best long term meat ideas

[irishfan]

I have been looking to put back more meat types in the long term stuff but it ranges from 1-2 years to 25 years. I like the canned beef and chicken as we use it and rotate it regularly but I also would like something for a long term. Mountain House has some nice variety with diced and ground beef along with chicken and pork chops. However, the cans are quite expensive compared to just buying cans of meat at the store. Do most of you store Mountain House or other freeze dried meat or do you just stock regular canned goods only? Any ideas are helpful

 

[fireblade]

man .......you ask very good questions ..wish i could rep you more.....

At one time i did both but got tired of rotating can meats.....i still keep spam but thats it for can meats. so i just mainly have freeze dried meats yes it cost me more money but it meat i don't have to worry about for 25+years........

just meat

Costco - Shelf Reliance® THRIVE=

Costco - Shelf Reliance® THRIVE=

 

[bingley]

I would avoid freeze-dried meat, because (1) it takes water to reconstitute, (2) it's expensive, and (3) the taste is often worse than, and at best the same as, canned meat. The canned route is better unless you really need to save on weight and volume, and can expect a steady water supply.

But if you want, check out shelfreliance.com for an alternative to Mountain House.

 

[TiminMishawaka]

https://www.indianagunowners.com/forums/survival_and_disaster_preparedness/125880-how_to_can_bacon_at_home.html



No joke, I googled the original article and the INGO link came up in google before the original article. FTW

In all seriousness, I keep reading stories of the days of the fur trade when men would take "bacon" on the trail. I'm researching what that recipe was that could keep bacon in unrefrigerated conditions. If anyone has any tips or wants to point me in a direction, I'd love to hear.

 

[ATM]

 

[slackerisme]

A cheaper, and tastier, solution may be to can your own. I looked into this last year when I was looking into canning the extras from my garden. I knew they sold commercially canned meats, but I did not realize how easy it was to do yourself. An added bonus is that you get to prep it however you want, I dig pizza and pasta sauce, so we may do some of these.


You can safely and easily can your own meat by Jackie Clay Issue #105

 

[03A3]

Tim I have a pack of store-bought salt pork that has been in the freezer for 5 weeks that hasn't frozen solid. I'm begining to wonder if it even needs to be refrigerated.
I've heard and read about salted meat and fish being kept in wooden barrels. This must be something that was once a common practice and now most of us don't know anything about it.
It can't be that hard to do if people were doing it in primitive conditions. But then you need to know what you're doing and have the stuff to do it with.
This sounds like something to study up on.

slacker I can remember my Mom canning meat.

 

[irishfan]

I actually bought one can of the yoders bacon but it is expensive for what you get. However, after not having any for weeks I would probably tear someones arm off for a piece.

The canned meat is what we have been doing and I like the roast beef we buy by the flat and the chicken is good to. Also, we just bought a canned ham from Aldi the other day but have yet to try it. The shelf life is good with it not expiring until November of 2016. That may be the route we go for now as I know we can rotate throught the canned roast beef and chicken at a fairly good pace here if we want to. Also, I can get Mountain House for a good price but for the amount you get it may not add up to the canned beef as well as the water sacrifice for rehydration. The main reason I purchased the Mountain House is for the less fuel usage and extremely long shelf life. In the future I am planning on adding mostly only the desserts and fruits and veggies I can't get from the cannery. I can't wait for the rasberry crumble to come in so I can try it out.

 

[irishfan]

Tim I have a pack of store-bought salt pork that has been in the freezer for 5 weeks that hasn't frozen solid. I'm begining to wonder if it even needs to be refrigerated.
I've heard and read about salted meat and fish being kept in wooden barrels. This must be something that was once a common practice and now most of us don't know anything about it.
It can't be that hard to do if people were doing it in primitive conditions. But then you need to know what you're doing and have the stuff to do it with.
This sounds like something to study up on.

slacker I can remember my Mom canning meat.

I know that a guy I work with talks about storing salted meat in a shed. He said that his grandmother from Kentucky had done it all her life and they have had the meat without any issues. He told me that the way they do it is to salt it and then wrap it to protect it and store it in a sealed shed they have. Now, I would think it would spoil but he said that if you salt it well to preserve it that there are no issues at all. Personally, it freaks me out but I know people did that for a long time before refrigeration and some still do.

