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See also Edible
Berries and fruits Non
Edible Berries Poisonous
Berries and fruits Food
Sources Meat
Plants as food Edible Plants
"How to Make A
Crawdad trap "
Making Fire
Obtaining Water
Making
Soap Sleeping
Arrangements Using
a signal mirror Making
rope Make a compass
First aid
Making a primitive Shelter
Shelters
-Manmade material
Back to Survival Trips
Food gathering

Meat
To see our section on vegetative food sources
click here
Animals
For the protein content that your body needs for muscle maintenance and development
you need protein. Now you can get some of that from nuts and legumes (beans),
but not all of us are vegetarians. Catching animals for food is skill that
should be understood before it is necessary to use. In a camping or
survival situation you may have to resort to primitive methods.
*** Just a note: In a true survival situation it is acceptable to do what
is necessary to survive. No, we are not talking about eating each other but
rather where you would normally need a hunting license, it would not likely
be required in a life or death survival case and even if you did get some flack
about it at least you would be alive to hear it.***
Types of animals:
Almost any animal is edible providing you are not of a religious persuasion
that would prohibit it, but even then it may be hard to pass up the potential to
live. (for Christians: That which is blessed is clean) A few animals have certain parts in them where toxins and such are stored or processed for excrement and those particular parts should be avoided or
you risk poisoning yourself. Eating them may not be deadly but at least vile enough to make you
ill and debilitated your for several days.
Basic rule of thumb is if the animal eats flesh or scavenges (such as a land
crab, or a coyote) you do not eat the filtering portions of the innards such as the
liver, gall, kidneys or other questionable organs. See preparations
You would naturally never eat venom sacks on poisonous snakes and the
likes. Also remember to be careful of their delivering
devises such as fangs and pincers.
All animals are fair game, but some are going to be much harder to obtain
than others. Because of the enormity of the list of animal species we will
not attempt to delve into the methods or the benefits of each type or even
species. Take what you learn from this and apply it to similar situations.
Remember that some creatures no matter how docile you may think they are, will
turn on you and seriously maim you or even cause life threatening wounds when
they are in turn threatened. Case
in point. A deer - a cute deer- can rip open your midriff with a swift
kick of it's hooves. This from either in a forward motion with their front
hooves or backward with the hind hooves, and don't
forget about the horns.
Large game: Deer - Elk - Moose May be too large for many to consider just
because of the amount of meat that would likely go to waste. Remember if you go after large game then you must be planning in
settling in and make plans for preserving the meat.
See our Cooking in a survival or primitive situation.
However if you have the will, then there are the ways.
*****We need to interject the dangers of having food
on or near you persons when in the wild and urge you to read the
section on "Bears
and other Dangerous Animals" in our
wilderness camping section.*****
Slow moving critters:
Insects, grubs, Clams, Oysters -
Snails- Sea
urchins - Conch - Lobster -
Crawdads - turtles or tortoises -
Insects: Yeah I know they don't sound good but read on.
Insects are about 65 to 80 percent protein. Avoid any that sting or
bite, or that have bristly hairs. Brightly colored insects, and caterpillars are
usually colored to warn off predator. Insect larvae (grubs) are also
edible. Also avoid spiders and common disease carriers such as ticks, flies, and
mosquitoes.
Look under or inside of rotting logs. Beetles and grasshoppers should be
cooked because they may have parasites. When eating ants kill them first by
pinch their head or removing it entirely as this improves the flavor.
Worms
Earth Worms are an excellent protein source. Dig for them in damp humus
soil or watch for them on the ground after a rain. Let them soak in water until
they are pale in color. This way they will have gotten the soil out of their
system and you won't have to be eating dirt, they taste better this way. Worms
can be eaten raw or cooked and mashed into a paste to spread on some vegetable
matter. Kind of like pate.
Crustaceans
Freshwater shrimp or grass shrimp and can be found in aquatic
vegetation or mats of hydrilla.
Crawdads
Crawdads look like miniature lobsters and can be found in most
temperate of tropical areas of the world. They are easily collected from drying
pools or ponds or you can make a crawdad trap and bait it with fish head (which
you should be eating and not using for bait) or fish entrails (guts). See our crab trap
building technique. For primitive crawdad traps you make a
long and narrow closely slatted box, and you must have the entrance on the top and facing
down or a funnel shape entrance at each end. If making it from reeds remember the slats must be
close together to prevent all but the tiniest
from escaping. Try weaving some cordage thru the slats. Another method of
catching crawdads is to fish for them by tying the bait on a piece of line.
