Vigo County Historical Society
Historical Treasure Article
Historic Treasure of the Week -
November 3, 2002
By Freida Murphy
Vigo County Historical Society
Canning, curing were pioneer ways to preserve food
Gather the gifts of Earth with
equal hand;
Henceforth ye too may share
the bountiful soil,
The corn, the wine, and all the
harvest-home.
E.C. Stedman, The Feast of Harvest
Once the harvest is in, the next job is to make sure it does not go to waste. In pioneer days, drying, salting and live storage were the only ways known for preserving produce. The Indians depended on sun-dried foods. American settlers survived bitter winters by eating salt-cured produce or vegetables stored in root cellars. Caesar’s army carried pickled food with it and the builders of the Great Wall of China dined on salt-cured vegetables.
Methods for preserving the harvest are live storage, canning, freezing, jellying and drying.
Canning has been one of the most popular methods of preserving foods since 1809, when the technique was first developed by Frenchman Nicolas Appert. A boiling water bath in a canner is one method, but a pressure canner is a lot faster today.
Freezing is probably the most popular method of preserving food today. It is simple and reliable and retains more of the flavors and nutrients of food except for live storage.
Salt was a treasured commodity in the ancient world, not only for its flavor but for its preservative properties. When produce is impregnated with sale, moisture is drawn out and the growth of spoilage-causing bacteria is inhibited. There are four basic methods of salt-curing: dry salting, brining, low-salt fermentation and pickling.
Jellying: Just as salt and vinegar preserve fruits and vegetables through pickling, so sugar acts as a preserving agent in jellies, jams, conserves, marmalades, preserves and fruit butters.
Drying: Can be done indoors or out. The simplest method of indoor drying is in the oven. Dehydrators are available on the market. Outdoor drying gets best results in a dry, sunny, clean-air environment.
Salt, smoke and spices not only preserve meats, but add flavor as well. Poultry, cooked and deboned, was stored for months beneath a covering of lard or butter. Roasts were kept fresh for up to a week by immersing them in cold running water. When the meat began to float it was ready for the oven.
The Historical Museum of the Wabash Valley, 1411 S. Sixth St., is open from 1 to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. The Web site: http://web.indstate.edu/community/vchs.