Modern conveniences have made most of us accustomed to one primary method of long-term meat preservation. Without a doubt the freezer has become an essential tool on every homestead, but what happens if you run out of space or have limited access to electricity? Fear not my friends. Today I'm joined by my friend Derek Smiley, a veritable expert in all things regarding meat preservation. In this episode, we cover dehydration, smoking, canning, freezing, freeze drying, salt curing, and more. Derek discusses the pro's and con's of all of these preservation methods, the best uses for each technique, and some of his favorite equipment. With over 25 years of experience in this field, Derek is sure to have valuable information for you, whether you're a complete novice to a seasoned homesteader.

Do you need some guidance on your food preservation journey? Email Derek directly at [email protected] or connect with him on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/thesmileyfarm

-  This episode is brought to you by Redmond’s Real Salt, which is the #1 salt I use in all my homesteading cooking, canning, and fermentation. I have learned over the years that not all salt is created equal and having the good stuff really does make a difference in your culinary adventures. Redmond’s is the only salt mined in the good ol’ US of A. I love that it’s mined using sustainable practices AND contains 60+ trace minerals that not only make it incredibly good for you, but it tastes better too. Since I can’t grow salt myself (obviously) Right now, Redmond's is offering 15% off your entire order just for my podcast listeners. Head over to theprairiehomestead.com/SALT and use the code HOMESTEAD to snag your discount.

-  Design your dream homestead with my FREE handbook— grab it here: http://theprairiehomestead.com/layout
-  Head to http://www.theprairiehomestead.com/grow to get complimentary access to my best homestead resources.
-  Get more in-depth homestead info, printable recipes, and tutorials and more on my blog at www.theprairiehomestead.com

-  Get Old-Fashioned on Purpose hats & shirts at www.homesteadswag.com
-  Follow Jill on YouTube: http://youtube.com/theprairiehomestead
-  Follow Jill on Instagram: http://instagram.com/theprairiehomestead

OTHER HELPFUL RESOURCES FOR YOUR HOMESTEAD:

• Sign up for weekly musings from my homestead: http://theprairiehomestead.com/letter
• Get my free homesteading tutorials & recipes here: www.theprairiehomestead.com
• Jill on Instagram: @jill.winger
• Jill on Facebook: http://facebook.com/theprairiehomestead
• Apply to be a guest on the Old-Fashioned on Purpose podcast: https://www.theprairiehomestead.com/podcast-guest-application

Did you enjoy listening to this episode? Please drop a comment below or leave a review to let us know. This can help other folks learn about this podcast and we also really appreciate the feedback!