Preparedness

Prodigal Son said:

I stir fry pork belly (or lamb shoulder) cubes in lard - seal in juices, fill into jars, add a teaspoon of salt and another of vitamin C, and top up the jars with hot duck fat, seal the jars (screw lid on), and put jars in a water bath, bring to the boil and simmer for two hours. The result is cooked meat, gelatin at the bottom of the jars, and a mixture of pork and duck fat at the top two-thirds of the jars. So, not only is there a meal of protein, but also a lot of fat stored too. :) It seems to work well.

Gonzo said:

...
So, while we think about jerked or canned meats, fats and broths, it might be a good idea to understand the basics of salting and, if it seems valuable enough, to ensure an adequate supply of the appropriate form of salt.

I was also thinking about how yummy canned bacon might be, not to mention other parts of our piggy friends.

Gonzo

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I recently started curing my own bacon with salt (ordinary Atlantic sea salt (non-processed)) only with good results for belly and cheeks. :)

The next experiment is with canning breakfast sausage patties - using a similar process to that used with pork belly as above. And, a similar experiment with liver sausage, and pate. :) :)

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I've tried sausage patties similar to your method - pan fried them in lard with salt and pepper, put the contents of the pan in jars, and boiled for an hour and a half. Seems to have worked well, though I haven't opened a jar to taste it yet. It didn't occur to me to add additional fat though, will have to try that :)

Curing bacon is the next project, since there is supposedly an old smokehouse at my cousin's. I hope to do that in the spring, which is the traditional time for smoking meat, or so I've read.

Laura said:

Yes, if you use the boiling bath, the meat must be pre-cooked. That makes for a long involved operation if you want to do it in large quantities. There really is nothing simpler than raw packing and pressure canning. Just pack the small chunks in, add salt and pepper, seal and process.

You might want to find a few people, friends or relatives, who are interested in canning, and buy a big pressure canner together.

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Thank you Laura, that's what I thought, I usually can 10-15 kg at a time and it's usually about half a day to a day's work. We're a big family and there are also friends and neighbours that might be in need at some point. So far my Mum and my husband are participating in this project, other family members agree it's a good idea, but when it comes to actually doing it, it seems to be too much like work. Or I'm getting the "uh oh, she's at the canning again" attitude. Long story short, methinks I'll have to get the pressure canner on my own, but I'll do that :)

Thanks again for the advice :)

As a smoker and someone who gets cold quite easily, I decided to buy an emergency fire starter (something like this: _http://www.thereadystore.com/magnesium-fire-starter).

Not having a way of starting a fire terrified me and I know matches and lighter fluid could eventually run out and it's not easy to find flint (although flint might make an excellent material to source and would make an excellent tool to barter with). Even after getting the fire starter, I had fear of losing it.

Today I remembered seeing videos a while ago about masters of Chi being able to start fires with the energy emitting from their hands.

So, I am left wondering whether anyone has actually seen this first hand or can validate such a possibility and how long it would take to develop such a skill. I imagine the time and energy it could take to learn this might be better applied to other pursuits, depending on the investment required.

Interestingly, there are all sorts of web pages and videos that demonstrate how to start a fire in survival situations using tools like a cell phone battery, a flashlight, etc., that are single use solutions, and using things like a magnifying glass, or other mutli-use items.

So, perhaps we should also collect fire starting methods. Once the Internet goes, so does all of this knowledge. Sure glad I followed scouting (Boy Scouts) from cubs to rovers. A lot of the survival lessons may finally come in handy.

On a side note, rope is also really useful for survival. One of the strongest and most versatile ropes is paracord (used in parachutes). There are several ways to braid paracord to make bracelets, etc., so that long lengths of the rope are easily transported. For example, here's instructions to braid a paracord belt: _http://m.instructables.com/id/How-to-make-a-Paracord-Rescue-Belt/

Gonzo

My small water distiller recently died and so I've been on the lookout for something to replace it and remembered a purifier I saw at a website where I bought some canned meat. http://www.pleasanthillgrain.com/berkey_light_big_berkey_water_filter_british_berkefeld_portable_purifier.aspx

After reading up on the Berkey purifier I decided to buy it. A bit pricey, but it doesn't need electricity and takes out everything from the water (I bought the arsenic/fluoride filters to go with it) and is transportable. Having clean water is a must if things get bad and the Berkey seems like a good fit for daily use and emergency situations.

Gonzo said:

As a smoker and someone who gets cold quite easily, I decided to buy an emergency fire starter (something like this: _http://www.thereadystore.com/magnesium-fire-starter).

