I usually avoid being in WalMart on weekends (and especially at the end/beginning of the month…the EBT crowd is pretty sketch.) but I wanted to restock a few things. Specifically, I was looking for the smaller cans of Hormel corned beef hash. Found them, but what caught my eye was that also on the shelf were these:
Keystone is a brand that you see fairly often in preparedness circles. Their reputation, as far as I can tell, is pretty good and I’d probably take them over any canned meats from other countries. But, I’d never seen them for sale locally. Being in #2.5 cans is a bonus over the smaller cans that I get from CostCo. The CostCo is $0.375 per ounce. This stuff comes out to, for the beef, is $0.32~ per ounce. A material savings if your going to be buying cases of this stuff. On the other hand, the price savings is irrelevant if you wouldn’t eat the stuff on a dare. So, it’ll be food experimentation time later this evening. I’m quite pleased with the CostCo Kirkland beef, so this stuff will have to be pretty good to make me switch from the Kirkland for beef. The ground beef, on the other hand, will be interesting because there is no CostCo version. My experience with packaged ground beef has been that its a bit mushy. I’ll take half a can of this, fry it up to remove moisture, and try it with spaghetti sauce. Other half I’ll do the same with but go to taco town with it.
Whats your experience been with this brand?
Good to hear that WalMart is stocking this brand locally. Around 2005, I ordered cases of this brand and Yoders to put away ‘just in case’. All of the cans are still in new condition and the contents taste just fine, despite being 15+ years past their “best buy” dates. They only have meat and sea salt inside and should last indefinitely if the seals are intact and rust free. When I finish my current stash, I will be buying more if available.
That Cans loaded with Salted Meat haven’t Corroded from the Inside shows that Cans used 20 Years ago were of higher quality than today… I’ve been slowly losing Canned Soup (Campbells) and Vegetables (Green Giant) after 5 Years. 3-7 Cans in a Case of 30 are now found to be Leaking, and when Opened, Rusting from the Inside. The result is having to increase Rotation Rate, and figure on increasing Loss over a shorter period of Time.
Another thing I have noticed is cans of Dinty Moore Beef Stew (great if you add some Fresh Vegetables) that usually have 50% Beef / 50% Vegetables now seem to have less Beef and more Potatoes.
Definitely going to check out the local WallyWorld for these Items.
I have both the chicken and the beef. Its pretty tasty once you get past the initial opening of the can. I found it full of flavor and a decent portion
I’ve had those including the pork and only the hamburger I felt was a little weird, mushy is a good way to describe it. A lot of the local little league/football concession stands keep these on hand when they start running low on their pre-made BBQ chicken or pork sandwiches. They just open up a few cans toss into the crock pot with some BBQ sauce and it’s just heat and serve. Lately my area Aldi stores have had their version of canned chicken on sale at $2.99/can limit six. I’ve put away almost 24 cans in the last week to add to the protein shelf. They make great chicken buffalo dip, BBQ sandwiches and add a can of cream of mushroom its good over pasta or rice.
Aldi canned chicken is pretty good. I make chicken pot pie with it and a can of Aldi brand Veg-all and cream of mushroom soup.
I added the Keystone beef to my pantry for about 3 years. I have also acquired the Kirkland beef when available at Costco. The Walmart that I shop at has had the Keystone product ever since I first started buying it. I have found it to be as good as the Kirkland. It is excellent in a stew.
I’ve tried all the different brands from most all of the major retailers. In my opinion Keystone is hands down the best in all their meats. Beef, chicken, turkey and pork. Good lean meat in good portions. It’s the only brand my wife and I stockpile.
I have used the Keystone beef – it is good IMO. I have never used the Costco brand – no Costco anywhere near me.
Never tried Keystone. Walmart chicken is good. For beef I stick with Grabill. It’s a bit pricey but well worth it. It’s as close to home cooked as I’ve found.
One of my concerns (now that I’m alone) is the shelf life of my lts foods (mostly from Walton Feed/Rainy Day Foods) once it’s opened.
I have no idea how long a #10 can of whatever will last me, when I’m the only one eating from it. When my late wife was alive we had stocked foods for us and our kids: Still have the foods but the kids are grown and gone. I sent some of the foods to each but it’s all Big Can sized.
LTS food supply has been crazy for half a decade or longer…I’ve thought of ordering some updates for my supply but in #2.5 cans instead of #10s but thought I’d wait until supplies stabilized – I’ve already got mine and don’t need to be a hoarder.
In addition to the LTS foods, I also have a lot of frozen and canned…twice a year or so I go through the canned foods and cull out those that are getting older – and donate them to the food banks nearby. Somebody should benefit, even if I won’t.
Yeah, #10 cans are great until you have leftovers. They’ve never made much sense for one person (or even two), but if you’ve got a family with three kids or something then theyre just about right.
Unfortunately, not everything we want is available in smaller cans sometimes.
MRE Depot has a shelf-life guide once a #10 can of freeze dried food is opened. Unrefrigerated open can with plastic lid on can last weeks to months, refrigerated even longer. This guide was found on the side of their cans.
yea, the smaller cans are the way to go for us ( 2 people), less waste.
any meat, soup combo’s etc. added along with some rice for filler will go a long way to filling a belly and we eat it often, it’s a damn good meal. rice is still cheap here in the deep south.
rice, freeze it for 2 weeks, bag it in buckets w/ o2 absorbers and stack it deep. it will last for years.
ya never know what could happen in this world now, most likely nothing catastrophic, but who knows. most likely the slow decline we have seen, you know, the frog in the hot water thing. i may be paranoid and watch to much news, but i won’t be caught by surprise if something sudden were to happen. i’ve got to take care of my family. they won’t go hungry on my watch if i can help it.
a few extra cans every week will ad up faster than you think in your pantry and won’t cost any more than one trip to a fast food joint.
good luck all.
Found this product at walmart last month , tried and can and was very pleased with quality. Add a jar of gravy and serve over rice for quick and easy meal. There was also a product called Patterson butcher board. But i must say the keystone was very good . Open a can of B&M canned bread and your set.
Walmart started carrying these in my area last year. Price isn’t bad considering what some of the other places for the same or similar products.
Last time I was there was last Weds. But they were completely out of canned beef stew. Didn’t have the Dinty Moore stew or the Walmart Great Value brand. They were also out of the cans of Sausage Gravy for biscuits and gravy. No Libby brand. No Great value. I saw the same thing for a month at our local dollar store. No beef stew. No chicken stew.
We are truly living in a golden age for prepping.
Used to be the grocery store choices for canned meat were Dinty Moore Beef Stew and Spam.
If you like, you could count chili with or without beans, and maybe Chicken ala’ king.
Now we have so many choices people can have favorites!
FWIW, my local Walmarts don’t carry Keystone. I’ve bought it in Michigan wallyworlds though.
We eat a lot of costco canned chicken in Hamburger Helper style box meals when we are looking for something quick. It’s very versatile.
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