Table of Contents

Title page

Copyright page

Introduction

Food storage

Preserving

Dehydrating

Freezing

Appendix

About the author

Back cover

Ask Jackie

Food Storage

Copyright 1999-2012

ISBN: 978-0-9860152-2-9

Backwoods Home Magazine

PO Box 712

Gold Beach, Oregon 97444

www.backwoodshome.com

Edited by Jessie Denning, Julia Denning, Haley Kessel, Connie Sayler, Lisa Nourse, Rhoda Denning, and Ilene Duffy

Cover art by Don Childers

Illustrations by Don Childers, Jessie Denning, and John Dean

Introduction

Food preservation is of utmost importance to self-reliant minded people. Not only do you have to harvest, hunt, and buy food, but you also need to ensure that it keeps for a lengthy time and is ready to use when you want it. This book covers all sorts of food preservation methods such as dehydrating food, home freezing, alternative methods of food preservation, and food storage.

While I can a lot of our own food, I also store a whole lot of apples, carrots, rutabagas, and potatoes in bins in our basement root cellar. I have sacks of onions, strings of garlic hanging from nails, squash on our heated back porch all winter, jars of dehydrated foods on the pantry shelves, a crock of sauerkraut under the shelves in the basement, smoked hams or sides of bacon hanging in cool spots, and meat from our homegrown pigs and steers in our small freezer in the basement. I also have jars of jerky in the refrigerator (or on pantry shelves if it’s been dehydrated hard enough) if my son, David, hasn’t found it yet!

There are a whole lot of different storage methods, besides canning. Each and every one is an integral part of the whole homestead process. All are invaluable. And not a single one is difficult to learn how to master skillfully. Men, women, and even young children all get into the act of home food preservation with enthusiasm.

I hope I’ve answered many of your own questions on food preservation in this book. Have fun reading!

— Jackie Clay

Food storage

Above-ground root cellars

We have 5 acres of fairly flat rocky land, and I’m interested in information about an above-ground root cellar made from tires; is it feasible and is it effective?

Marie

I had a friend who made an above-ground root cellar with tires, rocks, and earth. This cellar was built into the side of a hill and was about 10x12 feet inside. The walls were four feet thick at the bottom and about two feet thick at the ceiling height of five feet. John simply stacked tires three wide all around the outside walls, leaving a doorway just wide enough to get a wheelbarrow inside. The doorway was framed with 6x6 timbers spiked together. The base tires were then filled with rocks and soil, firmly packed down. At the doorway, he screwed the tires to the door frame, which was braced up until the walls were done. The next layer was smaller tires, still three wide. All were filled with rocks and dirt. This was repeated, using smaller or fewer tires, making a slight tapering to the top wall in which the tires overlapped each other, as do bricks or stones in a building. When the walls were up, he shoved a berm of soil on the outside with his tractor bucket, giving extra insulation and strength. The roof consisted of peeled six-inch poles laid across, touching each other. On top of them, he laid a heavy double poly pond liner. Then on top of that, he placed 2 inches of rigid foam insulation, followed by about a foot of soil. Depending on your soil and the type of poles (hardwood or soft) you may want to brace the center with an inside heavy beam and upright posts.

Finishing off, he ran a six-inch vent tunnel up through the roof, which could be shut off from below in extremely cold weather. An insulated double door completed the construction. Depending on your climate, this may or may not work for you for winter storage of fruits and vegetables. In extreme climates, it might not keep them from freezing during the coldest part of the winter. As you did not say where you live, I can’t advise you about this; you’ll just have to give it a try. For John, it worked pretty good and he experienced little loss.

Root cellaring

I recently have been reading a book on root cellaring and it seems like an easy way to preserve a lot of crops. While canning is great, it is a fair amount of work and mess, and it would seem that root cellaring would be a lot easier. With your huge gardens, have you ever tried it?

Diane Unger, Virginia

Root cellaring is great. I finally have a cellar built in my basement, but it isn’t a silver bullet. I still can a lot of my food, because I’ve carried out buckets of soft and rotten produce, come spring, too. Once it’s in a jar, it won’t spoil. So when I root cellar food, I keep right on canning and drying it, right through the winter. That way, we have the best of both worlds. There’s nice fresh potatoes, apples, squash, onions, carrots, etc. But, I slowly can what we won’t use instead of carrying it all shriveled and rotten out to the pigs and chickens, come spring.

Root cellaring in Texas

I live in the prairie lands in one of the SW states, Texas. I plan to retire soon and will have plenty of time for gardening. I enjoy gardening and putting up the harvest. I was wondering if root cellaring in this part of the country is one practical method of storing my harvest. I am not sure if the right temperatures can be achieved in a hot and humid state most of the year. What do you think?

Kenneth Whitmire, Texas

If you have the room, a root cellar is a good thing, no matter where you live, provided that your water table is not too high. We lived on the high prairie, in northeast New Mexico. The old lady who had homesteaded on our place had a much-used root cellar. While a root cellar in the south won’t be as cool as one in the north, it will definitely help you keep your fruits and vegetables longer than if they were just kept in the warm house. By leaving the floor dirt or gravel, and maintaining humidity, this helps keep most produce even longer. A root cellar is also a good thing when you are in tornado or hurricane prone areas too, for family preservation. And you have plenty of food available right at your fingertips!

Keep your cellar well insulated with closing vents to keep out the very hot summer temperatures. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed with your cellar.

Root cellar in Texas

It looks like we will finally be able to move onto a decent amount of property ranging from 3-10 acres, though we are leaning towards the 10 acres. The property is located in Elgin, Texas, just a few miles east and slightly north of Austin. I really want to get a garden going as soon as possible and to start canning as well. Given the high temperatures, humidity, and high rainfall, do you think a root cellar is even possible or practical for that area? If you do, how would you recommend doing it? All I am imagining is a shed with an A/C window unit attached to it (giggle). Storing food in this way isn’t something we’ve ever done in my family though we have done small amounts of canning from the small garden my grandmother had when I was a child.

Lauren Paul, Texas

Well, Lauren, a root cellar is definitely possible, but maybe not practical. In a hot, high-rain area, you’ll have to take extensive steps to make sure your root cellar does not get any ground water drainage into it. It will depend on how much work and money you want to sink into a root cellar. If you are moving onto bare land, you probably would be better off to wait a while and keep thinking about your cellar. See where any flooding occurs in the yard after drenching rains. Where are the high spots? If you want to build a root cellar away from the house, the high spot would be the place to build, adding extra soil over the cellar to make absolutely sure water doesn’t flow into it. You’ll also have to consider adding extra insulation either in the form of mounded-up soil over the cellar or fiberglass insulation between the rafters to keep the heat down. Of course, you only have to go down into the earth a short way before you reach much cooler soil, no matter how hot the surface soil is.

If it were me, I’d go ahead and garden, can, and build or remodel your house to suit your family first. You can always store your food in a cool (in the winter) closet and other out-of-the-way places. In New Mexico, we stored our winter produce under the bed in slide-out boxes because our bedroom was the coolest section of the house (on purpose). Your home canned foods can be boxed and stacked in a corner, if necessary. They will keep just fine. Of course, “in a dark, cool place” is best, but we don’t always have “best” available and have to make do with what we have until better becomes available.

I haven’t had a basement root cellar for 18 years, and we always gardened and stored winter crops in the house. You don’t have to have a root cellar to store your home canned foods, but a row of basement shelves is real nice. (We would have a completed roof over our heads right now if I hadn’t been talked into having a full basement dug under our new house. But, boy-oh-boy, am I glad I was! Now, I have a huge, wonderful basement with a huge pantry/root cellar, and the roof is just about done, to boot.

Storing food on the damp coast

Do you have any suggestions on how to store extra food on the damp coast? If I store in outbuildings without any heat in them I get green slime on all the buckets and the food also gets ruined before winter is over. Since we live in a fifth wheel, space is a real issue.

Glenna Warner, Oregon

If you are on grid, you might consider using a dehumidifier in the outbuildings where you store your food. Using gasketed plastic buckets with very tight-fitting lids will also help keep your food fresh. You might also want to try oxygen absorbers in your buckets to further reduce chances of dampness.

Storage food

I love your column. It is one of my favorite parts of this magazine. My question concerns some storage food that I inherited.

The man used a wooden, uninsulated shed built in the ‘30s to store his home canned food and other storage food items. The food was subjected to temperatures as low as 20°F and as high as 95°F.

There is wheat which is nitrogen packed in mylar bags, inside plastic buckets. It has been in storage since the mid ‘90s. There is rice, packed into plastic buckets, using the dry ice method, with no mylar bags, also from the mid ‘90s. My guess is that these items are probably fine, but what should I look for before use, to be certain?

There was Jif brand peanut butter from 1998. I opened a jar. It smelled fresh and tasted okay. There was no rancid smell about it, although I figure most of the nutrients are gone.

There were some Mountain House freeze-dried meals from 1998. I cooked, smelled, tasted, then ate one of those meals. It seemed to be fine. But again, I suspect this too had lost a lot of its nutrition due to age and storage conditions.

I know not to use cans that are bulging, any food that smells or tastes bad. What about these items I have mentioned — wheat, rice, peanut butter and freeze-dried meals?

Kevin Childress, North Carolina

Lucky you. If you decide to throw out these perfectly great foods, send ‘em up here. I’ve actually eaten beans that were carbon dated 1,000 years old. They were dry beans in a pottery jar, sealed with wood and pine pitch, found in an Indian ruin in New Mexico. I also saved seeds from this batch, which went on to grow.

As for your inheritance; nearly all dry grains, such as rice, wheat, and corn, keep for years and years unless attacked by insects or mold due to less than dry storage conditions. I would not be afraid to come to your house and eat any of these dry grains. If they look good, smell good and taste good, they should be fine. After the 1,000 year old beans, what’s 10 years or so?

The peanut butter is fine. It goes rancid, but won’t poison you. As long as the jars are sealed, you’re fine. And I wouldn’t worry too much about the loss of nutrients. Some do bid adios after a period of time, but many nutrients stay for years. Eat plenty of fresh foods from the garden or more recent pantry, and it’ll be fine.

Same goes for the freeze-dried foods. I have eaten plenty of “old” freeze-dried food. As long as the food is dry, sealed, and free of any off flavors, mold, or any other nasty, they should be fine. A lot of the “freshness date” stuff is bull. But it does cause thousands of people to throw away perfectly good food. So they turn around and buy more. Now who would profit from this? Hmm. But folks buy it because someone says we’ll be healthier for it. Please pass the 1,000 year old beans. At least they don’t have ingredients I can’t spell or pronounce, let alone recognize.

Usable supplies

I wish to leave supplies in an out-of-town cabin. How long will they be usable in moderate temperature? Unopened bouillon cubes? Baking powder/soda? Rennet tablets for making cheese? Powdered milk? Corn meal and flour? A lot has been printed about canned goods, frozen foods, MREs etc. but I cannot find any timetables about the above meal building blocks.

J. Treadgold

All of the above, plus most of your other dry staples, such as beans, lentils, sugar, etc. will stay good nearly indefinitely unless bothered by dampness, insects, or rodents. This also includes canned shortening. If sugar gets hard, try heating it in the oven or placing a piece of dampened washcloth with a “chunk” in a closed jar for a while. This usually makes it easier to use again.

Pantry temperature

My question is about canned goods storage temperatures — I’ve read that a max of 75°F is best. Is there a minimum? I’d guess below 32°F is bad.

