As already discussed, you may not have access to modern amenities during an emergency, so you’re going to need food that’s been preserved in a manner that doesn’t depend on refrigeration or possibly even cooking. There are several different ways that you can do this, and this chapter previews some of the most popular and successful methods of food preparation and cooking featured throughout this book.

Many of the foods that you’re going to prepare are ready to eat, but if the emergency event extends beyond a day or two, you’ll get pretty tired of cold food. Also, if you’re a coffee drinker or a person who likes to wash in warm water, you’ll probably want to have a heat source handy that doesn’t require electricity. There are several options out there, and all of them have their ups and downs. It is best to have more than one cooking method available, just in case.

Without a doubt, this is the most popular way to cook without power, especially if you need an alternative source of heat for more than a day or two. If you plan to cook over an open fire, you can either use a campfire-type pit or you can build a fire pit that already has racks, a flue, and whatever other accessories you’d like to build into it.

If you decide to cook with wood, you’ll need to have a plentiful stock of dried wood and a way to light it. Wet wood won’t burn and it will create an excessive amount of smoke that can affect the flavor of your food. Also, you can only use it outside, so plan to cook in all weather conditions if this is one of your methods.

Tools that you’ll need:

• Wood

• Rocks

• Rack, tripod, or special cooking rack with legs

• Iron skillets, a Dutch oven, iron or copper kettles, or any combination of these

• Wooden or metal spoons and spatulas with longer handles

• Pot holders or towels to move your cookware

• Cast iron or other metal fire poker or wooden stick

You can always use your barbecue grill to cook with. Stock up on charcoal or fuel, and as with an open fire, be prepared to cook in inclement weather. The downside here is that fuel supplies are limited to what you store, although you can always burn wood in it if you run out of charcoal or propane. If you opt to do this, though, make sure you remove the fuel tanks completely prior to building a wood or charcoal fire in your gas grill.

Supplies that you’ll need:

• Fire starter if you’re using charcoal or wood

• Fuel

• Barbecue utensils

• Skillets, Dutch ovens, pots, or a combination of these to cook foods that you can’t prepare on the racks

The advantages to using your fireplace or wood-burning cookstove as an alternative cooking method are many. The biggest two advantages probably are that you can cook inside in any weather and that as long as you have wood, you have a fuel source. However, if it’s hot outside, your house is going to become really hot from the residual heat. You’ll need the same equipment that you’d need for cooking on a campfire.

The advantage to using a camp stove is that it’s portable. If you need to leave in a hurry, you have a heat source that you can toss in the car or strap to your bug-out bag without adding much weight. The downsides are that you need fuel for it and you can’t use it indoors. Expect to get about an hour of heat from a 16.4-ounce fuel bottle.

A solar oven consists of solar panels and a black pot that holds your food. The solar panels trap the heat and direct it to the pot. It doesn’t require any fuel other than the sun, but if it’s a cold or overcast day, it won’t be effective enough to cook with.

A rocket stove is a small, single-burner stove that uses wood to efficiently trap heat in a high-temperature combustion chamber. The smaller ones are portable, but you’ll need wood to fuel them.

These are wonderful gadgets to keep in your emergency kit because they’re light, portable, self-contained, and extremely efficient. You can use wood, charcoal, or propane, and many of them already have racks on them. The concept is that the heat is funneled directly to the food instead of being lost to the environment.

These amazing little tools are lightweight and easy to throw into your bug-out bag or emergency kit. They’re simply little heat cells that you place in the bottom of a can to convert it into a stove.

There are several different sources from which you can gather foodstuffs for your emergency food supply, but the most important thing to remember is that you need to rotate your emergency food supply. The best way to do that is to use your emergency supply as part of your usual food stores. You shouldn’t be stocking your pantry with foods that you wouldn’t eat anyway; make your emergency supply a larger version of what you already buy, with perhaps just a little more emphasis on canned proteins such as tuna and chicken.

One thing that you’ll need to remember, however, is the idea that sugar and excess calories are always bad. In an emergency situation, you’re going to need calorie-dense foods in order to meet your energy requirements, because you may not be eating three to five low-calorie meals per day. You may need to get all of your energy from one or two food bars.

Imagine how much easier it would be to live on canned chicken for a week if you had some mayonnaise, canned gravy, mustard, teriyaki sauce, and maybe some pickle relish. Condiments can make all of the difference in the world and they’re cheap. They will also be great barter items because everybody is going to be sick of eating plain meat and vegetables. Seasonings will also make your life easier and will be valuable, so don’t forget them when you’re building your stockpile.

The idea of starting your supply may seem daunting, but it’s actually quite easy. Just buy a little bit extra each time that you go to the store. It doesn’t even have to be much. Start with buying two cans of chicken broth or tuna instead of one. It’s that easy; but of course, if you can buy more, then your supply would build faster.

Be careful when you buy commercially canned or boxed foods because they’re often full of salt and preservatives. Also, remember that you can’t go by the serving size listed on the can or box. You know your appetite and that of your family. If each of you can eat a can of tuna, then use an entire can as one serving when you’re doing your planning.

If you use coupons and take advantage of buy-one-get-one-free sales at the grocery store, you can build your emergency supply fairly inexpensively and quickly.

originally created by the military, these are vacuum-packed meals that are ready to eat right out of the package. These can range from single-food meals such as green beans to full meals such as lasagna. In recent years, technology has even advanced to the point where these meals heat themselves via a chemical reaction with just a few spoonfuls of water dropped in the outside layer of the pack. These are great for your bug-out bag because they’re light and generally packed with nutrients and calories.

You’ve seen them in the supermarkets and convenience stores, and you’ve probably even had at least one meal-replacement bar in your life. They’re a great food for your bug-out bag because they’re portable, macronutrient-rich, and easy to eat on the run. They also don’t weigh much or take up much space. As with all processed foods, watch the sodium content so they don’t make you thirsty.

Preserving foods via canning has been practiced for centuries, and it simply involves heating the food to a temperature that kills all harmful bacteria and pushes air out of the jar so that harmful bacteria can’t grow inside of the jar. There are three primary ways to can foods: water bath (or boiling water) canning, pressure canning, and dry canning. The first two are by far the most common, but all three methods are reviewed in this book, accompanied by some fabulous recipes.

This process involves removing the water from produce and meats to greatly reduce the rate of spoilage. Once the water is out of the food, it can be dry-canned or vacuum-packed and kept for years without losing much of the nutritional value. You can dehydrate foods fairly easily at home using a food dehydrator that costs very little. But try to get one with heat settings so you can dry foods at the temperatures recommended for best results. Dehydrated foods can be rehydrated in a few hours by soaking the food in water or another liquid.

This is a fairly expensive process because of the equipment required, so most people just buy freeze-dried foods. It involves instantly flash-freezing the food so it remains in basically the same nutritional state that it was in prior to being freeze-dried. You lose very little of the nutritional value when you freeze-dry food.

Vacuum-packing involves sealing a food product in plastic that has had all of the air sucked out of it. Spoilage can still occur, however, and if a food required refrigeration prior to being vacuum-packed, it will still need to be refrigerated after vacuum-packing.

These are the most common methods of preparing foods for long-term storage. Canning and dehydrating will be discussed more in depth over the next several chapters.

If your house was on fire, a flood was coming, or another event requiring you to leave quickly occurred, wouldn’t it be good to have all of your important documents and some emergency items altogether in one spot where you could quickly grab them? Of course it would, and that’s exactly what a bug-out bag is: a bag that’s already packed with vital items and a small supply of food in case you need to “bug out” in a hurry. You may hear this emergency bag referred to by the following names:

• 72-hour bag

• GOOD (Get out of Dodge) bag

• Go bag

• PERK (Personal Emergency Relocation Kit) bag

Regardless of what you call it, there are many different reasons to pack one. The idea originated with military personnel who were accustomed to being called out in a hurry and has been adopted by civilians who believe in being prepared.

What food goes in your bug-out bag depends upon several factors, including:

• What type of event you’re preparing for

• Who’s going to carry it

• How far it will be carried

• Where you’re going to store it

• Geographical needs

Regardless of these factors, several items should be in every bug-out bag. See the back of the book for a bug-out bag checklist that includes food, water, and some standard items that should be in every bag, plus some optional items such as medications, blankets, pet food, and maps.

Learning to preserve food via canning is a great way to efficiently stock many different types of food for both daily use and emergency preparedness at a minimal cost. Another benefit is that you know exactly what goes into your jars; you don’t have to worry about hidden chemicals or loads of sodium.

Canning a variety of foods allows you to eat whatever you want at whatever time of year you like, and it will be just as delicious as when it was harvested. Remember that fresh fruits and vegetables from your own garden or from a farmers’ market are the best choices for canning. When done correctly, canning also preserves most of the nutrients in your foods, so in an emergency situation, you’ll still be well fed and you won’t need to worry about food fatigue.

Nearly anything you like can be made and canned, ranging from simple meals to delicious side dishes, condiments, and even complex desserts. Basically, what you preserve through canning is limited only by your imagination and a few basic rules.

For canning, foods are divided into two groups according to pH levels: strong-acid foods and strong-alkali (low-acid) foods. To prevent the growth of Clostridium botulinum, the microorganism that causes botulism, each group has its own method of canning.

Strong-acid foods can be canned using the water-bath, or boiling water, method of canning because their higher acid levels prevent the growth of the organism. Strong-alkali foods must be pressure canned because they require higher temperatures for longer periods of time to kill and inhibit the growth of C. botulinum.

Fruits, jams, jellies, fruit juices, pickles, tomatoes, relishes, condiments, salsas, and chutneys are all examples of strong-acid foods. See the chart below for the pH rating of some popular canning foods. High-acid foods are fairly easy to preserve and provide a whole new level of flavor to your cooking.

Vegetables, meats, and some sauces are examples of low-acid foods that need to be preserved using the pressure-canning method to destroy and prevent the growth of C. botulinum spores and other harmful organisms. This is a bit more complicated at first and requires special equipment, but pressure canning is a piece of cake once you get the hang of it.

Since strong-acid foods require the simpler method of canning (water bath), they tend to be more popular among beginners.

Water-bath canning is a relatively simple process that involves packing your food into jars and boiling them to increase the temperature inside the jars enough to kill residual bacteria and force air out of the jars so they seal. The environment inside the jars will then prohibit the growth of organisms that cause spoilage and disease.

All that you need besides jars, lids, and bands is a stockpot deep enough to submerge the jars in boiling water and racks in which to place the jars. Water-bath canners with jar racks that fit perfectly into the canner are readily available, relatively inexpensive, and preferred. This method is perfectly acceptable for use with high-acid foods that have a pH lower than 4.6, such as fruits and some vegetables. Tomatoes are typically canned as a high-acid food, but you should probably add a bit of vinegar, lemon juice, or citric acid to increase the acidity enough to create an environment prohibitive to C. botulinum.

With water-bath canning, racks are placed in stockpots or water-bath canners filled with water, and the pot is brought to a boil on a stove top. The filled canning jars are placed on these racks and processed (boiled) for specific times according to the food being canned. Then the jars are cooled, which is when the lids seal shut. Once the jars have cooled and the seals are tightly shut, bands are added to the jars and the food can be stored away.

As the name implies, this method of canning uses a pressurized canner to increase the heat inside the jars enough to kill C. botulinum in low-acid foods. This method has a dangerous element to it because you are dealing with a highly pressurized metal container full of hot water, food, and glass, so you need to exercise caution. That being said, it’s a perfectly safe process as long as you follow safety procedures, and it is an excellent way to preserve foods such as meats and vegetables.

Both types of pressure canning use a pot with a lid that typically has a rubber seal that swells and keeps the pressure inside the pot. The lid will have a steam vent or petcock in the top, which is a short, hollow pipe that goes from the inside to the outside and vents the pressure canner when it’s open or holds the steam in when it’s closed. This is what the gauge attaches to in order to regulate the pressure. Don’t ever remove this when the pot is pressurized. Pressure canners come in many sizes, and which one you choose will depend primarily on how many jars you want to process at one time. As in water-bath canning, metal racks are placed in the pressure canner, the canner is filled with water, and the jars are placed inside. The jars are processed under pressure (dictated by the foods you’re canning) for a certain period of time (also dictated by the foods you’re canning) and then removed to cool and seal.

There are two types of pressure canners: ones that use a weighted gauge and ones that use a dial gauge. A dial gauge actually has a pressure gauge on top that you set to the desired pressure and trust that it’s accurate. If you choose to use a gauge canner, you should calibrate your gauges at least once per year to ensure that they’re accurate. Even a few degrees can be the difference between safe-to-eat and botulism or other foodborne illnesses.

Another downside of dial gauges is the cost. Whereas you can pick up a weighted-gauge pressure canner for a few bucks at a thrift store, dial-gauge pressure canners are going to cost you significantly more. Also, dial-gauge canners simply have more moving parts that can break or cause inaccuracy.

Weighted-gauge pressure canners simply rely on a weighted piece of metal that’s simple, easy, accurate, and durable. It really is just a matter of personal preference, so whichever you’re more comfortable with, go for it. It should be noted that you can’t adjust the dial gauge to allow for altitude, so if you’re at a higher altitude you may be better off using a weighted-gauge canner.

Remember that regardless of which method you use, you’re dealing with extremely hot glass that, although tempered to be more tolerant to temperatures, will shatter with extreme changes from hot to cold or vice versa. Keep fans and drafts off your jars as you’re taking them from the pot and be gentle with them. Even tapping a hot jar on the edge of the counter can shatter it.

Whichever method you choose to learn first, you may want to borrow the equipment and purchase only a few jars to limit your investment until you know for certain that canning is for you. Start out with very simple foods and recipes, such as dill pickles, tomato sauce, or canned peaches, and gradually work your way toward more complex recipes and even trying your own variations. When you’re completely comfortable with both the science and the process of your first method of canning, then you can confidently start learning the other.

Since water-bath canning is more popular and requires less specialized equipment, it’s a great place for beginning canners to start, so we’ll do the same.

Jams and jellies are versatile and can be used for just about anything in the kitchen. Preserving your own jellies and jams is a great way to have wonderful summer flavors all year round, waste less produce, and save a lot of money on store-bought spreads. Also, many store brands contain unwanted ingredients and tons of sugar. There’s no reason to pay more when you can make your own at home and decide exactly what goes in it and what stays out.

