Cooking Without Refrigeration / Microwave

[zeehag]

put asparagus in a pan of water so it absorbs the water to stay fresh..is easy.....like flowers---snip of fends first for maximum absorption....

[SusanneAmes]

Wow – I haven’t tried canning butter (or really much else). I just look for it in the shops. I haven't bothered canning while cruising because it would make our cabin very hot, use propane, and most canned things I would eat I can find fairly easily and cheaply in the shops.

We have a Fagor pressure cooker. They are MUCH better than the older kinds. If you are curious but not ready to get one yet, see if you can visit someone who has one (or even use or borrow it if possible). Ours is very easy to use, and cleans up very easily even when stuff has caked on. I think some of the other new model cookers are probably also good as well.

Cheers,

[osirissail]

The French pressure cookers are very safe and strong. Huge stainless steel arm over the top with substantial size knob to tighten the lid. And the pot with the low height will fit between the stove's fiddle arms to hold it in place when it is a little bit rolly.

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by SusanneAmes

Wow – I haven’t tried canning butter ,

NZ has the best canned butter in the world. Actiual New Zealanders are a bit slow in the upstairs noggin area but they can produce canned butter. I think its becuase they jiggle their cows!

[jenny.caron]

We went for six months without refrigeration and it went fine. It was nice to learn all the things that went a long time without refrigeration.

If you must buy milk and don't want to go powdered (I always keep powdered on hand, just in case), then buy organic. For some reason that stuff lasts so much longer without the aid of a fridge.

If you're looking for fresh greens but they spoil too quickly, grow your own sprouts. They're simple, SO delicious, and incredibly healthy for you.

The other thing that we can't seem to get rid of is our food dehydrator. This thing takes up a lot of space and runs off of shore power, but if you're around the docks enough it is a worthwhile thing to have. You can dehydrate fruits, veggies, meat, etc. and they all come out tasting great and storing for much longer periods of time.

The best book I've ever found for this kind of thing is called "Preserving Food without Freezing or Canning". You can't use all of the info from it, but there are some really great chapters that definitely relate to life on a boat!

[Kathleen]

Jenny, who writes the book and what is the best thing you got from the book?

~Kathleen

[roger.waite]

Originally Posted by MarkJ

Actiual New Zealanders are a bit slow in the upstairs noggin area but they can produce canned butter. I think its becuase they jiggle their cows!

Its because we make such great wine!

Our minds are always spinning.

[Extemporaneous]

Originally Posted by jenny.caron

The best book I've ever found for this kind of thing is called "Preserving Food without Freezing or Canning". You can't use all of the info from it, but there are some really great chapters that definitely relate to life on a boat!

Originally Posted by Kathleen

Jenny, who writes the book and what is the best thing you got from the book?
~Kathleen

Is this it?

Preserving Food Without Freezing or Canning: Traditional Techniques: Amazon.ca: The Gardeners and Farmers of Terre Vivante: Books

Best Regards,
Extemp.

[jenny.caron]

Originally Posted by Extemporaneous

Is this it?

Preserving Food Without Freezing or Canning: Traditional Techniques: Amazon.ca: The Gardeners and Farmers of Terre Vivante: Books

Best Regards,
Extemp.

That's the one!

I loved learning of the preservation techniques of vinegar especially, and dehydrating food.

[sarafina]

I got all excited about the canned butter recipe, but I am cautious about canning low acid food with out processing them under pressure so I did a bit of reading...

National Center for Home Food Preservation | Canning FAQs

Sounds like you can do it but there is some risk involved. One woman tried it and said it tasted awful so you might want to do a small amount to try if you are going to venture into this.

I am wondering why there isn't info on pressure canning butter...

[Kathleen]

Sara,

Did you ever can butter? If so, I was wondering how it turned out.

I'm thinking of ways to sail greener this year. (Yes, I have the urge to jump on this trendy bandwagon.) I'm looking into locally produced products and whether purchasing or canning might be a better option. Homegrown Maryland Butter...canned. Hmmm.

~Kathleen

[sarafina]

These two sites have the most technical info, and the info about the botulism needing a wet environment rings true. If you clarify (boil off the water) it would have no water content, and the careful sterilazition of everything else should make it aok. I would be VERY methodical with this one.

I guess the short answer is no I haven't tried it yet!.


CurEvents.com - A Global Current Events Discussion Forum - Canning Butter: Sunshine in a Jar

Home Canned Butter

[fishwife]

If you are new to home canning a read of the following link will go a long way towards making your food a lot safer. Safe Home Canning of Fruits, Vegetables and Meats

P.

[Ravenshurst]

Hi
A friend of mine wanted me to add this recipe. I don't usually measure a lot of ingredients, and this is so simple that you can just kinda estimate. I know it's definately not for every one, but...
Curried Spam
(this recipe serves 1, but is really easy to increase)
Spam, or any canned luncheon meat
canned pineapple, rings or chunks
canned coconut milk (unsweetened) - OR- canned or powdered chicken broth & cornstarch
curry powder
cumin
cinnamon
garlic powder
chile powder
ground ginger
crushed red peppers
ground cloves
oil or ghee

Per person: usually 2 slices of spam and 2 "rings" of pineapple

slice spam and dice or cube. I cut mine into bite sized triangles. If using pineapple rings, cut into eighths, about the same size as the spam triangles. heat oil or ghee. put 1/2 teaspoon of curry powder in hot ghee or oil and fry till brown. Cook the spam until it is brown & slightly crisp on the outside, but still soft on the inside. Sprinkel spam with 1/4 teaspoon of cumin, 1/4 teaspoon of chile powder, and a "dash" of all other spices (I just sprinkle the other spices on like I would salt). When spam has reached desired doneness, add pineaple and immediately add 1/4 to 1/2 cup of coconut milk, depending on desired consistency OR 1/4 to 1/2 cup cup of stock with 1/2 to 1 tablespoon of cornstarch stirred in. (NOTE: do NOT add cornstarch to coconut milk!) Cook until sauce has reached desired consistancy. Serve over rice with your choice of condiments. That's all there is to it.

[Kathleen]

Originally Posted by Ravenshurst

Hi
A friend of mine wanted me to add this recipe. I don't usually measure a lot of ingredients, and this is so simple that you can just kinda estimate. I know it's definately not for every one, but...

I won't diss SPAM. It actually made a pretty good quiche back in my college days. Thanks for the recipe!