Peserving meat

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Prompt dressing and skinning is nessesary to prevent your meat from souring. Once the body heat is dissipated, the danger of souring is past. Next you will protect the meat from flies, and delay or prevent spoilage from bacterial action. In weather which is sunny yet cool, with a brisk wind blowing, meat can be hung in the open where it will dry with the outer layer hardening to a tough black skin. Flies cant penetrate this so bacterial spoilage is delayed. Figure how much meat will do the camp for 5 - 7 days, depending on how hot the days are running. Set this amount aside to keep fresh and dry the remainder at once. Keep the meat with any fat layers for fresh and the straight lean for drying. In hot weather, go to the coolest, shadyest place you can find and practice fly-tight bagging in the daytime and uncovered to the cool air at night when flies are inactive. The covering has to promote good ventilation, such as a pillow case or flour sack etc. If no material is available to prevent flies from landing then hang the meat in a cool place and maintain a light smoke fire beneath till the outter layer turns black. No heat should reach the meat, and green deciduous wood is best. Meat to be dried must be cut into strips 1/4 inch thick max, but as wide and long as managable. Hang them on a rack of light, dry poles in a strong sun and brisk breeze to deter flies. In 2-3 days it will be so dry it will crumble when you bite it. Without a good breeze, maintain a cool smoky fire as well, till meat is dry enough to not attract flies. The fire should not be allowed to produce more heat than you can easily bear holding a hand over it at half the height of the racks. Once thoroughly rid of all moisture, it will keep indefinetily as long as it doesnt become damp. As you cook up each days fresh meat, you can see how well its keeping. Should you sense your meat is about to turn, cook the entire remaining lot at once. It will then keep a couple days more. Never make jerky from meat about to turn!