In my opinion, fall is by far the best time to go camping: The weather is cool and less humid, campgrounds are usually a lot cheaper, and the fall colors are more beautiful (to me, anyway). If you're thinking about camping this fall, don't just eat canned food and smores. There are plenty of other options. So … [Read more...]
How To Make The Most Delicious Beef Jerky Ever
Jerky is one of the oldest and most popular ways to preserve meat. Traditionally dried in sun and smoke, jerky can last through the winter and often longer if you make it properly. Although veggies, fruits, grains, seeds, and nuts are easier to store, preserving your own meat is quite doable. Home-made jerky is made … [Read more...]
How to Make Easy Emergency Bread
Note: To make this bread, I used the buddy burner candle and tin can stove from my last two tutorials. In case you missed them here's how to make a buddy burner candle, and here's how to make a tin can stove. Bread is considered the staple of life, yet the knowledge of how to make bread is relegated to stores, … [Read more...]
Convert a Junk TV Into a 2000ºF Solar Cooker
"If a small magnifying glass will burn things with sunlight, how much power could you get from a lens as big as you?" So begins the following video. Right now people all over the country are getting flat screen TVs and selling their old rear projection TVs. Many people are giving them away for free. Rear projection … [Read more...]
8 Ways To Cook Food If You End Up Homeless
Almost every major disaster results in thousands of homeless people. Their homes get flooded or destroyed, or their neighborhood is evacuated. In situations like this, churches and emergency shelters are often filled to capacity. And even if they aren't, they can be unsafe (think of the Superdome after Hurricane … [Read more...]
15 Kitchen Gadgets That Work Without Power
A while back I wrote a post about cooking without power which was really just a list of ways to heat up food--dutch oven, fireplace, grill, etc. But what if your food needs more than just heating? What if the power is out and you want to use the blender, the mixer, the toaster, the waffle maker, the coffee pot, or one … [Read more...]
7 Reasons To Buy Old Cookbooks
One problem with modern cookbooks is they assume you have electricity to power your kitchen appliances. What if the power is out and you can't use your microwave or blender? What is the best way to heat or blend a particular ingredient without power? This is just one of the many reasons why you should look for old … [Read more...]
50 Substitutes for Baking Ingredients
You might be wondering what an article about baking ingredients is doing on a survival site. Is this really something people will have to worry about after a disaster? Well, imagine this: The power has been out for several days, social unrest is at an all time high, and you've decided to bug in until the worst is … [Read more...]
How to Make Hardtack: A Cracker That Lasts for Years
A while back I mentioned hardtack in the article Foods That Last Forever and several people have asked what it is and how to make it. Basically, hardtack is a hard cracker made from flour, salt, and water. The great thing about hardtack is that as long as you keep it dry, it will last for years. It will even last … [Read more...]
How to Make Pemmican: The Original Survival Food
Pemmican is a portable, long-lasting, high-energy food that was invented by native Americans. It's made of lean, dried meat that is crushed into powder and mixed with hot, rendered fat. Sometimes people add crushed, dried fruit as well. The great thing about pemmican is that it is so calorie-dense, just a little … [Read more...]
3 Ways To Make Bread When the Power is Out
Early on in my survival preparations, I bought lots of whole wheat flour and yeast packets for making bread. Flour is a lot cheaper than MRE's and it takes up less space. Then one day my wife said, "If a disaster happens and the power is out, how are you going to bake bread?" Good question. And I felt pretty stupid … [Read more...]
5 Survival Cooking Tips
Survival cooking is a lot different from everyday cooking. When the power is out or you have to abandon your home, you'll no longer be able to throw food into the microwave or oven. You'll have to use a grill, a camping stove, or maybe even an old-fashioned campfire. But if you don't have a lot of experience … [Read more...]