Jelly and jam have several different textures, flavors, colors, and uses. Most people only think of jelly or jam for breakfast. However, there are thousands of different possibilities when creating your own. For example, jalapeño jam is a great way to spice up a meal.

There are several different types of spreads. Here are the most common:

• Jelly is a semisolid mix of juice and sugar that’s firm enough to hold its shape.

• Jam is a jelly that contains bits of crushed fruit or vegetable.

• Preserves are small fruits left whole or fruit cut into pieces and preserved in thick, clear, jellied syrup.

• Marmalades have more concentrated flavors and are soft jellies often containing only the peel of citrus fruits.

• Compotes are made with either whole pieces or large chunks of fresh or dried fruits that have been simmered down in a syrup made from sugar and possibly other seasonings.

• Chutneys are thick sauces made from fruits, spices, sugar, and vinegar. The fruit is generally pureed or cooked down to make part of the sauce, and there may or may not be chunks.

Sweet spreads consist of preserved fruits using sugar and sometimes a thickening ingredient called pectin. Pectin is a substance that can turn into a jelly texture when matched with the correct amount of acid and sugar. It can be found in all fruits, but some contain more than others. You can buy pectin at most grocery stores in the baking aisle, or you can blend fruits with low pectin amounts with other fruits that contain a higher amount of pectin.

For example, cranberries contain a ton of pectin and therefore no added pectin is required to create a spread. So if you want to make berry jam, you can add cranberries to it to raise the pectin levels. Cranberries are also a great way to cut down the sweetness level of a spread that may have extra-sweet berries in it, such as strawberries.

Here are some useful tips for making your jams, jellies, and preserves delicious and successful:

Jelly and jam making is, to a certain degree, an original exercise in molecular gastronomy. To turn fruit and syrup into a delicious spread, you must have the perfect ratio of sugar to pectin to acid, and then cook it to the gelling point for your elevation. Pectin is a polysaccharide found in fruit, but it’s negatively charged, which means that its individual ions naturally move away from each other.

Acid, also found naturally in fruits, changes the charge to a more neutral state, allowing the molecules to move closer together. This is why it’s important to add lemon juice or citric acid to low-acid fruits when you’re making jellies.

The third necessary component of gelling, sugar, enters the scene at this point. Even with the higher acid content neutralizing the pectin, there’s still too much water for the pectin to bind into a firm gel. When heated, the sugar binds the water, which brings the pectin molecules together and forms a gel.

• Salt—added for flavor; is only a preservative when used in large quantities such as during brining

• Sugar, honey, corn syrup—preserves texture, color, and integrity of fruit; assists in gelling

• Vinegar—increases acidity to help fight botulism and increase shelf life (i.e., pickling)

• Artificial sweeteners—used to flavor water; do not use as a replacement for sugar

• Pectin—used to guarantee thickening of jellies because fresh fruit often has low pectin levels

• Citric acid—increases acidity of jellies so that they gel

• Lemon juice or vitamin C (ascorbic acid)—combats the enzymatic reaction between air and cut fruit that causes the fruit to turn brown. Dissolve 1 teaspoon of ascorbic acid or lemon juice in 1 gallon of water, and then soak your fruit in it.

Nothing is more frustrating to beginning canners than making your jelly, processing it, and waiting for it to set just to find out that it’s too runny. This happens when the acid-to-sugar-to-pectin ratio is off and can generally be avoided by using commercial powdered or liquid pectin. But what if you don’t have any or don’t want to use it? That’s okay, too. You can do a few things to increase your chances for success:

• Use slightly underripe fruit because it will have more pectin.

• Add a few drops of ascorbic acid if you’re using really ripe fruit.

• Use a candy thermometer to make sure that you cook your jelly to 220 degrees F. That’s the gelling point for sugar mixtures at sea level. If you’re in higher elevations, add 2 degrees for every 1,000 feet above sea level that you are at.

It’s a ton easier to fix your jelly-that-isn’t-jelly before it’s out of the pot than after you’ve already wasted time and energy processing it. Besides the temperature test, there are a couple of other ways to determine whether or not your product has gelled sufficiently to jar.

• Refrigerator test—Dribble a drop or two of jelly onto a chilled plate and place it in the fridge for a few minutes. If it gels, it’s done.

• Spoon test—Dip a chilled spoon into the jelly. If the product drips right off of the spoon in separate droplets, it’s not done. If it “sheets” together off of the spoon instead of in separate drops, it’s done.

The following are several fairly simple recipes for a variety of spreads and other delicious recipes that you can make using the water-bath method of canning for preservation. If you opt to use vegetables instead of fruits, you may need to add a few drops of ascorbic acid or lemon juice to increase the acidity to safe levels. Follow all instructions for jar and seal preparation discussed earlier to set the scene for canning success!

Grape jelly is a great place to start your canning experience. It’s a kid favorite, and it’s easy to make once you get the hang of it. You can make just about any flavor jelly using this recipe. Simply substitute the grape juice with the juice of your choice.

1. Fill the canner with enough water to cover the jars. Boil the water, reduce the heat to low, place the jars in the water, and simmer until ready to use. Prepare lids and bands by simmering them over low heat in a small saucepan.

2. In a large saucepan combine the pectin and grape juice over medium-high heat. Bring the mixture to a boil and stir for about a minute.

3. Stir in the sugar until completely dissolved. Remove the pot from the heat and skim off any foam.

4. Quickly pour the hot jelly mixture into the jars, leaving ½ inch of headspace.

5. Remove air bubbles, wipe rims, center the lids, and screw on the bands and adjust until they are fingertip tight.

6. Place the jars in the canner and bring to a boil. Make sure there is at least 1 inch of water covering the jars.

7. Process for 10 minutes, adjusting for altitude. Remove the jars from the canner and cool.

This jelly covers all the bases with its mix of sweet and spicy flavors. This is a great gift for anyone with a taste for fiery foods, and it tastes great on crackers or even in a sandwich.

1. Fill the canner with enough water to cover the jars. Boil the water, reduce the heat to low, place the jars in the water, and simmer until ready to use. Prepare lids and bands by simmering them over low heat in a small saucepan.

2. Seed and finely chop 4 of the jalapeño peppers, and set aside.

3. Combine the green bell pepper and the remaining whole jalapeño peppers in a food processor or blender. Process until nicely minced and smooth. This may need to be done in more than one batch to fit into the blender or food processor.

4. Pour the pepper mix into a large saucepan, and mix in the apple cider vinegar.

5. Bring to a boil and let simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. Strain the mixture through at least two layers of cheesecloth. If you do not have any cheesecloth, a large spoon and a fine mesh strainer will work as well. You should have about 1 cup of liquid.

6. Pour the fine mixture back into the saucepan, and stir in the sugar and salt until well blended.

7. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. When the mix comes to a rolling boil, continue to boil for 1 minute, and then add in the liquid pectin.

8. Add the finely chopped jalapeño peppers, and ladle the mixture into sterile jars, leaving ¼ inch of headspace.

9. Remove air bubbles, wipe rims, center the lids, and screw on the bands and adjust until they are fingertip tight.

10. Place the jars in the canner and bring to a boil. Make sure there is at least 1 inch of water covering the jars.

11. Process for 10 minutes, adjusting for altitude. Remove the jars from the canner and cool.

This recipe is great for making savory sweet jellies that go nicely with dinner breads. Feel free to mix and match the herbs and add more or less to suit your taste.

1. Fill the canner with enough water to cover the jars. Boil the water, reduce the heat to low, place the jars in the water, and simmer until ready to use. Prepare lids and bands by simmering them over low heat in a small saucepan.

2. In a large saucepan, combine the boiling water and herbs. Cover and let sit for approximately 15 minutes. You may strain the herbs out or leave them in—it’s entirely up to you. If the liquid does not yield 1¼ cups, add water until it does.

3. Add the sugar and vinegar. Bring to a full rolling boil over high heat, stirring constantly.

4. Add the pectin. Boil hard and stir for 1 minute.

5. Take the saucepan off the heat and remove any foam. Add food coloring if desired.

6. Pour the hot mixture into jars, leaving ¼ inch of headspace.

7. Remove air bubbles, wipe rims, center the lids, and screw on the bands and adjust until they are fingertip tight.

8. Place the jars in the canner and bring to a boil. Make sure there is at least 1 inch of water covering the jars.

9. Process for 10 minutes, adjusting for altitude. Remove the jars from the canner and cool.

As the title says, you can use just about any fruit for this simple jam recipe, although you may have to experiment a bit with the pectin and sugar to get the equation just right. For the best flavor possible, it’s best to have a mix of semi-ripe and ripe fruit on hand.

1. Fill the canner with enough water to cover the jars. Boil the water, reduce the heat to low, place the jars in the water, and simmer until ready to use. Prepare lids and bands by simmering them over low heat in a small saucepan.

2. Place the fruit and water into a large saucepan and bring to a boil.

3. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for about 5 minutes. Stir in the sugar, and remove the foam if necessary.

4. Bring the mixture to a full boil over high heat, stirring constantly, and then mix in the pectin. Return the mixture to a full boil, and boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat, and skim off any foam.

5. Pour the hot mixture into jars, leaving ¼ inch of headspace.

6. Remove air bubbles, wipe rims, center the lids, and screw on the bands and adjust until they are fingertip tight.

7. Place the jars in the canner and bring to a boil. Make sure there is at least 1 inch of water covering the jars.

8. Process for 10 minutes, adjusting for altitude. Remove the jars from the canner and cool.

In a survival situation, you want a source of protein, carbs, and fat. This is a delicious combination of all three and will liven up the flavor of stale bread or whatever else you may choose to eat it on.

1. Fill the canner with enough water to cover the jars. Boil the water, reduce the heat to low, place the jars in the water, and simmer until ready to use. Prepare lids and bands by simmering them over low heat in a small saucepan.

2. In a large saucepan, combine all of the ingredients.

3. Cook over medium heat, until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is blended. Do not let the mixture boil, or you’ll end up with pecan candy or worse yet, a gritty mess.

4. Pour the hot mixture into jars, leaving ¼ inch of headspace.

5. Remove air bubbles, wipe rims, center the lids, and screw on the bands and adjust until they are fingertip tight.

6. Place the jars in the canner and bring to a boil. Make sure there is at least 1 inch of water covering the jars.

7. Process for 10 minutes, adjusting for altitude. Remove the jars from the canner and cool.

Canning fruit is very easy and a great way for beginners to pick up canning. Since fruit is a high-acid food, the water-bath canning method is the only method you need to use.

When choosing fruit, it is best to use them in the peak of their seasons. Also important, fruit for canning needs to be picked just before they are truly ripe. That way, the canning process brings out all the flavors of that fruit and the fruit will hold their shape well.

There are two different ways to can your fresh fruit, or even your pickles or fresh vegetables: by hot packing them or by cold packing them. Hot packing involves heating or cooking the produce with the liquid and packing it all together into the jars for processing. Cold packing involves packing the raw produce tightly into the jars and then pouring the boiling liquid over them prior to processing. Between the two, hot packing creates richer, more blended flavors.

Hot packing is best for nice, firm fruits that won’t get mushy if you heat them, like blueberries, or if you’re making such mixes as apple pie filling. Cold packing (also known as raw packing) allows you to can soft produce like raspberries or peaches without ending up with preserves. Cold packing can be used for just about any fruit, but hot packing is good if you’d like them to cook a bit first. Directions for both methods follow.

1. Measure out the fruit and gather your ingredients. Place the fruit in a large saucepan with the correct amount of sugar and any other spices that you’re using.

2. Set the saucepan aside and let the fruit mixture marinate for about 2 hours.

3. Then heat the fruit mixture until the juices are flowing out of the fruit and everything is warm, similar to compote.

4. Fill the canning jars, leaving ½ inch of headspace. If you run out of liquid, add boiling water until all jars are full enough. Remove air bubbles and wipe the rims clean.

5. Secure the lids and bands, and process using the water-bath method. Don’t forget to let the jars cool, and don’t mess with the lids while the jars are cooling. Also, adjust cooking times to your altitude as needed.

1. First, make your syrup based on the following ratios:

• Very light (sugar water)—½ cup sugar to 5 cups water

• Light—1 cup sugar to 5 cups water

• Medium—1½ cups sugar to 5 cups water

• Heavy—2 cups sugar to 5 cups water

• Very heavy—2½ cups sugar to 5 cups water

This is a great way to adjust the sugar depending on what you’re canning or what you plan to use the syrup for. For instance, pie fillings will be thick, but canned fruits made to eat straight out of the jar are delicious with just a light syrup. For that matter, if you don’t want to add any sweetness, feel free to use only water and let the natural sugars of the fruit sweeten it. Regardless of which syrup you’re using, follow these steps to can your produce:

2. Peel, core, and clean your produce. Remove any damaged spots, and slice as necessary.

3. Heat the sugar and water in a saucepan over medium-high heat until the sugar is completely dissolved.

4. Pour about ½ cup of liquid into each jar. Pack the produce gently into the jar about halfway up. Then gently tap the bottom of the glass on a pot holder or towel on your counter. This helps settle the produce and release bubbles without having to smash delicate berries or fruits into the jar.

5. Fill the jars until full, tapping when necessary to pack tightly. No matter how tightly they seem to be packed, as soon as you add the liquid, space is going to appear.

6. Cover with liquid until ½ inch of headspace is left.

7. Remove air bubbles, wipe rims, center the lids, and screw on the bands and adjust until they are fingertip tight.

8. Process in the canner for 10 minutes (or for the time each recipe states), adjusting for altitude.

9. Remove the jars and set upright on a towel. Do not disturb jars for at least 24 hours.

1. Fill the canner with enough water to cover the jars. Boil the water, reduce the heat to low, place the jars in the water, and simmer until ready to use. Prepare lids and bands by simmering them over low heat in a small saucepan.

2. Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Add the peaches to the boiling water and boil for 30 seconds. Plunge into a large bowl of icy cold water to loosen the skins. Slip off the skins, then cut the peaches in half and remove the pits.

