Many meats can be dried and kept indefinitely. Same for fruits and some veggies. A cellar is useful, and in a dry climate almost anything can be easily dried and stored. I’ve dried strawberries, peaches, apricots, mushrooms, cantaloupe and peppers. I grow all organic, dry it in an electrical dehydrator. String pepper on some thread, hang it in a sunny place, a couple of days and they dry, can be kept in a plastic bag or glass jar. Things like peaches work best sliced at least in half. Strawberries picked ripe are better dried than any other way.
Long term storage is best if frozen, as far as meats are concerned. I put it in a zip lock bag, fill it with water and freeze. I have a package of Crappie I froze that way 15 years ago, one dime size freezer burn spot. Berries seem to work best without water, I haven’t tried in water, but it would be more hassle to thaw them. The only better way I know of is vacuum packed.
Make your own jerky. Get some liquid smoke. Soak thin sliced meat in it for 4 to 8 hours. Sprinkle on some cayenne pepper. Lay it out on a cookie sheet, put in oven at 200ºF until dried. Can be stored for months in the pantry. Venison is excellent...beef and pork will work, although I almost never touch pork, not exactly healthy. Fish should work well but I haven’t tried it. Chicken or turkey should work, haven’t tried them either.
Why you should avoid pork
http://draxe.com/why-you-should-avoid-pork/
http://www.ensignmessage.com/archives/porkfacts.html
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2012/12/12/eating-pork.aspx
I rarely touch it. There’s a reason the Bible says do not eat the flesh of the pig, and I don’t think it has anything to do with religion. And I’m not even religious...that doesn’t mean I haven’t read it, and don’t even think about calling me an athiest. I’m not. And I’m just as protective of your religious freedom as you are. I do think the bible has one very important guideline, the golden rule.
Treat others as you would have them treat you.
That is the golden rule according to most of the world’s major religions, many in almost the same words. The rest is commentary. If everyone tried to live that way, the world would be a much better place. IF you don’t want the guy up the road to steal your TV, don’t steal his. It’s that simple. Just ask yourself, would I want him to do this to me? If the answer is no, it’s wrong, don’t do it. Simple.
Now someone explain that to our government...
Agreed, I don’t eat a lot of pork...even though it can be produced in an almost germ free manner....and my Grandparents salted it and I believe they ate a lot of pork.
but..
In the 1970’s there was a case of a family purchasing a pig to be slaughtered...and packaged...
The pig had eaten an amount of mercury coated seed meant for planting...
The mercury did not kill the pig but it did great damage to the family that ate the pigs flesh.
I raise my own pork. They start free ranging with clean feed and water given once a day. They get treated for ant illness and de-wormed. They go from babies to the freezer in 7 months. Yes poorly raised sickly pork should be avoided. Same with chicken, beef and fish.
Just saying that store bought mass raised anything can be dangerous. I have seen dying cattle “make” it to slaughter house in time.
Good fmeat costs more or takes more time to raise. It’s worth it in my opinion.
Have you tried the oven jerky method where you hang the meat under the oven rack using toothpicks? Line to bottom of the oven with foil to catch drippings, the push toothpicks thru the meat and suspend below the oven rack. Toothpick hangs between two oven rack bars. Round toothpicks work best. Then dehydrate at about 180 degrees (I stick a small item in the door to keep it vented. Works great!