Any old school agrarians out there?

Ragman

Active member
I love this site but don't recall seeing any posts here about anyone using home canned or dried foods for their trips. I have been doing this for years, taking homemade jerky, soups, canned meat etc camping. Stable,requires no refrigeration, can vacuum seal the dried ingredients for each meal together etc.

Anyone out there grow up with depression era parents like I did?
 

Buckshot62

Observer
No , but you have my curiosity piqued please tell me more. Recipes ? how you prepare the foods ? How you heat it at camp ?
 

Ragman

Active member
Sorry for the delay in response. One of the favorites I make is beef jerky which is very easy to make if you have a dehydrator (try Alton Brown's jerky marinade recipe-huge hit all around) you can also dehydrate the veggies for soup (peas, carrots, mushrooms), fruit for snacks, tomatoes sprinkled with herbs and dried are very good. Once at camp you can rehydrate the veggies and use them in soup etc. From the canning standpoint there are a couple advantages-no refrigeration so I make and can (these foods require a pressure canner) soups such as split pea, bean and ham, chili, beef/chicken stock (to mix with the dried veggies), vegetables such as corn relish, pickled beets, cooked beans, beef stew and spaghetti sauce.

The canned goods take up some space but the only trash left once used are the flats from the jars, so waste is minimal and the jars can be reused. Definitely takes more space than freeze dried but cost is dramatically different (despite small outlay in cost of materials). You can can meat, fish, chicken, make jellies for the trail (jalapeño jelly and brie anyone?). All around fun, saves money, provide stable and great tasting food.

I recommend the Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving for anyone interested in learning more about canning. Dehydrators come with instructions-I use a Nesco.

If you want to move on from there (but cost goes up for equipment) trying making your own sausages-I made 16 pounds of breakfast sausage this weekend with a total meat cost (pork buts on sale) of $23. Spices another $3-5 probably so cost was $1.75/pound and I know exactly what is in it.....
 

bhguy

Observer
Im 100% addicted to doing this now. I love having dehydrated food thats just real food. No chemicals or added crap. I have had some fails and some suprising wins.
Im tryin to get more adventurous with my meals as i have a 10 day hike coming up so every meal must be on my back. Id love to here recipies or just idead?
 

Buckshot62

Observer
We do the jerky with a nesco dehydrator. Tried dehydrated apples... that did not work out.(tasted like rubber ). Will look for that book next time I am in Walmart. I would like to try the canning next. thanks for the ideas.
 

baletag

New member
We do homemade canned food on our trips regularly. I also make my own bacon and sausage and freeze it in ziplocs. Letting them thaw slowly in the fridge makes for great breakfasts (with grits and eggs, of course).
 

vdeal

Observer
Have canned, frozen and dehydrated for years. Grew up doing it. Have my own garden and orchard and access to good, local meat or game. Are you saying that you bring the ball jars with you on your travels? This intrigues me. How are you packing them to protect them?
 

Beco90

New member
I've made jerky a few times. For those who don't have a dehydrator and want to try it, you can just use a regular oven, which is what I've done in the past. I can't post a link to a recipe, but if you Google 'oven jerky' you should find something.
 
I like to take some homemade sauerkraut on trips. It keeps things moving and is easy to add to anything! Homemade probiotics... Also love some Beet Kvass on hot days or at altitude, the mineral content is really high and it's a nice nitric oxide booster to help the heart in thin air.
 

Machinebuilder

New member
I've made jerky a few times. For those who don't have a dehydrator and want to try it, you can just use a regular oven, which is what I've done in the past. I can't post a link to a recipe, but if you Google 'oven jerky' you should find something.

Try Alton Browns jerky recipe, all that’s needed is a fan

I’ve made quite a bit mostly just adding some more peppery spices to the recipe


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