[rugila]

We often take dried meat when yachting, hiking, or staying in remote cabins. It’s a reliable source of supply that can be just kept in plastic bags on a cupboard shelf although, depending on how well it’s been done, may last even longer if cooled or refrigerated.

Its easy to make oneself, can last a long time, tastes OK and can be used for other activities such as fishing bait. It’s also good for chewing on when on helm for longish periods.

We have a dehydrator, but with meat we usually cut steak into thin strips, hang it over a homemade frame made of nylon fishing line, and dry it in the sun. No salt or other additive, just meat. Needs about 7-8 hours of direct sunlight. Also sometimes do this with fish. They don’t have any decay since the sun not only quickly kills any bacteria but forms a dry skin on the outside so that flies or similar don’t seem to take any interest.

Some years ago we drove up the coast of Norway, near the PolarCirkel, in late summer and saw lots of racks on the foreshore with fish split down the backbone drying. Talked later to a Norwegian involved in their fishing industry who said they didn’t salt those fish at all and they lasted for quite a long time. I don’t remember how long now.

 

[rugila]

knuterikt

Thanks for the feedback on drying fish.

It was that Norwegian system which gave us the idea for preserving our meat/fish the way we do. Although we rely primarily on the hot sun because of our different climate (northern New Zealand).

The Wikipedia article mentions the Norwegian fish being on the racks from February to May. I think the Norwegian I spoke to - Ola Flaten - said they did cod this way around this time of year. But I told him we were there in August which was when we observed fish drying in the open. He said that later in the year it was another kind of fish - I've forgotten the name - so maybe the Wikipedia article is incomplete.

Anyway it was a hot summer up there when we passed through. All sold out of beer and icecream north of the PolarCirkel.