Imagine this: It’s the end of the world as you know it. You can no longer rely on drive-thrus and fast food chains to get your fix of protein, fats, and carbohydrates. Instead, you must find alternate ways to feed yourself and those around you in order to survive this pandemic. The good news is that it’s a blessing in disguise because now you have an opportunity to learn how to cook off the grid. These 9 tips will help you prep for famine and fend for yourself when society crumbles.
When prepping for a disaster, we think about covering the basics: food, water and shelter. To prepare your food and sterilize your water, you will need heat. When the power goes out and you need to live off the grid, what are some ways to prepare your food? In this post, I will discuss several options including my personal favorite – using a power station.
Fire-Based Cooking
Fire-based cooking, or cooking over a flame, predates almost all other cooking methods. The simplest way to use an open flame to cook is to roast or broil food on an open fire or a grate over an open flame. This is great for cooking small bits of food, like bacon or rice, but it’s not so ideal for cooking larger pieces of meat.
Some traditional foods, like roasts and stews, are best prepared in open-flame pots, or cauldrons, suspended over an open fire. Be sure to use a fireproof pot, and keep a close eye on it while it’s cooking; you don’t want your food to burn! If you don’t have a cauldron, you can still cook this way by putting a grate above your fire and suspending your pots and bowls above.
Power Station + Electronic Hot Plate
There are many portable power stations on the market today that can charge your multiple electronics at home. The EBL Portable Power Station is one of those few devices that will not only charge your electronics but it can also run even an electronic hot plate to cook your meals.
This incredible power station is perfect for off the grid cooking. Charge it with electricity or solar power, then hook it up to an electric hot plate and dinner will be ready in no time! The power stations is a must-have for anyone who wants to both on and off the grid.
Outdoor Ovens
An outdoor oven, used in many parts of the world, is a type of baking or roasting oven that is used outdoors. It is usually made of bricks or unprocessed clay and can be used at ground level or on a raised surface.
These ovens are most often used for cooking large batches of food for large groups of people. The outdoor oven can be used for a variety of different types of food, from meat to bread. The outdoor oven can also be used for baking, as long as you take the necessary precautions to prevent the oven from overheating and catching fire.
There are a few things that you can do to make sure that your baked goods come out just right when using an outdoor oven. You can use a pizza stone for crisper crusts, place a few shallow pans of water in the oven to create a moist environment for baking, and cover your baked goods with a clean cloth to retain their moisture while they bake.
Dutch Ovens
A cast iron Dutch oven is the best cooking pot for an apocalypse. It can go on a camp stove or on a fire. It can even be used in a solar oven. It’s almost indestructible. It’s also very useful in every day cooking, though you may not have known about it until now.
There are many different kinds of Dutch ovens on the market, but the most common ones are cast iron pots with lids. You can use these for just about anything. They are versatile and can be used on pretty much any heat source.
A cast iron Dutch oven can be used for just about any type of cooking. It’s great for slow-cooking stews and soups. You can use it for baking casseroles, making cobblers, or even just heating up leftovers. If you use a Dutch oven for cooking, don’t forget to season it first. Seasoning is basically rubbing some oil into the surface of the pot to create a thin, non-stick coating. This will protect the surface of the pot, prevent food from sticking to it, and make it last much longer.
Pressure Cooker
A pressure cooker is a cooking vessel that cooks food at a high pressure, which increases the temperature inside the pot and the rate at which the food cooks. Using a pressure cooker can reduce cooking times by as much as 70% compared to conventional methods. It’s good for all kinds of foods, from meats and stews to grains and beans.
Some pressure cookers require you to put some water in the bottom of the pot and then put the food in a basket above the water, while others are sealed and don’t require the water. All pressure cookers have some safety features to prevent them from blowing up. Once the food inside the pot has finished cooking, you can either let the pressure release on its own or you can manually release it by pressing a button.
The best cooking times for different foods vary depending on the type of pressure cooker that you have. You can find cooking times for specific foods online.
Vacuum Sealer
A vacuum sealer is a machine that removes air from sealed plastic bags. It can be used to store food longer and to preserve foods for a long time.
Using a vacuum sealer to store food is sometimes called “freezer-bag cooking”. Food should be cooked before it is sealed in bags because raw food may spoil. Once the food has been cooked, it should be cooled and then put in bags. Ideally, the food should be put in bags, sealed, and put back into the refrigerator for about two hours before being frozen.
The vacuum sealer works best when the food is cold. Plan ahead so that you know what you’ll be eating from your freezer bag meals. Make sure that you label the bags with the date and ingredients. This will help you know when it’s time to eat that food since it will probably last a long time.
Marinated and Smoked Meat and Fish
No prepper meal is complete without meat. Whether you’re cooking on a grill, in a Dutch oven, or in a pressure cooker, it’s important to have a good marinade that will tenderize your meat and add flavor to your dish.
Try marinating meat and fish in soy sauce, honey, mustard, garlic, and lemon juice. For a more savory marinade, you can use fish sauce, soy sauce, lime juice, garlic, and pepper. A good way to marinate meat is to put the meat and marinade in a plastic bag and leave it for several hours or overnight in the refrigerator.
Smoke your fish or meat using a water smoker. It’s a good idea to marinate fish or meat before smoking it to add flavor. You can also smoke vegetables, cheese, nuts, or any other food that can be smoked.
Beans and Legumes
Beans and legumes are excellent sources of proteins. They are also a great source of carbohydrates.
Sprouting is a process that breaks down the nutrients in legumes and beans, but some people don’t like eating them because of the taste. To sprout legumes and beans, you need to soak them in water overnight so they can sprout. Afterwards, they will need to be rinsed and kept in a cool and dark place. They will be ready to eat in a few days. You can eat sprouted legumes and beans with some lemon juice or salt. You can also eat them with a bit of butter. They are great for on the go.
Rice and Pasta
Rice and pasta are two of the most common food items eaten today. They are also easy to make and can be stored for a long time in a dry place. To make rice, you will need rice, water, and a pot. It’s possible to make rice without a pot, but it’s easier with one.
To make pasta, you will need flour, eggs, and water. However, there are many different variations of both rice and pasta that might be easier to cook or store in a post-apocalyptic scenario. For example, you can cook pasta in a coffee can using a solar oven. You can also cook rice in a paper bag using your oven or stove. Both methods are easy and inexpensive.
Conclusion
The best way to prepare for a world-ending event is to learn how to cook your own food. You will also feel better knowing what you are eating and how it was prepared. You may even discover some new favorite dishes!
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