3. Pack the peaches into the jars, leaving ½ inch of headspace.

4. In a saucepan, mix the water and sugar and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Pour enough syrup over the peaches to cover, leaving ½ inch of headspace.

5. Remove air bubbles, wipe rims, center the lids, and screw on the bands and adjust until they are fingertip tight.

6. Place the jars in the canner and bring to a boil. Make sure there is at least 1 inch of water covering the jars.

7. Process for 25–30 minutes, adjusting for altitude. Remove the jars from the canner and cool.

1. Fill the canner with enough water to cover the jars. Boil the water, reduce the heat to low, place the jars in the water, and simmer until ready to use. Prepare lids and bands by simmering them over low heat in a small saucepan.

2. To keep the apples from turning brown, place them in a large bowl with cold water and 2 tablespoons lemon juice.

3. Mix the dry ingredients together in a large pot. Add the water and cook the mixture until thick. Add the remaining lemon juice.

4. Pack the apples into the jars, and pour the cooked filling over the apples, leaving ½ inch of headspace.

5. Remove air bubbles, wipe rims, center the lids, and screw on the bands and adjust until they are fingertip tight.

6. Place the jars in the canner and bring to a boil. Make sure there is at least 1 inch of water covering the jars.

7. Process for 20 minutes, adjusting for altitude. Remove the jars from the canner and cool.

1. Fill the canner with enough water to cover the jars. Boil the water, reduce the heat to low, place the jars in the water, and simmer until ready to use. Prepare lids and bands by simmering them over low heat in a small saucepan.

2. Combine the sugar and water in a saucepan, and boil for 5 minutes. Add the blueberries, and simmer for another 4 to 5 minutes or until the blueberries start to break down and burst open.

3. Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon juice.

4. Fill the jars with the blueberry mixture, leaving ¼ to ½ inch of headspace.

5. Remove air bubbles, wipe rims, center the lids, and screw on the bands and adjust until they are fingertip tight.

6. Place the jars in the canner and bring to a boil. Make sure there is at least 1 inch of water covering the jars.

7. Process for 10 minutes, adjusting for altitude. Remove the jars from the canner and cool.

Pickling is a great way to preserve fruits and vegetables, and although you usually think of cucumbers, you can pickle just about anything! Pickled eggs, pickled watermelon rind, and pickled jalapeños are just a few examples of noncucumber produce that is canned regularly.

Although all forms of pickling involve the use of some type of acid (typically vinegar) to increase the pH (thus making it Clostridium botulinum–resistant), there are four different methods that you can use.

Likely the most traditional form of pickling, brining has been used for centuries to make cucumber pickles, sauerkraut, and other foods. In this process, the produce is fermented in salt and water for at least a week, and sometimes for months. The process makes the produce tender yet firm, and the salt used in brining acts as a preservative. Brining can be done with any type of container, but it needs to be stored in a cool, dry place while the process occurs.

Also called quick-process pickling, this process involves short-term brining for just a few hours or possibly overnight. The brining is actually more of a process to help preserve and maintain the structure and texture of the produce. After the brining, the produce is stuffed into jars and the hot pickling liquid is poured over them prior to processing.

Relishes are fruits or vegetables that are chopped up and cooked in a vinegar pickling solution. Common relishes are sweet or dill pickle relish, mango relish, and pepper relishes.

It may sound odd, but fruit pickles are actually quite delicious. They’re made from whole or sliced fruits and even rinds that are combined with a sweet and spicy syrup that has lemon juice or vinegar. You can also use some of your favorite spices if you’d like, as well.

1. Fill the canner with enough water to cover the jars. Boil the water, reduce the heat to low, place the jars in the water, and simmer until ready to use. Prepare lids and bands by simmering them over low heat in a small saucepan.

2. In a large pot, bring the water, vinegar, and salt to a boil. Boil for 10 minutes.

3. Place the cucumbers into the jars, leaving ½ inch of headspace.

4. Add 1 dill head or sprig, two garlic cloves, and two chilies into each jar.

5. Carefully ladle the hot mixture into the jars, leaving ½ inch of headspace.

6. Remove air bubbles, wipe rims, center the lids, and screw on the bands and adjust until they are fingertip tight.

7. Place the jars in the canner and bring to a boil. Make sure there is at least 1 inch of water covering the jars.

8. Process for 15 minutes, adjusting for altitude. Remove the jars from the canner and cool.

1. Fill the canner with enough water to cover the jars. Boil the water, reduce the heat to low, place the jars in the water, and simmer until ready to use. Prepare lids and bands by simmering them over low heat in a small saucepan.

2. Place the beets in a large stockpot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and cook until tender, about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool. Peel the beets, and if the beets are large, slice or quarter them. (Small beets can remain whole.)

3. Place all of the ingredients except the beets and cloves in a nonreactive saucepan. Over high heat, bring to a rolling boil and then remove from the heat.

4. Stuff the beets into the jars as tightly as possible without smashing them, leaving 1 inch of headspace. Pour the brine into the jar, leaving 1 inch of headspace. Add a clove to each jar.

5. Remove air bubbles, wipe rims, center the lids, and screw on the bands and adjust until they are fingertip tight.

6. Place the jars in the canner and bring to a boil. Make sure there is at least 1 inch of water covering the jars.

7. Process for 15 minutes, adjusting for altitude. Remove the jars from the canner and cool.

1. Fill the canner with enough water to cover the jars. Boil the water, reduce the heat to low, place the jars in the water, and simmer until ready to use. Prepare lids and bands by simmering them over low heat in a small saucepan.

2. Wash the okra and trim the stems, leaving the caps. Soak in a bowl of ice water for 1 hour and then pat dry.

3. In a large nonmetallic pot, combine the vinegar, salt, garlic, hot peppers, mustard seed, and dill seed. Bring contents to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes.

4. Pack the okra evenly into the jars. Fill with hot pickling liquid, leaving ½ inch of headspace.

5. Remove air bubbles, wipe rims, center the lids, and screw on the bands and adjust until they are fingertip tight.

6. Place the jars in the canner and bring to a boil. Make sure there is at least 1 inch of water covering the jars.

7. Process for 10 minutes, adjusting for altitude. Remove the jars from the canner and cool.

8. The jars need to mature for about 4 weeks before they’re ready to use.

1. Fill the canner with enough water to cover the jars. Boil the water, reduce the heat to low, place the jars in the water, and simmer until ready to use. Prepare lids and bands by simmering them over low heat in a small saucepan.

2. In a large container with a lid, combine the cucumbers, onions, and salt. Cover with crushed ice and mix well. Let stand for 3 hours. Drain, rinse, and drain again.

3. In a heavy saucepan with a lid, combine the sugar, vinegar, and seasonings. Bring to a boil.

4. Once boiling, add the cucumber mixture, and then return to a boil. When the mixture has boiled for 1 minute, remove the pot from the heat.

5. Carefully ladle the mixture into jars, leaving ½ inch of headspace.

6. Remove air bubbles, wipe rims, center the lids, and screw on the bands and adjust until they are fingertip tight.

7. Place the jars in the canner and bring to a boil. Make sure there is at least 1 inch of water covering the jars.

8. Process for 15 minutes, adjusting for altitude. Remove the jars from the canner and cool.

1. Fill the canner with enough water to cover the jars. Boil the water, reduce the heat to low, place the jars in the water, and simmer until ready to use. Prepare lids and bands by simmering them over low heat in a small saucepan.

2. Bring the vinegar, sugar, and cinnamon sticks to a boil in a saucepan.

3. Pack the peaches into the jars. The cinnamon sticks may be added to the jars for extra flavor or removed and discarded if desired. Add the syrup, leaving ½ inch of headspace.

4. Remove air bubbles, wipe rims, center the lids, and screw on the bands and adjust until they are fingertip tight.

5. Place the jars in the canner and bring to a boil. Make sure there is at least 1 inch of water covering the jars.

6. Process for 10 minutes, adjusting for altitude. Remove the jars from the canner and cool.

Making your own salsas and relishes is both simple and fun. It’s easy to exercise your creativity and customize flavors to your family’s liking once you get the hang of making your own.

When making your own tomato recipes, be sure to use produce that is at its peak of ripeness. Processing will not improve the flavor of underripe tomatoes. With fruit salsas such as mango or peach, you can use fruit that is just slightly underripe, as you want the fruit to hold its shape somewhat, and you don’t want the salsa to be too sweet.

1. Fill the canner with enough water to cover the jars. Boil the water, reduce the heat to low, place the jars in the water, and simmer until ready to use. Prepare lids and bands by simmering them over low heat in a small saucepan.

2. In a stockpot, combine the sugar and water and bring to a boil, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Keep at a rolling boil for about 5 minutes, and then add the cranberries. Bring the mixture back to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer for about 15 minutes, until the cranberries start to burst and the liquid begins to thicken and “sheets” off the spoon. Add the orange zest.

3. Remove from the heat and ladle carefully into the jars, leaving ½ of headspace.

4. Remove air bubbles, wipe rims, center the lids, and screw on the bands and adjust until they are fingertip tight.

5. Place the jars in the canner and bring to a boil. Make sure there is at least 1 inch of water covering the jars.

6. Process for 15 minutes, adjusting for altitude. Remove the jars from the canner and cool.

1. Fill the canner with enough water to cover the jars. Boil the water, reduce the heat to low, place the jars in the water, and simmer until ready to use. Prepare lids and bands by simmering them over low heat in a small saucepan.

2. In a food processor, pulse the tomatoes about 10 times. Pour the tomatoes into a nonreactive stockpot.

3. Add the bell peppers, onions, and jalapeños to the processor, and pulse about 10 times as well. Add the mixture to the tomatoes.

4. Stir in the water, pickling salt, and vinegar. Over high heat, bring everything to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 20 minutes.

5. Remove from the heat and ladle into the jars, leaving ½ inch of headspace.

6. Remove air bubbles, wipe rims, center the lids, and screw on the bands and adjust until they are fingertip tight.

7. Place the jars in the canner and bring to a boil. Make sure there is at least 1 inch of water covering the jars.

8. Process for 15 minutes, adjusting for altitude. Remove the jars from the canner and cool.

9. Store in a cool dark place. It takes about 2 weeks to perfectly age, and then it is ready to eat.

1. Fill the canner with enough water to cover the jars. Boil the water, reduce the heat to low, place the jars in the water, and simmer until ready to use. Prepare lids and bands by simmering them over low heat in a small saucepan.

2. Bring two pots, each filled with 8 quarts of water to a boil. Fill a bowl full of ice water. Place half of the tomatoes in one of the pots of boiling water for 1 minute.

3. Remove the tomatoes from the boiling water and place in the ice water. Repeat with the other half of tomatoes.

4. Heat the tomato paste in a saucepan until hot to the touch.

5. Add the lemon juice or citric acid to each jar.

6. When the tomatoes are cool enough to handle, carefully remove the skins and place in the jars.

7. When jars are filled with tomatoes, pour the hot tomato paste in, top each jar with a fresh basil leaf and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Leave ½ inch of headspace.

8. Remove air bubbles, wipe rims, center the lids, and screw on the bands and adjust until they are fingertip tight.

9. Place the jars in the canner and bring to a boil. Make sure there is at least 1 inch of water covering the jars.

10. Process for 15 minutes, adjusting for altitude. Remove the jars from the canner and cool.

1. Place all of the tomatoes in a large stockpot, and cook over medium heat for 20 minutes. Drain the tomatoes, reserving 2 cups of the liquid, and return just the tomatoes to the pot.

2. Stir in the green peppers, onions, red pepper, celery, garlic, jalapeños, tomato paste, vinegar, sugar, pickling salt, hot pepper sauce, and reserved tomato liquid. Bring the mixture to a boil and reduce the heat to medium-low.

3. Simmer uncovered for 1 hour, stirring frequently.

4. Fill the canner with enough water to cover the jars. Boil the water, reduce the heat to low, place the jars in the water, and simmer until ready to use.

5. Ladle the hot mixture into the canning jars, leaving ¼ inch of headspace.

6. Remove air bubbles, wipe the rims, center the lids, and screw on the bands and adjust until they are fingertip tight.

7. Place the jars in the canner and bring to a boil. Make sure there is at least 1 inch of water covering the jars.

8. Process for 20 minutes, adjusting for altitude. Remove the jars from the canner and cool.

1. Fill the canner with enough water to cover the jars. Boil the water, reduce the heat to low, place the jars in the water, and simmer until ready to use. Prepare lids and bands by simmering them over low heat in a small saucepan.

2. Quickly blanch the tomatoes in boiling water for no more than 40 seconds, and then toss immediately into ice water. When cooled, peel the skins off the tomatoes. (If you’d like to skip this step, you can press the paste through a sieve after cooking.)

3. For the smoothest texture, put the tomatoes into a blender or food processor.

4. In a large saucepan, combine the tomatoes, bell peppers, bay leaves, oregano, basil, sugar, and salt into a large saucepan. Simmer for 1 hour. (This can also be done in a slow cooker on high heat for 1 hour, but be sure to stir occasionally.)

5. Push the cooked mixture through a fine strainer or sieve, and return to the saucepan. Cook for about 2½ hours more, until the mixture is a paste. Stir frequently or the paste will stick to the pan.

6. Pour the paste into the jars, leaving ½ inch of headspace. Add ½ teaspoon of lemon juice into each jar, leaving ¼ inch of headspace. Lemon juice prevents spoilage and helps seal the color and flavor.

7. Remove air bubbles, wipe rims, center the lids, and screw on the bands and adjust until they are fingertip tight.

8. Place the jars in the canner and bring to a boil. Make sure there is at least 1 inch of water covering the jars.

9. Process for 45 minutes, adjusting for altitude. Remove the jars from the canner and cool.

The potential for the presence of the bacteria Clostridium botulinum in low-acid foods makes it unsafe to preserve them using the water-bath method. This is because the 212 degrees F that a water bath typically reaches isn’t hot enough to kill the bacteria. High-acid foods aren’t at risk for C. botulinum, because the acidic environment isn’t conducive to its growth. However, to safely preserve low-acid foods, they must be processed at a temperature no less than 240 degrees F.