When the crawdad grabs it slowly pull it in to cause them to hold on harder and
then suddenly haul in the line with them still on it. The same works for crabs,
It's the old monkey fist in the hole concept. They are reluctant to let go.
Lobster
3 different types of Spiny lobster found tropical waters.
Lobsters - (and salt water Crayfish), crabs, and shrimp can be collected near
shore in most tropical or subtropical regions. Catch lobsters and crabs with a
baited pot trap or a baited line hook just like the fresh water crawdads.
If the water is clear or if you have a mask you will find spiny lobster or salt
water crayfish (pronounced crawfish by locals) under rocks and coral heads. (do
not touch coral - some types are irritating, but the touch from a human hand can
kill the coral). In a most rudimentary situation you can use a 3 foot
"tickle stick" to reach into the lobster den and tap him on the tail
and hope he crawls out into your waiting gloved hand, But remember you are under
water and how long can you stay there. This method is the only method that scuba
diver are allowed to use in some locations, but then they have a tank full of
air and can be persistent. A slightly better method is using a piece of fine cloth - underwear, panty hose etc - tie it
on the end of 3 foot piece of stick let it hang loosely. When you see the
spiny antennae sticking out under a rock, poke the clothed end in past the
antennae and wrap it around the Lobster. The spines on it's body will become entangled
in the cloth and you can pull it out and feast like a king. Of course if your
are not stranded and are allowed to use a spear gun then have at it, but
check the local laws. Most locations (Florida Keys included) prohibit
Spearguns.
Clams, oysters, snails and such
Freshwater and saltwater shellfish clams, mussels, bivalves, and sea urchins
Mussels usually form dense colonies in rock pools, on logs, or at the base of
boulders.
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CAUTION
Mussels may be poisonous in tropical zones during the
summer due to red tide.
If red tide is present there will
usually be a fish kill with dead fish washed up on the shore.
Do not eat shellfish that are not covered by water at
high tide!
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Steam, boil, or bake mollusks in the shell. They make excellent stews in
combination with greens and tubers. In a pinch the Mussels can be place right on
the coals of campfire and the removed after about 10 minutes. The
shells should be slightly open and you can then cut the meat free from
it's anchor an the shell (no knife- then use the edge of one
half of the shell to cut it loose- these also make good scapers for
removing fat and hair from a hide when tanning-When in a survival
situation use everything to it's fullest).
Snails, escargot, whelks and conchs.

River snails or freshwater periwinkles are plentiful in rivers, streams, and
lakes of northern coniferous forests. These snails may be pencil point or
globular in shape.
In fresh water, look for mollusks in the shallows, especially in water with a
sandy or muddy bottom. Look for the narrow trails they leave in the mud or for
the dark elliptical slit of their open valves.
Near the sea, look in the tidal pools and the wet sand. Rocks along beaches
or extending as reefs into deeper water often bear clinging shellfish. Snails
and limpets cling to rocks and seaweed from the low water mark upward. Large
snails, called chitons, adhere tightly to rocks above the surf line.
To eat snails and such you can boil them in the shell and then pull
the animal out. For conchs you can hold them by the lip of the
shell and with the back of a machete or similar break a slot along the
ring of spikes between the 2nd and 3rd rows of the whorls. Stick a thin bladed knife
in the slit and cut the muscle where it is fastened to the inner cone
of the shell. If you are in a survival situation you can suspend the
shell over some shaded branches and the foot of the animal will begin
to hang down. Trying to pull it out too soon it will pull back in.
Once you have the animal free from the shell you tear or rub off
anything that will come off and then wash it. The meaty part, the
foot, is covered with a tough skin (usually black) and should be
removed. Once it is cleaned you should have a nice piece of white
meat. If the gastropods where living in a clean source of water such
as the Caribbean sea or a clean stream you can eat the meat raw. It is
best to cut it up in thin strips as thick as a fifty cent piece. I you
are cooking it then pound it to tenderize it before cooking. The mouth
of a coke bottle (virtually everywhere - See the movie "The God's
Must Be Crazy") works well as a tenderizing tool or in a pinch
you could use 2 rocks. Visit our recipes
section to see recipes for most of the foods we cover here. It
you don't find some now ,then keep checking back because we are adding
files constantly and we will get to it.
