Drying: Difference between revisions
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added some instructions on smoking |
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=== Smoking === | === Smoking === | ||
Many foods, especially meats and fish can be smoked over a fire. The low temperature of the smoking process isn't a reliable way to kill pathogens in food, so it is recommended to mainly do this with fresh raw meats. | |||
To smoke food it should be cut into thin strips, and if doing this with meat you should slice against the "grain" of the meat as this will make the final product easier to chew. Thin strips allow for more chemicals to be deposited by the smoke and for faster dehydration. | |||
For the actual smoking setup you can construct a simple tripod from 3 sticks and some cordage over a fire, ensuring that the fire is small and will not burn the food or the tripod. Food can be hung from this tripod structure and smoked for a few hours (depends on many, factors the exact timing will vary but start with 1 hour of smoking). | |||
If you have the resources available, a proper brick/clay chamber can be constructed that has the exhaust of a fire going into it (NOT an engine or coal fire) and much more food can be smoked at once in a chamber like this. | |||
As a final note, ensure your wood isn't decayed or treated with chemicals and only use hardwoods for smoking. Softwoods such as Pine or Redwoods are more resinous and can even lead to toxins being present in your smoked food. | |||
=== Salt-drying === | === Salt-drying === | ||
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=== Food dehydrator === | === Food dehydrator === | ||
Food is placed in device that blows air, typically hot air, around the food to evaporate and dissipate moisture. | Food is placed in device that blows air, typically hot air, around the food to evaporate and dissipate moisture. | ||
=== Freeze-drying === | === Freeze-drying === | ||
Revision as of 18:15, 10 May 2025
Drying, or dehydrating, is a process by which the water is removed from something, primarily for the reason of preservation of food.
Methods of drying
Sun-drying
Air-drying
Moist items are typically hung from a string, spike or some variety of hanger and let to dry out naturally in the air. This method is not ideal for most food items as it takes a longer period of time relative to other methods and puts many foods at a high risk of spoilage as well as leaving more opportunity for pests, such as animals, to cause issues. To improve results, items should be hung exposed to moving air such as a fan, wind or draft and avoiding higher humidities.
Smoking
Many foods, especially meats and fish can be smoked over a fire. The low temperature of the smoking process isn't a reliable way to kill pathogens in food, so it is recommended to mainly do this with fresh raw meats.
To smoke food it should be cut into thin strips, and if doing this with meat you should slice against the "grain" of the meat as this will make the final product easier to chew. Thin strips allow for more chemicals to be deposited by the smoke and for faster dehydration.
For the actual smoking setup you can construct a simple tripod from 3 sticks and some cordage over a fire, ensuring that the fire is small and will not burn the food or the tripod. Food can be hung from this tripod structure and smoked for a few hours (depends on many, factors the exact timing will vary but start with 1 hour of smoking).
If you have the resources available, a proper brick/clay chamber can be constructed that has the exhaust of a fire going into it (NOT an engine or coal fire) and much more food can be smoked at once in a chamber like this.
As a final note, ensure your wood isn't decayed or treated with chemicals and only use hardwoods for smoking. Softwoods such as Pine or Redwoods are more resinous and can even lead to toxins being present in your smoked food.
Salt-drying
item is entombed in salt and water is slowly drawn out via osmosis, leaving the item dry and extremely salty.
Food dehydrator
Food is placed in device that blows air, typically hot air, around the food to evaporate and dissipate moisture.