Easy, long term food storage: beef.

Рет қаралды 11,734

3 жыл бұрын

When it comes to long term food storage, meat has its challenges. Tinned meat is typically of very poor quality, freeze dried meat is extremely expensive, and other options just don't have a very long shelf life. This technique allows you to keep minced/ground beef almost indefinitely. No refrigeration, no freezing, it's an easy way of slowly increasing your food storage. It also takes up less space than any other method, allowing you to store more.
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Пікірлер: 95

@Tasty4339 3 ай бұрын

Just found your channel. I like the idea of reusing old jars! You could also boil the beef, strain it, pop the pot in the fridge. The fat solidifies for later use and your left with beef stock.

@elizabethcope1502 2 жыл бұрын

You can make cotton cloths to cover the trays. The cloth wicks some moisture from the food. The cloth also keeps the food from falling through the trays. When finished dehydrating the food, you can also use the cloth to pour into your jar. I made mine out of old cotton sheets. Rain Country has You Tube on how to make them. It must be cotton cloth. God bless.

@genki_7 Жыл бұрын

Thank you for the very helpful tip!! ❤️

@goofyroofy 2 жыл бұрын

Someone asked me about this, so I sent them your link, thanks again, I've now got @ 160KG of raw weight ground beef stored now in this way thanks to you & its all in perfect condition, oldest stuff is @ 10 mos old in ziploc bags as it gets eaten up. Been loving the rocket stove and tree planting vids as well, permaculture and prepping in one channel is great!, cheers!!!

@CairnOfDunnCroftPermaculture 2 жыл бұрын

Glad you're enjoying them! For me, permaculture and prepping go hand in hand. It's all about personal, family and community resilience. You can only store so many tins of beans, an edible landscape is a reassuring thing to have. We have couple of cool projects planned for this year too.

@jcrsh1638 2 жыл бұрын

Yup, that was me asking, and here I am! Thx again for helping me out and for this link...Now, on to the video!

@paulettethomas5677 Жыл бұрын

I dehydrated my first mince beef 4 years ago and I keep some of the fat in the freezer to add to the meat when I use it my tastes fine and I'm not dead yet lol x

@fishinghole333 Жыл бұрын

That's a great idea to freeze the fat and add it back later!

@BalticHomesteaders 3 жыл бұрын

I loved how the camera shook when you threw in the beef. Beef quite hard to come by here but slowly getting better. We even asked the farmer down the road if we could buy half a cow but they were all going down to Germany, all grass-fed too.

@CairnOfDunnCroftPermaculture 3 жыл бұрын

Ah that's a shame. I've done it with lamb mince too. It doesn't rehydrate quite as well, but it's pretty good.

@FrugalQueeninFrance Жыл бұрын

That was interesting, I’ve been learning the French method of sterilizing in jars (water bathing) they use fat in jars to help preserve meat, I particularly love ‘rilettes’.

@CairnOfDunnCroftPermaculture Жыл бұрын

It's something I'd like to look into once we have a proper kitchen.

@briandady9030 5 ай бұрын

Never thought of rinsing it to reduce the fat.

@willie714 Жыл бұрын

Just add some bullion cubes when reconstituting for flavor

@spookyfish3792 9 ай бұрын

Thank you.😊

@CairnOfDunnCroftPermaculture 9 ай бұрын

Thanks!

@martinpip8212 Жыл бұрын

Good to see a video that uses c not f, and kg not lbs

@Olivia-- Жыл бұрын

Thanks for this link goofy 💜

@bc4yt Жыл бұрын

I haven't tried this yet but what I have in mind is to separate the fat and water out, and render that down into tallow. This should be shelf stable, but could be kept in the fridge. Then when I reconstitute the mince, I can load it up with some of the fat and it should regain most of its original taste an nutrition.

@CairnOfDunnCroftPermaculture Жыл бұрын

Absolutely yes, that's a great idea. You could even try using a vacuum jar for the tallow. Kept in the fridge, under vacuum, the shelf life would be incredibly long.

@bc4yt Жыл бұрын

@@CairnOfDunnCroftPermaculture do you think a layer of water on top of the tallow would be fine as an oxygen seal? Only good for climates where the tallow would be solid naturally. Hmm.