I’m getting ready to build a very large pantry out of Dad’s old house; it’s decently insulated, I just need to know what temperature ranges I need to keep it in. Active air conditioning in the summer is a given here in Texas; how warm do I need to keep it in winter?

Aaron Neal, Texas

The ideal temperatures for your storage pantry range from about 40-60°F. Cooler is fine unless you are also storing vegetables. Potatoes will be okay at mid-thirties, but will get black spots near freezing. Your jars will be fine just above freezing. But if they freeze, pickles, fruits, potatoes, and some other vegetables will get very soft and mushy.

Food storage in sub-zero temperatures

I have found that your magazine fits the coming times to a “T” and is read from one cover to the other over and over. My wife and I, although are not as mobile as we used to be, are practicing most of the things that your various contributors have written about because it is what we grew up with.

As you can guess, I am in my mid 70s and my Bride isn’t quite there yet and we live in a small 24x16 log cabin that we built in the interior of Alaska. Ergo this location poses a few problems in the long-term food storage department. The people in the lower United States seldom have to contend with the extreme low temperatures for the lengths of time that those of us here in the Alaskan interior live with each year.

We would like to can our own foods, both veggies and meats, except we do not have room in our cabin for a pantry large enough to store even close to enough food to keep even two of us sated during an emergency.

In our outside storage shed we have the dried foods on which we could most likely survive, but the both of us have always had meat in our weekly diet, be it fish or harvested wild moose or caribou or rabbit and/or chicken.

I am left with the methods that have been told to me by the Indians on the Yukon River, which is either dry smoking or the salt cure methods that they have used since recorded history.

When the temperatures reach the 50s and 60s below zero in November and last up to five months and the ground is frozen down four to eight feet, having a root cellar is out of the question … is there another method of canning that can survive the extreme conditions, because using the glass jars is out of the question?

Donald Nesbitt, Alaska

No, there isn’t a different method of canning besides using glass jars. But when we lived really remote in the mountains of Montana, we also had a small cabin and found different ways to store our boxes of canning jars. We built a bed that we could store boxes and boxes of full jars under, and the boxes were on top of a 2 inch sheet of insulation board because water would freeze on the floor. We also made shelves, floor to ceiling, lining an interior wall, then put our dresser and book shelves in front of them. Yes, it was inconvenient to get at the food, but we only did it from time to time to replenish our small kitchen pantry.

For meat, we harvested our elk or deer late in the season, when the weather was freezing. I skinned it and quartered it quickly, then wrapped the quarters. Then we just stored it frozen until we wanted fresh meat. By thawing one quarter at a time, I’d cut it up, then wrap what we wouldn’t be using soon in freezer paper, place it outside on a table to freeze, then pack it frozen into a cooler that was stored outside. If critters are a problem, you can build a cache. Of course, for long-term storage, you can jerk any amount of meat you wish and store that in airtight, critter-proof containers to use later. It doesn’t hurt if it freezes a bit.

Like the native people, you can sure smoke your salmon and other fish; there is no better eating!

Vegetables and fruit dehydrate so well that when space is an issue, I dehydrate more than I can. That, too, doesn’t hurt to freeze; the moisture is already out of it.

Keeping weevils out

I read with interest your “Building and stocking your pantry” article. I love the Christmas tin idea, as there are literally dozens of them in my local thrift store near the holidays. I have spent literally years trying to find inexpensive “pest-proof” containers. My question is, do the tins keep weevils (or whatever those tiny bugs are called that get into our flour, oatmeal, etc.) out?

Vaunda Kerr, Montana

I have never had weevils (pantry moths) get into my tins. However, I have bought some whole grain cornmeal that evidently had weevil eggs in it when I bought it. Not only did my tin get weevils, but also the gallon glass jar with tight-fitting lid! So I know the weevils were in the meal when I bought it. If I had frozen the cornmeal for a week before storing it, the problem wouldn’t have surfaced. If you’re having trouble with pantry moths, try some of the inexpensive pantry moth traps. Put them on your counter and in your cupboards, as well as your pantry. They really work well.

Bay leaves to deter weevils

I want to comment on Vaunda Kerr’s question (Issue #127, Jan/Feb 2011) about keeping weevils out of flour, cornmeal, etc. We had problems with weevils when we shucked our popcorn and put the kernels in quart jars. When we noticed the weevils, a friend told us to put a couple of bay leaves in each jar. We tried this on our next batch and we had no weevil problems. I now add bay leaves to my flour, cornmeal, and of course my popcorn.

Larry Chappell, Oklahoma

Good tip about the bay leaves. That’s an old remedy for keeping bugs out of your cereal products and flour. However, it won’t kill eggs that are already in the food. To do that, freezing is the best option.

Dry goods storage and battling meal weevils

I am trying to get together a one-year food storage program. I have found two-gallon buckets that I have purchased for the storing of beans, rice, sugar, wheat, and anything else that I can find to store in them. I am storing my food in food saver bags in the two-gallon buckets. I am placing bags from my food saver in the buckets and sucking the air out of them before I put on the lids, label, and place into storage. My questions:

1. Do I get enough of the air out of the bags with the food saver to protect the rice, beans, etc., or should I be purchasing the oxygen remover packets?

2. Should I have put in a moisture remover also?

3. How will I know that I blew it with my storage?

4. And last question. When I bought this home I was left the gift of weevils from the family that was here. How do I get rid of them so they don’t get into my wheat, rice, and flour in my food storage?

Phyllis Pettigrew

Good for you, Phyllis. I’m so glad to hear from folks that are still involved in long-term food storage. Preparedness is always a good idea.

To answer your questions: Yes, you get enough air out of the bags to keep your rice, beans, and other dry goods with the food saver vacuum. I have stored such things for years and years without even this handy helper. The key is to keep the foods totally dry and out of the reach of insects, moisture, or rodents. Everyone should rotate their long-term food storage, replacing the older food with fresher. Once in a while, you may have one food go rancid, but this is really rare. I have been keeping a long-term pantry for many decades and have lost very, very little food. And that which was lost usually happened due to breaching of the container for some reason or another. (Dropping off a shelf is one that comes to mind.) The old adage, “Don’t keep all your eggs in one basket,” applies here, meaning don’t store all your food in one container or one spot. I have mine placed in three areas, in many containers, just in case.

Meal weevils or pantry moths are a devilish problem. Drastic measures are required. First, get rid of all opened flour, corn meal, or baking mixes. Ditch any mixes or bags of flour that have trickling leaks, indicating weevils. (Signs of weevil activity are foul smell in the flour, webs at the top of the bags, little whitish, long moths in the house, and of course, the presence of “bugs” in your flour or cornmeal.)

I’ve had good luck using pantry moth traps in the kitchen and pantry. I’ve bought mine from Gardens Alive. You can also buy them from Gardener’s Supply Company, 128 Intervale Rd., Burlington VT, 05401 or www.gardeners.com. These are little “tents” with a lure scent inside. The moths fly in, but get stuck in the sticky inner surface and don’t fly out. You’ll be amazed at how many moths you can catch in a week. When you don’t catch any more, you’re out of moths and if you’ve done your work cleaning your pantry, you should have no reinfestation. Take care when buying new grain products. Do not buy leaking bags of flours or mixes. If flour can sift out, moths can get in and lay their eggs.

Putting a few bay leaves in the bags with your flours will repel the moths, should any be left around. Also, keep all your flours in an airtight container and you should be in the clear.

Full pantry

Well the Y2K’s history, and now I’m stuck with a pantry full of long storage food, a case of toilet paper (which at least I can use up), water barrels, a generator and other survival stuff. What the heck do I do with it all?

John Buffingham

Be happy you have it. In my opinion, the Y2K scare was great. First of all, it wasn’t the end of the world, which we all ought to be grateful for. But best of all, it made a lot of folks think about preparedness, which they really hadn’t given a thought to before the media-touted Y2K event came about.

Use your long-term storage foods to get used to cooking with them, but rotate them, buying new to replace that which you use. You’ll discover that few true emergencies have long range warning. Most sneak in, like a thief in the night: hurricanes, ice storms, blizzards, riots, power outages, job losses, divorce, personal financial collapse, etc.

Preparedness is not just something for the late Y2K. It is a very prudent way of life. Keep fresh gas for that generator, keep that case of toilet paper (or replace it as it is used), keep fresh water in those barrels, and keep that storage pantry full. Preparedness can equal life itself, or at least comfort while others suffer. It really makes a difference. You’ve got a great start; don’t throw it away because Y2K fizzled.

Storing food in plastic jars

I store my pasta, beans, and dried fruits and vegetables in 1-gallon plastic jars with screw-on lids from a commercial kitchen. I don’t believe that they are completely airtight. Is there some way to make sure that my food doesn’t spoil?

Charles Gilbert, Maine

Your foods will store just fine in those jars, especially if you can keep them at a relatively cool temperature. If not, they’ll still store perfectly fine for years and years. The only problem I had with plastic jars is that one year the mice invaded our cabin and ate into the jars, right through the plastic! I’m sure that doesn’t happen to many people, but I try to only use glass and tin now, just in case.

Where to buy #10 cans

You often speak of buying #10 cans of items from a “preparedness company.” I would like to do this, but where do I buy them? Is there an address I can order from?

Kathy Bower, Kansas

#10 cans are the nearly gallon-sized cans of food found in larger supermarkets and restaurant supply houses in most cities. Most will also sell to private parties like you and me. Dehydrated foods are found on occasion in restaurant supply houses but more often at preparedness companies, such as those regularly advertised in Backwoods Home Magazine.

Ammo cans for ammo, but not beans and rice

I have a question that would get me on Dave’s stupid list. I’m thinking of storing some beans and rice in some extra ammo cans. I am worried however about the paint being toxic to the food inside. The smell is quite strong (the paint). I like the idea because the cans are indestructible, almost. Airtight and rat proof anyway. Maybe the food could be stored in wrapped glass jars or Mylar bags?

D. Hill, Georgia

I’d pass on storing your beans and rice in ammo cans. You’re right; the paint smell could taint any food that wasn’t absolutely airtight. Save your ammo cans for such things as tools, first aid supplies, batteries, fishing equipment, and, yes, ammo! Of course, you can store your rice and beans in jars in the tin, but they’d probably break if you hauled them.

I store most of my dry foods in tins and jars. The tins aren’t airtight, but just about, and are definitely rodent-proof. They wouldn’t hold out water, though, so if you’re in an area prone to flooding, consider buying some #10 cans of these foods from an emergency supply company such as Emergency Essentials.

Paint cans for food storage

Regarding the question about using ammo cans for food storage, Issue #114, (Nov/Dec 2008); What about new paint cans? They should be cheap, waterproof, cut proof, rodent proof, easy to open, easy to close, and should be fairly easy to get.

Max Turner, Arkansas

I would think new paint cans would be excellent food storage containers, provided that they are not painted or treated inside with anything that would leach into your food. I personally have not had experience using them. But other than that one caution, I think they’d be a great choice.

Are plastic icing buckets okay to use to store food?

I have a lot of cake icing buckets from a bakery. I want to store flour, sugar, oatmeal, pasta, and dry beans in them. I have read on Care2.com that it is not a good idea to store food in plastic. However, these are #2 food grade buckets.

I would like to take the flour and everything else out of their original package and pour it directly in the buckets. Do you have any experience in this area or know where I can go to find out?

