Food bargains.

[m25operator]

I want to start a little thread on food bargains, sometimes the net cost, sometimes techniques to stretch our dollars, and be well fed. We all live in different parts of the country and well the world, but some of us can share what we find with others, and definitely techniques.

I just got back from my local big Grocer ( Tom Thumb )  and they had the leftover from thanksgiving honey glazed spiral sliced hams, ( Safeway brand ) for 1.57 a lb, since it is already cooked meat, no weight loss when you heat it up, also smoked food is cured and will last a few more days than raw food after thawing if you were to lose refrigeration.

All the frozen turkeys at .80 lb, turkey is good for you.

I normally buy my meat at the mega discount store, here it is Sam's club, my normal routine is to buy a whole pork tenderloin, 12 - 15 lbs, @ 1.79 lb, bring it home cut it into 4 or more smaller roasts, and about 15 pork chops. Vacuum pack and freeze.

They usually have chuck roast at 2.29lb, and today local had it for 1.99lb, same thing, there are only 2 of us, so cut it into smaller portions and freeze, sometimes we crockpot roast them, or cut into smaller pieces for chili, or tacos, also have the grinding option for superior ground beef. Seven roasts can be cut into muscle groups, for steak on the grill.

Point is, after holiday bargains are great opportunities, for very low cost meat, and they also had the popular canned goods cheap, cream corn, green beans, cranberry sauce etc...

I never learned to can food, and really need to develop this skill set.

I do have the tools to dry food.

I look forward to your different techniques or suggestions.

[twyacht]

Canning food is not difficult just rather time consuming. Acid content of the vegetable dictates time. Green Beans are low acid and to rid any chance of contamination or decay over time, according to famous book, The Joy Of Cooking, beans can take a simmering water bath for up to 4 hours for canning. Any residual enzyme, especially starchy vegetables, will cause the veggie to break down and rot in the Mason Jar/ Can etc,...

Peaches and tomatoes, higher acid, can take 45 minutes, add a little lemon juice and sugar. Mason Jars/ cans, the old fashioned way, in a "soft" boil, sterile caps and lids.

Just asked the wife, who is a Mason Jar/ canning master, that whether it's pickling, jams or jellies, beans and veggies, take the time to do it right. Some foods take a few extra steps to get right. But is done so, will keep for years.

I still have a 12 pack of "pickled Okra" done 3 years ago. It is delicious when slightly chilled and accompanied with a good Pilsner.

Plus my "C-rations" of SPAM, in case of an emergency, just have to have a decent mustard,....

Always try to keep the freezer and pantry well stocked, just don't like to leave food in the freezer too long.

[Pathfinder]

Beware of Sam's meats - they are known to add up to 25% water, seasonings, preservatives and other stuff, it says so in very small print on the label.

Locally, we had frozen turkeys on sale for 40 cents a pound, only got one, will have to check the freezer to see how much room we have for more.

That said, we canned a lot (well, what we didn't eat) from the garden this summer, plus plums from the local park (best plums ever!), a couple of lugs of pears one of the local stores was selling. We probably have 2-300 jars of various stuff canned. We picked up 5 or 6 boxes of jars from a Craigslist posting last spring.

I also have 3 food dehydrators (had 2 which was adequate for my needs, but I found one almost new at a garage sale with add-ons for like $5 - total retail new would have been $40-plus). Dried a lot of food as well - fruits, peppers, tomatoes and the like. Small kitchen and long drying time work against dehydrating too much.

I also this year picked up a Foodsaver vacuum sealer that is way cool. Not only will it suck the air out of a bag of meat for example, thereby prolonging the meat's quality, especially in the freezer. It also seals canning jars without using steam or pressure baths. You cannot use it for preserving fresh foods, but some of our dried foods are sealed, whcih will prolong their quality as well. Also, if you buy things in bulk, like dried milk, raisins or whatever, you can can them using the Foodsaver and they will keep a long time.

I used the Foodsaver also to save some of the rice and flour to have on hand while I put the rest away in bulk (25#) containers. This keeps it fresh and available for day-to-day use.

[Hazcat]

Path,

Don't ya have to use their lids for the jars?

[m25operator]

I also use the food saver vacuum packer, the bags are high so shop hard, but it works excellently. You can also vacuum pack your survival gear, ammo, matches you name it. The cheaper Walmart brand of bags have not been satisfactory. I normally get 15 - 20 salami sticks from my venision at 2lbs each, put in the freezer they are good for 3 months, and then they get real dry, cut them in half and vacuum pack them, 1 yr later, you have to leave them in the fridge for a few days to dry out to what you like the consistency to be, fresh out of the pack they are too wet, + 1 on the food saver, and a good freezer.

[Sponsor]

[twyacht]

Had some homemade venison jerky in a dehydrator the year before I moved down here now I have none...

Vacuum systems are great. As m25 stated,  having some supplies in a BoB or around the house just in case is always a great idea.

[tombogan03884]

Path,

Don't ya have to use their lids for the jars?

Those are fairly common in the Grocery store save the threaded ring for reuse but the disk with the seal that is the actual lid are easy to find.

[Pathfinder]

Path,

Don't ya have to use their lids for the jars?

Canning jar lids come in 2 parts - ring (threaded part) and top (the actual seal part. You can use any brand ring on any brand canning jar - Mason, Ball, whatever. These are generally available year round, but especially mid-summer to late fall when produce is coming ripe.

Contrary to popular reports, you can reuse the lids. After you open and consume what's in a jar, just heat the lid in boiling water and it's good to go.

I forgot to mention that Foodsaver makes attachments that will seal the jars. They plug into the unit (mid- to high-end units, the cheap ones don't have the port) and then clamp over the top of the jar and vacuum seal it.

Also, Foodsaver makes a canister into which you can put an ordinary jar with its own lid, like a jelly or spaghetti sauce jar, with something else in it (you did clean it real well first, right?). Simply fill it with something, say some spice you bought in bulk, finger tighten the lid, put it in the canister, suck all of the air out, and then open the canister and fully tighten the jar. That way you do not have to buy the Ball/Mason/whatever jars. I cannot believe I have lived so long without this thing, it is cool.

[Hazcat]

My GF has a good food saver but I don't know about the canner.

[Rastus]

Plus one on the foodsaver vacuum. 

Mason Jars...good deal...I like strawberry and mayhaw preserves the most.

If you want something that will last a while in bulk:

http://www.pleasanthillgrain.com/foodpak1.aspx

http://www.thereadystore.com/freeze-dried-foods-2/1-year-supplies

http://www.foodinsurance.com/