Whether you are just starting to get into the prepper lifestyle or you are an old pro, you know how important a food supply can be in emergency situations. Every prepper should have a year’s supply of food ready to go should a disaster happen. The easy way to do this is through non perishable items like rice and pasta. Another option is to can fresh produce to make sure you are getting your nutrients as well.
However, you need to make sure that you are also storing protein, and more than just trail mix. Meat is the most efficient way to get protein into your body, but you can’t just have a freezer stockpile of beef and chicken and call it a day. A lot of emergency scenarios can cause your home to lose power. You would not want your freezer of meat to go bad and you have wasted all of your time and money, just to have to start over. As a prepper, it's important to know how to preserve meat without refrigeration.
Some different methods of how to preserve meat without refrigeration include:
Salt curing
Salting your meat is one of the easiest and oldest methods of preserving meat. You’ll want to make sure you have curing salt on hand and glass or plastic containers to make this method most effective. Just place a layer of salt in the container, place your meat inside and cover it with more salt. Every inch of meat should be covered with salt and then left to rest in an airtight container.
A good rule of thumb is to let the meat sit for seven days, per every inch thick it is! You’ll know the meat is cured when you go to pick it up and notice it weighs on around 65 percent of what it originally did! Salt cured meat sealed in airtight containers can be kept for up to six months!
Dehydration
Dehydrating your meat is another good method of storage that does not rely on power or refrigeration. Dehydrating works best when you work with thinly sliced meat and then “cook” it over low heat for a long period of time. You can do this specifically in a dehydrator or the oven. While jerky may not be a full on meat replacement, it can be a great addition to add to soups or other meals for a boost in protein.
Pressure Canning
You’ll need a pressure canner and some glass mason jars for this method, but the good news is that you can reuse this equipment to store other produce and food as well. It is essential because meat is low acidic, it has to be canned by the pressure canning method and not by a water bath method. Properly canned meat can actually last you over a year in terms of preservation.
Livestock
An unconventional tactic to think about when learning how to preserve meat without refrigeration is to consider livestock. It can be easy to raise some chicken and rabbits, and build a pond on your property for fish. Plus with chickens, not only do you have them as a source of protein should SHTF, but they can also lay eggs which are another great source of protein. If you end up raising too many animals, you can always use the previous storage methods as well in conjunction with having livestock.
Civil Dispatch
Civil Dispatch can teach you more than just how to preserve meat without refrigeration, we can help you through any emergency scenario! We make being prepared easy and communicating your disaster plans simple. Sign up today!