Greg Brucks, Missouri

I use those buckets, myself. Some foods, like dry beans, oatmeal, popcorn, wheat, and rice, store very well in them. Flour and sugar stores well in them, but I leave them in the original bags as they seem to stay nicer longer. When poured into the buckets, sometimes the flour cakes and the sugar gets hard or lumpy. So I just pack the smaller bags into the buckets. The larger bags, I pack into new garbage cans and they remain fine for years.

Food grade plastic

I have a room full of “Sterilite” containers from Wal-Mart, which after washing, were filled with bulk food. I have things like flour, sugar, oats, and beans in them. One of them will hold almost 25 pounds of sugar.

I have recently been hearing about “food grade” plastic. What is that? Are my Wal-Mart containers safe for food storage?

Michelle, Washington

Plastic films and containers of food-grade quality are made from polycarbonate, polyester, or polyethylene. Most new plastic containers will have the type of plastic on the label. In reality, most plastics today are “food grade,” usually either being polycarbonate or polyethylene. However, some plastics emit a smell, which gets into the food, as does the chemical from the plastic. Usually, no smell means it’s okay to store food in … usually.

Storing honey

I have honey in one-quart plastic jugs from the manufacturer. I’m worried about the honey picking up odors from the basement or chemicals leaching from the plastic after long-term storage (15-20 years). Should I transfer to Mason jars?

I love this magazine and everyone’s willingness to share their wealth of knowledge.

Lisa Kujawa, Indiana

I don’t like plastic. I can taste plastic in foods stored in it, whether it is milk, flour, or honey. Some folks think I’m nuts, but I really can, and if I can taste it, I figure that isn’t a good thing. I store all my long-term foods in either glass or metal cans and have been happy with the results. Just pour your honey into sterile Mason jars and seal them. I’ve never had honey “go bad.”

Preserving

Overwintering spinach and waterglassed eggs

I’m reading your article on storage pantry foods and I see where you mention cheddar cheese powder and dehydrated margarine and eggs. I would like to have these products but haven’t been able to find them. If you have a source I’d appreciate knowing it.

Also two other questions: I read an article several years ago about garden spinach that can be overwintered. We live in Zone 5 and it gets cold. Have you heard of anything like this?

When I was young, 60+ years ago, I remember my mother boiling our excess eggs and storing them in a crock in what I remember as a sort of gelatin mixture of some sort and we used them during the winter when the girls weren’t producing.

I love to can and have a pantry filled from the garden this summer. Still have sweet potatoes and the garden will be done for this year.

Lavada Cook, Illinois

I get my cheese powder and dehydrated margarine and eggs, as well as sour cream powder and powdered butter from Emergency Essentials. Their address is 653 North 1500 West, Orem, Utah 84057, phone number, 1-800-999-1863 or www.BePrepared.com. I’ve used their products for years and found them very good and the service excellent.

I’ve overwintered spinach in Zone 4, nearly Zone 3 up in Montana at 7,400 feet (haven’t tried it here yet). And this was with no mulch, no covering but for snow. I was very surprised! Spinach is pretty tough and does a great job overwintering. And that early spring crop is oh so good! Just don’t till your spinach row in the early spring and watch for it to sprout back up.

I think what your mom used was waterglass, a silicate solution that stops up the pores in the egg. I’ve used it but absolutely hate reaching into that crock of cold, slimy yuck for eggs. You don’t boil the eggs first, they are put into the solution raw and you use them during the winter just like fresh eggs. (After washing them off, of course!)

Waxing store-bought cheese for storage

We don’t have the space to have our own dairy animals, and we really enjoy cheese. Unfortunately, we don’t like the texture when it’s frozen, and besides, you can’t count on the power staying on.

I know there are expensive cheeses that are waxed and aged. Do you know if it’s possible to dip store-bought cheeses in wax and store them and if there are any special steps to take?

Essa Boselin, Dover

Boy, you’ve got me there, Essa. I have home canned cheese, but have never waxed commercial cheese to store it. Of course, I’ve made lots of my own cheese and waxed that. But I’m not sure if you might pick up molds from the air while your cold store cheese was being handled before you waxed it.

How about buying commercial cheese that is already waxed at the processing plant? Or you could purchase dehydrated cheese or cheese powder from emergency preparedness companies to have on hand, should your power be out for a lengthy time.

Otherwise, unopened cheese will keep in the package quite a long time if kept cool.

A rock weight for corned beef

An important part of corning beef is to weight it, keeping it from surfacing and spoiling, and the weight used is equally important. I use a gallon jar filled with water on top of a fitted glass plate. Using a rock, as you suggested, or any other material as a weight will likely spoil the brine. Likewise with salt pork.

Carol Chaney Waters

I always use an old china plate, which has been boiled to sterilize it, with a large, non-porous rock, which has also been boiled with the plate. I have also used the gallon glass jar, but had it broken during the process and switched to the rock. After 10 years, no one has ever broken my rock. Seriously, I would never advise just using a rock. Or to use a dirty rock as a weight out of the yard. Sorry you got that impression.

Preserving potatoes

We have just harvested our potatoes and we were hoping to find a way to store them for winter use. Our basement is too warm to use and the garage gets too cold. Have you ever heard of putting them in sand to keep them or is there some other way to do it?

Josie Boone

I would really not recommend putting potatoes in sand to keep them good. This works well for carrots and parsnips, but not so well for potatoes, which are much more susceptible to chilling and freezing than are other root crops. Even a bad chilling will cause potatoes to develop black spots, which quickly turn to rot.

A nifty potato storage in a warm basement is building a small insulated room that vents to the outside, in an unused corner of the basement. If you don’t want to go to that much trouble and expense (or if your home is rented), you can store your potatoes in baskets, set inside of a large cardboard carton, set inside of a larger one. With insulating material, such as leaves or straw between boxes, your taters should stay cool in a north corner of your heated basement. Keep them dry and check them from time to time; sometimes potatoes have been slightly injured during digging and will later develop rot. And like apples, one rotten potato ruins a whole bunch.

You can also try dehydrating and home canning some of the potatoes. I do this every year, to lessen the chances of some of my potatoes going bad. I can’t stand that. Home dehydrating potatoes is very easy.

Simply peel them, slice them ½ inch thick, boil for three minutes, and rinse well. Pat dry and arrange in single layers on a dehydrator tray. An electric dehydrator works very well, but you can use cookie sheets in an oven with only the pilot light on. (Sorry if you only have an electric stove.) Dehydrate them until they are hard and crisp. They’ll store forever in an airtight jar. To rehydrate, simply simmer with boiling water.

These are just like those potatoes au gratin in a plastic bag, only better tasting and more nutritious!

Keeping potatoes in lime

We have just dug our potatoes and a friend tells me that she puts her potatoes in a wooden cow trough and rolls them in lime from the feed store to “keep” the potatoes. When she wants potatoes to cook she goes to the barn and gets a bucketful, rinses off the lime, and cooks the potatoes. Is using lime in this manner safe, and have you ever tried it?

Brenda Coneley, Texas

This is one that I’ve never heard of before. I’m sure someone taught your neighbor this method. But by simply keeping dry potatoes in a dark, cool place, they’ll keep for the entire winter without all the extra fuss and work.

Potatoes in lime

I am writing you about a letter that you received from a lady from Texas, regarding potatoes being kept in lime. I was raised on a farm in Lutts, Tennessee, and that’s how we kept potatoes all winter long. Once we dug them, we took them out to the barn and laid them out on a wood floor and covered them with lime. It dries them out, and insects and animals will not bother them. We would then wash and peel them, and I stress wash and peel, and then usually fry them or mash. I don’t remember ever having any problems with them. We might occasionally get one that might go bad because we didn’t put enough lime on them, but other than that, we did that for many years, every winter.

Kenneth Hedge

Preserving bell peppers

What are some different ways of preserving bell peppers? Could you put them in oil? I have dried some, put some in the freezer, but I would like them in jars. I have red, yellow, & green. I just cook with them a lot & freezing makes them watery. Got any ideas? Let me know, please. Thanks.

Yolande Chastain, South Carolina

I also dry sweet peppers of many different varieties. Not only do they blend well in most recipes, without reconstituting, but they taste great as well.

You can also home can your peppers. Simply cut the stem, core, and seeds out, put the peppers, whole or sliced, in a saucepan, and add enough water to cover. Boil five minutes, then pack hot into hot pint canning jars. Fill the jars with the hot liquid they were boiled in up to an inch from the top of the jar. Add half a teaspoon of salt if you desire. Process at 10 pounds (unless you live at an altitude above 1,000 feet, then consult your canning manual for directions for increasing your pressure, if necessary) for 35 minutes (pints or half-pints only).

You can also pickle your sweet peppers. Not only are these good to eat as a pickle, but, rinsed off, these peppers work well in many recipes too. They are crisper than are canned peppers because you do not process them so long.

To pickle them, stem, core, and seed the peppers. Quarter or slice, depending on your preference. Make a pickling solution of 10 cups vinegar, 2 cups water, 8 tsp. non-iodized salt, and 6 Tbsp. sugar. Bring to a boil. Pack your peppers snugly into pint jars and pour the hot pickling solution over the peppers, working out any air bubbles with a wooden spoon handle. Leave ½ inch of headroom in the jar. Place lid and ring on jar and process for 10 minutes at altitudes below 1,000 feet, 15 minutes for altitudes from 1,000 to 6,000 feet and 20 minutes for altitudes more than 6,000 feet above sea level.

To use in recipes you may want to thoroughly rinse the peppers, then use as you would raw peppers. I use these a lot in winter stir-fries and they’re really good.

Vacuum-packing peppers

I was wondering if you could tell me what is the best way to vacuum-pack peppers from our garden and then freeze them. We’d like to use them later on in the winter to make homemade salsa. We have hot peppers, bell peppers, and sweet peppers that we are going to pick from our garden.

Karen Pyykola, Wisconsin

With your chiles, roast them, seed them, and pack tightly to freeze. Other hot peppers, such as jalapeños and cherry peppers, simply slice, dice, and seed (or not if you like really hot peppers) and freeze. Your bell and other sweet peppers may be seeded, the stem removed and halved or diced as you prefer, before freezing. You do not have to blanch peppers before freezing. To keep them nicely separate in the bags, you can first freeze them in a single layer on a cookie sheet in the freezer, then pour into bags to vacuum pack and freeze.

Storing tomatoes in oil

Let me start by saying that my wife and I are a young couple and both enjoy your column. My questions are regarding tomatoes, and specifically “Roma” type paste tomatoes.

Provided the blight doesn’t get us this year, we would like to dry tomatoes and store them in garlic/herb olive oil. Can this be done, and if so do I need to put heat to it in a standard water bath technique? Or, can they just be filled to the top and sealed?

This will be our first year trying to preserve tomatoes and I would like to waste little or none if possible.

A side question … we came upon a 40 lb. bucket of sorghum syrup thinking it was honey. What’s it good for?

Ben and Kirsten, Washington

In many countries, dried tomatoes are put up in oil routinely. No, they are not processed in any way; the dried tomatoes are just well covered in the olive oil. Personally, I dehydrate the tomatoes and store them in an airtight jar. Then, a jar at a time, I soak them in oil to rehydrate them and also get seasoned oil through the process. This ensures that you don’t end up with a jar or two of tomatoes that have popped out of the oil and gone moldy.