If low-acid ingredients are mixed with high-acid ingredients such as in stocks, stews, or soups (e.g., when meat is matched with tomatoes), the pH of the acidic food is lowered sufficiently to make the entire recipe a low-acid food that needs to be pressure canned.

Pressure canning is the safest method of canning for low-acid foods such as meats, poultry, seafood, and vegetables. Although you need to be careful, pressure canning is easy to learn, so don’t stress; by the time you’re finished here, you will be pressure canning like a pro. The following checklist will help you get organized.

1. Wash and heat your jars and lids as instructed in the water-bath method section. Be sure that you don’t boil your lids, as it may damage the seals. Be very observant with your jars and bands. Check for cracks, dents, uneven threads, or other signs of damage, and throw out any that are imperfect.

2. Again, it’s best to be fully organized and ready to go, so prepare all your ingredients and your canner beforehand. Remember to leave the jars and lids in the hot water or dishwasher until ready to fill them.

3. Don’t overtighten your lids—remember that you want to let the air escape from the jars to create an environment unfriendly to pathogens. Just fingertip-tight is tight enough.

4. Leave the proper amount of headspace as dictated in the recipe. If you leave too much, all of the air may not be forced out during processing, and if you don’t leave enough, your product may boil up and get between the seal and the jar, prohibiting a seal from forming.

5. For the same reason, do your best to eliminate as many bubbles as possible.

6. Just as with water-bath canning, you want to have a small pot of water simmering on the side in case you need a little more hot water to cover the jars. Don’t ever pour cold water over hot jars, because they can and will explode, or at least break.

7. Once you have the jars in the canner, cover them with water and secure the canner’s lid, making sure that it seals properly. Don’t set the gauge over the vent port yet. Turn the heat on high with the vent open, and wait for steam to shoot steadily out before you put on the gauge. After you put on the gauge, the canner will begin to pressurize.

8. Begin on medium to high heat until you reach the right pressure, and then adjust the temperature back to where the gauge’s dial remains in the correct zone or the weight continues to jiggle.

9. Be sure to set a timer for the recommended processing time stated in your recipe because pressure canning cooks at a much faster rate than standard boiling. Start timing when the weight starts to jiggle or the gauge reads the correct pressure. When the timer is up, remove the canner from the heat and let cool.

10. Make sure you’re canning with the pressure indicated in the recipe and adjusted for your altitude. Most foods are canned at either 10 pounds of pressure using a weighted gauge or 11 pounds of pressure using a dial gauge. You will have to adjust the pressure for altitude. See the following altitude chart. You’ll also find an altitude chart at the back of the book for selected cities in the United States and Canada.

11. Very important: do not remove the gauge until all pressure is relieved from the canner. It is important to allow the pressure within the canner to return to 0 naturally.

12. After following the recommended steps in your manual to release the pressure, remove the weight gauge and unlock the lid. Tilt the lid away from you to prevent being burned by any leftover steam inside the canner.

13. Place a thick folded towel on your counter, and remove the jars (using tongs or lifter) without tilting them. Place them upright on the towel to allow the jars to cool. Otherwise, breaking and cracking can occur.

14. Don’t touch the jars for at least 12 to 24 hours, and don’t turn them upside down. Again, just as in the water-bath instructions, do not attempt to readjust the lids, as this may damage the strength of the seal.

15. If you have food that doesn’t seal, refrigerate it immediately and consume within a few days.

• If you are canning a soup with dry beans, cook the beans first for a few minutes ahead of time. Simply cover the beans with a few inches of water in a pot. Bring to a boil, simmer for about 2 minutes, remove from the heat, and let them soak for about an hour. Then drain and continue with your soup.

• First cook any meats and vegetables going into the soup as instructed by the recipe. Then combine all ingredients and add the broth or whatever liquid you are using as a base. Finally, add seasonings and spices. Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes.

• When canning, you do not want to add any dairy, pasta, thickeners, or rice. These will have to be added later when you serve the soup.

• Fill the jars, leaving 1 inch of headspace. The easiest way to do this is by filling the jars with the solids of the soup first; that way, they will be evenly distributed among the jars. Then fill the jars with the liquids. If you run out of liquids before the jars are full, that’s okay. Simply heat some more stock or broth if you are lacking a good amount, or if you are lacking only a little bit at the tops, add hot water to top them off.

• Clean the rims of the jars well and secure the lids and bands. Follow the pressure-canning instructions discussed earlier and in the instruction booklet that came with your pressure canner.

• When processing pints, you want to allow 60 minutes of processing time; with quarts, 75 minutes. If there is any seafood in the soup, you will need to extend the process time to 100 minutes, for both pints and quarts.

• Don’t forget altitude adjustments.

1. Prepare your jars by bringing them to a boil in a large pot. Once they reach a boil, reduce the heat to low, and allow them to simmer until you’re ready to use them. Prepare the lids and bands by simmering (not boiling) them over low heat in a small saucepan.

2. Prepare your canner by filling it with 2 to 3 inches of water and bringing it to a boil over high heat.

3. Fill another large pot with water and bring to a boil. Add the whole ears of corn (in batches if needed) and blanch for 3 minutes. Remove from the water and place in a bowl of cold water.

4. Using a corn cobber or sharp paring knife, stand an ear of corn up with the wide end at the bottom, holding it firmly at the narrow end. Cut the rows of kernels off about three-quarters of the way to the cob. Do not scrape the cob. As you go, swipe the cut kernels into a large container. Repeat with each cob.

5. For raw pack: once all of the corn has been cut, bring another large pot of water to a boil and allow it to continue boiling until you’re ready to use it. Loosely pack the corn into the jars, leaving 1 inch of headspace. Add ½ teaspoon of salt to each jar. Pour in enough boiling water to cover, leaving 1 inch of headspace.

6. For hot pack: Use a quart jar or measuring pitcher to measure the corn kernels. Put all of the corn into a large pot, and for every quart of corn, add 1 cup of cold water. Bring to a boil and cook for 5 minutes. Pack the corn loosely into the jars, leaving 1 inch of headspace. Add ½ teaspoon of salt to each jar. Pour in enough of the cooking water to cover, leaving 1 inch of headspace.

7. Remove air bubbles, wipe rims, center the lids, and screw on the bands and adjust until they are fingertip tight. Place the jars in the canner.

8. Cover, vent, and pressurize the canner according to its manufacturer’s directions.

9. For both rawand hot-pack methods, process the corn for 55 minutes at 11 pounds of pressure, adjusting for altitude. Remove the canner from the burner and allow to cool before removing the jars.

1. Wash the beets well. Cut the stems to about 2 inches, but leave the taproot on so the color won’t drain out of the beets.

2. Boil the beets in a large stockpot until the skins are loose and easy to peel. This takes about 10 minutes. One way to check if the beets are done is to scrape a spoon or butter knife across the side of a beet; if the skin peels off, then they are done. (During this phase, it’s best to arrange the beets according to size. If you have mostly large beets, take the small ones out and replace them with one proportionate to the rest. Larger beets will also take longer to boil.)

3. Prepare your jars by bringing them to a boil in a large pot. Once they reach a boil, reduce the heat to low, and allow them to simmer until you’re ready to use them. Prepare the lids and bands by simmering (not boiling) them over low heat in a small saucepan.

4. Prepare your canner by filling it with 2 to 3 inches of water and bringing it to a boil over high heat.

5. When the beets are done boiling, remove them from the water and let them cool. When the beets are cool enough to touch, begin peeling the skins off (you may want to use gloves). Cut off the tops and taproots.

6. Slice or chop the beets to the desired size. If you have small beets, you can leave them whole, but larger beets need to be sliced or cut into pieces. Pack into jars, leaving 1 inch of headspace.

7. Add ½ teaspoon of salt to each jar.

8. Fill each jar with boiling water, leaving 1 inch of headspace.

9. Remove air bubbles, wipe rims, center the lids, and screw on the bands and adjust until they are fingertip tight. Place the jars in the canner.

10. Cover, vent, and pressurize the canner according to its manufacturer’s directions.

11. Process for at least 30 minutes at 11 pounds of pressure, adjusting for altitude. Remove the canner from the burner and allow to cool before removing the jars.

1. Prepare the jars by bringing them to a boil in a large pot. Once they reach a boil, reduce the heat to low, and allow them to simmer until you’re ready to use them. Prepare the lids and bands by simmering (not boiling) them over low heat in a small saucepan.

2. Prepare your canner by filling it with 2 to 3 inches of water and bringing it to a boil over high heat.

3. Fill another large pot with water and bring to a boil. Continue boiling until ready to use.

4. Wash the green beans and trim off the ends. If there are strings, remove them with your fingertips or a small paring knife.

5. For raw pack: Pack the beans into the jars, leaving 1 inch of headspace. Once all of the jars are packed, pour in enough boiling water to cover, leaving 1 inch of headspace.

6. For hot pack: Place the beans into the boiling water, reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 5 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to pack into jars, leaving 1 inch of headspace. Add enough of the cooking water to cover, leaving 1 inch of headspace.

7. Add ½ teaspoon of salt to each jar.

8. Remove air bubbles, wipe rims, center the lids, and screw on the bands and adjust until they are fingertip tight. Place the jars in the canner.

9. Cover, vent, and pressurize the canner according to its manufacturer’s directions.

10. For both rawand hot-pack methods, process the jars for 20 minutes at 11 pounds of pressure, adjusting for altitude. Remove the canner from the burner and allow to cool before removing the jars.

These slightly sweet nuggets are a hit even with kids who don’t like carrots. In a survival situation, the extra carbs will provide more energy.

1. Prepare the jars by bringing them to a boil in a large pot. Once they reach a boil, reduce the heat to low, and allow them to simmer until you’re ready to use them. Prepare the lids and bands by simmering (not boiling) them over low heat in a small saucepan.

2. Prepare your canner by filling it with 2 to 3 inches of water and bringing it to a boil over high heat.

3. Combine water, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a saucepan, and bring to a boil.

4. Stuff as many carrots into each jar as possible. Ladle the hot sugar water equally into each jar, leaving ½ inch of headspace. If you don’t have enough liquid to bring it to that level, finish filling with hot water.

5. Remove air bubbles, wipe rims, center the lids, and screw on the bands and adjust until they are fingertip tight. Place the jars in the canner.

6. Cover, vent, and pressurize the canner according to its manufacturer’s directions.

7. Process for 30 minutes at 11 pounds of pressure, adjusting for altitude. Remove the canner from the burner and allow to cool before removing the jars.

1. Prepare the jars by bringing them to a boil in a large pot. Once they reach a boil, reduce the heat to low, and allow them to simmer until you’re ready to use them. Prepare the lids and bands by simmering (not boiling) them over low heat in a small saucepan.

2. Prepare your canner by filling it with 2 to 3 inches of water and bringing it to a boil over high heat.

3. Clean the sweet potatoes, chop into 1-inch chucks or wedges, and stuff tightly in the jars.

4. Bring the water, sugar, salt, and spices to a boil in a saucepan, and then distribute evenly between each jar, leaving ½ inch of headspace. If you don’t have enough liquid, fill with boiling water.

5. Remove air bubbles, wipe rims, center the lids, and screw on the bands and adjust until they are fingertip tight. Place the jars in the canner.

6. Cover, vent, and pressurize the canner according to its manufacturer’s directions.

7. Process for 40 minutes at 11 pounds of pressure, adjusting for altitude. Remove the canner from the burner and allow to cool before removing the jars.

1. Prepare the jars by bringing them to a boil in a large pot. Once they reach a boil, reduce the heat to low, and allow them to simmer until you’re ready to use them. Prepare the lids and bands by simmering (not boiling) them over low heat in a small saucepan.

2. Prepare your canner by filling it with 2 to 3 inches of water and bringing it to a boil over high heat.

3. Blanch mushrooms and onions for 5 minutes.

4. Pack the mushrooms and the onions in the jars and add 1 teaspoon of salt per jar. Cover with boiling water, leaving ½ inch of headspace.

5. Remove air bubbles, wipe rims, center the lids, and screw on the bands and adjust until they are fingertip tight. Place the jars in the canner.

6. Cover, vent, and pressurize the canner according to its manufacturer’s directions.

7. Process for 30 minutes at 11 pounds of pressure, adjusting for altitude. Remove the canner from the burner and allow to cool before removing the jars.

Great for slicing, mashing, frying, or tossing in a soup, potatoes are a great survival food.

1. Prepare the jars by bringing them to a boil in a large pot. Once they reach a boil, reduce the heat to low, and allow them to simmer until you’re ready to use them. Prepare the lids and bands by simmering (not boiling) them over low heat in a small saucepan.

2. Prepare your canner by filling it with 2 to 3 inches of water and bringing it to a boil over high heat.

3. Pack potatoes as tightly as possible into the jars. Add 1 teaspoon of salt to each jar. Add enough boiling water to fill, leaving ½ inch headspace.

4. Remove air bubbles, wipe rims, center the lids, and screw on the bands and adjust until they are fingertip tight. Place the jars in the canner.

5. Cover, vent, and pressurize the canner according to its manufacturer’s directions.

6. Process for 40 minutes at 11 pounds of pressure, adjusting for altitude. Remove the canner from the burner and allow to cool before removing the jars.

Having stocks in a survival situation can be vital for recovering from illness, adding flavor and nutrition to foods, and helping avoid food fatigue.

1. Prepare the jars by bringing them to a boil in a large pot. Once they reach a boil, reduce the heat to low, and allow them to simmer until you’re ready to use them. Prepare the lids and bands by simmering (not boiling) them over low heat in a small saucepan.

2. Prepare your canner by filling it with 2 to 3 inches of water and bringing it to a boil over high heat.

3. Place the bones and water into a large pot, and boil over high heat. When boiling, reduce the heat to almost low and remove any foam as it forms.

4. Add the onions, carrots, celery, bay leaf, and salt. Cover and gently boil for 3 hours. For a strong reduced broth, boil longer.

5. Spoon out the beef bones and toss. Strain the stock through a fine sieve or cheesecloth-lined strainer. Discard vegetables and bay leaf. Allow the stock to cool until the fat solidifies, and then remove it.

6. Heat the stock to a boil again and ladle carefully using a funnel, filling one jar at a time. Leave 1 inch of headspace.

