Prep - 257Preserving Food

Basic Drying, Jerking, Salting, Smoking & Cellaring

Silos & Bins• Almost a Lost Art• Keeps vegetables crisp and fresh• Preserves vitamins• Many Different Forms• Simplest and Cheapest is

Trenching or Hilling in• Not a good method in colder

parts of country (up to zone 7)

Silos & Bins• Brick Silo• Alternate autumn leaves and

vegetables

Silos & Bins• Cabbage Pit Silo• Remove rotted leaves from

Cabbage• Roots up• Cover with dry autumn leaves• Cover silo with plastic sheet• Works also with beets, carrots,

geraniums

Silos & Bins• Semi Buried Silo• Spread Sand & Wood Ashes to

keep out slugs• Use Hardware cloth to keep out

rodents• Use bundle of twigs in center to

give ventilation• Cover with Straw then soil then

plastic• Good to -8°F

Silos & Bins• A 2-Foot-deep storage bin can be

built into the ground, preferably on sloping ground for good drainage. A covering of hardware cloth will keep out rodents and a styrofoam lining will provide excellent insulation. Cover the top with boards and hay bales for easy access. Place sand between layers of vegetables.

Root Cellar

A Root Cellar can be placed in your basement. It needs to be insulated to keep it cool. Ventilation is also needed. Do not forget the vapor barrier.

Store Apples, Carrots, Cabbage, lettuce, leeks, garlic, onions, tomatoes, squash, etc.

Drying Foods - Why Dry?• Canning – up to 60% loss of

some nutrients due to Preparation, cooking, etc• Freezing – up to 40% loss of

some nutrients due to Preparation, freezing• Commercial Dehydrating – 5-

15% loss• Home Drying 3-5% loss• Saves space• Saves Weight

• Convenient – Just soak in water and cook• Economical • Packaging supplies are inexpensive• Low energy costs• Seasonal savings

• Nutritious• Flavor• No preservatives

Drying Food - Dehydrating

• Freeze Drying – Mainly Commercial – • Harvest Right - $3,900 (2 Gallons/24 hours)

• Dehydrator - $39 - $1,200• Oven Drying• Jerking• Air/sun Drying• Salting/Curing• Smoking

Dehydrating - Secrets• Choose high quality foods• Process foods quickly to prevent deterioration• Keep things clean!• Deactivate enzymes• Use appropriate treatments to preserve color, taste, nutrients, etc.• Ensure even drying to prevent spoilage and extend storage life• Do not over-dry, do not cook, do not burn• Remove enough moisture• Thoroughly clean all produce

Dehydrating - Secrets• Wash before and after cutting• Use a stainless steel knife to prevent discoloration• Turn pitted fruits inside out to help treat and dry• Make all pieces the same size to ensure consistent drying• Blanch all vegetables and most fruits (steam or boiling water)• Sets color• Stops ripening• Prevents flavor change• Improves drying – reduces drying time• Kills molds and bacteria

Dehydrating - Secrets• Use Pre-treatments• Ascorbic Acid – Prevents darkening

• Alternate – Lemon or pineapple juice• Saline Solution – Works as above• Sulfuring – inhibits growth of molds and Bacteria

• Sodium bisulfite Solution (Some are allergic to this)• Dehydrating evaporated almost all of this chemical

• Calculate the moisture of you dried food (See How to Dry Foods by Deanna DeLong, pg 24)

Dehydrating - Sulfuring

• Set up sulfuring trays before preparing fruit• Set up outside• Don’t use aluminum trays• Don’t use wood trays• Don’t let plastic or fiberglass

trays catch fire• Ignite sulfur before covering• Use U.S.P. Sulfur

Dehydrating - Sulfuring

• 1 TBLSP Sulfur/Lb. of Fruit for cardboard box• 1.5 tsp sulfur/LB. of Fruit for

more airtight wood box• Do not dry sulfured fruit in your

oven.• Sulfuring reduces nutrient loss• Aids in dehydrating

Dehydrating – Making Fruit Rolls

• Select fresh ripe strawberries• Removes Stems and cores• Place in Blender• Puree to a smooth consistentcy

Dehydrating – Making Fruit Rolls

• Pour puree onto prepared trays• Puree should be about ¼” thick• Dry to proper consistency

Dehydrating – Making Fruit Rolls

• Roll up leather with plastic wrap to prevent sticking• For a real treat, make roll-ups

with cream cheese on one side and leave out the plastic wrap

Dehydrating - Additional

• Get at least one book on the subject. More is better.• If you buy a cheap dehydrator,

you get what you pay for. Home made is better than many “cheap” ones.• The more you “practice”- the

better your results will be.• Keep records of your recipes and

results

• A dehydrator with a thermostat will give the best and most consistent results• Start off with small batches to

learn. • Big batches=big discouragement

Jerky• Pick quality, Lean meat.• Place in freezer just long enough

to stiffen it. Makes it easier to cut.• A serrated knife works best

Jerky• Cut against the Grain• Cut uniform thickness

Jerky

Jerky• Marinate in the refrigerator

overnight

Jerky• Place on rack• Spread out so there is a good air

flow

Jerky

Jerky• Racks Available from

Amazon.com• All sorts of jerky making

equipment available

Jerky• Finished Jerky• Once you have made Jerky, you

are a certified

Jerk!• Store in air tight container or

plastic bag in cool dry place.

Brining or Fermenting• Using a salt solution to ferment

food – Lactic Fermentation• Uses a mild brine solution• Best place to learn is “Preserving

Food without Freezing or Canning” by The Gardeners and Farmers of Terre Vivante

Salting/Curing• Applying salt, sugar, saltpeter

and seasonings to meat (dry curing)• When done as a liquid, it is

called brine curing or sweet pickle curing.• Done below 40°F and above

freezing. 32°F to 34°F are ideal• Initial cure is 4 days• “Overhaul” the meat after initial

cure. Takes 2 days/lb of meat

• “Clear” the Meat• Cook with or without smoke• Wrap• Store• See “A Guide To Canning,

Freezing, Curing & Smoking Meat, Fish & Game” by Wilbur F. Eastman Jr.

Smoker• Used to further dry & flavor

meat• Uses cool smoke for flavor on

cured meats• Can be used as part of the

cooking process

Dehydrating – A Home Made Dryer

• Basic Diagrams for a external heat source Dryer and an internal heat source dryer

Dehydrating – A Home Made Dryer

Dehydrating – A Home Made Dryer

Dehydrating – A Home Made Dryer

Handouts• Handouts Available at www.savedbyagun.com – FREE!• PDF of this presentation and other presentations can be found on the

website listed above.• Schedule of Classes on Website