@CairnOfDunnCroftPermaculture Жыл бұрын

@@bc4yt I've not used it personally, so I can't say with any certainty I'm afraid.

@deborc2705 9 ай бұрын

Try straining the mean to get rid of the fat and water. If you need to put some back in you can.

@dorcassinclair 3 жыл бұрын

So when the apocalypse happens, we know where to come for food! :) Good stuff!

@CairnOfDunnCroftPermaculture 3 жыл бұрын

Oh we're prepared for anything short of zombies! But you and Alan would be made welcome.

@martinpip8212 Жыл бұрын

Reading between the lines, "I have a big gun"

@clovermark39 Жыл бұрын

Love this been after ideas to have meat preserved on hand but as I am celiac I can’t just buy tins of it.

@CairnOfDunnCroftPermaculture Жыл бұрын

Fantastic! I'd not considered that.

@littlebrookreader949 Жыл бұрын

Wow! 👍👍

@imim1884 2 жыл бұрын

Where do u get this container to seal the jar. This is cool. Thank you. Would appreciate your feedback !!

@CairnOfDunnCroftPermaculture 2 жыл бұрын

It's a food saver canister set.

@furianjedi9999 Жыл бұрын

Great video, where can I get one of those vacuum sealers?

@CairnOfDunnCroftPermaculture Жыл бұрын

It's a food saver vacuum sealer, and a food saver canister set. They still turn up sometimes on ebay.

@willyjohnson4815 2 жыл бұрын

When he does the rinse id save that water for soup.

@annaballard4056 3 жыл бұрын

Thank you so much for a fascinating film - I didn't even know you could do this! I've never seen that vacuum chamber you were using and that you could put jars into it and create a secure vacuum in the jar so quickly and easily. Would you mind sharing the brand/model of that vacuum machine please?

@CairnOfDunnCroftPermaculture 3 жыл бұрын

It's just a Food Saver vacuum sealer. The attachment is the Food Saver cannister set. It's a great technique, it's been a game changer for me.

@annaballard4056 3 жыл бұрын

@@CairnOfDunnCroftPermaculture great, thank you!

@timbc2434 Жыл бұрын

Great vid. How long does the dried beef keep once you have opened the jar?

@CairnOfDunnCroftPermaculture Жыл бұрын

I don't have a definitive answer, but I've eaten it even after a couple of years outside the vacuum.

@timbc2434 Жыл бұрын

@@CairnOfDunnCroftPermaculture a long time then. That's great to know, thanks for the reply

@goofyroofy 3 жыл бұрын

Fantastic video!! sounds like a great alternative to regular canning/freeze drying, as it sounds like the texture will be a lot better than the pressure canning method. I'm curious what's the longest you've ever had a jar or it stored and then eaten? On a carnivore diet, so storing meat for long periods without power is of interest. I know the ziploc bag was about 2 yrs, and it sounds like this would last near forever & im ok with the store at your risk idea, do you know of anyone thats stored it for say 5-10 years and eaten it???? Thanks.

@CairnOfDunnCroftPermaculture 3 жыл бұрын

I've only recently started using this method for beef, but kept dark I'd definitely eat it after ten years. Having the indicator lid on the jar makes it easy to be sure the vacuum's held. My oldest jars are three years sealed, and still good.

@goofyroofy 3 жыл бұрын

@@CairnOfDunnCroftPermaculture Cheers, mate, thanks for the info. I figure with the time factor involved drying it out, unless I made it a full time job making jars im sure most jars would get eaten well before that, I would normally eat one of those jars in a day(but not much else^^). I love your channel, seeing you work the permaculture lifestyle, esp the Muscovys, in a cold climate.

@goofyroofy 3 жыл бұрын

@@CairnOfDunnCroftPermaculture So an update, have done prob about 50ish pounds of ground beef in this manner, I try to do about 5 packs like the one in the video in a big batch each week. So far its been great, have eaten some & its very comparable to the freeze dried stuff for taste/texture, esp considering the money involved (right now just using my oven as a dehydrator) the rest is being put up in case the freeze goes out. thanks so much for this valuable video XD

@CairnOfDunnCroftPermaculture 3 жыл бұрын

@@goofyroofy that's really going for it! Excellent.

