Now that the holiday rush is past, I can get to making up some pantry provisions I've been waiting on.

I got the Big Chief smoker I asked for this Christmas (only cost me $120 via Cabelas). I've got 3 15 lb pork shoulders in the deep freeze so I plan on making 3 batches of snack stix. If time allows, I may also crank out 5 or 6 salami logs from the 1/4 beef I just bought. That should free up some freezer space.

While the sausage is busy smoking, I saw some good produce sales in the Wednesday supermarket flyers. I will try and dehydrate 10 lbs each of Zuchini, peaches, pears, carrots, celery and onions. That will probably take me the better part of a week, but should fill most of my plastic containers up. I also saw someone is selling fuji apples at $1 per lb, and blueberries and blackberries were also on sale. I will need some stay fresh (ascorbic acid) to keep most of it from discoloring during the process. I am keeping an eye out for when bananas go on sale and will buy up and dehydrate a bunch of those.

Sometimes it isn't so convenient to take the time to put up provisions like this, but you have to take advantage of the deals as they come, and it is a waste of time to buy product and not process it right away, unless you can freeze it as with the meat for later use. I try to process the fruits and vegetables the same day I get them so as to preserve their quality.

Some day I am going to get back into canning my own food again. It can be laborious, but then again so is butchering an elk.

If I can't dehydrate the fruits and veggies right away, then I will blanch them and freeze them, lacking a setup for canning right now. Dehydrated, they will go into airtight containers in the pantry for 6 months or more without much care or worry. I like to dehydrate as completely as possible. In some cases, as with the zucchinni, it greatly intensifies the flavor.

As for the Salmonella, I wash all my produce thoroughly before processing. I also try and get it from reliable sources (local markets with a solid reputation). Salmonella outbreaks happen far too often to worry me. By the time we find out, the exposure is already widespread, and any exposure I might have is likely already manifest. Even in my own garden there are risks that require precautions. Oh, if only we could irradiate our produce...

In any case, the stuff I dehydrate doesn't get eaten without being rehydrated and cooked later on, so even if it is contaminated, it should be processed enough by the time it is consumed to be safe.

I knock on wood, but in the twenty+ years I've been cooking for my family, friends, and the general public I have yet to make anyone sick that I am aware of. Good kitchen practices, even at elk camp, eliminate a lot of risk.

I just got a dehydrator for Christmas and I'm looking forward to drying some vegetables. I am thinking about making some different mixes for different soups with all the salt/pepper/herbs/spices included, then put everything into ziplocks. Ideally, I could just put it all into a pot, add water, and voila!!

Has anyone created any soup mixtures like that?

We put together some various dried beans with bullion cubes and other seasonings in mason jars as Christmas gifts a couple of years back.

Some of the folks said it was pretty good.

Works pretty good with a crockpot. Just start it in the morning with a little ham, etc and when you get home supper's ready except for fixing a pot of rice or a pan of cornbread to put the beans over.

Do you blanche produce and fruit before drying or just slice it up?

Sam When's dinner me and the family will be right over LOL

If y'all are coming in from Utah, I'll put the crock pot on sloooooow cook!

Beans and cornbread, what makes America strong!

And malodorous.


Inspires me to cook a batch this weekend, thanks samhain............

Do any of you guys deliver?

Sue

Yes, I make my own Individual serving vacuum sealed dried veggie aoup mixes (I'm on a low salt kick, and after several months of low salt eating, most pasckaged soups are way to salty for me). I also do tomato leathers for making sauces while camping and for emergency use