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 Posted By: KYHeirloomer 
Jul 1  # 1 of 16
Mama's "Are You Prepared" thread got me to thinking. There are many people who don't begin to understand how they can put foods by to assure a safe, nutritious, and tasty food supply.

I'm thinking we need to get a thread going in which we explore the options. But first, perhaps, there needs to be an understanding of how food is preserved.

There are three routes to food degradation: pathogens (i.e., bacteria and viruses), molds, and enzyme action. We'll leave the last out of the discussion, because most food-preservation methods automatically handle that problem as part of their processes.

So, ok. In order to preserve food you have to 1. remove or destroy as many pathogens as possible, and, 2. more importantly, create an environment which retards their growth, or which makes their growth difficult or impossible.

Until fairly recently, retarding pathogen growth was strictly a short-term preservation method. You accomplish that by pasturization or by cooling. When Mr. Birdseye invented freezing, retardation became long-term.

Root cellering belongs under the "cooling" category, but is in a special case.

Other than that, food preservation always revolves around water. You either remove it (drying), modify it (brining), or replace it (pickling) so that it's below the level that will support pathogen growth.

Historically, here is the way food preservation developed:

Drying, and it's associated smoke curing, are the oldest intentional forms of preservation. As far back as we can trace in neolithic times, people have dried and/or smoked foods.

Salting & fermentation. Depends which authority you want to accept as to which of these came first. Genereally speaking we can say they arose at about the same time (independently in various places, btw), and, it seems, by fortuitous accident.

Fermentation can be either long-term (i.e, pickles) or short-term (i.e, cheese) preservation. Salting is always long term, and is often associated with drying. Brining is long-term only so long as the saline level is maintained.

Canning---which only dates from 1813---uses combinations of heat, acid, and vacuum to destory pathogens and prevent their further growth. It is sometimes used in conjunction with fermentation as well, for longer-term storage, or for commercial purposes.

Freezing. As noted, was the invention of Mr. Birdseye, and only dates, in practical terms, from the 1940s.

Freeze-drying is a highly technical process, dating from the 1960, and cannot be done in the home.

What I'm hoping is that those who are experienced with the various preservation methods will post directions and comments. And that others will ask questions to help guide the discussion along.
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 Posted By: Mama Mangia 
Jul 1  # 2 of 16
I've already posted a lot on drying, etc.

As far as canning goes - my advice to everyone is - get an up-to-date Ball Blue Book for all the latest techniques and times. Recipes from years ago have not changed - but canning methods have.

I've got all my notes for food preservation - if you want it.
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 Posted By: jglass 
Jul 5  # 3 of 16
Jon's sister in law was saying her Mom was helping her aunt do canning outside over a fire today.
Jon's Dad wants to try it.
I have no idea what he would need to accomplish it.
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 Posted By: KYHeirloomer 
Jul 5  # 4 of 16
The heat source for canning is irrelevent.

Only thing to watch out for is soot build-up on the kettles. Otherwise it's done exactly the same way.

Two things you'll need to think about: A ready water supply. And tables for work surfaces and to stand the jars on when they come out of the bath.
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 Posted By: jglass 
Jul 5  # 5 of 16
I have a water bath canner but he is talking about using something like a washtub.
I dont see how you can do that because green beans have to be done in a pressure canner.
I have always been kind of afraid of pressure canners so I went for the water bath canner and if I canned green beans they would be pickled.