Preserving Food

dartanyon

dartanyon

Joined
May 10, 2002
Messages
705
I'm interested in food preservation and have been researching different techniques both primitive and modern.
I'm aware that there are those of us that always seem to be able to find that extra spare cash to buy another knife and all the proper modern gear for making jerky. There are also those of us that choose primitive techniques for the principle or just cos we don't have the money for the proper gear.
What do you preserve and how?
Just as a matter of interest, what knife do you use for slicing?
 
Jerky, jerky, jerky

Slice it thin and marinade in whatever u like, preferably in something low in sugar. Then smoke at a temp. around 100 degrees or maybe a little higher until u can break it in half. Takes anywhere from 12-24 hours. I still haven't perfected it to my taste but everyone else seems to love it.
 
Venison, thin sliced, marinated in a brine of salt, brown sugar or honey, garlic and cayenne. Smoke it or dry it on your oven rack w/the oven cracked open and kept at 100 degrees Fahrenheit.

Berries and camas - dried in the sun. Berries dried whole, camas mashed into small cakes & dried.

Various wild-herb spices - Pick them in season, then dry them by tying them upside-down in a paper sack and hang the sacks in a closet. Once they are dry remove the useable parts and store in jars in your cupboard.
 
Seeing as how this is a pretty important subject i'm surprised that there are no more suggestions. Also if u live in a warm climate you can make a drying rack and leave ur thin sliced meat in the sun. First crush berries in to a paste add some water and marinate meat in that. Or instead of the sun u could make a small fire and hang the meat high over that. The only problem with these methods is the birds and bugs. But if u consider the alternative, leaving half a deer lay around and rot I don't think the birds are a big deal. I've had a better success with the campfire method because when I smoke meat in my smoker it gets to smokey for my taste, but that will change with practice.
 
My grand-father used to smoke meat in a little 6' x 10' smokehouse.
Apparently he would keep a small oak or hickory fire going on the dirt floor for several days and the meat was perserved that way.
It sounds similar to some of the slow-cooking methods used today by some in smoking meat. Apparently it kept ok.
 
The basic idea in all preserving is to either dry your food thoroughly and keep it that way, treat it with a preserving agent (smoke, salt, sugar, spice), or use canning methods that kill off the little nasties. Obviously in a primitive environment you don't have the option of canning, so you either dry it or find natural preservatives. Since natural preservatives are rare in most regions, you are left with drying or preserving with smoke, or a combination of both. When drying anything make sure it is not too thick or the inside will rot before it can dry out.
 
WE don't do it bery primitively in our house.

Dehydrate lots of fruits and vegies and seal up in vaccum bags and jars.

blueberries, apples, zuchini, pears, etc
 
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