Actually, salted meat as you describe it, is still a very traditional food in my home province.(Its in a brine opposed to dry salt) The meat is soaked overnight, rinsed and then placed in a pot to boil with all the vegetables where the residual salt flavours the veg. Its called a "Newfie" or "Jiggs" dinner.

I am afraid to say how I preserve fish and meat by using sea salt as I am sure you will all pounce on me like wild cats to start lecturing me on heart attacks

Maybe someone hit the nail on the head when they said I may be lucky due to the fact that botulism(spelling?) is not found often in my neck of the woods. I have heard of it, but I have never heard of anyone actually getting it. Bottling meat is as common as apple pie where I am from and I have never, ever heard of any ill effects.

I have mostly only ever used it on wild meat if that matters. Moose, Caribou, deer, Rabbit(sometimes shellfish) like clams and muscles.

I had some preserved Moose meat for supper today. Tasty as the day I murdered it some 3 years ago. If I die after eating what must be my thousanth bottle over the years then you guys were right and I will switch to cans in the next life.