Lots of Meat? No Refrigerator? – 4 Ways to Stop it Going Bad!

In desperate times how on earth can you store food?

You dont even need desperate times to know or have to store food.  With many electrical outages this is one skill that everyone should know.

Here are 5 ways you can keep it whether or not the refrigerator or freezer works or not.

1.  Drying

We have all heard of drying food and most of us have tried jerky or dried meat.  You may already have made it.  The principal of drying meat is to remove the moisture by using salt.  This way bacteria and fungus cant grow causing harm.

To dry meat:

1. Cut fresh lean meat into thin slices
2. Soak in a brine mix of salt and spices
3. Dry

Expect the meat to last at least 6 months.

2.  Salting 

This is what our ancestors used to do a lot and again this takes all the moisture out of the meat so no bacteria or fungus can grow.  This meat is delicious for stews and soups.

1. Cut meat into chunks
2. Layer with salt so that no meat is showing.  (see cheap way to make salt here)
3. The meat will go very hard so soak in several batches of water to take the salt out before you use it.

Expect it to last for at least 6 months. However you might have to repack it as the salt absorbs moisture and become brine.

3. Curing and Cold Smoking

For fatty meats such as ham and bacon.

1. Soak the meat in a brine of salt and spices (you can inject this into the meat to speed up the process)
2. Cold smoke to seal the surface (makes it very tasty too!)

Cold smoked meat must not be heated beyond 110 degrees or the meat will start to cook and its keeping qualities will be compromised.  Once the process of curing and cold smoking is complete, it can be wrapped in brown paper and stored in a cool dry place such as a cellar or basement.  Do not try this with store purchased hams and bacon as they were not cured in a way intended for preservation and will quickly spoil.  Cured and smoked meat can last up to 6 months, depending on the storage temperature.

4.  Pressure Canning

Canning meat is a very stable way to keep meat but you must do this carefully to make sure all spoilage organisms are killed or you will get sick.  If you do it right its a great way to keep meat and makes a very tender meat so buying cheap cuts is good as the meat will tenderise.  You will need a pressure canner, and mason jars.

Meat is packed tightly into pint jars, leaving ½ inch of space at the top.  A teaspoon of salt is added to each jar.  The rims of the jar are wiped with a clean cloth and a hot lid is screwed on tightly.  The jars are then placed in the canner.  Water is added to the canner about halfway up the jars and brought to a boil before the lid is sealed.  Read the instructions that came with your canner as to the best way to operate it and the appropriate time and pressure for your area.  It is also wise to have the pressure gauge on your canner tested each year by your local extension office.  Pressure canned meat lasts for years.

Click here to  check out pressure the canning instructions

Read more here: tinhatranch.com       Photo Credits:  theimpulsivebuy