# Meat & Potato Man



## Sunshineisme (Aug 10, 2011)

Hi everyone,

Within the next two or three months we will be making our journey from Oregon to Mexico. 

My boyfriend is strictly a meat and potato kind of man. I've been searching and planning and preparing and making so many lists of things to do prior to departure that my head is spinning. 

I'm struggling with how to keep my meat eater happy on our extended trips since I can't exactly jump in the car and drive to the grocery store for much longer. 

I was considering trying to smoke various meats and then vacuum sealing but I'm concerned about long term storage. We have a ice box that runs on 12-volt but I still worry about long term storage. 

I have never canned before but I have been reading a lot on the subject of canning meats. Can anyone offer advice on what they have done or experience with canning meats and how to store on the boat?

Any ideas/suggestions are greatly appreciated! 

We are on a 33' Morgan and I still have room in several nooks and crannies to store more provisions. 

Thanks!
Mary


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## xymotic (Mar 4, 2005)

Mary, as a meat and potato's kinda of guy myself, I have to say it's not all up to you. He's going to have to change his diet a little bit as well.

The small engel cooler sized units are awesome little freezers though.


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## tempest (Feb 12, 2007)

Hello Sunshine,

I would be very careful processing your own food ( canned ) for an ocean voyage. Meat is low acid and requires special processing. 

On the other hand there are a variety of commercially processed foods that would hold up well. Canned Hams, Beef Stews, Chunk white chicken. Things like bacon and dried sausage hold up well for several days..or more. 

What is the float plan? how long will your longest trip between ports be? I think that will help determine what you need to plan for.


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## bratzcpa (Oct 18, 2011)

Hello Mary: I can appreciate this thought!!! grin.

I actually can my own meat (venison and elk primarily) every year. It's really quite easy and tastes AWESOME when used. Just be very very careful to follow the directions for canning time and theright pressure. 

Remember that you have to use a pressure canner,and they take a while (more than an hour) on the stove to do so. I suggest you get the "Blue Ball Book". It's produced by the Ball Jar Company - available everywhre. It has all of the information you'll ever need on canning ANYTHING.

About the only downside I can think of is storage area. The jars will take just as much room full as they will when empty. And they're heavy too. At least with metal cans, you can open both ends, and crush the can, and discard. 

For fall hunting camp and fishing trips in summer, we even can our own stew, soups, and salsa too. 

~markb


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## sd1953 (Mar 21, 2010)

Have you looked at the survival stores (like Emergency Essentials) for dehydrated and freeze dried meats (#10 cans of cooked bacon or chicken or ground beef even!). I've tried some of the prepared meals -- thinking of provisioning -- but found most of them them not to my taste. I have not yet tried the canned meats, but I intend to this year. I live in Florida, so I also need to do hurricane provisioning each year. Try a little at home. If I like it, fine. If not, I lose very little and have the data on what works, what does not.


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## deniseO30 (Nov 27, 2006)

Sunshineisme said:


> Hi everyone,
> 
> Within the next two or three months we will be making our journey from Oregon to Mexico.
> 
> ...


Mary, since you don't voice any needs or requirements of your own.. I'm guessing this trip is a recipe for disaster already. It all sounds so one sided for you  after all, someone that locked into just what they want, probably thinks they are the alpha in all things. 

Can't help but wonder about all the other "plans" for this trip. 

12 cases of this should make em happy!


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## Donna_F (Nov 7, 2005)

I'm smack in the middle of xymotic and denise. Sometimes how we live on land isn't easily (or not at all) transferable to being on a boat for days or weeks at a time. Everyone has to compromise, including your boyfriend. 

That said, how about limiting your meat to what you can cook and eat the first week? After that, if you can't restock in a port, you get creative and/or just deal with going without. Alternatively (or in addition to), make meals ahead of time (stews, lasagna, spaghetti sauce) and freeze them. That will save you having to do a lot of prep work, too. 