7. Remove air bubbles, wipe rims, center the lids, and screw on the bands and adjust until they are fingertip tight. Place the jars in the canner.

8. Cover, vent, and pressurize the canner according to its manufacturer’s directions.

9. Process for 20 minutes at 11 pounds of pressure, adjusting for altitude. Remove the canner from the burner and allow to cool before removing the jars.

These are great for use in soups and stews. You can use venison, bison, elk, moose, or any other red meat in this simple recipe. The raw-pack method is used here because then you can season it as you want it. If you use gamey meat such as venison, drop in a bouillon cube and you’ll never know it’s not beef!

1. Prepare the jars by bringing them to a boil in a large pot. Once they reach a boil, reduce the heat to low, and allow them to simmer until you’re ready to use them. Prepare the lids and bands by simmering (not boiling) them over low heat in a small saucepan.

2. Prepare your canner by filling it with 2 to 3 inches of water and bringing it to a boil over high heat.

3. Pack the meat into the jars as tightly as possible, leaving 1 inch of headspace. Add the salt.

4. Remove air bubbles, wipe rims, center the lids, and screw on the bands and adjust until they are fingertip tight. Place the jars in the canner.

5. Process for 90 minutes at 11 pounds of pressure, adjusting for altitude. Remove the canner from the burner and allow to cool before removing the jars.

1. In a large stockpot, over medium-high heat, combine chicken, onions, carrots, celery, parsley, peppercorns, bay leaves, and thyme.

2. Cover ingredients with the water. Bring to a light boil (a simmer), reduce the heat, keeping a simmer, and cook for 2 hours. The broth will have a golden color and smell richly of chicken. Remove any foam on the surface while simmering. If the liquids begin to reduce too much, simply add more cold water, just enough to cover the solids.

3. Strain the vegetables and spices, and discard the solids.

4. Stir the broth occasionally while letting it cool for 15 minutes. Then cover and chill until the broth is cold, anywhere from 6 hours to a full day. When the fat on the top is firm, spoon it away and discard or store in a jar for other cooking.

5. Prepare the jars by bringing them to a boil in a large pot. Once they reach a boil, reduce the heat to low, and allow them to simmer until you’re ready to use them. Prepare the lids and bands by simmering (not boiling) them over low heat in a small saucepan.

6. Prepare your canner by filling it with 2 to 3 inches of water and bringing it to a boil over high heat.

7. Pour the broth into the jars, leaving 1 inch of headspace.

8. Remove air bubbles, wipe rims, center the lids, and screw on the bands and adjust until they are fingertip tight. Place the jars in the canner.

9. Process for 75 minutes at 11 pounds of pressure, adjusting for altitude. Remove the canner from the burner and allow to cool before removing the jars.

This basic mixture is a great foundation for any number of meals, from soups and stews to casseroles and tacos. Having it already cooked and on hand will make so many mealtimes easier and less stressful.

1. Prepare your jars by bringing them to a boil in a large pot. Once they reach a boil, reduce the heat to low, and allow them to simmer until you’re ready to use them. Prepare the lids and bands by simmering (not boiling) them over low heat in a small saucepan.

2. Prepare your canner by filling it with 2 to 3 inches of water and bringing it to a boil over high heat.

3. In a large bowl, combine the meat, salt, and pepper, mixing well with clean hands. Working in batches, if necessary, brown the meat over medium-heat in a large skillet. Stir frequently with a spatula or wooden spoon, breaking up the meat as it cooks to a crumbly texture.

4. Once the meat is gently browned, add the onions and garlic and sauté for another 3 to 4 minutes or until the onions are transparent. Reduce the heat to low.

5. In a large saucepan, heat the broth over medium-high heat until it boils and continue a soft boil.

6. Pack the hot meat loosely into the jars, leaving 1 inch of headspace. Add enough hot broth to cover, leaving 1 inch of headspace.

7. Remove air bubbles, wipe rims, center the lids, and screw on the bands and adjust until they are fingertip tight. Place the jars in the canner.

8. Cover, vent, and pressurize the canner according to its manufacturer’s directions.

9. Process for 90 minutes at 11 pounds of pressure, adjusting for altitude. Remove the canner from the burner, and allow to cool before removing the jars.

You can make a lot of great meals starting with just cooked chicken and a little pan gravy. Use this as the starter for chicken potpie, chicken and dumplings, chicken noodle casserole, or anything else you and your family enjoy. This recipe works equally well with turkey.

1. Prepare your jars by bringing them to a boil in a large pot. Once they reach a boil, reduce the heat to low, and allow them to simmer until you’re ready to use them. Prepare the lids and bands by simmering (not boiling) them over low heat in a small saucepan.

2. Prepare your canner by filling it with 2 to 3 inches of water and bringing it to a boil over high heat.

3. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

4. Brush the chicken with the oil, and then season on all sides with the salt and pepper. Place into one or two large baking dishes, and bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Set aside in the casserole dishes for 10 to 15 minutes or until cool enough to handle.

5. Remove all of the meat and skin from the chicken. Reserve bones and scraps for stock if desired.

6. Measure out 8 tablespoons of chicken drippings from the pans and place in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.

7. Once the drippings boil, quickly add the flour, whisking constantly until it resembles a paste.

8. Slowly stir in the broth or stock, and whisk until smooth. Add the rosemary and thyme. Bring back to a boil and then simmer for 20 minutes.

9. Pack the meat loosely into the jars, leaving 2 inches of headspace. Add enough gravy to cover and leave 1 inch of headspace.

10. Remove air bubbles, wipe rims, center the lids, and screw on the bands and adjust until they are fingertip tight. Place the jars in the canner.

11. Cover, vent, and pressurize the canner according to its manufacturer’s directions.

12. Process for 90 minutes at 11 pounds of pressure, adjusting for altitude. Remove the canner from the burner, and allow to cool before removing the jars.

This basic spaghetti sauce is versatile enough to use as a pizza sauce, for pasta dishes, or on sub sandwiches. It’s quick and easy to make, and it tastes wonderful.

1. Prepare your jars by bringing them to a boil in a large pot. Once they reach a boil, reduce the heat to low, and allow them to simmer until you’re ready to use them. Prepare lids and bands by simmering (not boiling) them over low heat in a small saucepan.

2. Prepare your canner by filling it with 2 to 3 inches of water and bringing it to a boil over high heat.

3. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat.

4. Wash the tomatoes and plunge in boiling water for 30 seconds or until the skins begin to split. Dip immediately into icy cold water, and slip off the skins. Core and quarter the tomatoes.

5. In a large saucepan, bring the tomatoes to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring frequently. Boil for 20 minutes, uncovered. If you would like the sauce to be smoother, put the tomatoes through a food mill or sieve.

6. In a large saucepan, heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat and sauté the onion, garlic, bell pepper, and mushrooms until tender. Combine the sautéed vegetables and the tomatoes, and add the salt, black pepper, and herbs. Once the sauce boils, stir in the brown sugar. Simmer uncovered, until reduced by about half.

7. Ladle the hot spaghetti sauce into the jars, leaving 1 inch of headspace.

8. Remove air bubbles, wipe rims, center the lids, and screw on the bands and adjust until they are fingertip tight. Place the jars in the canner.

9. Cover, vent, and pressurize the canner according to its manufacturer’s directions.

10. Process for 20 minutes at 11 pounds of pressure, adjusting for altitude. Remove the canner from the burner, and allow to cool before removing the jars.

This vegetable soup is a great one for using plenty of fresh vegetables when they’re abundant in your garden or at their peak and priced low at the farmers’ market.

1. Prepare your jars by bringing them to a boil in a large pot. Once they reach a boil, reduce the heat to low, and allow them to simmer until you’re ready to use them. Prepare the lids and bands by simmering (not boiling) them over low heat in a small saucepan.

2. Prepare your canner by filling it with 2 to 3 inches of water and bringing it to a boil over high heat.

3. Combine all of the vegetables in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Add the water. Season with salt and pepper, and stir well. Add in the herbs and stir.

4. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer 25 minutes.

5. Ladle the hot soup into the jars, leaving 1 inch of headspace.

6. Remove air bubbles, wipe rims, center the lids, and screw on the bands and adjust until they are fingertip tight. Place the jars in the canner.

7. Cover, vent, and pressurize the canner according to its manufacturer’s directions.

8. Process for 1 hour and 25 minutes at 10 pounds of pressure, adjusting for altitude. Remove the canner from the burner, and allow to cool before removing the jars.

This hearty chicken soup is a classic and a real favorite among home canners. This makes a wonderful gift for a new mother or someone who is ill. To make it even heartier, boil some egg noodles as you’re reheating your soup and stir them into the soup at the end.

1. Prepare your jars by bringing them to a boil in a large pot. Once they reach a boil, reduce the heat to low, and allow them to simmer until you’re ready to use them. Prepare the lids and bands by simmering (not boiling) them over low heat in a small saucepan.

2. Prepare your canner by filling it with 2 to 3 inches of water and bringing it to a boil over high heat.

3. In a large stockpot over medium-high heat, combine the chicken stock, chicken, celery, carrots, and onion. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium, and add the salt, pepper, parsley, thyme, and turmeric, stirring well.

4. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Add bouillon cubes, if desired. Cook until the bouillon cubes are dissolved.

5. Ladle the hot soup into the jars, leaving 1 inch of headspace.

6. Remove air bubbles, wipe rims, center the lids, and screw on the bands and adjust until they are fingertip tight. Place the jars in the canner.

7. Cover, vent, and pressurize the canner according to its manufacturer’s directions.

8. Process for 90 minutes at 10 pounds of pressure, adjusting for altitude. Remove the canner from the burner, and allow to cool before removing the jars.

1. Prepare your jars by bringing them to a boil in a large pot. Once they reach a boil, reduce the heat to low, and allow them to simmer until you’re ready to use them. Prepare the lids and bands by simmering (not boiling) them over low heat in a small saucepan.

2. Prepare your canner by filling it with 2 to 3 inches of water and bringing it to a boil over high heat.

3. In a large stockpot over medium-high heat, combine all the ingredients except the salt and bring to a boil.

4. Cover, reduce the heat, and simmer 30 minutes. Season to taste with salt, if desired.

5. Ladle the hot soup into the jars, leaving 1 inch of headspace.

6. Remove air bubbles, wipe rims, center the lids, and screw on the bands and adjust until they are fingertip tight. Place the jars in the canner.

7. Cover, vent, and pressurize the canner according to its manufacturer’s directions.

8. Process for 90 minutes at 10 pounds of pressure, adjusting for altitude. Remove the canner from the burner, and allow to cool before removing the jars.

1. Prepare your jars by bringing them to a boil in a large pot. Once they reach a boil, reduce the heat to low, and allow them to simmer until you’re ready to use them. Prepare the lids and bands by simmering (not boiling) them over low heat in a small saucepan.

2. Prepare your canner by filling it with 2 to 3 inches of water and bringing it to a boil over high heat.

3. In a large stockpot over medium-high heat, combine all the ingredients and bring to a boil.

4. Cover, reduce the heat, and simmer for 30 minutes.

5. Strain the vegetables and spices, and discard the solids.

6. Ladle the hot stock into the jars, leaving 1 inch of headspace.

7. Remove air bubbles, wipe rims, center the lids, and screw on the bands and adjust until they are fingertip tight. Place the jars in the canner.

8. Cover, vent, and pressurize the canner according to its manufacturer’s directions.

9. Process for 90 minutes at 10 pounds of pressure, adjusting for altitude. Remove the canner from the burner, and allow to cool before removing the jars.

People don’t just like chili; they love it. Fortunately, it’s a filling and economical meal that’s great for lunch or dinner in any season. This chili is especially hearty and will be a big hit with your chili fans.

1. Prepare your jars by bringing them to a boil in a large pot. Once they reach a boil, reduce the heat to low, and allow them to simmer until you’re ready to use them. Prepare the lids and bands by simmering (not boiling) them over low heat in a small saucepan.

2. Prepare your canner by filling it with 2 to 3 inches of water and bringing it to a boil over high heat.

3. Cut the beef chuck into ½-inch cubes, removing any sinew or extra fat.

4. Heat the oil in a large, heavy stockpot and lightly brown the meat. Add the onions and garlic, and continue to cook until the onions are slightly soft.

5. Add all of the seasoning and spices, and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the diced tomatoes, together with their juices.

6. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium, and simmer for 50 minutes, stirring occasionally.

7. Ladle the hot chili into the jars, leaving 1 inch of headspace.

8. Remove air bubbles, wipe rims, center the lids, and screw on the bands and adjust until they are fingertip tight. Place the jars in the canner.

9. Cover, vent, and pressurize the canner according to its manufacturer’s directions.

10. Process for 90 minutes at 10 pounds of pressure, adjusting for altitude. Remove the canner from the burner, and allow to cool before removing the jars.

Drying is one of the earliest methods of preserving food, and it’s a fairly simple process. Native Americans used it all the time to cure meat and preserve stores of food for winter use to keep from starving. This simple, effective method allows you to save food in a manner that’s delicious, portable, and lasting: exactly the traits that you’re looking for in survival situations. Little equipment is needed, and most of it you probably already own or can pick up for minimal cost. The secret to the way dry foods work is the moisture levels are so low that the organisms that spoil food are unable to live.

Drying is a great way to preserve your harvest. Dried fruits and vegetables are delicious, lightweight, easy to make, and packed with nutrition. One important thing about drying your own food is that it saves a great deal of space. For instance, you can store 16 to 20 dried tomatoes in one quart-sized jar or resealable bag.

Some people feel that drying doesn’t compare to canning or freezing, because it doesn’t quite preserve the texture, taste, appearance, or nutrition of the food. However, dried foods are great for nutrition on the go or for when other foods aren’t available. In cases of emergency, dry foods may be extremely helpful when frozen or refrigerated foods are unavailable. Many people concerned with emergency preparedness prefer dry foods because they take up little space and don’t require refrigeration.

Home drying methods largely depend upon what you’re drying; it can be done several ways. Some methods use an oven (so use a well-ventilated, dry space) and others use a dehydrator. Many people prefer drying by the sun, but it requires very hot, dry air. Basically it depends largely on location, climate, and what tools are available.

