Methods
Methods of treating food to delay the decline of food so they can be stored for longer periods of time
Food Preservation
What is the shelf life of dried foods?
4 months to 1 year
What is the shelf life of smoked foods?
3-4 days. Freezer is best for long term storage.
How is fermented food stored?
The best place to store fermenting foods is in a cold storage that is between 32-50 degrees Fahrenheit.
True or False. Pickling involves using an acidic liquid, like vinegar, to prepare it.
True
Used in colder climates where food could be stored at 3-10 degrees C. Ice boxes replaced root cellars in the mid 1800s
Cold Storage
How are dried foods stored?
In cool, dry, dark areas. Best if it's under 60 degrees Fahrenheit. Low temperatures extend shelf life.
How do you prepare food to be smoked?
Add wood chips to a fire to give it a smokey flavor. Cook over fire.
What is the shelf life when you ferment a food?
From 3 months to 2 years.
What types of foods can you preserve using pickling?
Fruits, vegetables, eggs, or meats.
Used to preserve fruits for the winter. Very expensive
Sugaring
True or False: Lower temperature = shorter storage time.
False. The higher the temperature the shorter the storage time.
How is smoked/cured food stored?
In the fridge within 2 hours of removing from smoker, or store meats in cool, dry place where the temperature is consistent.
What foods can be prepared?
Yogurt, tofu, sourdough bread, and miso.
Do you need to sterilize a jar when pickling?
Yes
Removes oxygen from the food
What does drying do?
It removes moisture from food using things like a dehydrator, oven, or air drying.
What is smoking/curing?
The process of cooking, flavoring, or preserving food by exposing it to smoke from a burning or smoldering material, most often wood.
What is fermenting?
The chemical breakdown caused by microorganisms such as bacteria or yeast. This typically involves effervescence and heat.
True or False: The shelf life of a something that has been pickled, when closed, is 3 months.
The process of flavoring, browning, cooking, or preserving food by exposing it to smoke from burning or smoldering material, most often wood.
Smoking
How are dried foods prepared?
Make sure they are fresh and fully ripe. Clean thoroughly. Discard any damaged foods because it can affect the drying process. Dry at 140 degrees Fahrenheit in an oven or dehydrator.
What are some foods you can smoke?
Ham, pork, roast. Mainly proteins.
How is food prepared when fermenting?
Must be very clean and sanitize everything, and make sure there is no mold.
True or False: pickling increases the salt content and increases the vitamin content in the food.
False. It increases the salt content and Reduces the vitamin content.