Wow! A 40 lb. bucket of sorghum syrup! You don’t find that every day. You can use this stout sweetener over pancakes and waffles, in baked goods, and even over ice cream. Some people need to acquire a taste for it; it tastes like a cross between molasses and brown sugar. It stores well in covered containers in a dry dark place. After you open the big bucket, you might want to ladle out syrup into gallon jars for ease of use. In a big bucket, we never seem to want to deal with that much of one thing.

Preserving and using end-of-season cherry and pear tomatoes, tomato preserve, tomato “apple pie”

What do you do with all of those leftover cherry tomatoes at the end of the season? How do you dry or can them? And is there any difference in how to deal with the little yellow pear tomatoes as opposed to the red cherry tomatoes?

Ilene Duffy, Oregon

There are a lot of uses for the multitude of cherry and yellow pear and any other small tomatoes. Most of them are easy to dry. You simply pull the stem end off and cut the tomatoes in half. If the green core seems tough, snip it out with a sharp knife. Then place on your dehydrator trays, flat side down. If the tomatoes are very juicy, you will want to lay the trays over a newspaper for a while until the dripping stops or your dehydrator will be a mess. More meaty varieties of tomatoes do not require this step.

Tomatoes are dry enough when they are tough and leathery. When dry, you can store them in any airtight container, such as a large jar that is not a canning jar. (This is one way to use them up and recycle old jars while not “wasting” canning jars.)

The yellow pear tomatoes make an excellent dehydrated tomato, being very sweet. The dried tomatoes almost taste like apricots. Kids love ‘em.

You can also make tomato purée, sauce, or paste from them. No, you don’t have to skin all those itty-bitty tomatoes. A few years back, my mother gave me one of the best presents anyone could receive. It’s a Victorio Strainer. This is an ultimate food mill, built like a large meat grinder. The tomatoes are stemmed and fed whole into a bin on top. The plastic screw squashes the tomatoes through a steel screen as you turn the handle. And, presto, out the front drops the skins and seeds. Out the side chute slides the purée. It’s as simple and easy as that. You can purée a half bushel of those little tomatoes in half an hour if you can get your kids to pull the stems out and sort out any rotten ones. Be sure to run the skins and seeds back through again, as you will get an amazing amount of purée the second go-round.

This is one of my favorite kitchen tools as it is so labor saving on the homestead. Before this, I used to boil every tomato, slip the skins, and run them through the food mill to remove the seeds for my tomato sauces and paste. All this is over now. There are even different screens to do cooked pumpkin and squash, berries, and apples for sauce.

Have you ever made tomato preserves? They are very good and no one would guess those yummy preserves are actually made of tomatoes. Here is a recipe, if you’d like to give it a try:

Tomato preserves:

1 Tbsp. mixed pickling spices

4 cups sugar

¾ cup water

1 piece ginger root

1 cup thinly sliced lemon, seeds removed

1½ quarts small, firm peeled tomatoes

Tie spices in a spice bag. Add to sugar and water in a large saucepan. Simmer 15 minutes. Add sliced tomatoes and cook gently until tomatoes become transparent, stirring to prevent sticking. Cover and let stand 12 hours or so. Remove spice bag. Drain, reserving the syrup. Boil syrup three minutes or longer, if too thin. Add tomatoes, lemon, and ginger. Boil one minute. Pour hot into clean, hot jars, leaving ¼ inch headroom. Wipe rim clean and place hot, previously boiled lid on and screw down ring firmly tight. Process 20 minutes in boiling water bath. Yields about 3 pints. This is good with yellow pear tomatoes or any others.

And remember, you can make a great “apple” pie, using hard, dark green tomatoes of any kind. Just make your crust, then thinly slice those green tomatoes and pretend they’re apples, using your favorite apple pie recipe. Dot the “apples” with five teaspoons of butter and put on the top crust. Bake as usual, and serve warm with ice cream or homemade cheddar cheese. Don’t tell anyone it’s a green tomato pie or they’ll respond, “Eeewie! Yuck!” and nobody will give it a try. It’s one of our favorites. I just made a big one and our son, David, had three pieces.

See, there never are too many tomatoes!

Fresh tomatoes in winter

I was told years ago that one could place whole tomatoes in a crock — on a layer of salt — and continue layering salt and tomatoes until the crock is full, with salt being the last layer. According to what I was told, none of the tomatoes could touch each other. Have you ever heard of this? We will can a lot of our tomatoes but thought that having “fresh tomatoes” in the middle of winter would be great!

Suzann and George Beasley, Michigan

What you are referring to is salt packing or “salting away.” It was done with many different foods, but I’ve never heard it having been done with fresh whole tomatoes. I’m afraid you’d end up with a whole crock of goo.

The only way I’ve been able to have fresh tomatoes in the winter was to grow them in a heated greenhouse. Right now we’ve just finished roughing in our four season garden room, a 10x16 foot insulated, glassed-in addition to our south-facing porch. The tomatoes and peppers are already setting fruit and should keep going happily all winter. With patio type tomatoes, it’s easier to find ones that will grow in a bay window, large south-facing window, or heated porch. Consider it.

Preserving black walnuts

I inherited a number of mature black walnut trees when I recently bought my house. This past fall, I picked up the walnuts in their green husk, de-husked them, and let them dry before putting them in mesh bags. Just tried cracking them, and what a disappointment! It appears they dried in the shell! What did I do wrong? And how do you properly process black walnuts?

Kristin Radtke, Wisconsin

How long did you dry the nuts? They really should be spread out on, say, a barn loft floor for a few weeks before storing them.

To process black walnuts, wait till they fall from the tree and the husk is yellowish. I rake them up and pour bucketfuls in the driveway and run over them with a vehicle until the husks are mashed off (I have a dirt driveway; you probably wouldn’t want to do this on cement). Or walk back and forth on them with old shoes. I say old shoes because the stain in the husks and on the freshly husked nuts is very staining to everything and you can’t get it out. With rubber gloves on, pick up the nuts and take them inside to spread out and dry. One way you can tell if the nuts have meats in them is to dump them into a bucket of water before you store them. The empty ones float, so pick them out and throw them away. Store the rest in a single layer. After a few weeks, the nuts can be handled and cracked. As you probably found out, walnuts are hard to pick out of the shell, but oh so worth the effort!

Wax in honey

I found a large Mason jar of honey that a beekeeper gave to me years ago with about 2 inches of honey in it. I put the jar in the microwave to melt the honey, so I could pour it into another jar … everything melted, and the honeycomb is melted into the honey. It has not “set up” yet, but is it okay to eat it this way?

Rebecca Covalt, New Mexico

Yes, you can eat the melted honeycomb, with the honey. We used to pack honey in the combs and of course, we always ended up eating some of the comb, with the honey. And we’re still here to talk about it. Actually, I kind of like the taste of the honeycomb, myself!

Dehydrating

Dehydrated food

I regularly stock my pantry with home canned foods, dry milk, paper supplies, etc., but am wondering what type of items do you buy dehydrated. I am thinking items such as dehydrated eggs, cheese powder, or freeze-dried blends. Have you tried the shortening powder? I am trying to think of staples I can’t really do myself, or would be better bought. What are your thoughts on these preparedness catalogs for staples? Is there a less expensive option?

Also, when are we going to be able to order your book? I’m looking forward to getting one for myself and my daughters.

Jo Riddle, West Virginia

I buy dehydrated eggs, margarine, butter powder, and shortening powder from Emergency Essentials. These all work well. But I buy my grains from a local mill and package them in buckets after freezing to prevent bug infestations. (I buy in the winter and simply leave the bags outdoors for a week!) I do my own dehydrated vegetables and fruits. It’s much cheaper! I buy dehydrated milk at a local grocery. It isn’t cheap, but it is cheaper in a box than a can. Then I repackage that, as well, in gallon glass jars.

Like everything else, you have to shop the catalogs with intelligence. Some things are great and decently priced. Others, not so. However, if you are in a flood-prone area, having your emergency supplies in tin cans and waterproof, sealed buckets is a very good idea. If we flood here on this gravel ridge, Noah will be gathering animals again.

My new book, Growing and Canning Your Own Food, is finally available now. Yeah!

Storing dehydrated food

I want to dehydrate food for storage in case of emergency … is it okay to use a standard food dehydrator … then store the food inside Food Saver brand plastic and vacuum sealed? Will it last for 2-3 years … if dried and stored properly? Are we trivializing this method of survival or should we do deeper research?

Erica Smith, Arkansas

Yes, you can use any food dehydrator that efficiently dries your food. When properly dried, food stored in airtight containers, whether jars, tins, or your food saver bags, will last for many years, retaining nutrition, taste, and color.

This is one of the best methods of food preservation, especially when you don’t have room for an extensive home canned food storage pantry.

Methods of food preservation

I am looking at how to do food preservation. Especially how the early pioneers did it. Can you suggest a place to look?

Austin

I’ve tried about every method of food preservation, from those of Native Americans to the most modern. And the two that are truly dependable, producing the best tasting and safest storage foods, are plain old home canning and home dehydrating. Other more exotic methods, such as salting or packing in lard, result in really yucky tasting food that sometimes goes bad, especially the lard-packed meats.

Any good book on food dehydration (which was used by Native Americans, who taught the pioneers) or home canning will get you started. I use both of these methods on a daily basis, making countless “normal” and tasty meals for my family, and feel that we glow in the dark a little less because of it.

Electric dehydrator

I have an electric dehydrator — takes forever to dry anything. During the winter I use a pellet stove, so I’m thinking maybe I should put my apples and such on racks over the stove? What do you recommend? And how is the best way to do it?

Anonymous, New Mexico

I have three electric dehydrators that work very well; you might try a different one. Mine are very efficient, enabling me to dehydrate even without steady power. I start them in the evening, when I plan on running the generator to wash clothes, use tools, etc. By the time I’m done for the night, the food is nicely started and I finish up the load the following night. You can also dry above, beside, or around your stove, but be prepared to change the trays around as they don’t dry evenly.

Dehydrated margarine

In our Mar/Apr 2009 issue #116, you said you buy dehydrated margarine from Emergency Essentials … so do we. How do you use it? We have tried to make it into a solid for spreading on bread but have not been able to find the right formula. Can you tell us how to do that?

Joan Bowman, Arizona

I mix the margarine powder with corn oil to reach a spreadable consistency. I first tried water. Yuck!

Dehydrated shortening

I purchased a #10 can of dehydrated shortening based on your recommendation. There are no instructions on the label so my questions are: how to use it in a recipe calling for butter or shortening (1 part dry = 1 part fresh?); and once I open the can, will it keep indefinitely or should I make smaller containers and freeze?

Elizabeth Choate, Maine

When using dehydrated shortening in a recipe, just use one part dry for one part canned shortening. You may have to add a bit more water or other liquid to your recipe to get the proper consistency, but often not. To reconstitute it, just add water enough to get the right consistency. For better texture and flavor, add a little vegetable oil (to ½ cup powder, add about 1 Tbsp. oil and the rest water). If used in making your own mixes, just substitute an equal measurement. Your mixes will have a much longer shelf life. Commercial food processors do it every day. Just think of Bisquick, Jiffy Mixes, etc. They all have dehydrated shortening in them.

I know using dehydrated shortening, butter, and cheese seems “weird” at first, but once you get the hang of it, you’ll really like it. Less mess and fuss, actually. Once the can is opened, you can just use it from the shelf, stored in a relatively cool spot, for about five years. For longer storage, you might vacuum seal it or freeze it.

