Meat and dairy products are another story altogether and will not be covered in this article, but fruits and vegetables can be preserved at home without refrigeration by three methods: storage, drying, and canning. Simple storage is, by far, the oldest method of preserving food.
How do you store leftovers without a refrigerator?
One good strategy to free up some fridge space is to use leftover meats, bones, or vegetables to make broth to freeze for later. I like to make stock in my crockpot. Add the bones and a splash of apple cider vinegar then top with water. Leave on high in the crockpot for 24 hours.
How did people store food without fridge?
For centuries, people preserved and stored their food — especially milk and butter — in cellars, outdoor window boxes or even underwater in nearby lakes, streams or wells. Or perhaps they stored food in a springhouse, where cool running water from a stream trickled under or between shelved pans and crocks.
How do you preserve cooked food for a long time?
To extend the longevity of food used at home or in your food business, you can use refrigeration, freezing, canning, sugaring, salting, and even vacuum packing.
How do you keep meat fresh without a refrigerator?
12 Ways to Store Meat without a Fridge
- 2) Curing. Salting meat is another old method of preserving meat and it’s still used today; it takes a lot of time and patience to get it right. …
- 3) Dehydration. …
- 4) Pressure Canning. …
- 9) Pickling. …
- 10) Pemmican. …
- 11) Potted Meat.
Does meat rot in a vacuum?
The short answer is yes. Although the food is not going to last forever, the decomposition process will be significantly slowed with the absence of oxygen. As a result, food stored in a vacuum-sealed bag or container will last significantly longer than without.
How did they keep meat before refrigeration?
Salting pork drew out moisture so small meat cuts could be rubbed down with salt and then stored in even more salt, which was relatively cheap in the 1700s and keeps the nasty bacteria at bay. … Meat could be stored in the brine and packed tightly in covered jars or casks in a cool environment for months.
What food can be kept for a long time?
32 Long Shelf Life Foods to Keep In Your Pantry
- Bouillon. magnez2/Getty Images. …
- Canned Fruits, Vegetables and Beans. SarapulSar38/Getty Images. …
- Corn Starch. Shutterstock/ Michelle Lee Photography. …
- Dark Chocolate. …
- Dried Beans, Lentils and Legumes. …
- Dried Fruits (Raisins, Dried Cranberries and More) …
- Dried Pasta. …
- Grains.