Trust me, not eating meat for a few days or a week won't kill him. If he is an every day meat eater, he may even be healthier at the end of this trip. Also, we've found that we don't eat anywhere near like we eat at home: more grazing of nuts and fruits while underway and fewer heavy meals and we don't miss it at all.


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## TQA (Apr 4, 2009)

Others might correct me on this but on a trip from Oregon to Mexico are you likely to be at sea for more than 3 to 5 days at a time? Assuming that you are harbor hopping South. 

In which case with the aid of dry ice your 12 volt ice box will keep meat just fine. Get him what he wants.

But your other half may find that he craves muesli, fruit and snacks more than meat and potatoes at sea. 

In your position if he was definite about wanting meat dishes I would make a pot full of stew in a pressure cooker just before departure. Unopened this will keep for a day or so lonnger if you refrigerate it.

I am a BIG fan of using a pressure cooker at sea even if you are just heating up some beans, WHY well the lid stays on even if the pot jumps off the stove. Many cooks have been badly burned at sea. I know one who cooks in a full set of foul weather gear even in the tropics after witnessing such an event.


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## bljones (Oct 13, 2008)

Sunshineisme said:


> Hi everyone,
> 
> Within the next two or three months we will be making our journey from Oregon to Mexico.
> 
> My boyfriend is strictly a meat and potato kind of man.


Then he is well and truly snarked in coastal mexico. Pack lots of dehydrated potatoes, or he can learn to like rice.
I'm surprised no one has mentioned Spam yet.


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## bljones (Oct 13, 2008)

TQA said:


> But your other half may find that he craves muesli,


NO ONE CRAVES MUESLI.  Muesli is what you eat when there are no other alternatives expect the chewing on smaller weaker members of the crew, and even then it may require some contempation.

No one onboard should be consuming muesli unless you have a 40 gallon holding tank.


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## Chadfunk48 (Jun 8, 2006)

Denise, I think she was asking for food advice not relationship advice.


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## ccriders (Jul 8, 2006)

Hey this is a no brainer. Stock up on all varieties of canned meat products and instant potatoes (you will be surprised at the varieties available) and then tell him you will cook whatever fresh meat he brings on board. After all, he will be the Alpha Male on this voyage. If he doesn't like it, then read him Lysistrata.
While you are at it, also stock up on foods you like and see who eats what.
I agree with Denise, this sounds very one sided. Maybe you should eat "boat style" for the next month and see what goes.
John


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## Donna_F (Nov 7, 2005)

ccriders said:


> If he doesn't like it, then read him Lysistrata.
> John


I'm doubly impressed: not only a reference to Lysistrata, but advocated by a MAN! I usually have people scrambling for Google whenever I mention this approach.


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## bljones (Oct 13, 2008)

DRFerron said:


> I'm doubly impressed: not only a reference to Lysistrata, but advocated by a MAN! I usually have people scrambling for Google whenever I mention this approach.


Oh come on, we're guys, that doesn't mean we're stupid. Some of us have actually read a book or two, you know, in between demanding sammiches and wondering why you are asking yet again whether that dress makes you look fat, and then trying to figure out how to correctly answer the question while balancing our need for indoor living while also providing the one thing you always say you want in a relationship: honesty.

In other words, i'll see your Lysistrata and raise you an "Art of War."

Pat Benatar was right. Love is a battlefield.


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## Donna_F (Nov 7, 2005)

bljones said:


> Oh come on, we're guys, that doesn't mean we're stupid. Some of us have actually read a book or two, you know, in between demanding sammiches and wondering why you are asking yet again whether that dress makes you look fat, and then trying to figure out how to correctly answer the question while balancing our need for indoor living while also providing the one thing you always say you want in a relationship: honesty.
> 
> In other words, i'll see your Lysistrata and raise you an "Art of War."
> 
> Pat Benatar was right. Love is a battlefield.