<snip>

Interestingly, there are all sorts of web pages and videos that demonstrate how to start a fire in survival situations using tools like a cell phone battery, a flashlight, etc., that are single use solutions, and using things like a magnifying glass, or other mutli-use items.

So, perhaps we should also collect fire starting methods. Once the Internet goes, so does all of this knowledge. Sure glad I followed scouting (Boy Scouts) from cubs to rovers. A lot of the survival lessons may finally come in handy.


Gonzo

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I don't know if it's been mentioned before, but with regard to fire making, and considering the ice age, you could try making a magnifying glass out of ice.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thbSSuo1Z00

It looks like a lot of work, though, and if there's no sun, it's useless. So I'd go with the firesteel like you got.

Gonzo said:

As a smoker and someone who gets cold quite easily, I decided to buy an emergency fire starter (something like this: _http://www.thereadystore.com/magnesium-fire-starter).

Not having a way of starting a fire terrified me and I know matches and lighter fluid could eventually run out and it's not easy to find flint (although flint might make an excellent material to source and would make an excellent tool to barter with). Even after getting the fire starter, I had fear of losing it.

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I've used the magnesium and the "swedish firesteel" tools before for fire. I found the magnesiums to be a little hard to use, but beneficial because you can scrape off some of the magnesium to act as fuel to start the fire. The swedish firesteels produce a lot of sparks very easily, so I'd recommend them. I personally have both and, in an emergency, would probably scrape off some of the magnesium and start it using the firesteel.

However, it's a bit of a skill to learn how to start a fire even using both of these, since they really only produce sparks. I'd definitely suggest practicing, if it concerns you, and possibly having a small stockpile of kindling for more dire situations. Laundry lint is an excellent kindling, by the way, along with pine needles and dry leaves, and pinecones are fantastic for "second-phase" kindling.

Getting a (small?) stockpile of lighters may be best though, if you're really concerned, or don't have that much practice in starting fires.

Here's a link to one of the firesteels I'm talking about:

_http://www.amazon.com/Swedish-Firesteel-Model-Black-Handle/dp/B0013L2DKU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1344622010&sr=8-1&keywords=swedish+firestarter

Gonzo said:

Today I remembered seeing videos a while ago about masters of Chi being able to start fires with the energy emitting from their hands.

So, I am left wondering whether anyone has actually seen this first hand or can validate such a possibility and how long it would take to develop such a skill. I imagine the time and energy it could take to learn this might be better applied to other pursuits, depending on the investment required.

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I remember Clif High of Half Past Human disinfo fame talking about John Chang and his alleged abilities to do just this. Here's a video that should feature it (I looked it up but didn't watch it, but the preview image is the part where I recall he starts the fire):

_http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2NAohPcT4U

It looks pretty legit to me (though being that Clif High featured it, I also have my doubts), but I don't think it's really feasible to do for most people. As well, I imagine if one had the focused energy to do perform such a feat that one probably wouldn't get cold very often. Just my take, though.

Foxx said:

I remember Clif High of Half Past Human disinfo fame talking about John Chang and his alleged abilities to do just this. Here's a video that should feature it (I looked it up but didn't watch it, but the preview image is the part where I recall he starts the fire):

_http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2NAohPcT4U

It looks pretty legit to me (though being that Clif High featured it, I also have my doubts), but I don't think it's really feasible to do for most people. As well, I imagine if one had the focused energy to do perform such a feat that one probably wouldn't get cold very often. Just my take, though.

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The cutting away from the paper before him lighting it seemed unnecessary, especially if they wanted to prove the process.

Him being able to shock people is interesting, but there is a possible explanation for that.
I had a friend that always would build up static electricity just by moving his feet. I never asked him to try other shoes and I forget if it only happened indoors. Perhaps that is how he did it?

Through the acupuncture needles, the voltage needed is much smaller to shock, like a 9v battery can shock your tongue, but not your skin.

A couple of years ago, there was a discussion on Chi and pyrokenisis: "Very Real Pyrokinesis video" (http://cassiopaea.org/forum/index.php/topic,16108)

Taking a look at YouTube, I am a little bewildered by the growing amount of pyrokinesis videos cropping up.

Gonzo

Gonzo said:

I was also thinking about how yummy canned bacon might be, not to mention other parts of our piggy friends.

Gonzo

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I canned some sausages, just for fun and it was delicious. Really delicious. There is something about sausages when you first fry them and then can them. :D

Thanks for the link Bear.

We're considering purchasing a purifier as well and this one sounds pretty promising, albeit a bit pricey.

Maybe offer a review in the 'products' section after you get to know it?

Anyone in Mexico doing any canning?

Where did you purchase your canner/jars?

