Turning frozen meat shelf stable?
Posted by Calianna1915@reddit | preppers | View on Reddit | 13 comments
Hello all, extremely new so please forgive me if this is commonly asked and I didn’t search the correct phrase! Our “normal food” is easily a 3+ month supply. A HUGE portion of this is venison and wild boar. We have one deep freeze dedicated to cured type meats (deer sticks, summer sausage, Bologna, etc.) and another deep freeze filled with ground venison, uncooked brats, ground sausage, and large chunks of deer loin. So if XYZ situation happened (literally anything, extended power outage, a freezer breaks and we can’t replace it immediately, SHTF) what options do we have for preserving that type of stuff? I’d like to add whatever supplies we may need to our “second 3 month supply” so we’re not scrambling last minute.
Heck_Spawn@reddit
You could always invite the entire neighborhood over for a cookout. Might even find someone with space in their freezer to help you.
joelnicity@reddit
This is probably the best and most realistic answer
jdnls87@reddit
Pressure canning. Grab an All American canner, makes that venison shelf-stable for years. Dehydrating works for jerky too. Key is starting NOW before you need it.
andrewa101@reddit
I think this is really cool! I never thought about doing that. If power goes out, it will make sense. Sometimes you can try it.
456name789@reddit
Just start pressure canning it in ways you’d normally use it. Doing it whenever the power goes out or SHTF is not a reasonable decision. In those situations the very last thing you want to have to deal with is pressure canning a freezers worth of meat.
My rule of thumb is to not keep more in my freezers than I’m willing to lose…during the summer. If it’s winter it’s not a huge problem. But I still don’t really factor my freezers into my “so many years/months worth of food.” It’s bonus meals in my mind.
456name789@reddit
Conversely, if you want to invest in a freeze dryer you could process the meat that way. If you do that, I’d suggest freeze drying cooked meat so it’s ready to use with only rehydration.
Eleutherian8@reddit
Keep the home fires burning. Put it all in a giant boiling cauldron over said home fires and enjoy it as perpetual stew for as long as you’d like.
nobody4456@reddit
Head over to r/charcuterie. They can put you on the right track. You’ll also need either nitrates to cure or a bacterial culture to acidify the meat to prevent botulism growth. There’s tons of recipes and stuff available.
SheistyPenguin@reddit
Some questions that may help guide your answer:
IMO, chest freezers are relatively cheap compared to upright freezers or fridge+freezers. They also don't use much power.
girllock@reddit
I'm learning to pressure can and freeze dry meats and fish, and we've also enjoyed homemade fish and venison jerky. I err on the side of caution/tested recipes for meat, partially because it hurts more to lose a jar than if it was tomato sauce or something. We've had enough power outages that this tends to be on our priorities. Canned/jarred meat goes great in curries and spicy sauces.
Icy-Medicine-495@reddit
I bought a spare used fridge for 100 dollars in case mine ever dies. Already came in clutch once. When not using it I store 3 spare bags of dog food in it to keep bugs, mice, and moisture away.
I also had a small generator and enough gas to power it for 2 weeks before I got my big solar power system installed.
Cute-Consequence-184@reddit
Canning and dehydrating are the easiest and cheapest.
smsff2@reddit
There’s nothing you can do at the last minute. Canning will take weeks. Salting was popular in the 19th century because there was no other option. Most people in the 21st century wouldn’t be able to eat salted meat, and it’s not exactly safe. It requires about 1.5% salt content.