You have to admit that Lysistrata isn't on everyone's (man *or* female) To Be Read list. As to the man comment, come on. How many men do you know would suggest threatening to withhold as a negotiating tactic? Wouldn't that get them kicked out of the Man Club, or, at least thrown into the penalty box?


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## bljones (Oct 13, 2008)

Many of us withhold- you just confuse "withholding" with "stopped begging." See, we're sneaky like that.


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## deniseO30 (Nov 27, 2006)

Spam was found in the pyramids for the pharaohs making the last journey. The thing the archeologists think as a onk is really the artist's conception of the key to the spam can! 

Jus sayin...


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## Brent Swain (Jan 16, 2012)

I've been canning meat for 3 decades, no problem. Fill the jar a half inch down from the top. If it is venison, add enough apple juice to fill the air voids. Screw the lid on finger tight, too tight and you break the jar. Put them in your canner, put the lid and a 17 lb rocker on and cook it, with the rocker rocking for 1 1/2 hours. Let cool naturally let the lids pop in, then remove the jars and do another load.
When using them, when you pop the lid, listen for the vacuum breaking. No Vacuum? Dump it overboard. If there is a vacuum , cook it for minimum 15 minutes in an open fry pan. That neutralizes any botulism. If it had food poisoning , there would be no vacuum, as that produces gas.
Vacuum plus 15 minutes cooking covers both possibilities, Perfectly safe.
Any broken jars usually means you screwed the lid on too tight. Throw away the contents of any broken jars, as they may have glass bits in it.
I remember going hunting to stock up for a trip south. Walked over the hill, and there, 20 yards away, was a huge buck. Bang! " Congratulations Bucky! You have just won a free trip to the South Pacific!"


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## chef2sail (Nov 27, 2007)

> No one onboard should be consuming muesli unless you have a 40 gallon holding tank.


 so true I am laughing my ass off

I would suggest as others have if you do some canning be very careful. Botulism is an anerobe and is the main thing to watch out for with improper canning methods and swollen cans

He may have to alter his diet some I agree. While all the good samatritans who beleive that less meat is better for youand want to live on nuts, seeds and grains rememebr your body needs to have a certain amount of proteins also so beans , and poissibly soy products should nutritionally be part of the mix. In addition I dont think he has to give up his fondness for meat. NOKr do I think it is wise to alter his diet drastically before the voyage...just temper it somewhat

I would suggest you buy dehydrated meats, jerky etc and learn to make recipes which allow you to rehydrate them. You may not be eating meats in sold roast or steak form, but they will be easier to store.

Excellant tip


> I am a BIG fan of using a pressure cooker at sea


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## Capt Len (Oct 9, 2011)

I am a man: But I can change: If I have to; I guess. The man's prayer.


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## Capt Len (Oct 9, 2011)

I learned about caning meat fish an vegies before I knew how to read. Mom did it in an open copper boiler on a colman stove. Now I use a pressure cooker. So much safer and easier. Never had a health problem. Just do it right.


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## TQA (Apr 4, 2009)

bljones said:


> NO ONE CRAVES MUESLI.  Muesli is what you eat when there are no other alternatives expect the chewing on smaller weaker members of the crew, and even then it may require some contempation.
> .


Well Jeanne Socrates just did 56 days Cape Town to Hobart fueled in part by muesli and with fairly frequent mention of winds in excess of 40 knots. More power to granny on muesli I say.



bljones said:


> NO ONE CRAVES MUESLI.  No one onboard should be consuming muesli unless you have a 40 gallon holding tank.


Sounds like you may have had a moving experience on muesli but as the OP is making passage from Oregon to Mexico I presume they will be 3 miles plus offshore so the holding tank thing is not needed.


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## deniseO30 (Nov 27, 2006)

meat and potato man should read "sailing around the world by Joshua Slocum.  now that's provisioning old school!


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## dongreerps (May 14, 2007)

Others have advocated including beans in the diet. Adding rice includes all of the amino acids necessary to build muscle.


