Page 19 - The Lost Book Preserving Food Naturally

The Lost Book of Preserving Food Naturally

ground spices or sauces. There are a wide variety of recipes available to satisfy the palate

of just about anyone. When marinating the meat, it is important to ensure that all surfaces

of each piece of meat are coated with the marinate.

A meat rub, containing salt, can also be used in place of the marinate. Once again, all

surfaces of all pieces of the meat need to have the rub applied for maximum protection
of the meat. Allow the meat to sit in the marinate or rub overnight before dehydrating it.

Today, meats are dehydrated in an electric dehydrator, but the American Indians made

their jerky by drying it in the sun. Rather than using a dehydrator, they laid strips of meat

over a framework of thin poles, allowing it to dry in the sun. This could take more than

one day, meaning that the meat would have to be removed at night and then put back on
the framework in the morning.

Homemade jerky which is well-marinated with a high salt content will keep, even

without refrigeration, for an extended period of time. I can’t really tell you how long,

because I always end up eating it before it reaches the point of going bad. But I have had
homemade jerky keep for several months, without refrigeration. Commercially made

jerky, which also includes chemical preservatives, will keep for much longer.

Salt Fish
One of the many things the northern parts of Europe are known for is their maritime

tradition, especially fishing. While the Vikings are probably history’s best known

mariners of this area of the world, the fishing fleets of the region far outnumbered Viking
warships. However, salt fish is not limited to just these countries, as it has spread to many

other parts of the world; even countries in hot climates.

With the harsh winter seasons that they experienced that far north, it was necessary to

have a way of preserving the fish they caught, so that they could eat them through the

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