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Fish represent a good source of protein and fat. They offer some distinct
advantages to the survivor or camper. They are usually more abundant than mammal
wildlife. To be successful at catching
fish, you must know their habits. For instance, fish tend to feed heavily before
a storm. Fish are not likely to feed after a storm when the water is muddy and
swollen. Light often attracts fish at night. When there is a heavy current, fish
will rest in places where there is an eddy, such as near rocks. Fish will also
gather where there are deep pools, under overhanging brush, and in and around
submerged foliage, logs, or other objects that offer them shelter.
There are no poisonous freshwater fish. However, the catfish species has
sharp, needlelike protrusions on its dorsal fins and barbels. These can inflict
painful puncture wounds that quickly become infected.
Cook all freshwater fish to kill parasites. Also cook saltwater fish caught
within a reef or within the influence of a freshwater source as a precaution.
Any marine life obtained farther out in the sea will not contain parasites
because of the saltwater environment. You can eat these raw.
Certain saltwater species of fish have poisonous toxins in their flesh or the
internal organs. In some species the
poison occurs seasonally in others, it is permanent. Examples of saltwater fish
to be wary of are the porcupine fish, cowfish, thorn fish, and puffer The barracuda,
while not actually poisonous itself, may transmit ciguatera (fish poisoning). A
simple test is to place a piece of fish near some ants ant if they actively try to
cart it off then is is likely to be safe to eat, if they avoid it the you should
do likewise.
Catching your fish
Scratch and Snatch Traps
Spears Bow and Arrow Snare Net
Now how to catch them. We won't go into the mechanics of using a fly rod or
bait casting as these are subjects that are being covered separately in our "Fishing"
section. Rather we will deal with alternate methods that may be employed in a
survival situation.
Scratch and Snatch Tickle
Catch:
Using this method you do just as it's name implies, you tickle the fish then
catch it. Basically you need to know where it is that the fish likes to
rest. Usually near the shore and close to some cover such as tree roots or
brush. You lay down on the bank and put your arm in the water, palm side up, and
wait. This can be painful in frigid water and you may find the when you go to
snatch your hands won't work. The concept is to let the fish return to it's spot
and over your hand (reposition it slowly if necessary) and then slowly begin to caress
it's belly. This pacifies it and it soon begins to not feel threatened and
becomes careless and slow to react. This is when you close you hand around him,
try to get side fins between your fingers, and all in one motion you scoop him
up out of the water, up and over you and as high up on the bank as you can.
Don't try to just get a hold of it, cause it won't take but a split second for
it to realize what is going on and thrash itself loose. Fish slime is
slipperier than a wet bar of soap. This works better on some fish than others.
Some of the bottom feeder (suckers) are easier than game fish but if you are
catching catfish be aware that they have terrible spines on their fins that can
cause tremendous inflammation.
Fish Trap (pot)
We have made several of these in the past, but at the time they were being
made out of necessity and never thought of needing to share it with the
world. Until we have the opportunity to construct one and take photos of the process
we will supply you with a basic description on "how to make a fish trap or
a fish pot", and the principles of why it works.
Normally these are made out of chicken wire over a wooden frame and are quite
easy to do.
The concept here is that fish will swim down to a bait but not easily figure
that they then need to swim back up the way they came. Using whatever material
is available you will create a fairly large box form (4 feet by 3 feet by 18
inches high). This need to be able to be seen through and not a solid box.
In a survival condition you will likely need to use wooden strips and create a
frame and then add strips to the frame in a vertical alignment with about
3/4 inches of open space between them. Continue this across the top and bottom
but leave a gap on 2 ends about 1 foot square and a similar gap in the center on
the top. Then alternately weave or lash on, wooden slats through the primary slats with
about 3/4" open space between them as well. Again leaving out 1 foot of the
end pieces, but filling in the bottom 8 inches so that the openings start
at the top frame member. Next fill in the top of the trap leaving the 1
foot gap in the center. This will give you a 1 foot square openings. Carry
on with the other side and bottom which will be completely slatted while
maintaining the 3/4' open space between the slats. Create a hinged door
about 16 " square in the top by lashing a frame (See
knots) and then weaving in a method similar to the sides but the lid can be
made out of lighter material. Fasten this using cordage
(We prefer cordage made from the Cayman
Thatch Palm) in 2 places on onside to create a hinge.
Now on each end you need to create a funnel that is about 16 " deep and
tapers from the on foot opening to about 10". Fill this in all but the the
last 10 " of the bottom but using the weaving similar to the lid. In effect
you should have a funnel that allows a fish to enter and the swim down through
the 10 inch opening in the bottom of the funnel..