Dried shortening powder

I would like to have more information on dried shortening powder. Where do you find it?

Pearl Raymond, Missouri

Dried shortening, margarine, and butter powders, as well as cheddar cheese powders, are sold in most emergency preparedness catalogs. I buy mine from Emergency Essentials. I find the dried shortening handy to use, especially in mixes that I make up for quick use … sort of like those you buy in the store for inflated prices. By simply adding water to homemade mixes, you have a quick, easy to use, homemade meal. Or you can just add water and a bit of vegetable oil for a better taste and texture, and use it like “regular” shortening in most recipes. It is better in cakes, quick breads, brownies, and breads, rather than in “heavy shortening” recipes such as cookies, though.

Powdered dairy products

You mentioned that you buy powdered cheeses and milk. Can you tell me how you use them?

Bruce Clark, New York

Powdered milk can be reconstituted and used in cooking, baking, and even drinking, just like fresh milk. You can make cottage cheese from it. Or you can make your own baking mixes, like pancake mix, and just add water when you want to use it.

Powdered cheese is great to use as a cheese sauce (I make a simple white sauce, then mix in the cheese along with milk) or to sprinkle on popcorn. I also use it in soups like cream of broccoli and cauliflower soup as an added flavoring. You can mix cheese powder with sunflower or peanut oil to make a spreadable cheese for crackers or breads, too.

Using powdered buttermilk

I was wondering about powdered buttermilk that I recently saw in the grocery store. I don’t drink milk so I never have it around, but I do like to bake, though not enough to use even a half gallon of milk or buttermilk up before it goes bad (I live alone too). I’ve never been happy with baking results from powdered milk; would the powdered buttermilk be better? Any tips for using it? Any suggestions for a good source? What I noticed at the store seemed to have a half inch of dust on top.

Carmen Hildebrand, Colorado

I’ve never had much of a problem using powdered milk, Carmen. Of course, fresh from the cow or goat is always best. I use buttermilk in a lot of recipes, although, like milk, I prefer fresh. Powdered buttermilk is nice and adds a nice rich taste to pancakes, biscuits, and many other things. You can get fresh powdered buttermilk in any large chain store, then if you wish you can freeze half of it to keep it the very freshest. But it does keep very well on your shelf for a long time.

Powdered eggs

I’d like to know how to powder and store my own eggs.

Pat Fessler, Maryland

I’m sorry, but I don’t feel that eggs are a food we should dehydrate, due to possible bacterial action. Eggs are the perfect incubator for bacteria such as salmonella, and under home conditions, I wonder if we could get the eggs dehydrated before they “went bad.” I buy dehydrated egg powder.

Buying powdered eggs

I have been trying to find where I can purchase powdered eggs. When I was a little girl the government gave out powdered eggs and cheese to some folks of Native American descent and some underprivileged folks. I’m sure we fell in both those categories but I was really too young to tell that my life wasn’t as “normal” as anyone else’s.

One of my best childhood memories is my mother cooking a big breakfast after getting a new supply of powdered eggs and cheese. It was a taste that I can remember to this date. I now have grown children and would like to buy powdered eggs and let them and my grandchild have a taste.

Brenda Davis, Tennessee

I buy powdered eggs from Emergency Essentials, a company in Utah that specializes in foods and supplies to stock up in case of emergencies. Not only do they have different types of powdered eggs, but powdered cheese, margarine, and a whole lot more. Their address is: Emergency Essentials, 653 North 1500 West, Orem, UT, 84057, or online at www.BePrepared.com.

Dehydrating ham

In Tanya Kelly’s article “Buckboard bacon” (Issue #131, September/October 2011) she mentions curing hams and then slicing them to dehydrate for 10 hours as “jerky.” I am concerned about the food safety of this pork product as it is not “cooked” — just dehydrated.

John Brandt, Missouri

All pork should be cooked before dehydration for safety’s sake. Most hams on the market today are pre-cooked. If yours is not, simply bake or boil before slicing to dehydrate, then proceed as usual. Ham dehydrates well into a tasty, useful product.

Dehydrating ham

Is it okay to dehydrate ham and then vacuum pack it? What is the best way to do this?

If done right will it still go rancid? How long do you think it would last?

Is something rancid poisonous, or only nasty tasting and bad smelling? I have eaten peanut butter that was turning and it wasn’t too bad.

Connie Mellott, Ohio

You can dehydrate very lean ham; it’s the fat that causes meats to taste rancid when dehydrated. Trim all fat and only use meat that does not have excessive fat in it. Be sure to dehydrate correctly, just like you would do jerky. If you dehydrate the ham until it is very dry and hard, it will last for a long time; if you only dehydrate it so that it is like store-bought jerky, you’d better refrigerate it or it will mold in about two weeks at room temperature.

Rancid fats are not poisonous, but if you eat enough or have a delicate stomach, they can give you digestive upsets or diarrhea.

Beef jerky without salt

I am looking for a way to make beef jerky without salt, as I retain water when I use salt.

Can the meat be dried by smoking with the ingredients for jerky minus salt? This meat will be frozen after it is dried and smoked.

Several people tell me it is dangerous to do it this way. I need your opinion. I have 20 pounds of good beef for curing.

Robert Kager, Washington

No, it is not dangerous to make jerky without salt. Indians hung strips of meat over smoky low fires to dry it for centuries. Another possibility is to marinate the thin strips of meat with spices and brown sugar and use your dehydrator or oven on low temperature to dehydrate the meat. It is a good idea when making “modern” jerky (not rock hard and crispy dried) to freeze or at least refrigerate it to prevent it from molding. Today we like our jerky quite a bit more tender and flexible than the old timey pioneer jerky.

Jerking meats using a solar dryer

Do you have any advice on jerking meats using a solar dryer? Humidity is not a problem out here.

Zachary Maichuk, U.S. Peace Corps, Africa

Any jerky recipe will work well in a solar dryer. Tips are: use tender cuts, remove all fat and bone, and slice diagonally or you will have tougher jerky. Slice the meat thick. For taste we like to marinate it several hours in a spice, vinegar, and brown sugar mixture first, but this is optional. Keep insects away from the drying meat, using either a thin cloth or even smoke. Turn the meat strips halfway through the drying process for even drying. For long-term preservation, the jerky must be quite hard. Soft jerky sold in stores is convenient to eat but will go moldy or rancid fairly quickly, and should be refrigerated. This is probably not an option in your neck of the woods.

Preparing venison for dehydrating

I understand that I can dry venison in a commercial, round plastic dryer. But I am not sure how to prepare it for the dryer. Must it be seasoned or marinated first? What seasonings must I use? I would appreciate any help you can offer.

Lyn A. Hill, South Carolina

You do not have to season or marinate the jerky, but most modern people would not like the bland taste of plain jerky. The seasonings you use are up to you; we all develop our own recipes. I make several flavors of jerky, but one of our favorites is marinated overnight in a mixture of brown sugar, soy sauce, garlic powder, a dash of Liquid Smoke, coarsely ground black pepper, and just a little bit of dried, ground, smoked jalapeño pepper. I stir the strips of meat in this marinade several times and keep the bowl covered in the refrigerator, then drain the strips in the morning and put them into my dehydrator. It’s a good idea to put a solid sheet under the last tier of strips, because the jerky drips quite a bit before it starts to dehydrate and those drippings can make quite a mess.

Of course you can always opt to buy your jerky seasonings the first time or two until you get the hang of it. But these are simply seasonings. They have nothing to do with the actual curing of the meat.

Remember, too, that this jerky should be kept in a jar in the fridge. It is not dehydrated as hard as primitive jerky was and thus it will not keep too long before going moldy.

Dehydrating fiddleheads

I would like to know if you can dehydrate fiddleheads. They are in season here now and I don’t have a lot of freezer room and I don’t like them canned.

Susan Carmichael, Maine

Yes, you can dehydrate fiddleheads. Clean them of their papery “husk,” then boil them for one minute. Drain well, then lay out on your dehydrator tray in a single layer. Dry until very leathery, like green beans.

Preserving dried foods

Can nitro pacs be used instead of oxygen absorbers for jars or packets of dehydrated veggies and herbs? I just successfully air dried potatoes and carrots and would like to add drying to canning for my long term storage planning.

Janet Smith, New Mexico

Yes, but if you properly dehydrate foods, I’ve never had them go “bad” or stale, just kept in a sealed container that is airtight. I just opened a jar of dehydrated apples and another of peas that are 15 years old. Both were the same as they were when I put them in the jars; flavor and appearance were great.

Drying purple hull peas

My husband and I are trying our hand with a vegetable garden. We have some beautiful purple hull peas and he would like for me to dry them. My first batch I tried to dry in the bottom of a double oven, but they turned all moldy. I wanted to cry. Could you please tell me how to dry them? No one seems to know.

Edyie Sweet, Texas

To dehydrate purple hull peas, it’s best to blanch them for 2 minutes, plunge them into cold water, then drain well. When they are quite dry, it’s time to dehydrate. While you can dehydrate on a cookie sheet in the oven, this only works well with a gas oven with a pilot light to keep a moderately warm, dry temperature. You can’t cook the peas by actually using the oven, even with the door open. When you use the oven, you must stir the peas two or three times the first few hours to get them drying evenly. It is the lack of drying that caused your peas to mold. And as you found out, that is a real depressing happening.

I’d suggest investing in a moderately priced dehydrator. The benefit of using a dehydrator is that the trays, which stack neatly, allow you to dry a whole lot of food at once, not only because of the stack of trays but because of the constant airflow up through those trays. Many foods dry entirely in just a few hours. And no mold.

Drying summer squash

The last few years I have been building up my pantry stock and have done a lot of drying of vegetables. The books I’ve read say that drying (vs. canning or freezing) tastes most like fresh when reconstituted, and it retains the most nutrients. That appeals to me, however, I must be doing something wrong, because my zucchini and summer squash are tough and rubbery when reconstituted. Other vegetables don’t seem to be as bad.

Could you please enlighten me as to what I could do to make them taste better, or tell me how to preserve the squash to taste best? Thank you so much for your help on this.

Nancy Amon, Oregon

Two things can make squash and other vegetables tough or rubbery when reconstituted. The most common is dehydrating produce that is too mature. I dehydrate only small, young summer squash with ultra tender skins. When you try to save large squash by dehydrating them, you can get those tough, rubbery pieces, no matter how long you simmer them. The other common reason for rubbery vegetable pieces is not simmering them long enough. If you just pour boiling water over them and let them sit, they are sometimes tough. But if you simmer them in a pot of boiling water or add them to soups, stews, or casseroles with liquid, they will quickly become the tender bits that you wish for.

Drying garlic for long-term storage

How do you store garlic for long-term storage?

Barbara Roer, Michigan

For really long-term storage of garlic (and onions), the best is to dehydrate it. To do this, peel the cloves and slice them into pieces approximately ¼ inch thick. This may be simply slicing them in half or with larger cloves, you may end up with two or three slices. Spread them out onto your dehydrator tray or even a cookie sheet. If you have a dehydrator, dry them until they are hard and very dry. You may put your cookie sheet in the oven with only the pilot on, on a shelf over a wood stove, or even in the back of your car on a warm, sunny day until the slices are dry. Just protect from insects and dust and stir a bit to prevent sticking.