@goofyroofy 3 жыл бұрын

@@CairnOfDunnCroftPermaculture Quick question, I had one of my jars and one of my ziplock bags of meat get mold, to my surprise it wasnt the oldest one i'd made, it was just a couple weeks ago. trying to figure where i went wrong, if it was maybe some of the meat wasnt as dry as the other parts, or if something was in the jar/ziploc bag that made it go off. Wonder if you've ever had it happen? If so, how you fixed it? I had a couple plates that didnt dry as much as the others so thats where im leaning, but figured you may have some experience with it, cheers!!

@michelegrice4938 2 жыл бұрын

I do the same with chicken mince as well.

@cheriematheson2859 Жыл бұрын

What's the shelf life on the chicken mince and does it need to be in the fridge? Thanks

@michelegrice4938 Жыл бұрын

@@cheriematheson2859 hi Cherie, if you keep it in the freezer it lasts for a few years in a jar. Once you take it out, l usually consume it within 3 months. Also l just dehydrate thin sliced raw chicken , which is the same as red meat jerky.

@Chris-tz9ct 2 жыл бұрын

Hi , Just come across your channel and went down the rabbit hole . Can you tell me where about you got the vacuum container for the jar . Im in UK

@CairnOfDunnCroftPermaculture 2 жыл бұрын

I got mine on ebay, but I've also seen them on Amazon. It's the food saver canister set.

@Chris-tz9ct 2 жыл бұрын

@@CairnOfDunnCroftPermaculture Thanks for that 👍

@cynthiadeg9206 2 жыл бұрын

How about instead of using ziplock bag to use Mylar? I’d love to know. New sub. I heard about you from another video and am so glad I did

@CairnOfDunnCroftPermaculture 2 жыл бұрын

Our objective is to drastically reduce single use plastics, which is why we vacuum seal in jars. Mylar is an amazing material, but it does eventually become porous. I really like using glass because it's inert and can be reused virtually indefinitely.

@cynthiadeg9206 2 жыл бұрын

Got it. I had thought ziplock bags were involved but was wrong

@TheRainHarvester 2 жыл бұрын

How do you know if some air got in the jar before the pressure sealed it? Would it matter if some air got in? Is this what the canister is made to do? Or is this an alternate use? Just curious. Great info! Never seen this!

@CairnOfDunnCroftPermaculture 2 жыл бұрын

The canister was intended for just sealing food directly inside it, without the jars. If air got into the jar, the indicator button on the lid wouldn't be depressed.

@TheRainHarvester 2 жыл бұрын

@@CairnOfDunnCroftPermaculture They lid can still be depressed with some air inside because the pressure differential will still collapse the lid with some air inside. You can verify by not vacuuming out all the air with the pump. (In fact the pump probably didn't pull a true vacuum because those pumps are VERY expensive, molecular pumps etc.) But still a little air is better than full atmospheric pressure.

@CairnOfDunnCroftPermaculture 2 жыл бұрын

@@TheRainHarvester when the air is pumped out of the canister, the 14.7 psi of air inside the jar forces its way past the seal, equalising the pressure inside. The jar is, at this point, sealed. When air is let back into the canister, all that happens is 14.7 psi of air immediately presses down on the jar lid, increasing the seal. There's no mechanism for the jar seal to allow air back into the jar. I'm perfectly happy with the level of vacuum provided by the Food Saver units, based on how well the plastic bags, that are normally used, conform to the contents. You're right, it's not as effective as a molecular pump, but it's perfectly effective for the domestic scale. I've kept foods years past their date with no signs of degradation at all and that, for me, is the point of this technique.

@TheRainHarvester 2 жыл бұрын

@@CairnOfDunnCroftPermaculture Great info ! Thank you! I will try to get one.

@brehpotsirhc Жыл бұрын

@@CairnOfDunnCroftPermaculture Would it be depressed? Or would it POP UP?? (I'M CONFUSED 🤔)

@addictedtotreasuretrash108 4 ай бұрын

Hej are they teflon sheets or can i use greaseproof paper ? Thanx

@CairnOfDunnCroftPermaculture 4 ай бұрын

I use the sheets that came with the dehydrator, but I know some people use greaseproof paper and it works.