 

[NathanJefferson]

Long term survival meat? LONG PIG! Duh.

 

[CarmelHP]

A cheaper, and tastier, solution may be to can your own. I looked into this last year when I was looking into canning the extras from my garden. I knew they sold commercially canned meats, but I did not realize how easy it was to do yourself. An added bonus is that you get to prep it however you want, I dig pizza and pasta sauce, so we may do some of these.


You can safely and easily can your own meat by Jackie Clay Issue #105

Good article. For meat, pressure canning is a necessity to make sure you get all the meat hot enough throughout. To can bacon, stuff it into the jar tight as possible, and you'll have a good fat cover you can use for other cooking and flavoring. BTW, canned pork in a Mason jar is amazingly unappetizing in appearance.

 

[WC Deer Hunter]

Subscribed

 

[spencer rifle]

Grabill Meats FTW. Tasty, not that expensive, lots of variety, and lasts a LONG time. Officially 10 years, but the owner goes to our church and says that as long as the cans are intact, they are good. Keep 'em nice and that could be 30 years.

You can find pressure canners on Ebay - anywhere from less than $100 to $400+, depending on size and features. All-American canners are good since they require no seal that can wear out.

 

[irishfan]

You can find pressure canners on Ebay - anywhere from less than $100 to $400+, depending on size and features. All-American canners are good since they require no seal that can wear out.

When you pressure can does that cook the meat? I have watched some youtube videos but never really was sure. I have wondered if you have to pre-cook then can the meat or does it cook while you are canning?

thanks

 

[mrjarrell]

In all seriousness, I keep reading stories of the days of the fur trade when men would take "bacon" on the trail. I'm researching what that recipe was that could keep bacon in unrefrigerated conditions. If anyone has any tips or wants to point me in a direction, I'd love to hear.

You need smoked, cured bacon. You can often find it in stores that sell country hams, too. It stores at room temp for ages. Cracker Barrel used to sell it. Comes wrapped in cheese cloth. I've had it sent to me when I lived overseas in places without pork and it held up great. A good country ham will last quite a while, too.

 

[iChokePeople]

I haven't tried any of this meat, but I've tried some of their other stuff, and it's very good.

man .......you ask very good questions ..wish i could rep you more.....

At one time i did both but got tired of rotating can meats.....i still keep spam but thats it for can meats. so i just mainly have freeze dried meats yes it cost me more money but it meat i don't have to worry about for 25+years........

just meat

Costco - Shelf Reliance® THRIVE=

Costco - Shelf Reliance® THRIVE=

 

[PAMom]

When you pressure can does that cook the meat? I have watched some youtube videos but never really was sure. I have wondered if you have to pre-cook then can the meat or does it cook while you are canning?

thanks

You can home can most anything with a pressure canner. Yes, the meat cooks as it's canning. No pre-cooking needed You are cooking it at high pressure for a long time. For meat, I always take it to 15# pressure. Canned meat is very tasty and tender.

Rodale Books has some good canning information as does Ball - the people that make canning jars and lids.

 

[grunt soldier]

I know that a guy I work with talks about storing salted meat in a shed. He said that his grandmother from Kentucky had done it all her life and they have had the meat without any issues. He told me that the way they do it is to salt it and then wrap it to protect it and store it in a sealed shed they have. Now, I would think it would spoil but he said that if you salt it well to preserve it that there are no issues at all. Personally, it freaks me out but I know people did that for a long time before refrigeration and some still do.

I know some folks who do this with pork and basically it's like salami. the bacteria grows on it and basically seals it up. it cures and the fly's don't even bother it. they had them out in the garage in the middle of the summer hanging in the heat no problem. it requires a good amount of salt. I'll see if I can get the recipe for it.

 

[thompbarn]

BTW, the Mountain House freeze dried meat is not, I don't believe, real meat. Rather, it is primarily TSP, textured soy protein. Imitation meat.

 

[pudly]

Grabill Meats FTW. Tasty, not that expensive, lots of variety, and lasts a LONG time.

+1 on Grabill. If you don't make your own, this is a very good option. Located near Ft. Wayne (NE) Indiana.