When they are dry, you can either store like that or do what I do. I have an old (salvaged from the dump) blender that I use for food processing alone. I pour in half a cup of dry slices, put a top on the blender, and give it a whir. Repeat until you either have powder or coarser chunks, depending on your preference. This I dry a bit again, then store in sealed pint jars. This will keep for years provided you get the slices dry. If you don’t, it will mold.

Curing onions

What is the best way to cure onions for longer-term storage? I know about setting them out for a few days in the sun. Is that what you do? Here in the Phoenix area, where our temperatures are about 110 right now, I’m fearful it’ll cook or rot the onions.

Dallen Timothy, Arizona

I’ve never had ripe onions when it was 110 degrees. Mine usually ripen in the late fall when it’s just above freezing at night. You’re right — if you have ripe onions and it’s 110 degrees, leaving them sitting in the sun for several days might ruin your crop. Instead, find a dry, shaded spot, such as an outbuilding, and cure your onions in there. They need to dry the “paper” covering, dry down the tops, and get rid of excess moisture before storage or they will mold when bagged up. When you have only a small amount of onions, you can lay them in a single layer on trays for best air-flow and storage. I have lots of onions, so I cure them outdoors, then bag them up carefully into mesh onion bags, and hang them from nails in my pantry for over winter. We are just finishing up last fall’s onions now, with some beginning to sprout.

Dehydrating onions so they will store longer

How can I put up onions so they will keep? I just lost all my small crop. I know it is possibly answered in one of your magazines, but I don’t know which one.

Edwin Long, North Carolina

I always dehydrate the bulk of my onion crop because I got tired of having long-stored winter onions start to go soft and rot during the early spring months. So I began to dehydrate them 15 years ago, and I now make it as much of a routine practice as canning my vegetables.

Onions are very easy to dehydrate. After letting them cure a week or so after I pull them from the garden, the paper skins are easy to rub off, as well as the dried tops. Nearly all of the dirt clinging to the roots also falls away easily. Then I cut off the root end and the stem end and peel the onion.

Rinse it well and slice it about half an inch thick or a little less, all the way through, making onion discs. These I place on dehydrator trays, barely touching, in a single layer. If you do not have a dehydrator (mine cost $29 on sale at Wal-Mart), you can use any kind of metal rack or screen and lay them in a gas oven or wood oven with the door open and only the pilot light on, or, in the case of the wood range, only a very small fire in the fire box.

You can also dehydrate foods on screens in a hot attic, a closed-in car, or even outdoors. Of course, you must protect such foods from dust, rodents, and birds during the drying time of about two days.

The onions are dry when they are almost crisp, but a little tough. I do not turn my onions on the racks. When mine are done, I whiz them in my very old blender until they are either bits or powder, depending on what I need most. When this is done, I pour them onto a cookie sheet to dry a little longer. If you skip this step, the onion will cake in your storage jars. When the onion powder or bits are nice and dry, you can pour them into a glass jar for long-term storage. This is a good use for other-than-canning jars that you end up with too often.

Of course, I also use onions in my home canned stews, chili, spaghetti sauce, pickles, relish, etc. as well.

Dehydrating red onions

We have a supply of just-harvested red onions and are wondering if we can keep them in a dehydrated form. They have been subject to drying for a short period of time but some of them have started to become rotted. We would like to keep them for future use but do not know if dehydration is the way to go. If so, after dehydration, how do we store them? Freeze them or keep the dehydrated onions in airtight jars?

Alfy

Check out the previous letter regarding drying onions for a bunch of hints. When your onions are good and dry, store them in airtight glass jars, and they will stay good for years. Dehydrated onions only rot or mold if they have too much moisture in them. You’ll love your dry red onions. They are so pretty and taste so good!

Dehydrating and canning minced onions

I want to can some minced onions, but I can’t find any information on it. I would like to put them up in half-pints. I don’t know if they can be raw packed or do I need to cook them?

Cindy Schneider, Florida

Canning minced onions is simple and quick to do, although you may find it even quicker to dehydrate them. I do this, mainly to save time and jars.

Just chop your onions as fine as you want, pack them into half-pint canning jars, add ½ tsp. salt if you wish for flavoring, then pour boiling water over them to within ½ inch of the top of the jar. Process for 45 minutes at 10 pounds pressure (unless you live at an altitude higher than 1,000 feet; consult your canning manual for directions).

Dehydrating them is even quicker; just chop them, lay them out in a single layer on a cookie sheet, or, better yet, on a tray in a dehydrator and dry until they are crisp. Stir as needed to dry consistently. After they are dry, store in an airtight jar. I also grind many onions after dehydrating, to make onion powder, which I use almost daily in my cooking. The ones I whiz in my old blender are simply sliced ¼ inch thick in whole slices, dried, then whizzed. Then I dry the powder a bit more to make sure it is absolutely dry, and store it. Half a bushel of onions makes a quart or a little more of onion powder. Talk about storage convenience!

Trouble with dehydrating potatoes

I was trying to dehydrate some potatoes for a stew, but they turned almost black. Are they still usable? Is there something I should have put on them before drying?

Bruce Robb, Arkansas

Sorry, your potatoes are toast. You should have blanched the slices for 5 minutes, then rinsed them well in cold water to remove the excess starch. This prevents the blackening when they are exposed to air as they are when you dehydrate them. It’s just one of those life lessons we all have to learn.

Dehydrating potatoes

I would like to dehydrate potatoes, but the last batch I did turned black. What did I do wrong?

Mary Ingold, Montana

This usually happens when you forget to steam or boil the potato slices for 5-6 minutes, then rinse them in cold water to remove the excess starch. If you do this and dry them at about 125°F, they should turn out very nice.

Dehydrated spice mix

I have been reading your articles online for a while now and have learned a ton. I have noticed that you like hot peppers. Just wanted to give you an idea I use often in my garden. We grow many different types of hot peppers and tomatoes. I dehydrate many of the peppers and some of the tomatoes, along with garlic cloves, sometimes even using the green tomatoes. After dehydrating once, I then put everything in the blender and grind as best as I can, then place the mixture on a cookie sheet and dry for a day or two in the oven with just the pilot on and then blend again into a fine spice. This is an excellent spice that has a spicy flavor with a deep garlic and tomato taste to it.

Jessica Brandt

Great idea with your spice mix, Jessica. I will try it. Now I dry the onions, garlic, tomatoes, and peppers separately, then mix them later, as I need them. But the idea of a pre-mixed spice sounds great! I can’t wait to give it a taste. If you’re lucky, you learn something new each and every day of your life.

Chinese chestnuts

After reading everything you have shared with BHM for the last three years, I can’t find an article on what to do with Chinese chestnuts a neighbor planted 40 years ago and are now abandoned for all but the deer and me.

Carl and Inge Harmon

Lucky you! Chinese chestnuts are large, sweet, and the trees are very hardy. Also a bonus is the fact that the burrs in which the nuts grow are squirrel-proof until the nut ripens and they split open. Then you’d better hurry or the little buggers will beat you to the harvest. After you harvest your nuts, let them dry in a single layer somewhere out of the weather where the squirrels can’t get to them. This increases their sweetness and prevents molding.

Once the nuts are dry, you can store them in a burlap sack, stirring them around once in a while, in a dry location until you have time to peel them to use. As you know, chestnuts have a relatively thin shell with a large, sweet nutmeat.

You can shell your harvest by either roasting or boiling which makes the shell easier to penetrate. To roast them (unless you want to roast chestnuts by an open fire …), simply lay a layer of them on a cookie sheet and bake in your oven at about 350°F for about 15 minutes. Stir once or twice to make sure they roast evenly. Then cut the shell open with a sharp knife and peel.

To boil them, cut an X on the flat side of the shell of the chestnuts, then drop them in water and simmer for 17 minutes. (Any bad nuts will float to the top right away after you drop them in.) Then take the nuts out of the water, drain and peel, removing any clinging skins with a knife.

You can then purée the boiled nuts to use in a variety of recipes, using them as a vegetable, such as in stir fries, soups, breads, cakes, etc. The Indians of several tribes combined mashed chestnuts with squash for use in little cakes.

The roasted nuts can be laid out in a single layer after peeling, then salted and re-roasted for just long enough to make the oil in them hold the salt. They are pretty darned good that way. Eat hearty.

Preserving red peppers

This year in our garden, we added red peppers. They did extremely well and now I’m not sure what to do with them. After picking them, we tied them up and hung them in a window. Now what do I do with them? I know I would like to crush some but am not sure how to do that. Do they need to be baked?

Strittmater

Good for you, Stritty. Having lots of hot peppers is never a problem. If they are totally dry, I’d take them out of the window and store them in a large glass jar as they do tend to get dusty and lose their color. As for using them, just dust ‘em off and crush them with your hand. If you are sensitive to hot things, you better wear rubber gloves and be careful that the dust doesn’t get into your eyes. The crushed peppers can also be stored in an airtight glass jar, indefinitely. They never seem to lose their potency.

As for uses, toss a bit into chili, stews, rice dishes, pizza, spaghetti, tacos, beans, eggs, etc. Go easy until you decide on your taste for hot. Like everything else, homegrown is usually tastier, and in this case, hotter.

Preserving peppers

We like to can pickles (dill) with cayenne peppers packed inside for extra flavor. What is the best way to preserve the peppers if they ripen before the cukes? Or maybe even for the next year, if possible?

K.C. and Jane Carter, Missouri

I’ve never had hot peppers ripen before the cukes do. Most cayenne and other hot peppers don’t get ripe for at least 80 days and cukes seldom require more than 60 days to reach pickling stage; many sooner.

But, if your peppers do get ripe before the cukes are ready, I would dry them. To do this, simply spread them out in a single row on a screen in a hot, dry place. They will be dry in a couple of days. If the humidity is high, you might want to dry them in your oven with only the pilot light on or another dry, warm place (attic, in a closed car, etc.). When crunchy dry, like leaves, you can store them in a glass jar forever (or until your cukes are ready).

Preserving jalapeños

We have a good sized crop of jalapeño peppers to preserve. We’ve made plenty of salsa. What are some ways to preserve jalapeños other than jelly and pickling?

Michael Varnes-Epstein

Peppers are my passion and salsa’s just a start. Have you ever tried salsa verde, made with jalapeños and tomatillos? This is a green salsa with a different taste.

Then there’s roasted, dried jalapeños. Roast them on your outside grill until skins are black. Pop them in a paper sack until cool, then peel and seed. Lay in a single layer on a dehydrator or cookie sheet in a cool oven until dry. Store in a jar, ready to use, either whole or powdered. I like to grill them on mesquite for a smoky taste.

I also love to can these smoked peppers. Simply pack in a jar and process for 35 minutes at 10 pounds in a pressure canner. You can also can them in half-pint jars to use later in nacho dips or fried with eggs.

You can also dehydrate raw jalapeños and grind them to use in your own spice mix. I usually stem them and cut them in half to help dry them as they are thick-meated.

Then there’s meat stuffed jalapeños, canned jalapeño rings, etc.

Ground hot peppers

There was an old guy who used to come into our office and give us samples of ground hot peppers he was making at home. He gave me several different kinds, but one in particular I loved most. Now, he’s dead and my remaining supplies are running out. For my favorite, the hottest and most flavorful, I believe he was drying habañeros, then running them seeds and all through a spice grinder. What I want to know is how can I make the hottest, most flavorful, ground peppers that would at least rival the old man’s? Hurry before I exhaust my supply.