We're itching to get started but importing the equipment from the u s isn't an easy option right now.

Thanks.

cholas said:

Anyone in Mexico doing any canning?

Where did you purchase your canner/jars?

We're itching to get started but importing the equipment from the u s isn't an easy option right now.

Thanks.

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Not sure if this helps at all as I'm in the US, but a cursory search brings up Soriana. Are you familiar with them? If so, perhaps you can call them and find out if they sell canning supplies.

I've been spending hour upon hour going through different models of pressure canners. It was clear from the start, that the best option would be the All-american pressure canner, but unfortunately the shipping costs plus taxes makes it way too expensive to me. Ordering it via Amazon.com makes the total amount over 400euros! I tried via Amazon.co.uk, too, but for some reason they don't ship it to Finland.

I also didn't find any reseller of the All-american inside the EU - has anyone succeeded in ordering/finding it from a EU-country?

The second best option seems to be the Presto pressure canner: http://amzn.com/B0000BYCFU. Has anyone here any experience with this one?
It's got very good reviews, and it's approved by the "canning authorities". Many recommend getting the 3-weight regulator set to the Presto, which seems like a good idea. Since it's lighter than the All-american, the shipping costs are lower. The total amount becomes ca 180euros, which I can afford.

Some things I've learned reading all this:

- It isn't considered safe to can foods with a small pressure cooker. That is why the manufacturers label them "cookers" instead of "canners". The volume isn't large enough to allow for proper internal temps to be achieved and the cool down is too fast for safe canning (the cooling down period is important).The minimum required for canning is a 16 qt.

- Pressure cookers are NOT recommeded for canning

- You need at least 10PSI and 240F/116C to kill the botulinum bacteria in meat (depending on you altitude). In other words, water bath canning meat is not safe!

- The weight gauge is more accurate, and with it, you don't have to monitor (sit by the stove) the pressure all the time

- Be sure that the model enables you to vent, otherwise you may not build up enough pressure.

What this means is that the other popular and cheaper models like Fagor and Mirro aren't safe to use ase a canner. There are some other manufacturers too, and they all seem to have problems what comes to canning safety (too small, don't build up enough pressure etc.) So, basically the only option for a serious canner is the Presto or the AA.

One other thing. Even though there are videos and blogs about how to can bacon, the experts don't consider this to be safe. It has something to do with the fact that fat may cover/hide the Botulinum bacteria. And in most recipes they tell you to cut out the fat parts of meat. I'm not sure what to make of this. Is canning high fat meat (or fat alone) safe? Canning only low fat meat would feel like such a waste.

Some useful sites I cam across:

_http://www.missvickie.com/canning/canning-frame.html
_http://nchfp.uga.edu/how/can5_meat.html
_http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/harvest/ (the Harvest forum has many threads about canning)
_http://www.backwoodshome.com/articles2/clay105.html
_http://www.fao.org/docrep/010/ai407e/AI407E22.htm (Canning and sterilization of meat products)

Sigh, I'm so disappointed that I can't get the All-american, it's such a beauty! :(

Altitude is an important consideration for use with these pressure cookers. In working on pressure sensors and turbochargers in cars, I learned that the pressure we measure on the gauges is not the same as the absolute pressure (which is what ensures density of air in the engine for example.

Sea level pressure is 14.7 psi (1 bar). In Denver ("mile high city") the atmospheric pressure is around 12 psi (0.82 bar).

You say 10 psi is for 240F/116C to kill the bacteria mentioned. I assume they calculate this based on sea level atmosphere?
The gauge and the weights go by differential pressure, relative to the atmospheric pressure. You can call that 10 psiG (psi Gauge)

At sea level, that is 10 psiG +14.7 psi = 24.7 psiA (absolute pressure relative to zero-vacuum).
To get the same 24.7 psiA at Denver for example, we would need 24.7-12= 12.7 psiG. The gauge and/or the weights would have to be set for 12.7 psi to get the same boiling point of water inside the pressure canner.

Here is a good table to use to find your atmospheric pressure:

_http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/air-altitude-pressure-d_462.html

Take 14.7 and subtract your atmospheric pressure to get how much pressure you need to add over the sea level pressure to get the same density of gasses inside the pressure vessel.

Thanks Truth Seeker. There is indeed a Soriana in a nearby city and they do carry aluminum pressure cookers( :() in-store.

I haven't asked if they can maybe special-order a canner but will certainly do so next time we're there.

Much appreciated.

If you haven't done so already, try a google search on "canning supplies in mexico" or the Spanish equivalent. the search I did brought up a couple of forums/listservs of people asking about it. That's how I came across Soriana. There may have been one or two others listed.