Meat & Potato Man

[Sunshineisme]

Hi everyone,

Within the next two or three months we will be making our journey from Oregon to Mexico.

My boyfriend is strictly a meat and potato kind of man. I've been searching and planning and preparing and making so many lists of things to do prior to departure that my head is spinning.

I'm struggling with how to keep my meat eater happy on our extended trips since I can't exactly jump in the car and drive to the grocery store for much longer.

I was considering trying to smoke various meats and then vacuum sealing but I'm concerned about long term storage. We have a ice box that runs on 12-volt but I still worry about long term storage.

I have never canned before but I have been reading a lot on the subject of canning meats. Can anyone offer advice on what they have done or experience with canning meats and how to store on the boat?

Any ideas/suggestions are greatly appreciated!

We are on a 33' Morgan and I still have room in several nooks and crannies to store more provisions.

Thanks!
Mary

[xymotic]

Mary, as a meat and potato's kinda of guy myself, I have to say it's not all up to you. He's going to have to change his diet a little bit as well.

The small engel cooler sized units are awesome little freezers though.

[Tempest]

Hello Sunshine,

I would be very careful processing your own food ( canned ) for an ocean voyage. Meat is low acid and requires special processing.

On the other hand there are a variety of commercially processed foods that would hold up well. Canned Hams, Beef Stews, Chunk white chicken. Things like bacon and dried sausage hold up well for several days..or more.

What is the float plan? how long will your longest trip between ports be? I think that will help determine what you need to plan for.

[bratzcpa]

Hello Mary: I can appreciate this thought!!! grin.

I actually can my own meat (venison and elk primarily) every year. It's really quite easy and tastes AWESOME when used. Just be very very careful to follow the directions for canning time and theright pressure.

Remember that you have to use a pressure canner,and they take a while (more than an hour) on the stove to do so. I suggest you get the "Blue Ball Book". It's produced by the Ball Jar Company - available everywhre. It has all of the information you'll ever need on canning ANYTHING.

About the only downside I can think of is storage area. The jars will take just as much room full as they will when empty. And they're heavy too. At least with metal cans, you can open both ends, and crush the can, and discard.

For fall hunting camp and fishing trips in summer, we even can our own stew, soups, and salsa too.

~markb

[sd1953]

Have you looked at the survival stores (like Emergency Essentials) for dehydrated and freeze dried meats (#10 cans of cooked bacon or chicken or ground beef even!). I've tried some of the prepared meals -- thinking of provisioning -- but found most of them them not to my taste. I have not yet tried the canned meats, but I intend to this year. I live in Florida, so I also need to do hurricane provisioning each year. Try a little at home. If I like it, fine. If not, I lose very little and have the data on what works, what does not.

[deniseO30]

Originally Posted by Sunshineisme

Hi everyone,

Within the next two or three months we will be making our journey from Oregon to Mexico.

My boyfriend is strictly a meat and potato kind of man. I've been searching and planning and preparing and making so many lists of things to do prior to departure that my head is spinning.

I'm struggling with how to keep my meat eater happy on our extended trips since I can't exactly jump in the car and drive to the grocery store for much longer.

I was considering trying to smoke various meats and then vacuum sealing but I'm concerned about long term storage. We have a ice box that runs on 12-volt but I still worry about long term storage.

I have never canned before but I have been reading a lot on the subject of canning meats. Can anyone offer advice on what they have done or experience with canning meats and how to store on the boat?

Any ideas/suggestions are greatly appreciated!

We are on a 33' Morgan and I still have room in several nooks and crannies to store more provisions.

Thanks!
Mary

Mary, since you don't voice any needs or requirements of your own.. I'm guessing this trip is a recipe for disaster already. It all sounds so one sided for you after all, someone that locked into just what they want, probably thinks they are the alpha in all things.

Can't help but wonder about all the other "plans" for this trip.

12 cases of this should make em happy!

[DRFerron]

I'm smack in the middle of xymotic and denise. Sometimes how we live on land isn't easily (or not at all) transferable to being on a boat for days or weeks at a time. Everyone has to compromise, including your boyfriend.

That said, how about limiting your meat to what you can cook and eat the first week? After that, if you can't restock in a port, you get creative and/or just deal with going without. Alternatively (or in addition to), make meals ahead of time (stews, lasagna, spaghetti sauce) and freeze them. That will save you having to do a lot of prep work, too.

Trust me, not eating meat for a few days or a week won't kill him. If he is an every day meat eater, he may even be healthier at the end of this trip. Also, we've found that we don't eat anywhere near like we eat at home: more grazing of nuts and fruits while underway and fewer heavy meals and we don't miss it at all.

[TQA]

Others might correct me on this but on a trip from Oregon to Mexico are you likely to be at sea for more than 3 to 5 days at a time? Assuming that you are harbor hopping South.

In which case with the aid of dry ice your 12 volt ice box will keep meat just fine. Get him what he wants.

But your other half may find that he craves muesli, fruit and snacks more than meat and potatoes at sea.

In your position if he was definite about wanting meat dishes I would make a pot full of stew in a pressure cooker just before departure. Unopened this will keep for a day or so lonnger if you refrigerate it.

I am a BIG fan of using a pressure cooker at sea even if you are just heating up some beans, WHY well the lid stays on even if the pot jumps off the stove. Many cooks have been badly burned at sea. I know one who cooks in a full set of foul weather gear even in the tropics after witnessing such an event.

[bljones]

Originally Posted by Sunshineisme

Hi everyone,

Within the next two or three months we will be making our journey from Oregon to Mexico.

My boyfriend is strictly a meat and potato kind of man.

Then he is well and truly snarked in coastal mexico. Pack lots of dehydrated potatoes, or he can learn to like rice.
I'm surprised no one has mentioned Spam yet.

[bljones]

Originally Posted by TQA

But your other half may find that he craves muesli,

NO ONE CRAVES MUESLI. Muesli is what you eat when there are no other alternatives expect the chewing on smaller weaker members of the crew, and even then it may require some contempation.


No one onboard should be consuming muesli unless you have a 40 gallon holding tank.