It is advisable to make
a bait box and fasten it on the inside and on the bottom of the trap. This will
have to be open enough that the fish can see and smell the bait but only the
smallest will be able to pick it apart. Put a hinged top on the bait box for
easy replenishment.
You will now have a Fish Trap and you can bait it, close the lid and secure it,
tie some rocks on the outside near the bottom for weight so it doesn't wash away
with the currents and then a length of line to retrieve it.. Again see cordage.
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Fishing Spear and gigs
These are quite simple to make and more difficult to use. The
difference between a spear and a gig is you throw a spear and you stab or joog
with a gig. Once again we will dwell on these from the primitive survival point
of view, although we have seen some nice commercial models out there. You can
even by the spear head from a good bait shop and mount it on a pole of your
choosing, If this is the route you are going to take, than visit the maintenance
building of a local golf course and see if they have any of the fiberglass
greens flag poles that are thicker in the middle (for grip) and taper towards
the ends, to mount your tip on. One of the neatest and most productive
gigs seen, was up in the Pacific Northwest where the native Indians were perched
on a bridge over a river and were taking sockeye salmon. They were using a 25 foot
length of Fir tree with a 3 pronged (tined) pitch fork on the end. The center
prong was straight and sharp to pierce the fish while the outer 2 were curled in towards the center
and slightly up to keep it from sliding off.

Because it was spawning season, the salmon were brilliant red
(See our Fish Identification
guides) and swimming 2-3 deep across the entire breadth of the river, they
made it look like a river of blood. The native Indians were able to almost
indiscriminately jab into the water without aiming and still bring up a nice
salmon.
Now on to construction a crude but highly effective spear or gig out of natural
materials. First scout to find out what fish are available and where they
frequent. This will help to determine which type of device to make. If there are
fish swimming in tidal pools then a spear may be most appropriate but if it is a
Gilumbo that you are after your will find the slow to react huge parrot
fish, feeding on whelk (which are good to eat) along rocky shores, then a gig may
be in order.
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Once you have chosen your preference then you need to
locate a suitable green wood pole of the length needed, The pole should be
not less than 1 1/2" in diameter at the bottom end that will become
the tip.
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Scrape the bark off the stem off the pole.
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Using some of your cordage
you need to whip (See
knots) the trunk if the pole starting about 6 inches from the end of
the pole and then wrap it tightly for the next 2 inches.
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Next you need to split the end of the pole through the
center to the depth of 6 " or up to the whipping.
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Then split it again 90 degrees to the first split.
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Cut 2 small 1/4 round sticks about 4 inches long.
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Spread the splits and force one stick in each split.
this will give you a 4 pronged fork.
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Place the prong end of the stick in your campfire (see Fire
making) but pull it out before it catches fire. Repeat this
until the wood is died out and hardened.
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Lash
the sticks in the upper most position you can achieve without breaking the
prongs.
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Trim off the excess of the sticks that extend beyond
the lashing.
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Sharpen each prong and create a barb on each.
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Practice to get a feel for the balance.
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If you remember your physics lesson the you will recall
that light passing through a denser substance will cause it to bend
towards the perpendicular. Meaning that if the sun is behind you, the fish
in the water (the denser substance) will appear closer to you. the same
applies no matter where the sun is the fish will appear to be closer to
the sun than it actually is. To get a grasp on this so you will know where
to aim, practice placing one end of the spear into the water while noting
how it appears to bend towards the direction of the sun. Depending on the
depth of the fish and the position of the sun on the horizon the fish will
appear more or less displaced. With practice and out of hunger you
will eventually get the hang of it and have fish hanging over your fire.
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Amphibians
Frogs and salamanders are easily found around bodies of fresh water.
Frogs

Frogs
seldom move from the safety of the water's edge. At the first sign of danger,
they plunge into the water and bury themselves in the mud and debris. There are
few poisonous species of frogs. Avoid any brightly colored frog or one that has
a distinct "X" mark on it's back. Frog legs are considered a delicacy
but in places like South Florida they are just "good eating". The
preferred method is to use an airboat with a driver and a gigger.
Using the lights mounted in the boat and a light on the gigger's
helmet ( like a miners) they barrel along at 45 mph and the gigger
spots the reflection in the eyes of the frog and reaches out with his
frog gig (spear) and the driver veers towards it. The frog is impaled
from the speed of the boat without any actual thrusting from the
gigger. The frog is quickly pulled off the gig by pulling it through a
V over a 5 gallon bucket, and then on to the next one, A gigger must
learn which eyes are the frogs (by color) and which are not or he will
wind up bringing an angry cottonmouth snake onboard or rip his arm out
of the socket by sticking a 100 pound gator at 45 mph.