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## ccriders (Jul 8, 2006)

deniseO30 said:


> meat and potato man should read "sailing around the world by Joshua Slocum.  now that's provisioning old school!


Actually I thought he glossed over the food and house keeping issues. There was a lot we could have learned from him on that front. I realize he probably wasn't a foodie in our modern sense, but surely he craved something beyond hard tack, beans and rice. My wife is a foodie and while I was reading the Aubrey/Maturin/O'Brien series I would read to her some of the meals he describes. She, of course would gag and yell STOP!

For the passage the OP is making, they could schedule some stops along the way and provision with frozen steaks and roasts and if their refrigerator works, they could probably get two weeks and have nicely "aged" beef before they have to resort to canned stuff.

John


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## Donna_F (Nov 7, 2005)

ccriders said:


> ... but surely he craved something beyond hard tack, beans and rice. ...
> 
> John


I think because that's about all he ate, that was the point that Denise was making.


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## Brent Swain (Jan 16, 2012)

Botulism doesn't swell cans ,which is why the only way to safely neutralize it is 15 minutes heat in an open pan. It can exist in a perfectly normal looking can. Cooking every can or jar after opening it is the only safe way to go.
Vegetarians can suffer from dietary deficiencies as a result, like zinc deficiency. Eating mostly meat didn't stop my ancestors from living past 100. If you want to eat only healthy food, read the labels, and don't eat anything your grandmother wouldn't recognize.


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## jesselee (Jan 27, 2012)

The only pitfall to home canning is the glass jars stored think of 10gts of beef stew and broken glass in the bottom of a locker


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## chef2sail (Nov 27, 2007)

> Botulism doesn't swell cans ,which is why the only way to safely neutralize it is 15 minutes heat in an open pan. It can exist in a perfectly normal looking can. Cooking every can or jar after opening it is the only safe way to go. Brent Swain


Tainted chili cans bursting with botulism - Health - Diet and nutrition - msnbc.com

Please dont make sweeping statements about something you know nothing about. In this case it could be dangerous. It is a well know fact among people who work in the food industry and federal inspectors as well as HACCP certified indiviguals, health department inspector that a swollen can is* AUTOMATICALLY EMBARGOED *and *NEVER *allowed to be used.....why may you ask...the threat of botulism.

In addition while correct caning techniques whoich include proper temperatures can kill the spores it is important to note that this is also what is know as a toxin mediated organism which in spite of the fact that you have killed the organism which has produced the toxin....the toxin it has produced still remains and can make you very sick if not kill you.

Home > Library > Miscellaneous > Britannica Concise Encyclopedia



> Poisoning by botulinum toxin, one of the most potent toxins known, produced by Clostridium botulinum bacteria. It usually results from improperly sterilized canned (mostly home-canned) foods. Heat-resistant spores of these anaerobic bacteria in fresh food may survive canning. The bacteria multiply and secrete toxin, which remains potent if the food is not well heated before it is eaten. Botulism can also result from wound infection. Botulinum toxin blocks nerve-impulse transmission. If botulism is recognized in time, administered antitoxins can neutralize it. The first symptoms of botulism are nausea and vomiting, which usually appear six hours or less after the contaminated food is eaten. Fatigue, blurry vision, and general weakness follow. Respiratory paralysis can cause death if not treated with emergency tracheotomy and respiratory aid. Most victims recover completely if they survive paralysis. The bacteria's intense toxicity makes it a potentially deadly biological warfare agent.


Certainly not something I would want to be stricken with 4 days out to sea.

Dave


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## deniseO30 (Nov 27, 2006)

Suggestion... stop at good seafood and steak restaurants every 3 days or so? doesn't sound like your going to be at sea for weeks and weeks anyway. All this canning, preserving, drying, etc.. is all allot of work! You could keep live chickens, and geese.. don't know about steer.... might need a bigger boat for that  Just think.. all that seafood swimming under and around the boat.. and he won't even try it?


