What have you done this week to prep? PART II

[Leadeye]

Wife canned butter for first time....gives it a 5 yr. shelf life. My next deer I get going to can it for the first time, we got the jars and lids and the freezer is full. View attachment 165266

I've never seen canned butter, interesting.

 

[DragonGunner]

I've never seen canned butter, interesting.

We hadn't either....I was looking at buying butter powder....but didn't like what I was learning about it, then saw a you tube video on canning butter....shoot thats way cheaper, is the real deal. May not last as long but can always use it up and can more every 5 years.

 

[Snapdragon]

We hadn't either....I was looking at buying butter powder....but didn't like what I was learning about it, then saw a you tube video on canning butter....shoot thats way cheaper, is the real deal. May not last as long but can always use it up and can more every 5 years.

Butter also keeps pretty well in the freezer. If it were tightly wrapped, I would use it after 5 years.

 

[snapping turtle]

Worked 66 hours Monday thru Saturday and then did very little but watch football and cook meals on Sunday. Going to call that good for last week.
This week loooks the same except I have to work Sunday also. I estimate 64 hours.

Triple house payments. Debt reduction

 

[DragonGunner]

Butter also keeps pretty well in the freezer. If it were tightly wrapped, I would use it after 5 years.

Lots of things you can freeze, we got a generator and figure in case no electric, power grid goes out for a long time I can run freeze about a hour a day to keep it going for several months....problem is it full of deer meat, hamburger, and loaves of zucchini bread......!!! lol

 

[Snapdragon]

Lots of things you can freeze, we got a generator and figure in case no electric, power grid goes out for a long time I can run freeze about a hour a day to keep it going for several months....problem is it full of deer meat, hamburger, and loaves of zucchini bread......!!! lol

True. I use small packages of butter and cheese in freezer bags as filler for gaps between larger items in the freezer. I also store a lot of bottled water in both the refrigerator and the freezer just to fill in the empty spaces. Better energy efficiency, and a bonus of always having extra cold or frozen water if I need it. On a hot day, I can either grab a cold one or a frozen one (or one of each) depending on how long I'll be out.

 

[Ballstater98]

Found some refried beans dated 2019. Ya, not going to roll those dice. Replenished at the store with a few more cans and grabbed a few extra canned veggies and fruit. Wish I had a better rotation plan.

 

[indyjohn]

I bought this for making sausage, or fruit. >100 yrs old, works perfectly. Thinking I'll make juice with it mostly.

 

[Snapdragon]

Found some refried beans dated 2019. Ya, not going to roll those dice. Replenished at the store with a few more cans and grabbed a few extra canned veggies and fruit. Wish I had a better rotation plan.

My ex-bf was very adventurous when it came to expiration dates. Five years ago we went through his pantry, and he had soup from the 80's that he insisted on keeping. I also watched him make a sandwich with some Miracle Whip that had been in his refrigerator, open, for roughly eight years based on the date.

 

[Ballstater98]

My ex-bf was very adventurous when it came to expiration dates. Five years ago we went through his pantry, and he had soup from the 80's that he insisted on keeping. I also watched him make a sandwich with some Miracle Whip that had been in his refrigerator, open, for roughly eight years based on the date.

I have a few rules.

"When in doubt, throw it out!"
"Milk expiration dates are not a suggestion."

I've had food poisoning. For a buck or two, I'm not a that cheap to suffer that risk. When I lost sense of smell with covid and couldn't smell if my kid's milk was ok or close to turning, I had to rely on the date.

 

[Snapdragon]

I have a few rules.

"When in doubt, throw it out!"
"Milk expiration dates are not a suggestion."

I've had food poisoning. For a buck or two, I'm not a that cheap to suffer that risk. When I lost sense of smell with covid and couldn't smell if my kid's milk was ok or close to turning, I had to rely on the date.

I'm with you there. Been there, done that with the food poisoning. Just a few days ago one of my Facebook memories was "Feel like death. Not going into details, but if anyone offers you a tuna sandwich from Panera, run like hell."

 

[Lex Concord]

My ex-bf was very adventurous when it came to expiration dates. Five years ago we went through his pantry, and he had soup from the 80's that he insisted on keeping. I also watched him make a sandwich with some Miracle Whip that had been in his refrigerator, open, for roughly eight years based on the date.

Those aren't expiration dates (dairy is a likely exception), but "best by" dates... i.e. the date to which the manufacturer guarantees "quality" (typically flavor/texture).

Taste and texture will vary, and nutrition content may degrade, but canned food is generally safe for decades (potentially a century) if the can's integrity is maintained.

