Are you prepared? Trying to be more self sufficient

You can pressure can using this type over a woodstove yes these are expensive but they have been made for ever and can be found in yard sales etc some clean up and replace gauges etc good to go. https://www.lehmans.com/product/30-...Q_1EC1CT71BK1UuUTzJq9XaXV-oGFeBRoCkv4QAvD_BwE

 

You can actually cure it where it does not need refrigeration. Pack it in a large container, layering meat and salt then pour a brine over it and cover. Think of all the soldiers going off to war in the days before refrigeration. It is, however, a very salt heavy way of doing things. If I remember right it's 1/2 lb salt to 1 lb meat and you need to soak the meat before eating.

 

Got Christie one for Christmas they are nice canners

 

Having read through the posts I see seems most folks have basics and a touch more or less of things you can buy and store. It might be a good idea to take advantage of any free training offered by your respective states, organizations ie red cross, look to first aid, disaster prep such. There are multitudes of books written by professionals and ahem quasi professionals. Military manuals are generally reliable and written on a 7th grade level or so picking up ones encompassing survival, medical and so on. If you look there are a lot of agencies that put out good information to have stored somewhere like this https://www.build-a-gasifier.com/fema-gasifier-plans/.

 

The Pensacola Museum of History has a hard tack biscuit from the civil war!!!!

https://www.ajc.com/things-to-do/fo...time-for-hardtack/ZANCCCLRTREV3PK25KJQPHHXQE/

 

I believe it’s a certain salt also not just table salt and Lord help you if you have high blood pressure

 

I’m going to look for local disaster training. Sadly most today seem to prefer causing a disaster

 

I ain’t eating that

 

Yeah CERT groups are pretty awesome. But they're not going all homesteadery, either.

Anyway, salt cured hams just use regular ole NaCl. The various types of salt basically just refer to crystal sizes and anticaking agents and sources.

 

Well I’m learning stuff I may need to look more into this. I’ve always wanted to build a smoke house also

 

Yeah, I don't think it can be table salt...also, I think some of the old timers would add salt petre.

Fortunately for me, no high blood pressure here. By all accounts I should but I've avoided it thus far.

 

Salt and curing salt

 

Idk but all this gives me an idea for a topic for tomorrow.

 

Sodium nitrite. It's what makes hot dogs and corned beef pink.

 

Yeah, though there's also other ways. Marinade + sun dry is pretty trad, though making homemade greenhouses to keep the critters out and increase heat levels isn't a horrible idea. basically dehydrate. So, if you have a half ton of meat in the chest freezer, and the power is out (forever?).. cut it thin, salt soak it, make it dry. It'll extend the lifespan from days to months, at least, even if you can't refrigerate or keep cool after jerkying.

Anyway, a lot of the discussion on 'how to prepare' boards always involves getting 'more of X' or 'special thing Y' .. just in case. With a few exceptions.. I really don't like that sort of thinking. Learn a new skill, that works for everything else you do? Yes. Expand the pantry? Def.

IMHO, if you want to get something gear wise, make it something that you'll use on a regular basis. You want to get into canning, yes, look into various options including ones that don't use electricity. But.. honest truth here, we're a society, and unless you're gonna ignore everyone else around you, we're all gonna do some sharing and rebuilding together.

 

I didn't think there could be anything worse than putting meat in a humid greenhouse. If this did work, Florida would be the outdoor meat preservation capital of the US. Alas, it is not. Might be viable of you're in AK or AZ

 

'A humid greenhouse' .. I'm not talking about plant growth places. I'm talking about the greenhouse effect - if you can use sun and glass to make a heated chamber, the humidity within that chamber necessarily drops compared to the ambient air, as warm air can hold more moisture vs cooler air. If your ambient is hot already and it's already moisture laden, the greenhouse effect can't help you much in dehumidification, and you'll need to use other techniques. Still, if you start @ 90 and 70%, raising the heat to say ... 120 will drop that RH down a bit.

 

I know I’m no Super man or tough guy and I’m going to have to be able to work with others. We are a society and we are social people as a whole. It’s a tough balance to consider how to work with them and help them without selling yourself short especially with food. Selfishly I’d hope most of the ones around me will leave

 

It gets to around 105 in ours even with a sun shade cloth and the vent open

 

Yup, and assuming you don't have water in there (or soil with water) the RH should be lower than ambient.

 

Oh this is for growing so it’s pretty humid