Drying isn’t hard, but it is time consuming. There are several different methods to choose from, with the top three described as follows.

Although the most popular method, oven drying is also the most expensive. It takes a lot of electricity or gas due to the long drying times. It also doesn’t have the best results flavor-wise. To use this method, preheat the oven to 145 degrees F, leaving the oven door open to allow constant circulation. You want the steam to be able to escape.

This is very popular and inexpensive, but the conditions have to be just right. To properly dehydrate food using the sun requires a minimum of three consecutive days of 95 degrees F temperature with extremely low humidity. This can be difficult to find depending on where you live. Also, not being able to control Mother Nature can prove difficult, too. So if this is feasible for your location, that’s great; if not, there are other methods to try.

Using a dehydrator costs very little and it is extremely efficient. It won’t heat up the house, but if you’re going to invest in one, go with one that has a temperature regulator so you can successfully dry a wider array of foods. Electric dehydration is more efficient than the oven. It works at low temperatures, which ensures the nutritional value of the food through the drying process. Simply follow the instructions manual for proper drying.

Even though it is relatively easy to find dried fruits and vegetables in the grocery stores, they are very expensive and often have preservatives that can be harmful. Besides, it’s fun to be creative in the kitchen, especially if you’re drying fruits and vegetables that you’ve grown yourself.

You can dry a wide variety of fruits, including apples, bananas, apricots, strawberries, blueberries, pears, peaches, and cherries. Dried fruits are generally leathery to crisp and may or may not be dipped in sugar or other seasonings to enhance flavors. You can also soak your fruits in flavored syrups if you’d like, although drying time may be significantly increased.

Here are a few initial basic steps:

• Pick fruit that is ripe but not overripe.

• Wash, pit, and slice fruit into uniform pieces to allow equal drying.

• If you want the color to stay intact, the fruit needs to be soaked in a mixture called a dip.

Dips prevent the loss of color in dried fruits. They also allow you to personalize your flavors. There are several different dips, but here are two favorites to get you started:

Honey Dip: This dip is good for tropical fruits such as bananas and pineapple. Simply mix together in a saucepan 1 cup of granulated sugar and 3 cups of water. Heat and stir until the sugar dissolves. Then add 1 cup of honey and stir until the honey is dissolved.

Ascorbic Acid Dip: This dip could be used for all fruit, but it works well with berries such as strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, etc. In a bowl, combine 5 crushed vitamin C tablets, 2 tablespoons of ascorbic acid, and ¼ cup of water. Stir until the vitamin C has dissolved.

Preparing your fruit is pretty simple, and the steps are specific to the fruit. Some of the most popular fruits to dry are apricots, peaches, apples, bananas, cherries, pears, strawberries, and blueberries. There are very few limitations as far as what you can dry.

Here are a few tips and caveats:

• For apricots, it works best to cut the fruit in half and turn inside out. They should be left to dry anywhere from 8 to 24 hours.

• Peaches need to be peeled and halved; they take 6 to 12 hours to dry.

• Apples need to be peeled and sliced into ¼-inch slices or rings; they take 6 to 12 hours to dry.

• Bananas have one of the most interesting flavors when dried. Peel them and slice into ¼-inch slices. Lay them flat on a sheet, and let them dry for 8 to 16 hours.

• Cherries need to be cut in half and dried for 18 to 26 hours, or until they get leathery (can take longer depending on the method and climate).

• Pears can be peeled and cut into ¼-inch slices. Dry for 6 to 20 hours.

• Strawberries need to be cut into ¼-inch slices, and they take approximately 6 to 16 hours to dry.

• Blueberries are simple; just lay them out on sheets and dry for 10 to 20 hours.

There are three ways to dry fruit: oven drying, solar drying, and electric dehydration. Drying does not necessarily mean applying heat to the fruit. Too much heat will draw the flavor and nutrition out of the fruit. When drying, the ideal temperature should stay between 120 and 140 degrees F. The fruit will take on a leathery appearance when fully dried.

• For oven drying, the temperature of the oven should be kept at less than 140 degrees F after the first hour. The last hour of drying is the most crucial. At this point, the fruit can easily burn and be ruined if the temperature is not closely monitored. Reduce temperatures dramatically during the last hour, and check on the fruit frequently for any signs of burning or overdrying. Feel free to taste a piece or two to check doneness. When the drying is completed, put the fruit in a pot or jar without a lid and leave in a dry, warm place for no longer than two weeks. Be sure to stir at least once a day.

• Sun drying is the most complicated method of the three but also the cheapest. It requires a climate with 95 to 100 degree F weather and low humidity. Other than that it’s fairly easy. Spread the slices of fruit on a screen for three to four days, and turn once a day. Also, it is very important to bring them inside at night to keep moisture from returning to the fruit, which can allow bacteria and mold to grow. Store them in a dry area with good circulation until morning.

• For dehydrators, simply follow the manufacturer’s instructions.

If you want to store your dried fruits long term, the best way is in the freezer. Simply store in a resealable bag or freezer jar, making sure it is airtight.

Another great way to store fruit is by making fruit leather. Fruit leather is basically smashed and liquidized fruit that is heated at high temperatures until boiling and then spread thinly on a large sheet pan and cooled. Instead of buying commercial fruit leather for your kids, you can make your own without added sugars and preservatives. Kids will love the idea of eating fruit they’ve grown at home, too. The following are some basic starter recipes for making homemade fruit leather.

Any vegetable that is going to be dried, with the exception of mushrooms, onions, and peppers, needs be washed, sliced, and blanched first. All the vegetables must be lined in a single layer on a cookie sheet or large tray to ensure even drying. All vegetables must be dried at 130 degrees F. If you dry them at too high or too low a temperature, the texture isn’t going to be right and you may ruin the entire batch of produce.

The process of drying vegetables is almost identical to drying fruits, except that you probably won’t use any sugar.

While you’re learning to dehydrate foods, it’s best to stick with common vegetables that are easily dried. Some of the best vegetables to start with include:

• Beets

• Broccoli

• Carrots

• Cauliflower

• Corn

• Green beans

• Mushrooms

• Onions

• Peas

• Potatoes

• Sweet peppers

• Tomatoes

• Zucchini

Now that you have a general list of veggies to start with, here are some quick and easy directions for drying these vegetables. Try them a few times, and experiment with flavors and spices. As long as you get them sufficiently dried, the worst thing that can happen is that you’ll need to season them when you’re cooking with them later.

• Beets are a bit messy, so wear gloves. Cook and peel beets, and cut into slices or ¼-inch pieces. They take 3 to 10 hours to dry completely, and they should be slightly leathery.

• Before drying green beans, wash them in cold water and break all the stems off. Break beans into approximately 1-inch pieces. Then they need to be blanched. Afterward, dry for about 6 to 12 hours. They should be brittle.

• Carrots are great to dry, but they get pretty tough. You can either shred them or slice them. Before cutting, wash carrots in cold water and then peel. Dry for 6 to 12 hours, until almost brittle.

• After washing cauliflower, cut into uniform florets, and dry for 6 to 14 hours.

• Corn is probably one of the most time-consuming to dry. First the corn must be dehusked and cleaned, blanched, and then cut off the cob. Try not to get any of the cob into the cuttings. Lay the corn out evenly on a tray or sheet and dry for 6 to 12 hours.

• Broccoli is very similar to cauliflower: wash, cut into florets, and then dry for 4 to 10 hours.

• Onions are very widely used in cooking and are extremely good to have on hand. They also take up lots of space, so drying them is a really efficient way to save space. Slice them about ¼ inch thick, and dry for 6 to 12 hours. They will be crisp when done.

• Mushrooms should not be cleaned with water—simply wipe off any dirt and then either slice or leave them whole, depending on the type of mushroom. The drying time is a bit different as well because mushrooms are sensitive to heat. They need to be dried at a temperature of 90 degrees F for 3 hours, and 125 degrees F for the rest of the drying time. Mushrooms have a total drying time of approximately 4 to 10 hours, until they are brittle.

• Peas are super easy. Blanch slightly, pour onto tray, and dry for 5 to 12 hours. Peas are great when added to a rice-cracker mix or trail mix.

• With a bit of salt, potatoes make a great dried snack. Slice the potatoes into extra-thin slices, and dry for 6 to 12 hours until crisp like a potato chip.

• Zucchini makes a tasty chip as well. Wash, slice thin, and dry for 5 to 10 hours. These should be brittle.

• Tomatoes are a bit more work. Dunk each tomato in boiling water; this will make the skin fall off easier. Peel and either quarter or slice. Dry for 6 to 12 hours until they are nice and crisp.

• Sweet peppers are delicious dried and having them pre-prepped for a meal is a huge time-saver. Remove all the seeds, and chop or leave whole (depends on the size of the pepper). They take about 5 to 12 hours to become leathery.

Dried herbs and spices are a great way to help you avoid food fatigue in an emergency situation. With just a handful of basic herbs, you can make dozens of different flavor profiles. When you combine that with different cooking methods, your diet will remain diverse, nutritious, and creative with just a few different ingredients.

Quality herbs in the store are atrociously expensive and rarely as rewarding as using fresh herbs. Plus, drying your own homegrown herbs is very easy and a great way to preserve your herbs if you’re not planning to grow them year round. They also make a great homestead gift.

Drying herbs is a slightly different process than for fruits and vegetables, but not by much. Mainly the cooking temperature and times change. You can use any of the three drying techniques mentioned earlier to dry herbs, too, but oftentimes, applying any heat to the herbs tends to rob them of their natural oils, which in turn, diminishes the flavor.

Air-drying herbs is not only the easiest and least-expensive way to dry fresh herbs, but this slow-drying process also doesn’t leach the herbs of their oils. This process works best with dryer herbs like bay leaf, dill, marjoram, oregano, rosemary, savory, and thyme. Moisture-rich herbs such as basil, chives, mint, and tarragon fare better in a dehydrator or by freezing.

If you are harvesting the herbs from your own garden, here are some tips:

• Pick them before flowering occurs (if you pick them often, flowering won’t occur).

• Picking is best done in the morning after the dew has dried, but before the sun wilts the herbs.

• Cut hydrated, healthy-looking branches from your herb plants. Remove any dry or possibly diseased leaves.

• Shake to remove any bugs.

• If necessary, rinse with cold water and dry with paper towels. Make sure to dry them well because wet herbs will mold and rot.

• Remove the lower leaves along the very bottom of the branch. Group four to six branches together and tie them with a rubber band. The groups will shrink as they dry, so they need to be tightened throughout the drying process or you will end up with a mess on the floor. Small groups are best for herbs with high moisture content.

• Punch or cut several holes in a paper bag, and label the bag with the name of the herb you are drying. Put the correct herb group upside down into the bag.

• Wrap the ends of the bag around the bundle, and tie it closed. Make sure the herbs are not too cramped inside the bag.

• Hang the bag upside down in a warm, well-circulated room.

Check in after about two weeks to see how things are progressing, but do not forget to tighten the bands every so often. After the initial check-in, keep checking weekly until the herbs are dry and ready to store.

Here are some tips on storing the dried herbs:

• Use small jars (baby food jars work great)

• Freeze them in a resealable bag or freezer jar with an airtight seal.

• Leaves are best left whole; crush when you are ready to use (for better flavor preservation).

• Keep a close eye, and discard any moldy leaves.

• Store the herbs in a dry, dark place away from sunlight.

• Use within a year for best results.

• A teaspoon of dried herbs is equal to a tablespoon of fresh herbs.

Although it’s outside the scope of this particular book, many different herbs can be used for healing and preventive medicine. Some are easy to grow and dry and may make the difference between life and death in a survival situation.

Even though you’ll need to collect a stockpile of any life-sustaining medications that you or a family member needs, there’s never a guarantee that something catastrophic won’t happen to eliminate your ability to obtain more. In preparation for that, you may want to learn about alternative natural treatments for any conditions that you may have. Maybe that sounds alarmist, but it never hurts to be prepared.

You can find many interesting and easy-to-read books on medicinal herbs on the Internet or at your local bookstore, and it’s recommended that you pick one of these up in paperback so that you have it in your bug-out bag or emergency kit.

Three factors have caused a sharp increase in home-drying meat in recent years. First and foremost, more and more people have become conscious of what’s in commercially prepared foods. They’re typically high in sodium, dyes, and chemical preservatives, making them nonviable as a healthy protein source. Rising grocery costs are another factor, and finally, people are beginning to worry about storing food for emergency situations.

Dehydrating meat is a wonderful way to preserve a nutritious, delicious, and portable source of quality protein. There are some guidelines that you need to follow, however, to dehydrate your meat safely:

As with any food product, there are pathogens present in meat that can be harmful or even lethal if consumed. The big ones you have to worry about in meat products include Escherichia coli, Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella, and Staphylococcus aureus. If you’ve ever suffered from food poisoning, you know that even a mild dose of these pathogens is extremely unpleasant, to say the least. At worst, it can kill you, so make sure that you follow safety guidelines above carefully when drying meat.

Basically, use your head. Many of these tips are simple common sense, and you can greatly increase the safety of drying your meat just by observing standard food handling safety practices.

This is the important part: if you don’t dry your meat at the proper temperature for the right amount of time, it’s not going to be properly preserved. As already discussed, you run the risk of foodborne pathogens, but it may also simply mold if you don’t dry it long enough, or become tasteless and brittle if you dry it for too long. Here are some tips:

• Use a dehydrator with a temperature setting, and dry your meat at 140 degrees F for the recommended time.

• To visually test for doneness, bend the meat. If you can see moisture glistening inside it, it isn’t done.

• Dry the meat to an internal temperature of 160 degrees F. To test a batch, create one piece of “test” meat that’s a little thicker than the rest. Once that piece reaches that temperature, then the others will have as well.

The best way to preserve your meat for long-term storage is to dry-can it or vacuum-pack it. Otherwise, it’s good for only a couple of weeks after dehydration. Before you do either though, there’s a moisture test that you need to conduct to make sure that the meat is dry enough. Place a few strips in a jar or in a sealed bag, and let them sit for a few hours, up to 24 hours. If there is condensation in the bag, the meat isn’t dry enough and you need to put it back in the dehydrator.

