06-24-2011, 04:31 PM
(This post was last modified: 06-24-2011, 05:25 PM by ColdBlueSteel.)
(06-23-2011, 09:29 PM)Chicago Ted Wrote: Great info!!!!!!!!, this is something I've been trying to glean more info on but am having difficulty with all the contradictory information out there. My only qualm is:In a bare bones, survival of the fattest situation, which we clearly are not in, wouldn't it be ideal to keep the skin on? I'm no nutrionist but I've heard stories of mountain men dying with full bellies of rabbit. Eating meat that is too lean will rob your body of necessary fats that your body uses to metabolize certain vitamins like K and a few other important ones.
[quote='ColdBlueSteel' pid='29106' dateline='1308872739']
We remove the skins to reduce the fat content and the bones so that there is more meat in the jar.
There's a big difference between chicken and wild rabbit. Even skinned & deboned the canned thighs have a layer of grease on the top after canning. The rabbit and squirrel may have a couple of drops, maybe. Keep in mind you cannot live on meat alone. Eat nothing but meat, especially extremely lean meats like rabbit and you will die, just like if you ate nothing but rice. The plains indians made it through the winters by making and storing pemmican. Ground up jerky with berrys, grains, whatever carb source they could mix in.
Bottom line is we have bread into our livestock an unhealthy amout of intramuscular fat. Most game animals and birds don't have it. They carry their fat in the abdominal cavity first and then build the extramuscular layer that we see when we skin them.
Also, with your family as the example about how long does that chicken last you? How long could it last you?
Again great info....
26 pints will last my wife and I about 18 months. I try to keep 2 batches on hand. Usage is in stir fry, soup etc. so there is a good bit of "extender" added when it gets used.
To find a woman who doesn't mind the chicken juice on her hands, try cruising Amish country
(06-24-2011, 08:45 AM)NoMoreOp4 Wrote: Yet another thing to add to the list of purchases for the BOL haha.
What is the longest shelf life of any food that can be stored (that is worth storing)? I feel like until I have a legitimate set up, only storing the items that will last the longest would be an efficient use of my time and money. Food stores are my weakest link in preps right now (I know its bad), unfortunately I just don't have the income right now to spend on food preps, my shooting and other outdoor activities, and normal expenses.
Longest shelf life is with dried grain/beans stored in a vacuum. From info I have read on the web, 30 years is easily doable. White rice sucks from a nutrition standpoint. Beans provide fiber, vitamins and protein.
As far as canned product goes, I really don't know. I wouldn't throw anything away unless the jar lost it's seal. If I can remember the next time I'm in the store I'll check to see if any of the cans of meat products are stamped with an expiration date. Meat should last just as long in a jar as it does in a metal can. The only diff would be the glass lets light in which would accellerate the degredation.
To hold down cost....yard sales! Jars are quite often found there and you may come across a canner. Even a standard canner can be used for acidic foods safely. Some foods only need the addition of some lemon juice to get the ph down. For those willing to ignore the offical government guidelines, a standard canner can be used. I know a LOT of people who are afraid of pressure canners. They are afraid they will blow up. I have a relative who's wife cans a lot of deer meat every year (for about the last 40 years) and hasn't had a problem. I'm not advocating anyone do this. If you do, it's on you.
With that said, a standard canner is just a large pot with a lid and a rack so the jars don't sit directly on the bottom.
And don't forget estate sales. Maybe not so much in the cities but for those who are in or near rural areas there are auctions at farms all the time. Canners and jars usually go dirt cheap unless the amish are there. Just know the value of what you are buying. I've seen people get bidding fever and pay more at an auction than they could have for new.
Bacon.........
Food of the gods, staff of life and all that stuff. What's life without bacon?
U will need quart jars for this one along with parchment paper. Thick sliced bacon works best. The thin sliced stuff crumbles up to easily when browned.
Lay parchment paper out on a flat surface. Place individual strips of bacon on the paper. Try not to overlap but it won't hurt if you do, it will just stick together. Roll the paper/bacon into a tube. Not too tightly. Fold over and stuff into a quart jar. Put your cleaned lid on, screw on the band snug, not tight and put in your canner. Process for 90 mins @ 15 psi.
A quart jar should hold about a pound of bacon. There will be a considerable amount of air space left in the jar. No worries here, it won't hurt.
When you want to consume, just dump it out and unroll. Can be browned in a pan or in the microwave. Keep in mind this stuff is already cooked. It will brown quickly. The microwave works best for us. The tenderizing effect of the pressure canner makes this stuff difficult to turn over in the frying pan and keep it in one piece.
While we are on the breakfast foods, sausage works well also. We can both loose and link sausage. Both need browned a little before canning to improve flavor and to keep the loose stuff from sticking together in a nasy clump.
For the loose stuff fry it all a bit until it's lost the "pink" on the outside. Remove half from the pan and continue to brown the rest until it's to your preference. Mix with the undercooked stuff and pack into jars. Leave 1 inch headspace at the top. Process 90 mins at 15 psi. For the links, use a lot of heat and brown it. Doesn't need to be cooked through. Just brown the "skin" so it reduces the tendency to stick together in the jar. Pack and leave 1" headspace. Don't use sausage that has sage in it unless you like bitter sausage!!!!!!!!! "country" sausage works fine. You can even make a "smoked" version by adding some liquid smoke to the jar before you process it. It can be found at "Giant" grocery stores in the aisle with the spices, at least at our local Giant it's there and even comes in a mesquite variety.
Ground beef or hamburger can be done the same as the loose sausage. We pack the loose sausage or burger into pint jars. For some variety, and a quick meal, Try mixing taco seasoning into the the burger. A pint jar holds about a pound, which is what most of the recipes on the seasoning packets call for. We can have the meat ready for taco's qucker than we can cut up the lettuce, tomato etc..
Luke 22:36