10 Ways To Preserve Food Without Electricity

The ability to store food was one of the biggest breakthroughs of the second industrial revolution. With the invention and spread of electricity, having machines that produce a cold chamber or as they are known today, refrigerators, changed the lives of millions. Suddenly, produce could be stored and transported without it going bad and this principle soon began appearing in peoples homes. In a few decades, freezers and refrigerators became a common sight across much of the globe. Today, we take this ability to store food in spoilage-proof spaces for granted.

But, like any complex invention of the modern age, it requires a range of elements to function properly. From electricity to spare parts and sheltered environment, these devices are not simple or easy to operate. To any prepper, this is a cause of concern for any scenario where any of these factors might be taken away. Yet, at the same time, preppers understand that keeping the ability to keep their food from wasting is essential for survival. To do this, there are other means and most of them are exceedingly basic when it comes to both their structure and requirements. Here is a list of the best means to preserve food without electricity.

Canning

Canning is an older method that keeps food safe from bacteria and other contamination until you’re ready to eat it. This process is fairly labor intensive and requires a heat source but can be done over a fire. There are multiple stages of work required to can something. You’ll have to prepare the food with additive such as a sugar syrup or brine, sterilize the glass jars and lids, fill and heat the jars, and then store them until ready for use. Most people can in large batches to make this process go faster.

Learning how to can is a valuable skill and most canned goods will last for several years. Although the upfront costs of the canning equipment and glass jars can be expensive, most of it will be reusable and well worth the cost.

Zeer Pot

A zeer pot, also known as a pot-in-pot device for refrigeration is a clay structure known since ancient times. It is based on the evaporative cooling principle and uses a simple setup. In a bigger outer pot, often made in the earthenware technique, a smaller glazed pot is placed. Between them, a layer of wet sand is set. As the evaporation takes place on the outside, it draws the heat from the interior pot. Here, food items can be placed in the inner pot and kept cool. The only thing that is needed is a flow of air and a water source to keep the inner layer of sand wet.

Coal and Charcoal Cooler

A cooler made out of coal or charcoal works on a similar principle as the zeer pot. However, instead of sand, these coolers use coal or charcoal that is placed inside of the wooden frame. The same material is kept wet and it also takes out the heat from its center thanks to the evaporation principle. Here as well, the important thing is to keep the interior material wet so it can gradually evaporate. In many developing countries, this concept has been taken to a huge level where charcoal or coal coolers the size of rooms are made to keep food fresh.

Drying

This method of food preservation is considered to be the easiest and the least labor-intensive option to preserve food. Since most bacteria and mold need water to grow, drying is effective since it removes the water from the food. Fruits, some vegetables, and meats can be dried safely. You can also then rehydrate foods if desired.

There are a few options to dry foods without electricity. Probably the most common option is to prepare the foods and then leave them in a sunny spot where they will dry naturally due to the heat. This method works best in a dry, warm climate with full sun.

Fermentation

Fermenting is a similar method to canning although it doesn’t seal up food. Instead, this method does allow for the entry of “good” bacteria and it uses an acidic brine as the solution. The brine will allow for the foods to ferment over time and prevents harmful bacteria from growing.

Fermentation is most common for vegetables and meats. Since the brine is a vinegar-like solution, it will be a strongly flavored food product. Not everyone enjoys fermented foods but this method is easy and does not require the same labor as canning.

Root Cellars and Storage

Although some foods are not safe if left at room temperature, many fruits and vegetables will last for months if kept in a somewhat cold environment. Think about root cellars that people would use to store root vegetables and fruits throughout the winter months. These underground spaces will keep most vegetables and fruits safe for consumption and without danger of rotting.

A root cellar can be any underground space. The only requirement is that it needs to breath and a ventilator is required. This will allow air to circulate and prevent premature rotting. Store foods like potatoes, apples, onions, squash, and other shelf-stable foods in this underground space and remove any foods that become bruised or develop bad spots.

Salt Curing or Brining

Salt is a substance that prevents bacterial growth and it was one of the oldest methods used to preserve food. Most organisms cannot tolerate a salt concentration that is greater than 10% and this method is most used for meats. Curing is a type of preservation that involves rubbing a salt and sugar mixture into fresh pork and then packing it tightly in a sealed crock where it is then stored at a cool temperature.

Brining is similar but the meat is also packed in a salty brine solution that has to be changed on a regular basis. The only disadvantage to this method is that when the meat is ready to be eaten, it has to be soaked in water for a long period of time. This soaking is necessary to remove the excess salt and make the meat edible.

Smoking

Smoking meats to preserve them is one of the oldest ways to preserve food without electricity. Some believe that it goes back to the times of the cavemen. Essentially, smoking is nothing more than making sure a piece of food, most often animal in nature, has the least possible amount of moisture that could be used by bacteria. These bacteria growing and multiplying on a piece of meat or some produce is the reason why it goes bad. By utilizing the drying and anti-insect properties of smoke, food like meat or fish can be preserved for a long period of time with very little effort.

Spring House

A spring house is a very simple building that serves to keep its interior cool without any artificial power. Instead, it is a wooden, brick or stone structure built on top of a spring. As these keep their temperature all-year-round, a closed space built on top of them also becomes constantly cool. Any property that has a spring should utilize this possibility and get its own spring house. Most of these can be made in a DIY setup with the very basic construction – nothing more complex than a tree house is usually needed. The best way to make a spring house is to build it next to the hill bottom or a cliff where the spring comes out of the ground. This will provide a great source of natural insulation.

Storing Vegetables in Sand

While this principle does not provide any additional cooling effect, it does keep the vegetables fresh for longer. Kept in a dark and dry place, the sand will keep the vegetable free of excess heat that could spoil them. It will also attain a steady cool temperature during the coldest hours of the day and then keep it.

While preserving food without electricity can be a challenge, there are many methods available today. Anyone who needs to ensure that they have a preservation method without the aid of electricity can use one or more of these methods to avoid food spoilage.