If you’re going to eat the meat within a couple of weeks, you can store it at room temperature in a sealed container for up to 2 weeks as long as it’s properly dried. If you’d like to make it part of your emergency food supply, however, you need to either dry-can it or vacuum-pack it to keep it for longer than a couple of weeks. The next chapter has more on dry canning and vacuuming packing.

You’ve worked hard to can or dry your food, and it would be a shame to waste all of that effort by not storing your foods in a manner conducive to extending their shelf life. Three factors play a huge role in how well your foods will stand the test of time: temperature, temperature fluctuation, and humidity. If you’ve dried or preserved your foods properly, humidity shouldn’t be much of an issue, but that still leaves temperature.

There’s a reason why cellars are often underground or built into the side of a hill: those places maintain a constant, cool temperature that’s conducive to extending the shelf life of practically all foods. As a matter of fact, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) states that when storing seeds, each 10 degrees of temperature drop doubles the shelf life of seeds. This applies to food, too, at least to a certain degree.

Temperature fluctuation has a huge effect, too. Foods that are warmed and cooled several times will change color and even flavor and texture. Nutritional value is lost, too, and if it becomes warm enough to affect the seals on canned goods, you may lose your food to spoilage. Since light alters temperature, it’s best to make sure that your storage place is dark.

To put it in a nutshell, store your foods in a cool, dark place that doesn’t have temperature fluctuations if you want to get the longest shelf life possible. It’s still important to rotate your emergency food supply, too.

There are a couple of additional things that you can do to preserve your hard work. Dehydrated foods are great, but as mentioned previously, they still have a limited shelf life. To preserve them for much longer periods, you can opt to dry-can them or vacuum-pack them.

Dry-canning is super simple and requires only an oven. It’s a great way to preserve dry goods for even longer than what the original shelf life is. As a matter of fact, when dry-canned properly, goods can last for as long as 20 years. This is a great way to save a lot of money when building your emergency food supply, because you can buy in bulk and can your goods in portions that won’t go bad. It also makes sharing and bartering easier in survivalist situations. Just a few foods that can be dry-canned include:

• Jerky

• Dried fruits and veggies

• Flour

• Rice

• Potato flakes

• Cake mixes

• Cornmeal

• Any other dry food with a low moisture content

Dry-canning kills any bugs or eggs that may be in the flour and seals the product so that it’s impervious to any kind of infestation or even damage caused by exposure to moisture or humid conditions. All that you need are your jars, seals, bands, and an oven.

High-fat foods such as nuts can’t be dry-canned, because the fat goes rancid. If you’re dry-canning dehydrated foods, make sure they’re properly dried to eliminate as much moisture as possible from the product.

This is an extremely simple process. Follow your jar-prepping procedures by making sure that your jars are sterile, but make sure that for this process they’re also dry. Moisture in the jar can be absorbed by the dry product and cause spoilage. Follow these easy steps to ensure success.

Now you know how to dry-can and have yet another food storage option to help you quickly build an emergency food supply.

Dry-canning butter is a simple process and will be something that you’ll really thank yourself for in an emergency situation. Not only will it be a great cooking ingredient, but also it will be good for bartering because it’s a luxury item that most people won’t think to stock. Use full-fat, good-quality butter; this is one of those times that it just won’t do to cut corners. If you can get fresh organic butter, that’s even better. Storing in half-pint jars may be best if there are just a few people in your family, because it will begin to go rancid quickly without refrigeration.

1. Heat your jars in the oven at 250 degrees F for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare lids and bands by simmering them over low heat in a small saucepan.

2. Melt the butter over low to medium heat. Each half-pint will hold about ½ pound of butter.

3. Pour the butter into the jars using a funnel and perhaps a ladle.

4. Remove air bubbles, wipe rims, center the lids, and screw on the bands and adjust until they are fingertip tight.

5. Add the lids and bands. Tighten fingertip tight. Jars will seal as the butter cools. When jars are room temperature, put in the fridge or someplace cool so that the butter solidifies, and then store in a cool, dry place out of the sunlight. As long as it seals, it will be good for up to 3 years.

Yields ½ pound of butter per half-pint jar.

The enemies of dried foods are moisture and air. The previous section discussed how valuable dry-canning can be to combat moisture and air, but what if you need to leave in a hurry or don’t have a lot of space for storing food? You may want to consider vacuum-packing. You’ll need a vacuum-packing machine and bags. Here are some tips to get you started:

If a food needs refrigeration prior to vacuum-packing, it’s going to need refrigeration afterward as well.

Before you vacuum-pack your dried foods, do the moisture test on them: Place them in a jar with a lid or in a resealable bag for a few hours. If there’s condensation, the food isn’t dry enough and should be dehydrated some more. Spoilage is still an issue.

Foods high in oil such as nuts will still go rancid even if you vacuum-pack them.

Vacuum-pack single servings or daily servings only. Once they’re open, the spoilage clock is ticking.

Make sure that all the air that you can possibly get out of the bag is out.

Vacuum-packing food is a fairly simple process but will vary slightly depending upon your vacuum-packing machine and bags. In general, however, all that you’ll need to do is put the food in the bag and seal it according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Date it and store in a cool, dry place until you’re ready to use. Remember to rotate your stock and follow storage directions.

One final point that is important to maintaining a good emergency food supply is proper rotation. To ensure that the older foods are being eaten first, date everything and place the newest food in the rear of your supply. That way, all you have to do when you access your stored foods is take the product that’s in front. And it’s one more way to make sure that your hard work isn’t wasted. After all, even food that you prepare yourself isn’t cheap, and wasting is an expensive proposition.

Bread is a staple survival food; it helps fill you up and provides valuable carbs for energy. All of these breads can be baked or fried, and you can also add herbs, seasonings, or chopped fruits or vegetables to them if you’d like.

This can be used for anything from desserts to potpies and is a quick, easy source of flavor, fat, and carbs. Use your canned butter (see the chapter on dry canning) and dry goods.

1. Combine the flour and salt in a bowl, and then cut in the butter until it is spread throughout the flour in pea-sized chunks.

2. Add 4 tablespoons of the water and combine gently. If it’s too dry to hold a ball shape, add the other tablespoon of water until the pie dough forms without being sticky. If it gets too sticky, just add a sprinkle of flour.

3. Separate into two balls. When ready to use it, lightly flour a surface and roll 1 dough ball out with a glass, a bottle, or a rolling pin, if you have one, to desired thickness. Use immediately.

Yields 2 piecrusts.

It’s not fancy, but it will do.

• oil for skillet

1. Mix the flour, salt, and baking powder together in a bowl, and cut in the shortening until it resembles pea-sized crumble.

2. Add the liquid a little at a time until the dough is kneadable but not sticky.

3. Lightly oil an iron skillet and heat over medium fire. Drop the dough into the skillet, and fry on each side until brown.

Yields about 4.

1. Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl, and heat a greased skillet over medium fire. Your batter should be thin but not runny—similar to pancake batter. If it’s too thin, add a bit more cornmeal. If it’s too thick, add a little more water.

2. Pour by the quarter cup into the skillet, and fry for about 2 minutes or until the cake starts to look dry on top and is brown on the bottom. Flip and fry for 1 minute or until bottom is brown. Remove from the fire and eat.

3. These will store for a few days without refrigeration if you seal them up to keep them from drying out.

Yields about 6 cakes.

If you use gelatin, this loaf of bread has all of the macronutrients that one adult needs in a day. It’s lacking in vitamins and minerals, however, so you can survive on it temporarily, but you won’t thrive long-term.

1. Put the water and honey in a saucepan, and add gelatin, if you’re using it. Heat over medium fire until dissolved. Remove from the heat, and add the oats, sugar, and milk to the liquid. If the mixture is too dry to shape, add more water a few drops at a time. If it’s too wet, add a little more oatmeal.

2. Shape into a flat loaf or a few individual bars, and bake in a skillet over medium fire for 15–20 minutes. Allow to cool, and store in foil or a resealable bag.

Yields 5 servings.

For the milk and eggs, you can use reconstituted powder or the real thing, depending upon what you have.

1. Preheat a Dutch oven over medium fire.

2. Combine all the dry ingredients in a bowl, then add the remaining ingredients and stir until combined. The batter may be slightly lumpy.

3. Pour into the hot Dutch oven and cover. Bake for 20 minutes over medium fire or until brown and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

Yields about 9 servings or 18 slices.

1. Combine the flour and salt in a bowl. Add the water and butter, and stir until combined.

2. Turn out on a floured surface and knead until a malleable dough forms. Divide into 2-inch balls.

3. Roll a ball out into a strip, and sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon. Fold it onto itself, and roll again until it’s a thin strip.

4. Place in a hot greased skillet, and fry for 30 seconds on each side, or until brown.

5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 until all the balls are fried.

Yields about 10 pieces.

• Oil for skillet

1. Mix the flour, salt, and herbs in a bowl. Add the oil or butter, and mix until there are pea-sized crumbles. Then add the water and stir.

2. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead until dough is smooth and elastic. Allow to rise for 45 minutes or so.

3. Divide into 2-inch balls and roll out flat.

4. Fry in a hot, greased skillet until browned on both sides.

Yields about 10 pieces.

1. Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl, then add the warm water ½ cup at a time until a dough is formed. Knead the mixture until it’s not sticky, adding a bit more flour if necessary.

2. Divide into 2-inch balls. Roll out each ball as thin as possible, and fry on a hot, greased griddle or iron skillet. Brown on both sides.

Yields about 10 slices.

• 4 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 2 tablespoons baking powder

• ½ cup shortening or lard

• 1½ cups buttermilk, water, fresh milk, or reconstituted powdered milk

• Oil for Dutch oven

1. Heat a Dutch oven over medium fire.

2. Mix together the dry ingredients in a bowl, then cut in the shortening until the mixture is crumbly. Add the liquid and stir just until mixed. Don’t overstir, or the biscuits will be tough.

3. If you’d like, you can roll them out on a floured surface and cut them, or you can just drop the dough in uniform chunks into the greased Dutch oven.

4. Bake for 15–20 minutes with the lid on or until the biscuits are browned.

Yields about 8–10 biscuits.

Surviving a disaster, especially a long-term one, depends largely on morale. Sometimes you need a bit of a treat, and this easy-to-make bread fits the bill.

Breakfast is arguably the most important meal of the day, especially in a situation where you’re burning calories rapidly. These recipes are simple to make, delicious, and nutritious. When prepping for a disaster situation, be sure to stock coffee, powdered milk, powdered eggs, and plenty of dried goods.

Chances are good that you’re not going to have your electric espresso maker, so here’s a great way to make a pot of coffee in a pan.

1. Spoon the coffee in a filter, fold the filter in half, and run a needle and thread around the edges of the filter, sewing it together. Pull the string tight and tie it so that the filter becomes a coffee pouch.

2. Combine the water and salt in a saucepan and bring it to a boil. Drop the pouch in. Boil for 5 minutes, give or take 1 minute, depending on how strong you want your coffee.

Yields 1 cup.

1. Heat a Dutch oven or large greased iron skillet over medium fire. Add the sausage and cook until browned, then add the potatoes.

2. When the sausage is done, beat the eggs and add them to the sausage and potatoes. Toss in the salt and pepper, along with any vegetables. Cook, stirring every couple of minutes, until done.

Yields 6 servings.

This is just a base recipe. You can make it just like it is, or feel free to add orange peel, bananas, blueberries, nuts, or anything else that you’d like to have in them.

1. Preheat a Dutch oven over medium fire.

2. Combine all the dry ingredients, then add the milk, eggs, and butter. Stir until moist, but don’t overstir, or your muffins will be tough. Add the fruit or other optional items, and fold into the batter.

3. Pour the batter into the Dutch oven, and cook covered for 15–20 minutes or until brown and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

4. Remove the Dutch oven from the heat. Allow to cool uncovered, then slice it into squares.

Yields about 8 servings.

1. Preheat a Dutch oven over medium fire.

2. Combine the fruit and sugar in a medium bowl.

3. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, oats, brown sugar, and butter until a crumble forms.

4. Mix fruit and sugar into the crumble, and spread in the bottom of a Dutch oven. Bake covered for 25 minutes or until the crumble is brown and the fruit is bubbly.

Yields about 6 servings.

1. Preheat a Dutch oven over medium fire.

2. Combine the peaches, sugar, cinnamon, and allspice in a medium bowl, and set aside.

3. In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, milk, and salt. It should be similar to the consistency of pancake batter. If not, add a bit more flour or milk as needed.

4. Put the peaches in a Dutch oven and drizzle the flour batter over it. Bake covered for 25–30 minutes or until the batter is golden brown on top.

Yields about 6 servings.

1. Combine the flour, salt, and baking soda in a medium bowl. Then mix in the eggs and oil. Stir just until combined; if you overstir, the flapjacks will be tough. Fold in the blueberries.

2. Pour by the quarter cup onto a hot, greased iron skillet or griddle over medium fire. Fry until the top is beginning to look dry and then flip, about 2 minutes. Brown the second side and remove from the heat. Repeat until the batter is gone.

Yields about 10 flapjacks.

1. Combine all the ingredients in a bowl.

2. Drop the mixture by quarter cups onto a hot greased skillet over medium fire. Brown on one side, about 2 minutes, and then flip and brown on the other side.

3. Serve with maple syrup or your choice of jam or jelly.

Yields about 6 cakes.

• 2 cups fresh or canned shredded potatoes

• ½ cup onion

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon black pepper

• ½ teaspoon dried rosemary (optional)

• Oil for skillet

1. Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl, and preheat a greased iron skillet over medium fire.

2. Fry until brown and crispy, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes.

Yields 4 servings.

Fritters:

1. Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, and allspice in a bowl.

2. Add the eggs and milk, and stir until combined.

3. Preheat the oil in an iron skillet, and drop the batter by tablespoons into the oil. Fry until brown, turning as necessary. Remove from grease and drain on a towel.

This is great to have premixed in a resealable bag for portability.

1. Bring water to a boil.

2. Combine the rest of the ingredients in a heatproof bowl, and pour the boiling water over it.

3. Let stand for a few minutes, until the rice is tender.

Yields 1 serving.

