Many of us don't know how to preserve food.If you want to take advantage of the many ways humans have developed to preserve food, you can explore a variety of drying, canning, and ferment processes that are appropriate for fruits, vegetables and meats.Most can be done at home if you have the right kitchen gadgets.
Step 1: Food should be refrigerated.
Manybacteria are prevented from forming when food is cold.We all know this method and have used it.It is good for food that you will be eating fairly soon, such as meats, fruits, and vegetables, a week or so for dairy products and months for condiments.Do not eat if you have questions about whether the food is still good.The Food and Drug Administration has a food safety app that you can download to get a more specific set of times for how long food can last in the refrigerator.
Step 2: Food can be put in containers.
This applies to leftovers and other foods that have not been packaged.This will keep it fresh in the refrigerator.Until you use them, keep the meat in the packages that came from the store.Fruits can give off high levels of ethylene, which can cause fruit and vegetables to rot.Stone fruits includepeaches, plums, and avocados.The fruit should be refrigerated but can be ripe on the counter.Before refrigerating vegetables, remove ties or rubber bands.It is best not to let vegetables touch the fridge.
Step 3: You need to organize your fridge.
The top of the fridge is the best place to keep leftovers and other items that don't need to be cooked.The warmest part of the refrigerator is the door.The best place to keep fruits and vegetables is in the drawers at the bottom of the fridge.The best place to store raw meat and eggs is the bottom shelves.
Step 4: Foods can be frozen for longer term storage.
Don't pack your freezer tight with food, you need to let the cold air circulate between all of the items in the freezer to work properly.Food can be frozen for six months to a year.It's important to organize your freezer.You can maximize the amount of freezer space you have by throwing away old food and freezing it flat.
Step 5: It's important to package your food properly.
Even though it is tempting to put food in freezer bags, vacuum packing is the better option.If you don't have a vacuum, try to get as much air out of the bags as you can.You can label everything in the freezer with a marker and freezer-friendly masking tape.Don't freeze glass containers.It will expand if you fill containers to the top with leftovers.Don't put hot food in the freezer because it will bring up the temperature of the entire appliance and cause a lot of work.Don't thaw and re-freeze food.It will degrade quickly.
Step 6: Dehydrating your food is possible.
All of the liquids are taken out by dehydrating your food.A food that can last for weeks or months without refrigeration can be created by fully dehydratedbacteria.With dehydrating, the content of the food, including fiber and calories, stays the same.Fruits, vegetables, and meats can be preserved with a food dehydrator, which is available at some grocery stores and online.You can get the same effect from a low-temperature oven if you don't want to buy a dehydrator.Use the oven on the lowest possible setting, place your food on a non-stick pan, and use a small fan to keep the air circulating.The liquid is taken out of the food and preserved in a chewier form.You can store these foods for weeks if you're dehydrated.If you need to carry your food with you on a backpacking trip, dehydration is a good idea.
Step 7: Meats are smoked.
For thousands of years, people have used smoked meats to preserve their food.The kinds of wood for the fire and the spices you put on the meat can create an array of delicious flavors.There are two types of smoking.When you smoke meat using the "hot" method, you are cooking it at a low temperature for a long time.The cold method is not meant to cook the meat at all, but rather to seal it so thatbacteria cannot grow in it.If you are planning to cook the meat in the future, you should use this method.
Step 8: It is possible to cure meats.
Like smoking, curing has been around for thousands of years.Salt is used to remove the water from meat.There are two main ways of curing meat, dry and wet.The meat is hung to dry.It's best to purchase a prepared mixture of salt and nitrate, but follow any directions on the mix that dictate amounts.Salt is used in a liquid solution for wet curing or brining.Meat is placed into a brine made of water, salt, and other spices to cure.Kosher salt can be found in a mixture of 1 cup for every gallon of water.
Step 9: Is there can foods?
Food is preserved in an air-free environment.canned foods can have a shelf life of up to 5 years without air.Fruits and vegetables can be canned in water.This method of canning is good for high-acid foods and involves placing food in jars that are sterile and then lowering them into water that comes to a boil.Follow a recipe or visit the website cited below for canning ideas, recipes, and videos.Fruit pieces can be preserved using this method.The salsas are made from tomatoes.
Step 10: The pressure canning method is a good one to try.
Most vegetables and meats are low-acid and can be canned in this way.If you are putting a high-acid and a low-Acid food together to be canned, you must also use this method.Like the water-bath method, pressure canning requires you to fill jars with food you want to can, cover them with lids and then place them in a pressure canner with boiling water in it.You will put the pressure canner lid in place and let it steam for 10 minutes.The water-bath method required a recipe to be used.Vegetables, corn, green beans, soups and stew stock are best for this method.
Step 11: There is a person called Pickle.
Pickling is a collection of processes involving canning and fermentation.Cucumber pickles can be canned in a brine.This process can also be used for other fruits and vegetables.
Step 12: It is possible to try the wild process.
Cucumbers or cabbage can be Fermented to make sauerkraut.The process of making classic pickles and sauerkraut lasts three weeks.The vegetable is put into a crock.The water that comes out of the vegetable as it ferments creates a new flavor.Cucumbers are also calledpickles, but they are actually ferment to preserve them.