Preserving Foods

Originally posted by whitewave
I was really hoping someone could add to the knowledge about preserving foods. What you see above is all I know. I'm always eager to learn more. Anyone willing to tutor?

I am sorry I did not say thanks for the work you have done on this.

I have been wrapped up in my car problems, and other things in life.

Some ppl have made low cost solar dehydrators to store there food
long term, and they provided some nice pictures on the site too.

Solar Dehydrator

A lot of dehydrated veggies will last a long time, and is cheaper and
easier than canning. Canning has its advantages, but this method
looks cheaper on paper to me.

If I am wrong let me know.

My grandmothers were big on canning, but the equipment was
dangerous if it malfunctioned, and it was not cheap either.

With all the hoopla over carbon taxes and all this is a super cheap
way to bypass all those pesky carbon taxes coming down the pike
in addition to being good for the off grid survivalist.

reply to post by Ex_MislTech

Thanks for sharing that, EMT. It looks simple enough that even I could probably build one. LOL.

Making wine became a way to preserve fruits, making cheese became a way to preserve milk, making jerky became a way to preserve meat. Pemican and "hard tack" can be preserved almost indefinitely and were foods taken on the hunt or traveling trail. Simple to make, too.

Originally posted by MissysWorld

Originally posted by mappam
Do you have an easy way to Dehydrate without a 'dehydrater'.

I tried to use sweet potatoes (great doggie treat) using the oven and made a real mess! Overcooked and almost burned. (Doggie loved them anyway LOL).

Anyone know how to make a device that can be used (alone or with the sun)?

Seems a really good way to preserve food - if I could figure it out

The possibilities are endless - from fruit to veggies etc.

I have been dehydrating (Walmart dehy. $30.00) for over a year now..BUT I did see, I believe it was on youtube, a story about a Father who helped his daughter with a school project.. It was to make an oven without electric, using the sun..He now gives these to other countries in need.. You take:
2 boxes/one slightly bigger than the other.
cover the inside of both with aluminum foil.
Paint the outside of boxes with black paint.
Put food in smalled box, sit bigger box over the smaller box.
Leave outside in the sun.
They said you can cook a cake in it in a couple hours.
Im sure you could dehydrate any veggie in a day, and the box would be gigger than your oven

I heard about these solar ovens and I read about making an earth oven.
It would be worth a try.

To those interested in furthering their knowledge about preserving foods, midnightbrigades is graciously allowing me to link to his thread about refrigeration when shtf.

Should save some the trouble of bothering with that pesky search function button. (am I the only one that has trouble finding specific threads using search?). Also there's some good info, which I admit I don't have too deep an understanding, but it's never too late to learn.