Dry Meats in a Hot Car

You can harness the power of the sun to dry foods, you can buy a solar dryer or solar dehydrator, you can build your own, or you can dry meats in a hot car!

Dry Meats in a Hot Car

One of the oldest methods of preserving food was drying it in the sun. Native Americans dried strips of deer, elk and buffalo in the sun to eat. North American pioneers dried meat by draping it over the outside of their covered wagons for two to three days as they headed into the western territory. If you want to harness the power of the sun to dry foods, you can buy a solar dryer or solar dehydrator, you can build your own, or you can dry meats in a hot car! A car, parked in the sun can achieve temperatures of 105°-160° F or higher! Rule of thumb, if it’s 90 outside, it’s can be up to 170° F in space between the window and the dashboard. Materials Needed:

• A large stainless steel bowl
• Cooling racks, metal screens (from windows?) or other food safe grid or grill material
• A sharp knife – for making very fine cuts of meat
• Water
• Garlic – for flavoring
• Salt – a preservative
• Honey – a flavoring and an anaerobic preservative
• Meat
• A nice hot car, parked in the sun!

Directions:

1. Buy some thinly cut meat strips or carefully slice your meat into thin strips.
2. Combine the water, garlic, salt, honey and mix together the bowl. Mix thoroughly.
3. Marinate your meats in the brine solution and let sit for at least one hour. This will ensure a good marination and penetration into the meat.
4. Lay the meat over the racks or screen atop the car’s dashboard, crack the windows a bit to allow for airflow and to allow the moisture to escape. You may want to cover your dashboard, if you are concerned about drips.
5. Allow your meat to bake for at least 5-6 hours in your car, Turning the meat every couple hours to ensure even heating.

Like the people of old take advantage of the sun to preserve your foods. You can dry meats in a hot car!