John Silveira, Oregon

Oh, boy! What a challenge. Okay, here’s what I’d do. In New Mexico, my favorite of all of the local ground peppers was roasted chile powder. You can try it with and without the roasting, but I’ll bet you’ll like the roasted better. It gives a great robust flavor you don’t get with plain ground peppers.

To simply dry the peppers, put on plastic gloves to handle them, or don’t whine about how much it hurts under your poor burned fingernails. Then simply pull the stems off or cut them off if they’re stubborn, and slice them coarsely onto a cookie sheet. Place in your gas oven with only the pilot on or in another warm, dry place. I’ve dehydrated peppers on the back window of a car, the backseat of our Suburban, and the roof of our porch. Any place that’s warm, dry, and free from insects, birds, and curious children. Thin meated peppers, such as habañeros, dry quite quickly. When they rustle, they are done. You may have to stir them every day to keep them from molding if the weather is humid and you don’t have a dehydrator or gas range.

To roast the peppers, light up your grill outside in the fresh air. Place your stemmed peppers on a fine mesh grill or on a steel griddle. Then simply roll them back and forth from time to time to roast them. The very best peppers are roasted on mesquite coals. Mmm! In New Mexico, all the small towns smelled heavenly with huge chile roasters, roasting green and red chiles at nearly every grocery and market.

When they are nearly charred, place in a cool spot and get out your plastic gloves. Slice as above and dry these roasted peppers.

When the peppers are well dried, grind them, skin, seeds, and all, in a spice grinder. I use an old reject blender. It’s one of my electric “gadgets” I kept. It grinds dried peppers, garlic, and onions so nicely. And the glass jar doesn’t retain the heat from the peppers or the smell of onions and garlic.

Once the powder has been coarsely ground, lay it out on your cookie sheet in a shallow layer to finish drying overnight. Then grind it as fine as you like, keeping your eyes and mucus membranes away from the dust. It will burn like you can’t believe.

Hope one of these will rival the “old man’s.” But the memories of the old man will make his special ground peppers the best. Forever. And it is right that it is so.

Sun dried tomatoes

Can you tell me how to make sun dried tomatoes like they sell at gourmet shops? We like them on pizza and pastas.

Carol Williams, California

Actually, sun dried tomatoes are simply dehydrated tomatoes, usually tomato halves. And tomatoes dry very well at home. The trick to “gourmet” dehydrated tomatoes is to use a thick-meated, thin-skinned, quite sweet variety. I dehydrate two main kinds, an extra-sweet yellow cherry tomato, Sun Gold, which tastes almost 1ike a dried apricot when dehydrated, and a largish, red cherry-plum type, Principe Borghese. Principe Borghese is an Italian heirloom developed especially for sun drying, where the entire vine was pulled and draped over the garden fence to dry the tomatoes naturally in the sun.

While this method does work very well in some climates, many folks have a damper climate and the tomatoes dried in this manner would mold before drying. I prefer to simply harvest the ripe tomatoes, pull the stem out, and slice them in half, drying them cut side up on a cookie sheet in my gas oven with only the pilot light on or on racks in a dehydrator. They are done when shriveled and tough-leathery. The dehydrated tomatoes can be stored in any airtight container such as a gallon glass jar. Be absolutely sure they are dehydrated well or they can mold.

You can find Principe Borghese seed at several seed houses, including Pinetree Garden Seeds, Box 300, New Gloucester, ME 04260. Sun Gold is a common yellow tomato found in most seed catalogs.

To use the dehydrated tomatoes, simply add to any moist tomato (or other) sauce. They rehydrate rapidly and retain their exceptional taste.

The many, many uses of dehydrated tomatoes

Memaw and I have dehydrated some tomatoes we can’t use immediately. How do we use them?

Charlie, Indiana

If your tomatoes are dehydrated well, with no moisture, simply pack them in quart jars (or even gallon jars, if you have enough) and screw the lids down snugly. They will store in a cool, dark place for a long time, coming out like freshly dehydrated even after months of storage. I don’t think a person can ever have too many dehydrated tomatoes. I dice them up and put ‘em on pizzas, in spaghetti sauce, casseroles, lasagna, and lots more. We even snack on them (especially Sun Gold yellow tomatoes) like dried apricots.

You can rehydrate them at any time simply by placing a handful in a bowl and pouring hot water over them and allowing them to “plump up.” Or you can stew them in a little water with seasonings you prefer. The end result is about like canned tomatoes only they have a richer taste.

Using dried tomato powder

I have quite a bit of dehydrated tomato powder from our Y2K food storage. I use it regularly to make tomato sauce and paste by simply mixing with water. Would there be any reason to can tomato sauce instead of using this (besides the fact that canned sauce will already have the seasonings in it)?

Tracey Roberts, Oregon

I wouldn’t bother canning sauce from your dehydrated tomato powder. Save your jars and room in the pantry. Dehydrated stuff takes up so much less room.

Dehydrating apples

I dehydrate apples each fall to be snacked on later. I use the pilot light in a gas stove. After I slice the apples into ¼ inch pieces, I lay the cut pieces of apples in round plastic trays one on top of the other, seven trays in height. It will take 28 hours to dry. If left longer some apples will not dry but turn moldy. Those are tossed onto a compost pile. Also, I dehydrate pineapples this way but they turn moldy in 24 hours. How can I stop the mold? So far I have dehydrated apples, bananas, pineapples, persimmons, pears, peaches, and nectarines. Could you please tell me how to stop the mold without the use of sulphur?

Kent McRee, California

I’d check on the temperature in your oven to see just how warm it is on pilot. You may have to turn your oven on its lowest setting and leave the door ajar. If this doesn’t work, you may need to resort to using an electric dehydrator. Most foods dehydrate best at a temperature between 135-145°F. We live off-grid, but I start my dehydrated foods with one, then transfer them to my gas oven. The dehydrator has a small fan, which moves the damp air through and out of the food. It’s the dampness that causes mold to form. You don’t need sulphur, just a drier environment during dehydration … especially the first few hours.

Drying lemons

How do I dehydrate whole fruits, i.e. whole lemons?

Jay

Whole lemons are easy to dehydrate, although, obviously you must slice the whole lemon in order to dehydrate it. I buy them whenever I can get a good deal, then dehydrate them and make a great lemon powder that I use in a huge variety of recipes, from baked goods to Chinese food.

Wash the lemons with hot water to remove any insect spray or other noxious chemicals. Pat them dry, then slice about a quarter of an inch thick. Remove and discard any seeds from the lemon rounds and place the rounds in a single layer on a dehydrator screen or on a cookie sheet, if you don’t have a dehydrator. Dehydrate at about 145°F until they are dry. The oven of your gas kitchen range, with only a pilot light on, will dry your cookie sheet trays of lemons. Or you can leave them in the backseat of your car on a warm, sunny day. They dry quickly.

Once they are dry, the pulp is crispy and the rind tough and leathery. What I do is whiz them in the old blender that I got at the dump, until the whole lemon is a granular powder. This is excellent in pies, all baked goods, and a ton of other recipes. It is very lemony in fragrance and taste.

Commercial-like sugar-coated dehydrated fruit

I would just like to know how to dehydrate fruits that would come out like the big companies. It’s like they have a sugar coating on them and they come out much better than when I try to dehydrate. If you know of a solution they dip the fruits in before dehydrating, I would like to know and try it.

Sheila

Guess what? You already have the answer to why the big companies’ dehydrated fruits taste differently than home dehydrated fruits do: sugar! Gee, why does everything that tastes so good have either fat, sugar, or salt in it?

You can make sugary sweet dehydrated fruit by simply soaking the fruit in a very heavy sugar syrup just before you dehydrate it. You’ll have to let it drip dry for a few moments to avoid a terrible mess in your dehydrator, but as it dries the sugar will crystallize on the fruit, just like the big companies’ expensive fruit. It won’t be any better for you, but it will taste good.

Making fruit leathers

Would you please tell me how to make fruit leathers?

Cindy Winton-Bunting

I’d be glad to; they’re our son David’s favorite snack. And they’re so easy to make. First peel and gently simmer your fruit until it is tender. Then press it though a sieve or purée in a blender. For small fruits, such as cherries or strawberries, simply whiz in the blender. Pour out the puréed fruit onto clean cookie sheets or flexible plastic dehydrator trays. Dusting them lightly with corn starch helps keep them from sticking, but I don’t always do this. Dehydrate gently until the leather can be peeled easily and gently up from the tray. I cut the sheets into serving-size lengths at this time. Sometimes it is necessary to turn it over and finish dehydrating it, depending on tray and humidity.

I sometimes add cinnamon to apple or pear leather to “spice” it up, or chopped nuts for an interesting texture. Once you start, you’ll quickly begin experimenting for personal favorites.

Preserving pumpkin

I am a Peace Corps volunteer working in Africa. One of the things we are trying to teach is local food preservation. We teach solar vegetable drying and canning jams and chutneys by putting the hot foods directly into sterilized jars. (Out here, professional and pressure canning devices are unavailable.) However, I am having trouble finding a recipe for preserving pumpkin that can be used in this environment. Do you know of any recipes that don’t require a pressure canner?

Zachary Maichuk, U.S. Peace Corps, Africa

One of my favorite ways of preserving pumpkin fits in well with your food dehydration program. I simply peel the pumpkin slices, removing the strings and seeds, then cut slices about ¼ inch thick and lay them out on the dehydrator screen or tray. They dry nicely in about a day, in the sun, having been turned once.

The slices can be easily rehydrated in hot water, broth, or milk and cooked up. Or you can grind the dry slices, then rehydrate to use as a smoother pumpkin in recipes such as puddings, pies, or mashed pumpkin. The only way you are able to can pumpkin safely without a pressure canner is putting it up as pumpkin preserves or butter.

Dehydrated precooked dried beans

I used to be able to purchase dehydrated precooked dried beans from Indian Harvest. But they no longer sell them. I made my own red beans and rice mixes and they were wonderful. The precooked beans and dried veggies would cook in the 30 minutes it took for the rice to cook. I was also able to make some really good dried soup mixes, which taste a whole lot better than the packaged kind sold in the grocery stores!

How would you go about making dehydrated precooked dried beans yourself? Have you? I’m thinking that if I cooked the beans, drained them and then put them in my dehydrator, I could probably make my own. Should I put salt or sugar on them to help preserve them, or just do them plain?

Joan Long Dixon

I have dehydrated precooked dried beans of several types, primarily to carry on long canoe trips. This was a “wing-it” experiment, as I couldn’t find a recipe in any of my books. And I am not suggesting you follow my experiences. I’m only telling you what I’ve done.

I completely cooked my beans, using minimal seasonings; no sugar, no salt. When tender, I drained them and immediately spread them out on my dehydrator trays in a single layer. When they were completely dry and crispy, I removed them and placed them in airtight jars. They kept well and tasted great when used out of ziplock baggies on the trips. Be sure to closely inspect any dehydrated food for signs of mold before using, boil for at least 15 minutes to kill any possible bacteria, and sniff before eating. It’s only common sense.

Freezing

Freezing venison

My dad and I recently got three deer and we were wondering how long the meat would be good for if it is kept in the freezer in freezer paper.

Dom, Georgia

Generally, venison will keep about 12 months in the freezer, providing that it is well wrapped to keep oxygen from getting in at the meat. This is what causes “freezer burn” which results in a nasty taste and smell. I would suggest that you closely monitor the meat after 9 months and either use it up before the 12 months or else can it. You can also have it made into sausages of different types or jerky to use it up before it nears the end of the 12 month time. (Some people report that their meat never freezer burns, but personally, I’ve never been that lucky.)

