham bone.
3. Add your stewing chicken, parsley, bay leaves, celery, onion, peppercorns, and thyme to the simmering pot.
4. Uncover the pot and cook the chicken using medium-high heat for approximately 1 ½ hours or until it starts falling apart. Remove the cooked meat and set it aside on a clean cutting board to cool.
5. Once cool enough to handle, carefully remove the chicken skin and bones.
6. Shred the boneless meat into thin, fine pieces using a fork, then return to the chicken stock pot.
7. Add chopped onions, whole kernel corn, butter beans, diced tomatoes, cubed potatoes, ketchup, BBQ sauce, salt, and red pepper flakes, as desired. Add hot water as needed for a soup consistency.
8. Adjust the heat to low, cover your pot, and cook the stew 30-60 minutes until the veggies are beginning to get tender but not fully cooked. Turn off the heat.
9. Ladle the hot stew with liquids into hot jars, leaving 1-inch headspace.
10. Use a damp paper napkin or cloth dipped in vinegar to wipe the jar rims. Place lids on the jars, add the screw bands and screw until fingertip tight.
11. Prepare your pressure canner per the manufacturer’s instructions by adding 2-4 inches of water and turn on the heat under the canner.
12. Load the filled jars into your canner, fasten the lid securely, and bring water to a full boil. Remove the weight or open the vent to release steam steadily for 10 minutes.
13. Close the vent pipe/petcock and bring the pressure to the level required per your canner type and altitude and process pint jars for 75 minutes and quart jars for 90 minutes:

Dial-Gauge Pressure Canners

• 0 – 2,000ft: 11 lbs
• 2,001 – 4,000ft: 12 lbs
• 4,001 – 6,000ft: 13 lbs
• 6,001- 8,000ft: 14 lbs

Weighted-Gauge Pressure Canners

• 0 – 1,000ft: 10 lbs
• 1,001ft and up: 15 lbs

Post Processing

1. When the processing time is complete, turn off the heat. Wait for the canner’s gauge to reach zero before opening its lid.
2. Remove the processed jars from hot water using a jar lifter or canning tongs. Set them on a wire rack or dish towel for 12-24 hours. Leave 1 inch of space between the jars as they cool.
3. Press the lids at the center with your finger to test the seals. Lids popping up and down indicate unsealed jars. Refrigerate them and use unsealed jars within 5 days.
4. For all sealed jars, remove the screw bands and label them with the canning date and contents. Store them in a clean, dry, cool place.