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## helenwiley (Jan 1, 2006)

I am glad to see I'm not the only one canning. As a matter of fact I have been busy at it for the last week. One can stand only so much Spam and Dinty Moore beef stew. There is much info online about canning if you are timid to try it. As mentioned cooking for 15 minutes is essential. 

There is much info online about canning. Mother Earth News and many universities have recipes and processing charts.


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## Donna_F (Nov 7, 2005)

I wonder if at this point we're all responding to dead air. I hope the OPer came back to see the responses to her question.


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## Sunshineisme (Aug 10, 2011)

Lol wow some very interesting replies to my post! However some very good ideas. I'm thinking I still want to try canning a bit, however I better try it soon so if I do poison us we will be close to a hospital lol. 

And he is flexible on food, loves fish so no problem there. I just wanted ideas on other meats since I like to keep my man happy. Not one sided at all since he keeps me happy all the time!

Thanks again to everyone on ideas and references on books and online info for the canning part. 

Mary


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## chef2sail (Nov 27, 2007)

Look at the dried Beef which Rei and some of the expedition outfitteres have. It is quite good when reconstituted and you have only eaten fish and ahem museli for a few days for a meat eater. Good to hear you are trying it.

I wasnt trying to scare you with the botulism thing, it is rare. just dont use any open swollen can if you do home canning.

Dave


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## chef2sail (Nov 27, 2007)

Beef - Dried - How To Cooking Tips - RecipeTips.com

Dried Beef (1 lb) < Dried Beef < Deli & Other Items | Buy Steaks Online

Garden Grocer

I know most of these arent steaks...but they can used in stir frys, mexican food, soups and stews, and other cooking applications and recipes. Just rememeber they are salty by th nature of the drying process so there is no need to add any more.

Dave


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## helenwiley (Jan 1, 2006)

DRFerron said:


> I wonder if at this point we're all responding to dead air. I hope the OPer came back to see the responses to her question.


DR, I think this says the ideas and information are still important. Many people have the same question. (This is my reasoning for responding to vintage posts, so I won't look like a complete idiot.)

Helen Wiley, Finnsailer 35, 1973, Savannah, GA


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## Sublime (Sep 11, 2010)

Beanie weenies are delicious. Do not underestimate the beanie weenies. Or Chef Boyardee. No, it's not the best and not really cooking...and maybe not really food. But it's an easy meal after a long day.


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## bljones (Oct 13, 2008)

Chef Boyardee Ravioli can be a great base for a meal. Amp it up with some herbs and spices, maybe cut in some sausage and peppers and onions...


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## SVAuspicious (Oct 31, 2006)

You guys are kidding, right?


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## Sublime (Sep 11, 2010)

SVAuspicious said:


> You guys are kidding, right?


Do not look down your nose upon my chef boyardee mustache.


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## bljones (Oct 13, 2008)

When all you got is lemons, you make lemonade, not beer....







..... no matter how much you'd rather have beer.


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## meuritt (Aug 25, 2008)

This could be me, but no, it's not.

I do better w/o lots of wheat in the diet, my s/o is gluten intolerant and I've adapted to less wheat and discovered all sorts of health improvements. But you didn't identify that as a problem.

I had an aversion to commercial canned meats. I was pretty surprised to find out they aren't inedible. I've used the canned corned beef in some pretty strange things, spaghetti for one, and found it good. I prefer it for breakfast though. Canned ham wasn't too big a hurdle, but most everything else I was suspicious of, and so far, nothing I've experimented in turned out bad. Thanks fpo the Blue Ball link, I will be ordering the book.

However the problem with the canned food is the waste generated. In port, the cans are used for small parts or epoxy mixing. At sea, I am thinking too many cans, even crushed, will take up too much space. The glass jars can be reused for bulk storage and offer protection for the beans and rice from insects etc. until they break.

I still haven't completely resolved the issue of a cruising diet, but I am leaning strongly toward more beans and rice, and learning how to fish.


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