This is another great recipe to add to your bug-out bag. Just add water when on the trail. In a pinch, you can even eat it dry.

1. Bring the water to a boil.

2. Combine the dry ingredients in a heatproof bowl or cup. Pour the boiling water over it, and stir until the oatmeal is wet.

3. Let steep for 1 minute until oats are soft, and enjoy.

Yields 1 serving.

A coffee can is a great emergency cooking vessel. You can make everything from coffee to soup and bread in it.

1. Crack the eggs into the coffee can, and whisk with a spoon. Add the Spam, potatoes, salt, and pepper.

2. Place on the cooking rack or right in the outside ashes of the fire. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. Remove from the fire and transfer to a plate, or let the can cool for a couple of minutes and eat it right out of the can.

Yields 1 serving.

1. Fry the sausage in an iron skillet, and then sprinkle the flour over it, stirring until the flour coats the sausage and browns. Be careful not to let it burn, because the gravy will taste singed.

2. Slowly add the water, ½ cup at a time, stirring vigorously and constantly to avoid lumps. Add the milk last, if you choose to use it. Taste and add salt and pepper as necessary.

3. Serve over Dutch Oven Biscuits (recipe provided earlier) or scrambled eggs.

Yields about 4 cups.

1. Add the corned beef to a preheated greased skillet over medium fire, using a wooden spoon to break it up into crumbles. Add the diced potatoes, onion, salt, and pepper.

2. Fry until brown and crisp. You may choose to let it stay in large chunks or just keep stirring it, breaking it up.

3. Taste and season as necessary. The corned beef is going to be salty, so make you sure to taste it before adding too much salt.

Yields 2 servings.

1. Grease a Dutch oven and preheat over medium fire.

2. Mix the flour and sugar in a bowl, then add the buttermilk, butter, and egg.

3. Gently fold in the berries just enough to moisten them. Don’t stir too much, or you’ll smash the berries and make the cake tough.

4. Pour the batter into the Dutch oven, and bake covered for 20 minutes. When a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, the cake is done.

Yields about 6 servings.

Survival cooking is all about cooking stick-to-your-ribs food without wasting anything. This recipe will do just that, and it’s delicious, too!

1. Preheat a Dutch oven over medium fire.

2. Beat the eggs in a medium bowl and whip in the milk until combined. Add the melted butter, allspice, and vanilla.

3. Put the bread into the Dutch oven, and pour the egg and milk mixture over it along with the raisins. Mix until the bread is moistened.

4. Cover and bake for 45 minutes or until the bread pudding is no longer soggy.

Yields about 8 servings.

One of the easiest and least resource-consuming ways to feed a group of people is to make a nice pot of stew or soup. It’s filling and nutritious, and it uses only a few dishes. All you really need is a Dutch oven or a large pot and a ladle.

You can make this roast with just about any red meat, including beef, venison, bison, elk, moose, or any other game. If you use wild game, be sure to take the blue membrane off the roast prior to cooking to remove the gamey flavor. Also, if you’d like to make this using canned veggies, just wait to add them until the last 40 minutes or so; that way, they don’t turn to mush.

1. Heat the Dutch oven over medium fire and add the oil.

2. Salt and pepper the roast.

3. Toss the potatoes, carrots, and onions into the hot oil to brown them, then remove them. Add the meat and brown it on both sides, then remove it.

4. Deglaze the Dutch oven with the water or broth (or if you have it, throw in the red wine). Scrape all of that brown goodness off the bottom of the pan.

5. Add the meat and veggies back in along with the herbs. Cover and cook for about 3 hours.

Yields about 6 servings.

Again, you can use any red meat that you’d like. The venison just makes this extra delicious.

1. Add all the ingredients except the meat and flour into a Dutch oven over medium fire. Don’t waste the liquid that the veggies were canned in—use it as liquid in the stew to flavor it. Cook at a rolling boil for 30 minutes.

2. Add the flour to the meat, and toss to coat. Add to the stew mix, and simmer for another 15 minutes so that the stew thickens.

3. Let set for 10 minutes to cool, and serve.

Yields about 9 servings.

1. Combine all the ingredients except the pasta in a Dutch oven over medium fire. Bring to a rolling boil for 30 minutes, then add the pasta.

2. Boil for another 20–25 minutes or until the pasta is done.

3. Let it cool for 15 minutes, and enjoy.

Yields about 8 servings.

1. Soak the dried beans in water overnight.

2. Drain the beans, and put them in a Dutch oven over medium fire along with 2 quarts of water, the ham hock, salt, and pepper. Cook for 2–3 hours at a rolling boil. Add water as needed to keep everything covered.

3. After the beans have cooked for a couple of hours and are tender, remove the ham hock and add the chopped ham. Cook for 20 more minutes or until ham is hot and broth has thickened a bit.

Yields about 6 servings.

1. Shred the chicken, and put all the ingredients in a Dutch oven over medium fire.

2. Boil for 1 hour or until the rice is tender.

Yields about 6 servings.

1. Brown the meat in a Dutch oven over medium fire and drain.

2. Add the veggies and brown lightly.

3. Add the rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil.

4. Once the stew is boiling, reduce to a simmer and keep simmering until the cabbage is tender and the flavors are melded, about 40 minutes.

Yields about 6 servings.

1. Drain and shred the chicken.

2. Add the butter, onions, chili peppers, and chicken to a Dutch oven over medium fire, and cook until browned.

3. Add the rest of the ingredients, and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 1 hour or until the flavors are melded.

Yields about 8 servings.

1. Mix the flour, milk, and ½ teaspoon of the salt in a small bowl and set aside. It should be a slurry. If not, add a bit more milk.

2. Brown the chicken in a Dutch oven over medium fire, then add the broth and deglaze the pan. Dissolve the bouillon cubes in the broth. Put the chicken back in, and add the peas, carrots, 1 teaspoon of salt, and pepper.

3. Pour the flour slurry over the top of the chicken mixture, and bake for 30 minutes or until it’s bubbly and the biscuit topping is brown.

Yields about 4 servings.

1. Toss the beef tips in the flour, then cook the beef, onions, carrots, and celery in a Dutch oven over medium fire until the beef is rare but browned on all sides.

2. Add the water and seasonings, and simmer for 1–2 hours or until the meat is tender.

3. Add the potatoes, tomatoes, and bay leaf, and return to a simmer until the veggies are tender.

4. Remove from the heat, remove the bay leaf, and allow to rest for 10 minutes.

Yields about 6 servings.

This can be made with any chicken, fish, or seafood that you have available.

1. Sauté the ham, celery, and onion in a Dutch oven over medium fire until soft.

2. Add the tomatoes, okra (with the water it’s canned in), garlic powder, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and a bit more water if needed. Bring to a boil and taste. Add salt if needed.

3. Add the fish chunks and boil until they’re tender, about 15 minutes. Add the filé powder or the flour slurry and Cajun seasoning. Stir well and remove from heat. Allow to sit for 10 minutes and serve.

Yields about 4 servings.

Nutritious, quick, and tasty, this meal doesn’t take much effort and is made of simple, readily available ingredients.

1. Brown the ground beef, onion, salt, and pepper in a large iron skillet over medium fire.

2. Add the potatoes and cook until they’re tender and brown.

3. Add the rest of the ingredients and cook until hot.

4. Eat either by itself or with bread if you have it.

Yields about 4 servings.

If you’d like to make this a breakfast meal, simply serve it over biscuits and add a fried egg or two on top of the entire dish. It’s also great to eat either alone or over bread or biscuits.

1. Melt the butter in an iron skillet over medium fire. Toss in the potatoes, salt, and pepper, and brown. Be careful not to add too much salt because the dried beef is salty.

2. Sprinkle the flour over the potatoes and stir until it starts to brown. Add the water slowly and stir. It will get thick at first, but stir well before adding more water so that you don’t get lumps. Add the milk.

3. Add the dried beef and allow to simmer slowly for 5 minutes. If it’s too thick, add a bit more water or milk.

Yields about 4 servings.

This is a quick, easy recipe to make, and ramen is inexpensive, lasts practically forever, and should be a part of your emergency food supply.

1. Boil the ramen noodles per the package’s instructions without adding the seasoning packs. Drain.

2. While you’re waiting for the noodles to cook, brown the onion in a large iron skillet over medium fire.

3. Add the chicken, peas, green beans, mushrooms, and bell pepper, if you’re using it. Heat them up, and then add the ramen noodles, seasoning from the ramen packs, and soy sauce. (Using low-sodium soy sauce prevents the need of excess water.) Stir just enough to mix and reheat the ramen.

Yields about 4 servings.

1. Preheat a large, greased iron skillet over medium fire. Rub the salt and pepper on the steaks, and sear in the skillet until they’re cooked the way you like them. Remove and set aside.

2. Deglaze the skillet with the water, then add the rest of the ingredients. Bring to a quick simmer and remove from the fire.

3. Place the steaks on a plate, and ladle the gravy over them.

Yields about 5 servings.

1. Combine the flour, lemon-pepper seasoning, and salt. Drain the chicken broth into a medium saucepan and add water if necessary to make 2 cups. Bring to a boil and add the rice. Follow the instant rice cooking directions.

2. Preheat a large iron skillet with the butter or oil in it.

3. Drizzle the honey water over the chicken breasts, and toss gently to coat. Roll each breast in the flour mixture, and place gently into the skillet. Fry on both sides until chicken is done and browned.

4. Serve the chicken over the rice.

Yields about 4 servings.

1. Combine the fish, oatmeal, salt, lemon-pepper seasoning, and egg in a bowl, and mix well.

2. Preheat a large iron skillet with the butter or oil in it over medium fire.

3. Roll the fish mixture into 1½-inch balls and place them in the hot skillet. Brown each side of the balls well.

4. Remove from the heat and place on a plate. Serve immediately.

Yields about 15 balls.

This is a great side dish to carry with you in your pack. You can mix up the dry ingredients, and put single servings in resealable plastic bags. Otherwise, make it as directed.

1. Bring the water and bouillon cubes to a boil in a Dutch oven over medium fire and remove from the fire.

2. Add all the other ingredients and cover.

3. Let sit covered for 5 minutes or until the rice is tender.

Yields 4 servings.

1. Cut the sweet potatoes into wedges, and put them in a bowl. Drizzle the oil over them, and sprinkle with the salt, pepper, and rosemary. Toss to combine.

2. Preheat a greased iron skillet over medium fire. Fry the wedges, browning on each side until tender. Remove from the heat and serve immediately.

Yields 4 servings.

1. Preheat a greased iron skillet over medium fire.

2. Add all the ingredients and fry until the cabbage and onions are tender.

Yields about 6 servings.

A sourdough starter is a survivalist’s best friend; from it, you can make myriad delicious breads and dessert recipes. It doesn’t require yeast, and if you keep it going, you can use the same starter for years.

1. Put the flour in a glass container. Add the water and stir together until mixed. Cover mixture with a towel and set it in a warm place. Make sure that it isn’t too hot and there aren’t any drafts that will chill the mixture.

2. In 4–6 days, you’ll notice that it’s bubbling and smelling wonderfully yeasty. It’s now ready. Keep it going by stirring in 2 cups of flour and about ¾ cup of lukewarm water whenever you use a cup of the starter.

Yields 1 batch of starter.

It may seem now that if you’re in a survival situation, you won’t be worrying much about smelling good. That may be true for the first few days. After that, however, the niceties will become luxuries to you. If you talk to survivors of great disasters or war, they will tell you that often even small amounts of deodorant, shampoo, or toothpaste were more valuable than food.

Although you probably won’t have access to many of these ingredients post-disaster, they’re great to make and keep in your emergency supply for both personal use and for barter. They’re all chemical-free and actually good for you, so making your own is just one more way to be healthier and less dependent upon commercial substances.

You’ll note that coconut oil is a key component in several of these, and though it’s a little expensive, its health benefits are amazing. Since it has antibacterial and antimicrobial properties, it’s a great base for many personal hygiene products. Use organic, unrefined oil when possible. If you don’t want the coconut smell, use expeller-pressed oil so it doesn’t lose its efficacy through heating.

Coconut oil hovers between liquid and solid at room temperature, so it will probably be a bit liquid once you start working with it. That’s normal. Although this isn’t an antiperspirant, once you wear it for a while and your body becomes accustomed to not depending on chemical inhibitors, you’ll notice that you won’t produce as much underarm sweat.

1. Combine the arrowroot and baking soda, and then add the coconut oil 1 tablespoon at a time until a nice thick paste forms, similar to store-bought deodorant.

2. Store in a jar or other container, and just smooth a teaspoon or two under each armpit.

Yields about 1 cup.

These are similar to bars of soap, but when you rub it on your skin, it leaves a nice layer of moisturizer. Feel free to add essential oils for health or scent properties. These have a nice coconut, nutty scent just the way they are.

1. Line a muffin pan with parchment paper, or use mini loaf pans lined with plastic wrap or parchment paper. You could also use soap molds or basically any kind of container you’d like to use to shape these bars.

2. Combine all the ingredients except the essential oils in a glass canning jar, and place it in a pan of warm water. Heat over medium fire until the water is starting to simmer, and then remove from the heat. Stir mixture and let it warm to the point of melting. When liquefied, stir well and then add the essential oil.

3. Pour into your molds and allow to cool completely before removing. Store in resealable plastic bags or airtight plastic containers.

4. When you want to use a lotion bar, just run it over your skin for a nice layer of moisturizing lotion.

Yields about 3 bars, using muffin tins filled halfway.

This ointment is all-natural and has antibacterial, antifungal, antibiotic, antiviral, and analgesic properties.

1. Combine all the ingredients, warming slightly to liquefy the mixture so the oils meld.

2. Store in an airtight tin or jar, and use on cuts, skin irritations, or any other condition that requires a salve.

Yields about 1½ cups.

1. Combine all the ingredients and store in an airtight tin in a cool, dry place. Apply as often as necessary.

Yields about 3 tablespoons.

Many people don’t know it, but salt is one of the best disinfectants you can use. It also helps remove food particles and buildup from your teeth.

1. Combine baking soda, salt, and extract with enough water to create the consistency of toothpaste.

2. Store in an airtight tin or jar. Use like regular toothpaste.

Yields about ½ cup.