Home Food Preservation Methods
Many of us take food preservation and food safety for granted. Government agencies regulate and inspect food processing facilities. Modern grocery stores sell food canned, wrapped and sealed with a guaranteed shelf life.
Food preservation is one of the conveniences that has allowed us as a civilization to live in cities and develop our modern lifestyle.
The fridge is a wonderful modern invention that lets us keep abundant supplies of food in our homes. Keep in mind, that not that long ago this was unheard of and other methods were used to prepare and preserve food.
When preserving food at home, it’s essential to ensure a pest-free environment to protect your stored goods. For residents in Ohio, considering pest control Toledo can help maintain a safe and hygienic space, preventing pests from compromising your preserved food supplies.
Canning
This is the process of heating food at a specified temperature for a specific length of time and then vacuum sealing the food in glass jars designed for this purpose. It can be used with most foods, including fruits, vegetables, meats, seafood and some prepared foods.
Canning uses reusable canning jars and rings, one-time use sealing lids, and some practice to learn the necessary and detailed steps.
Drying
Drying is the process of dehydrating foods until there is not enough moisture left to support microbial activity. It can be used with most foods including fruits, vegetables, meats, seafood, grains, legumes and nuts.
There are different techniques some of which are straightforward and require no special equipment.
Fermenting
Fermenting is the process of encouraging the growth of good bacteria to inhibit bad bacteria that can spoil food. It can be used with many types of foods including fruits, vegetables, meats, seafood, grains, legumes, dairy and eggs. This method is used to produce a wide variety of foods such as wine from grapes, sauerkraut from cabbage and yoghurt from milk.
Many fermented products can be produced without any special equipment. The method for each type of product is relatively easy but requires attention to detail.
Pickling
Pickling is the process of soaking food in a solution of salt, acid or alcohol. It can be used with most moods including fruits, vegetables, meats, seafood, legumes and eggs. Most methods require no special equipment. You have to be careful with pickled foods to prepare them properly and not store them at room temperature
Dry Salting
This can be either a pickling or fermenting technique used for meat, fish and vegetables. A low salt concentration promotes fermentation while a high salt concentration prevents microbial growth.
Some people think that salted vegetables are far superior in taste and texture than their canned counterparts. This old-fashioned method was promoted in the early 20th century as an alternative to canning to save glass, tin and fuel during WW I.
Curing
Curing is similar to pickling and uses salt, acid and/or nitrates. It is used for meat and fish. Some curing methods use a secondary process such as fermenting, smoking or sealing.
As interest in growing more of our own food grows, interest in cooking and preserving food with historical methods has increased as well. An abundant yield from a home garden leaves home chefs and others wanting to explore ways to preserve their food for future use.