I ate a can of beans w/ a BB date somewhere in 2016 just last week... it was fine. Your ex-bf, however, is certainly far more adventurous than I. I might do a can that old, but I'd take a hard pass on anything that had been open that long.

I've also got a Desert Storm era MRE I've been debating for some time -- it's franks 'n' beans... I'll have to eat it sometime

I am not a "food safety expert" (whatever that might be), do your own research, YMMV, </disclaimer>

 

[jerrob]

Loaded up on some canned ham (12 cans no limit) on my last weekly trip to Aldi's.
They make the best "quick" ham and beans with a couple cans of Bush's Great Northern beans.
Also added a dozen cans of pink salmon to the long term pantry from Aldi's too.

 

[dudley0]

Those aren't expiration dates (dairy is a likely exception), but "best by" dates... i.e. the date to which the manufacturer guarantees "quality" (typically flavor/texture).

Taste and texture will vary, and nutrition content may degrade, but canned food is generally safe for decades (potentially a century) if the can's integrity is maintained.

I ate a can of beans w/ a BB date somewhere in 2016 just last week... it was fine. Your ex-bf, however, is certainly far more adventurous than I. I might do a can that old, but I'd take a hard pass on anything that had been open that long.

I've also got a Desert Storm era MRE I've been debating for some time -- it's franks 'n' beans... I'll have to eat it sometime

I am not a "food safety expert" (whatever that might be), do your own research, YMMV, </disclaimer>

Yesterday I had smoked oysters from 2015 and a can of soup with a BB date of 2014. The wife will consume things past the date, but prefers not to.

I had to down size my stores when we moved so I have been slowly eating what is just sitting in the way. We stopped eating canned goods so much and thus the late dates.

A few years ago I talked in here about eating an MRE that I got from my cousin in the mid to late 80's. It was fine, although the Tabasco sauce was clear.

My oldest tosses anything that is close to the best by date. She gets some stuff delivered, doesn't use it and I take it. She even tossed onions because the service said don't use after a week.

I have also seen people question water because they put a best by date on it as well. That's just crazy.

Leftover foraging is a specialty of mine. Makes for some odd meals, but at least I don't toss it all.

 

[Magyars]

I've been gathering black walnuts here on the farm.
I have never had this many before.
If anyone wants to come over and collect some. They're welcome to it.

 

[snapping turtle]

Working 64-70 hours a week 7 days a week.
Does not leave lots of time on the table. Adding an hour and a half transport time each day.

I think it will keep going until at least February. With a break around Xmas.

Wife has finally got on board with the pantry stocking. Just can not yet get her into the we need 52 weeks of food idea yet. I did get her to think of 7 meals that the family will eat and are basically dump cans and heat up meals. I also got her to make a list of what each meal takes to prepare it. Which meal is Monday Tuesday ect. Now all that is left is finding the sales on those items and get 52 or 104 of them.

 

[Lex Concord]

I've been gathering black walnuts here on the farm.
I have never had this many before.
If anyone wants to come over and collect some. They're welcome to it.

We also have a lot more than I remember seeing, which surprised me due to how many fell very early and small when it was dry this summer. They also seem to be bigger than I've seen for a while. They make a nice meaty thud when they hit the driveway.

 

[Lex Concord]

Yesterday I had smoked oysters from 2015 and a can of soup with a BB date of 2014. The wife will consume things past the date, but prefers not to.

I had to down size my stores when we moved so I have been slowly eating what is just sitting in the way. We stopped eating canned goods so much and thus the late dates.

A few years ago I talked in here about eating an MRE that I got from my cousin in the mid to late 80's. It was fine, although the Tabasco sauce was clear.

My oldest tosses anything that is close to the best by date. She gets some stuff delivered, doesn't use it and I take it. She even tossed onions because the service said don't use after a week.

I have also seen people question water because they put a best by date on it as well. That's just crazy.

Leftover foraging is a specialty of mine. Makes for some odd meals, but at least I don't toss it all.

MiL is the same... ditches anything nearing the BB date. We're happy to give it all a good home.

 

[Thor]

With all this talk of walnuts...how do you shuck them? And can you go back in and stain everything you own with a rich walnut tone?

 

[Magyars]

With all this talk of walnuts...how do you shuck them? And can you go back in and stain everything you own with a rich walnut tone?

I use a cast iron hand cranked corn sheller. I know some people put them on the drive way and run over them with a car/truck.
If your worried about staining you could put a tarp down...oh. And wear rubber gloves