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KHULULA |
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Click on thumbnails (where available) for larger pictures. |
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| When Khulula left South Africa we spent the
last of our money on, what we then considered, the essential
fridge/freezer. Two weeks later and several kilo's of meat
defrosted - and we haven't missed it since!!!! Julie has
learnt the art of preserving food, and other than the cold beer, cannot
remember why you need a fridge!!! |
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| How to bottle meat. | |
| Meat is delicious and easy to use when it
has been bottled. You do not need fancy kilner jars or
sterilisation kits. I keep all my jam/marmalade, mayonnaise and
pickle jars - call it glass re-cycling if you like!!!
Sterilisation is boiling fresh water - I get 3 or 4 uses out of each jar
- I would get more, but you have to keep an eye open for rusting lids or
bad seals. Here is the process - you can use any meat/fish - I
have even bottled stews, curries and soup left-over's the same way!
Meat/fish - flash fry to seal in the juices (I find it is better to cut the meat into strips rather than cubes) Meanwhile your jars are being sterilised in boiling water. Use the same boiling water to continuously sterilise your cooking implements. Using a sterilised fork, gently layer the meat into the empty jars - the aim is to pack the meat as tightly as possible in the jars - so keep pressing down as you pack. Layer the meat to within 1" of the top of the jar. If necessary, add a little boiling water so there is enough liquid for 2/3rds of the jar - this isn't necessary with some meats like chicken because they have lots of juice anyway. Screw the lid on the jar - 1 turn (no need to really tighten) and then place in the pressure cooker - my pressure cooker will take 4 jam jars without touching. Most cookers have a 'plate' they can rest on. Put in enough water to reach the jars 1/3rd of the way up in the pressure cooker. Pressure cook for 20mins (this is standard for me for anything and it seems to work fine) Do NOT let the pressure out - do not open the pressure cooker until all the pressure is gone naturally (about 10mins) - you will know this anyway because the lid opens easily. Take the jars out with oven gloves and leave to cool naturally. I suggest for the first time you leave them near to you so you can hear them pop - this is the vacuum being sealed as the jars naturally cool. It is even easier now with the modern jars because the 'button' on the top on the jar depresses to indicate it has sealed. I have stored these jars of meat/fish etc for up to 6 months, with my tin storage. Iif you are worried, just keeping checking that the 'button' on the top of the jar is still depressed. I'm sure you can keep them for longer, but I always eat them all before that time is up!!!! When you are ready to eat, you will find the seal is pretty difficult to open - this is when a man comes in handy! If it is easy to open - do the sniff test!! I always use this meat for curries/stews which involve at least 10 mins boiling - better to be safe than sorry. I have never used bottled meat for cold sandwiches - although I'm sure it is o.k. Chicken, pork, beef and Tuna all keep intact as though you are using fresh meat - and no loss in flavour. It is a very quick, efficient meal at sea - you can make a great beef stew in 15mins!! For left-over stews, curries, soup etc, simply put it in sterilised jars and pressure-cook for 20mins in the same way - you do lose some of the flavour because it has been cooked twice - but it still taste better than 'Heinz"!!!! Keep a look out for other great preservation techniques to come - keep eggs for 4 months, tomatoes for 3 months, potatoes etc.,.
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