How to Make Survival Food
A tasty survival dinner of savory dried beef stew with veggies, herbed dumplings and dried fruit compote can all be made from food you have prepared and preserved ahead of time.
Whether it Is food for a hiking trip or canned goods stored away for an emergency, making your own survival food can be fun and delicious and guarantees that you will know exactly what you are eating.
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Things You'll Need
- Food dehydrator, stove or drying racks
- Canning jars and supplies
- Water canner or pressure canner
- Airtight containers
- Fresh vegetables
- Meat
- Spices and seasonings
- Citric acid
Instructions
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Things to consider:
Variety--All sorts of vegetables, fruits and even meat can be canned or dried.
Food pyramid--If you are in survival mode you are probably under stress. A balanced diet is important.
Shelf life--How long does the food need to last? A week-long hiking trip or several months during a crisis?
Availability--Farmer's markets are a great place to purchase fresh foods for preserving. -
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Preserving survival foods:
Dehydration--Your stove or air drying on racks will work for this. Commercial food dehydrators can be found at retail stores or even garage sales for a few dollars. Blanching with citric acid is important to prevent bacteria from forming. Store food in airtight containers. Find specific instructions for dehydrating at pickyourown.com.
Canning--Any meat can be canned and the broth is great for soups and gravies. It would be wise to purchase a book on canning or contact your local Cooperative Extension office. You'll need storage space in a cool dark area. Pickyourown.com also has information and ideas for canning. -
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Follow these recipes for the survival dinner described above:
Savory Dried Beef Stew
2 c. boiling water
2 c. mixed dried vegetables
½ c. dried onion
½ c. dried celery
1 c. dried meat
3 c. broth If available, otherwise use water and two bouillon cubes
16 oz. canned tomatoes, crushed
1 clove of garlic, minced
½ tsp. basil
½ tsp. dried thyme
1 Tblsp. dried parsley
3 to 4 Tblsp. butter
Pour boiling water over two cups of dried vegetables. Set aside for 30 minutes. Pour boiling water over onion and celery to rehydrate and set aside. Heat broth, meat and tomatoes together. Add seasonings and boil for 30 minutes. Melt the butter in a skillet and sauté the rehydrated onion and celery until wilted. Add them to the cooked mixture. Add the rehydrated mixed vegetables and cook for about 20 minutes.Biscuit/Dumpling Mix -- To make herbed dumplings, just add dill weed or parsley.
8 1/2 c. flour
1 Tblsp. baking powder
1 Tblsp. salt
2 tsp. cream of tartar
1 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 c. instant nonfat dry milk
2 1/4 c. vegetable shortening
Sift together dry ingredients in large bowl. Blend well with pastry blender and cut in shortening. The mixture should resemble cornmeal in texture.
Put it in a large, airtight container or divide up into smaller portions and label them with the date. The mixture has a shelf life of 10 to 12 weeks. Store in a cool, dry place. The recipe makes about 13 cups of quick mix.
To bake, measure out about 2 cups and add small amounts of water, stirring gently until moistened and the dough holds together. Drop by spoonfuls into the stew and cook until puffy and browned.Fruit Compote
¾ lb. pitted prunes
½ lb. dried apples
½ c. raisins
1 lemon, quartered
1/2 c. sugar
1 whole clove
1 cinnamon stick
In a large saucepan, combine the fruits, sugar, clove and cinnamon stick with 6 c. water. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, cover, lower heat and simmer until tender, 30 to 45 minutes. Remove the lemons, clove and cinnamon stick before serving warm or chilled. The recipe makes about 16 half-cup servings.
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Tips & Warnings
Apples and other fruits can be cut up into pieces, threaded with a needle and string and hung to dry rather than using drying racks.