Do not confuse toads with frogs. You
normally find toads in drier environments. Several species of toads secrete a
poisonous substance through their skin as a defense against attack. Therefore,
to avoid poisoning, do not handle or eat toads.
Salamanders
Salamanders are nocturnal. The best time to catch them is at night using a
light. They can range in size from a few centimeters to well over 60 centimeters
(2 feet) in length. Look in water around rocks and mud banks for salamanders.
Salamanders tend to have a blunter face than others in the lizard
families, with protruding eyes (kind of like the (Gieco Gecko) The one
pictured above is the newly discovered Asian Salamander so you
may want to give him a break and not eat him if you have another
choice
Do not confuse these with skinks, a shiny lizard, black fading to
purple with a yellowish stripe down the back and each side, pointed
head and a tail that starts as wide as the body and tapers down.
Skinks have a reputation for being somewhat toxic if not handled
correctly.

Reptiles Snakes
Reptiles are a good protein source and relatively easy to catch. You should
cook them, but in an emergency, you can eat them raw. Their raw flesh may
transmit parasites, but because reptiles are cold-blooded, they do not carry the
blood diseases of the warm-blooded animals.
The box turtle is a commonly encountered turtle that you should not eat. It
feeds on poisonous mushrooms and may build up a highly toxic poison in its
flesh. Cooking does not destroy this toxin. Avoid the hawksbill turtle, found in
the Atlantic Ocean, because of its poisonous thorax gland. Poisonous snakes,
alligators, crocodiles, and large sea turtles present obvious hazards to the
survivor.
Birds
All species of birds are edible, although the flavor will vary considerably.
You may skin fish-eating birds to improve their taste. As with any wild animal,
you must understand birds' common habits to have a realistic chance of capturing
them. You can take pigeons, as well as some other species, from their roost at
night by hand. During the nesting season, some species will not leave the nest
even when approached. Knowing where and when the birds nest makes catching them
easier . Birds tend to have regular flyways
going from the roost to a feeding area, to water, and so forth. Careful
observation should reveal where these flyways are and indicate good areas for
catching birds in nets stretched across the flyways . Roosting sites and waterholes are some of the most promising areas for
trapping or snaring.
Bird nesting places.
Nesting birds present another food source--eggs. Remove all but two or three
eggs from the clutch, marking the ones that you leave. The bird will continue to
lay more eggs to fill the clutch. Continue removing the fresh eggs, leaving the
ones you marked.
Mammals
Mammals are excellent protein sources and, for Americans, the most tasty food
source. There are some drawbacks to obtaining mammals. In a hostile environment,
the enemy may detect any traps or snares placed on land. The amount of injury an
animal can inflict is in direct proportion to its size. All mammals have teeth
and nearly all will bite in self-defense. Even a squirrel can inflict a serious
wound and any bite presents a serious risk of infection. Also, a mother can be
extremely aggressive in defense of her young. Any animal with no route of escape
will fight when cornered.
All mammals are edible; however, the polar bear and bearded seal have toxic
levels of vitamin A in their livers. The platypus, native to Australia and
Tasmania, is an egg-laying, semi-aquatic mammal that has poisonous glands.
Scavenging mammals, such as the opossum and raccoons, may carry diseases or even
be rabid .
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Devices
Depending upon what is available you will have to improvise these
instructions.
Snares are one of the most productive ways of trapping a land animal.
Basically a snare is made from a line or better yet wire or aircraft cable (we
are hoping you didn't crash but if you did make use of everything possible). One
end has an eye tied in it and the other end is passed thru the eye to make
loop that can easily be pulled closed. Pick you animal. Don't just make a snare
and hope that some perfectly sized animal is going to wander along and get
caught. Smaller animals call for a smaller snare and closer to the path
and the opposite for a larger animal. You will want to find a well worn and
frequented path to set the snare over. We say "over" because in a
passive snare you are attempting to have the animal get it's head thru the snare
and the ensuing struggle tightens it down cutting of the air supply. Most of us have
seen the snatch snares in movies where the character is yanked up into the air.
Remember these are staged in the movies and are possible to make for game
but require a sophisticated trigger method that is not necessary, as a passive
system works well will the mentality of most animals.
