Posted: 11/2/2007 5:14:05 PM EDT
| A good friend of mine and I were discussing food storage today and he asked me a question that I wasn't really able to answer. He asked if packing about an inch of salt into a five gallon bucket, placing bags of beans, rice or whatever in the bag, and then topping off the bucket with salt before sealing it would help preserve the food. His idea was that the salt would absorb moisture and possibly kill or repel pests. I told him that I don't think that this would be very effective, but I wasn't able to convince him. Could you guys tell me if this idea would work, and why you believe that it would or would not? Thanks in advance. |
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You'd also have to make sure that the salt is dry before it goes in. Salt loves water, but with temperature changes will release some of it back into the air. Do it the regular/standard way.including one of the usual methods...CO2, Nitrogen, O2 absorber, diatomaceous earth. Better to do it right with an "approved" method than to open it years later to a large gelatinous mess. My $0.02, tho. You do what you feel comfortable with. |
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the brits salted cod for eons...as did early new englanders. still used for fish cakes and such. the norse made lutefisk, salt and lye sitll eaten and sold,..in the US mainly in Minnesota everyone salted meats, whiteman and red..brown and yellow ham, bacon, heavly salted foods.. IIRC beef tounge or buffalo tounge were both highly favored salted..like modern cold cuts... the main reason your hot dogs and bologna and jerked sausages have long shelf life...is LOTS OF SALT I do beleive our forefathers had continus cases of the squirts  for what they ate..especially in the deep winter and early spring when supplies put up in the fall were coming to the end of thier shelf life... |
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Wives tale. Chalk it up with the "put bay leaves in and you won't have bugs" Bullcrap. I have pics I've posted on some of the forums of foods I've packed with bay leaves and the weevils were enjoying nice little boat rides on the leaves. Pack your whole grains with mylar liners and use oxygen absorbers, do it correctly and your grandkids will be having to figure out what to do with the food. On Frugal's website there are two videos showing the process. |