Drying foods is one of the every earliest methods of preservation. It is one of the simplest methods too, but, how does it work? It is all to do with the moisture or liquid that is removed. Water is required by microorganisms that could spoil food and by enzymes that can degrade foods. Removing the …
Fermentation weights, sometimes called fermentation stones or followers are just as important as your choice of fermentation jar or crock. If you are thinking about fermenting foods like fruit and vegetables then following some basic rules will ensure you end up with a delicious, tangy result rather than a potential spoiled, fuzzy ferment. Keeping your …
Not strictly a preserve, these confit tomatoes will last an extra week in the fridge, however, they use similar principles of semi-drying that we find in preserving. I find the joy of preserving to be the transformation that occurs in the flavour and texture that the food undergoes and these confit tomatoes are little bursts …
Making a good jerky marinade is important because this is your chance to introduce all the flavours you want to incorporate. It can quick start the drying process as well as tenderise the meat you are using. A jerky marinade works well because, being a liquid, it coats all the meat that you are turning …
Most people are familiar with Dill Pickles and Sauerkraut as pickled foods. The familiar tang of a pickle many people associate with vinegar and not another form of acid created via lactic acid fermentation. There are key differences between pickles preserve with vinegar and those pickled with lactic acid so let’s take a look at …
This recipe for green onion powder is something that you can’t really find in the shops so it is well worth doing at home. It makes use of the parts of the green onion that are usually discarded as well as the whole onion itself and it great for seasoning dishes, dips, sauces and stocks. …
Most of us are very familiar with some form of charcuterie even though we may take it for granted. Bacon, ham, salami are foods which many of us eat several times a week and all are forms of charcuterie. Charcuterie is a branch of cooking or preparing meats to preserve them. A process that in …
Celery is a unique tasting vegetable and great for bolstering the flavour of soups, stews and risottos. I like to make a celery powder to make utilising the flavour of celery more unique. One thing I found celery powder great for making dry rubs, in particular for beef jerky but also for fresh meat. This …
Making vinegar involves making use of lots of microorganisms including bacteria without which we would not have many of the foods we take for granted. These microorganisms consist of yeasts, fungus and bacteria and the processes that occur are called fermentation. At different stages in the production of vinegar, there are different organisms or bacteria …
A vinegar mother or mother of vinegar (MOV) is a gelatinous membrane called a biofilm that forms on top of a liquid being made into vinegar. It seems like a strange substance but it is completely natural and is actually a form of cellulose created by bacteria that produce acetic acid, the acid that is …