Sometimes an animal need a little encouragement and you can guide it into the
snare by constricting the sides of the path with brush to ensure that it
stays in the center where your snare is set up. Or for squirrels and a wire
snare, you can lean a pole up against a tree that the squirrel frequent (this is
obvious from the flakes of bark on the ground around the tree).
The following subject are in the works and will have a link when they are
ready for viewing.
Rabbit stick Throwing stick - rocks - Traps - Snares - Crawdad
traps - Spears not recommended
for most - Bow and arrows takes time - Knapping - club - sand pit -
Fishing spear or frogging spear -Fish pot - hand catching fish - Fishing line - Fashioning
hooks - dead log - Harvesting the slow moving critters
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Preparation or dressing
the meat.
It is important that we stress the possibility of contracting food
poisoning if food is not handled correctly in the dressing and
butchering process
Preserving the meat
This must be done correctly or life threatening illnesses
can result from eating food that has not been properly preserved. See Legal,
Note: It has been recently discovered that Cilantro, a herb
used in Latin American cooking and salsa, has an ingredient called
dodecenal, found in the fresh leaves and the seeds of cilantro. This
ingredient is
several times more effective than current medicine in preventing food borne
illness caused by Salmonella bacteria
Fish
Fish is one of the easiest form of meat to preserve. This is largely
due to the the low amount of blood in fish meat. In fact the moisture
in fish is mostly water. See water
procurement. This lends itself to being sun dried, dehydrated
or smoked.
Sun dried Salt fish.
To dry fish you simply cut slits in the flesh about an 1 1/2" apart, rub
salt (Usually available in dry crusted form on rocks or tidal pools near the
sea) in the slits and over the flesh and skin. Next you hang it in the sun
and treat it like laundry on a clothes line, you bring it in when rain threatens
and at night to protect it from the dew, It may be necessary to use additional
salt.
Note #1 It may develop an acrid strong fish odor to it and this is normal.
But a putrid rotting smell is a sign that not enough salt or too much moisture
is the cause, and the fish may have to be discarded. When eating dried
fish it will have a slight bitterness to it but this is acceptable. Cod fish
done this way is the national dish of Jamaica, and is an acquired taste.
Note 2: Because the fish is salted and dried it is tougher to determine what is
bones when you are eating, so it is advisable to fillet or de-bone it
first.
Note #3 Once the fish has been salt cured you can soak it in fresh water prior
to cooking or eating to remove some of the salt.
Dehydrating
Dehydrating is similar to Salt fish except that instead of so much salt, it
is seasoned as though it was being marinated and then it is force dried by
passing dry warm air over it. This is basically Fish Jerky. Again de-bone it
first.
Smoke Fish
Smoking fish has been used by man since primitive times. Basically what
happens in the smoking process it is not a matter of cooking it but drying it in
a warm smoky environment
This is not just a good way to preserve fish or any meat but adds a taste that
many find enjoyable. To successfully smoke fish it is done in a number of
ways but basically it comes down to whether you plan to eat it soon or in a
couple months providing you have refrigeration. You need to split large fish in
half and possibly even into strips to speed the time it take to finish the
process. Fatty fish like salmon and mullet make the best tasting smoked fish but
any fish can be smoked. The wood you use for smoking must not be a resinous type
such as pine or it will deposit a crude form of creosote on the meat rendering
it non-edible. Use dense hardwood like hickory oak, maple etc.
For short term storage you salt the meat, not as
heavily as you do in salt fish, by either rubbing it in or soaking it in salt
water. You then hang it in an enclosed container or a lean to and with a small
fire burned down to the coals and either a pan of moist sawdust, soaked dry wood
or green wood to put on the fire to create smoke. The surface of the fish should
not be more than 90 degrees (Barely warm to the touch) for the first 4 hours and
then 150 degrees ( hottest temperature that could be considered safe to touch)
for the the next 6 hours. This is called kippering and will on be
effective for a short time without refrigeration (1 or 2 days) and a couple of
weeks in the fridge.
For longer term storage you need to salt it quite
a bit and then smoke it slowly with only about 90 degrees maximum, for a
day and a half or even longer for larger pieces of meat.
For both methods the flesh will have a deep pink to orange color depending on
the type of fish and wood smoke.. This color must be all the way through it to
be considered done. In civilization a single burner hot plate can be used
with a tray of moist sawdust. Set the heat just high enough to make smoke and
then use vents to control the temperature but try not to lose to much smoke.
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