@addictedtotreasuretrash108 Жыл бұрын

Hej what if i dont have a vacum sealer ? I usually pickle my food in jars and leave a 1 cm gap at the top then put them in a pan of boiling water for 10 to 15 mins then they click the lids themselves when cooling down. Could i use this method maybe ? Thanx for tips also

@CairnOfDunnCroftPermaculture Жыл бұрын

I've never tried pickling beef!

@cheriematheson2859 Жыл бұрын

Can you put the mince straight into pasta sauce when rehydrating? Thanks.

@CairnOfDunnCroftPermaculture Жыл бұрын

If you simmer it long enough, yes.

@joannahart1604 Жыл бұрын

Have you link to your vacuum sealer please?

@CairnOfDunnCroftPermaculture Жыл бұрын

I don't, but it's a Food Saver vacuum sealer and canister set. The canisters aren't made any longer, but they do turn up on ebay.

@987azza Жыл бұрын

May be a silly question but can I use my oven to dehydrate the meat?

@CairnOfDunnCroftPermaculture Жыл бұрын

Yes, it's a popular technique. Lowest setting, with the door ajar if it's too hot. Have an internet search, I'm sure you'll find lots of detailed information.

@mananddog9884 3 жыл бұрын

What model of dehydrator is that? Are exchalibour worth the extra money? Thanks

@CairnOfDunnCroftPermaculture 3 жыл бұрын

Mine is an Excalibur. I love it, it's a great dehydrator. For just doing solid things like beef or vegetables it's not necessary to have an Excalibur, I used one of the circular ones with a central fan for years and it worked great. But if you're dehydrating wet things like sauces, the Excalibur is worth it. I'm working on a design for a different kind of dehydrator from either of them, but my project list is already ridiculously long. I'm hoping to get to it this summer.

@yvesderamaut7440 Жыл бұрын

When you open the jar and use part of it, how long will it last then?

@nbroachful Жыл бұрын

What vacuum sealer are you using

@CairnOfDunnCroftPermaculture Жыл бұрын

It's a food saver.

@standom2390 8 ай бұрын

What's the vacuum sealer brand?

@CairnOfDunnCroftPermaculture 8 ай бұрын

It's a food saver vacuum sealer and canister set.

@Sunny-jz3dy Жыл бұрын

If the meat is dried...why the need to vacuum seal it too? Just curious as to whether or not its necessary. Or if its just preference?

@CairnOfDunnCroftPermaculture Жыл бұрын

Dried, it has an extremely long shelf life. But in vacuum, its shelf life is virtually unlimited.

@Sunny-jz3dy Жыл бұрын

@@CairnOfDunnCroftPermaculture Ok Thx!

@beesmeadschristmastrees Жыл бұрын

Off topic: Do you store potatoes in the window for any reason?

@CairnOfDunnCroftPermaculture Жыл бұрын

They're seed potatoes, being chitted to be planted out.

@SingaJay Жыл бұрын

Thanks for this, been looking to see if I can dehydrate meat and this is an excellent idea! Do you not put salt into the beef as you're cooking it down?

@CairnOfDunnCroftPermaculture Жыл бұрын

I never have, but I'd be tempted to try a batch that way.

@nine1055 Жыл бұрын

Hi there! If I put the dry ground beef in a regular bag. NO VACUUM. How long does it last?

@CairnOfDunnCroftPermaculture Жыл бұрын

I've eaten it after a couple of years and it was fine.

@nine1055 Жыл бұрын

@@CairnOfDunnCroftPermaculture what ??? ??? Does dried meat last for years? No vacuum and no refrigerator?

@CairnOfDunnCroftPermaculture Жыл бұрын

@@nine1055 if it's free of grease, and it's kept dry and cool, then yes. I'm sure lots of sources would be horrified but I've done it.

@nine1055 Жыл бұрын

@@CairnOfDunnCroftPermaculture I travel a lot. And I'm a carnivore. So I'm thinking of making dried meat. to replace the sardines and the spam... thanks!