It was not so long ago that it was certainly not customary and in fact it was not even possible to have a freezer and a refrigerator at home. Even so, people were able to preserve meat for several months so that they would have it when they needed it. How did they do it?
Short-term storage in the cellar
Both in cities and in villages we can find spaces that are naturally cold. In cities, these can be various underground passages and catacombs, where townspeople often set up warehouses to store supplies. In the villages, people dug their own cellars and tried to insulate them as much as possible so that the food stored in them would last as long as possible.
Salt your meat
Salt is a great preservative, so salted meat will last a long time. The salt draws out excess moisture from the meat and keeps it in an edible state. Today, various special preservation salts or quick salts are used, previously ordinary salt or salt brine, which could be further seasoned to give the meat a good taste, had to suffice.
Smoking meat
Perhaps the best way to preserve meat for a long time is to smoke it. It used to be a completely normal thing in households that could afford meat. In the chambers, the smoked meat hung from a trail and could be reached for whenever needed. Today, smoking is starting to become fashionable again – you can make it yourself at home, from quality meat and without unnecessary preservatives.
Somewhere, especially in rural buildings, it is still possible to smoke in chimneys. In newer houses, a modern home smoker can help you, which can be bought for as little as a few thousand.
Meat drying
From the past, we also know long-term treatment of meat by means of drying. Today, it’s easier for us thanks to modern devices – we can put thin slices of meat in electric dryers, but also in the oven. Basically any meat can be dried, but we should be careful that it is as little fatty as possible. Fat would cause the meat to be baked, not dried.
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