Rancid deer hamburger in freezer

Can you tell me what we can do to keep our deer hamburger from getting rancid in the freezer?

Teresa Steadman

A common reason most folks’ venison burger goes yucky in the freezer is that they grind pork fat with the lean venison. Pork does not have as long a freezer life as does beef or venison, and thus the burger will freezer burn or go rancid in six months to a year. I much prefer using beef fat with our venison burger, whether the venison is elk, moose, or deer. I don’t freeze much meat any more; I much prefer to can it, as then I know every bit will keep. Even venison mixed with beef fat will seldom taste good for more than a year in the freezer. The same goes with straight beef.

So the first tip is to eat that venison burger up quicker or else home can at least half of it as spaghetti sauce, seasoned taco meat, meat balls, etc. Good venison is wonderful tasting. Don’t ruin it by keeping it too long.

Next, to keep meat good for a few months in the freezer, be sure you wrap it well in a good quality freezer wrap. If you have it done at a meat processing plant, I’m sure they do it right. But I’ve seen some folks simply wrapping their meat in plain cellophane or plastic ziplock lunch bags. These do not offer enough protection for the meat. Air seeps in and the meat begins to taste “funny” … then “disgusting.”

Another thought is that the meat may hang too long in a tree during hunting season, letting the fat begin to go rancid. The grinding and freezing will not cover up that taste. During days warmer than 40°F, that meat must be refrigerated or kept on ice.

Frozen venison

I am one of your fans. I read your section first in every issue. So, now, of course, I am writing to disagree. In issue #75, you said that venison won’t stay good in a freezer more than a year. I have moose and caribou in my freezer labeled ‘98, ‘99, and ‘00, and it’s in perfect shape. I have never understood how people get freezer burn. I have had my freezer since 1966 and it wasn’t new then. It has been moved 18 times, once dropped in a swamp, and it goes merrily on. When I think about living without electricity, I don’t know what I would do without my freezer.

Evalyn L. Preblich, Alaska

Glad to have you read my stuff, Evalyn. And I’m real glad your freezer does so well for you. To tell the truth, I’ve never had such luck, nor my friends, neighbors, family or even people I’ve talked to here and there. After one year, the pork and venison, and usually chicken, fish, and beef, taste “off” from freezer burn. I used a freezer extensively for 10 years, and usually managed to use up almost all of the meat yearly. That which was left over usually was not real tasty. I had meat processed at local locker plants, as well as that which I cut and wrapped myself. No dice. I hope other readers have the kind of luck you do. That’d be great.

I really prefer to can my meat. It’s “instant” meals and never goes bad, even years and years later.

Freezer burned meat

I was given lots of pork ribs, beef, and chicken with bits of freezer burn on it. What a shame. I would like to know if I can cook with it and is it safe to eat?

Alice Costa

Sorry, Alice. I, too, have been given lots and lots of freezer burned meat in my time and, try as I might, I just have never found a way to use it that I couldn’t taste the nasty, clawing taste of freezer burn in the resulting food. And I have used some really spicy recipes, too. While it is safe to eat, it just doesn’t taste good.

What I’ve done is cook up a big pot of this meat, along with vegetables and rice, and after removing the bones, made stew for our dogs. They love it and at least you get some benefit from all that lost meat.

Freezing smoked pork

We need your advice on freezing smoked pork. We have smoked the pork, shredded it, wrapped it tightly in plastic wrap, and placed it in freezer bags. We wanted to know if this was a good idea, any tips you might have, and how long it will keep in the freezer.

S & K Williams, Alabama

It will keep in your freezer for about 6 months; longer if you use vacuum-sealed bags. Oxygen is your enemy when freezing; eliminate it and your food stores longer. Enjoy your pork. I’ll bet it’s good!

Frozen milk for cheese

I would like to make cheese with goat milk. Rather than doing one batch at a time, I would like to freeze the milk, then do several batches at once. Will freezing the milk then thawing it cause any problems when making cheese? What about freezing goat milk and then thawing it later to make yogurt?

Lisa Nourse, Oregon

I’ve never heard of anyone that had trouble by using frozen goat milk to make either cheese or yogurt. In fact, you can make either one with dehydrated milk as well. Just make sure that you thoroughly thaw your milk and heat it to the temperature required in your recipes. Cold milk will not grow the inoculating bacteria and you could have a failure. So just gather your milk, warm it back up, and enjoy cheese making.

Frozen yellow milk

I was wondering if you could tell me why milk turns yellow when you freeze it and back to white when it defrosts. It was a question from my seven-year-old.

Susan Liimatainen

I think it’s the difference in the freezing of the butterfat in the milk. I’ve noticed that when you freeze skim milk, it freezes white, but if you freeze whole milk it does turn a bit yellowish, like homemade vanilla ice cream. The fat freezes at a lower temperature than does the “watery” part of the milk, like when the ice cubes in the freezer are frozen but the ice cream is a little soft. When you thaw the milk, the butterfat melts and is again part of the milk, losing the yellow color.

Freezing okra

I live in Northern Alabama and have been planting a garden for all my life. I love canning and putting food in the freezer, but I have a problem. I cannot find a way to put up okra so it does not taste freezer burned, or can it to fry. If you could pass one on to me I would be ever so thankful. I have tried freezing it battered, whole, cooked and just about every way I can find. I guess I am no good at the okra thing. Just that my family loves it and my rug-rats (grandkids) want it all year.

Janet James, Alabama

The best way I’ve found to preserve okra is to slice the young pods, then bread or batter the slices and fry them just until the breading is beginning to brown a light golden color. Then drain on a paper towel and place on a cookie sheet in a single layer. Put this in your freezer just until the slices are barely frozen.

Now pick off the sheet and pack into freezer bags. Zip them shut, all but for one tiny corner. Roll the bag gently to get nearly all the air out, then shut the bag. When you want to use the okra, barely thaw enough to use and fry it without oil (there’s enough on the okra in most cases), or with just a little. I think this tastes almost as good as fresh.

Freezing purple hull peas

I am new to the country, farming, and preserving foods. I am finding my way, though. I am wondering what is the best way to freeze purple hull peas? Do they need to be blanched prior to freezing? If so, is it better to boil or steam blanch? And for how long? I have heard that you can just straight freeze them (without blanching) as long as you don’t wash them first.

Since this is our first garden, and our first year at preserving, I want to get it right. I don’t want to pull out those peas this fall and find that I did it wrong and they taste terrible!

Camille Cooper, Texas

It’s a good idea to blanch your purple hull peas prior to freezing. Just steam blanch or boil them for 2 minutes. Cool quickly in cold water, then drain and pack. Not blanching them will usually work, but sometimes the starch continues to develop after freezing, giving them a bad taste. To be safe, blanch first.

Freezing green beans

Is it possible to freeze green beans without blanching them? I was wondering if you could just wash, break, and freeze them.

Dena Elliott, Georgia

Yes, it is possible, but you’ll find sometimes that the taste is affected. The reason to blanch is to halt the enzymes that cause ripening in the vegetables. When the enzymes are left viable, they can cause “off” flavors in the frozen foods. If it were me, I would blanch. You go through too much work growing the beans, preparing them for freezing, and packing them to have a product that is not top notch.

Preserving avocados

I have a cousin in Texas who called me wanting to know if you can freeze or can avocados.

Lottie (Jane) Rogers, Alabama

You can freeze avocado purée for future use in guacamole or sweets. To do this, simply peel, seed, and mash ripe avocados. To each quart of purée, add 1 Tbsp. lemon juice. Pack into a freezer container, leaving ½ inch of headroom. Seal and freeze.

Freezing pies

Can you freeze pies? What preparations do you take to freeze them?

Paul Bouska, Minnesota

Yes, you can freeze pies. Simply set a raw pie on a cookie sheet and put it in the freezer until frozen, then slip it into a freezer bag and remove as much air as possible. Return it to the freezer and your pie is all set to bake when you want a homemade treat. When you want to serve a pie, remove from the freezer and place on a cookie sheet in the oven and bake as usual. For a pre-baked frozen pie, remove from the freezer and let sit at room temperature until thawed. Rubbing a little butter and sugar on the crust before warming at 300°F works wonders!

Best freezer container

I am looking for a way to freeze meats, fruits, sauces, and vegetables without having to keep buying freezer bags or other supplies. It is driving me crazy that everywhere I look people say that for self-reliance you should freeze your own food but then they tell you to go buy freezer bags! If I have to depend on plastic being affordable in the near future (will anything be affordable soon?) then I don’t see how that qualifies as truly being self-reliant! I have heard about using glass but that seems bulky and like I’d waste a lot of freezer space. I know I can also can, smoke, dehydrate, etc., which I am doing, but I am hoping you have some other ideas for freezing. Are there other options? Older ways of wrapping and preserving food for freezing?

Jacqueline Knight, Idaho

The way I used to freeze foods was to freeze them in plastic freezer boxes which were reusable many times. I think that plastic will probably be affordable longer than the electricity to run a large freezer will be. After my freezer crashed unexpectedly and ruined a lot of food, I decided to freeze very little food in the future and instead can up most foods. About all I freeze now is some meat to use fresh. The plastic boxes are flat-topped and stack pretty well in the freezer. I think it’s the best option for now, other than using freezer bags which are not reusable.

Alternative freezer bags

We are considering buying a vacuum-packing tool to seal meats and vegetables and freeze them. The bags made for that process seem to be pretty expensive, however. Have you heard of alternates in bagging products to freeze?

Denise Cline, Michigan

I don’t freeze much of anything, for fear of losing it due to power problems or malfunctions of the freezer. The vacuum bags are a special plastic, made to seal under heat, and I don’t know of a like product that is cheaper that you could substitute. However, I usually had good luck by just using ziplock freezer bags and making sure nearly all of the air was out before zipping them shut.

Good luck with your gardening and canning. I got my start in your present city, at the tender age of three.

You’ll want all eight books in this great Ask Jackie series:

Animals

Canning Basics

Food Storage

Gardening

Homestead Cooking

Homesteading

Pressure Canning

Water Bath Canning

About the author

Jackie is a lifelong homesteader. From the tender age of three, she dreamed of having her own land, complete with chickens and horses. Learning life skills such as canning, gardening, and carpentry from her mother, father, and grandmother, she slowly became a very experienced homesteader. She has more than 45 years of experience foraging wild foods, growing a garden, raising homestead animals such as goats, cattle, horses, pigs, and, of course, chickens. Jackie cans hundreds of jars of gourmet-quality, homegrown food every single year. The family eats like kings!

She lives on a wilderness 120-acre homestead with her husband, Will (also a lifelong homesteader), and son, David. They raise nearly 90% of their own food and strive for a more self-reliant, off-grid lifestyle.

Jackie has written for many years for Backwoods Home Magazine, doing both feature articles on all aspects of low-tech homesteading as well as the informative Ask Jackie column since 1999. She also maintains a popular “Ask Jackie” blog at the magazine’s website, www.backwoodshome.com/blogs/JackieClay. She has also written several books including Growing and Canning Your Own Food, Jackie Clay’s Pantry Cookbook, and Starting Over, as well as several more on animal care.

Table of Contents

Title page

Copyright page

Introduction

Food storage

Preserving

Dehydrating

Freezing

Appendix

About the author

Back cover