|
Post by meemo on Apr 16, 2010 8:19:13 GMT -5
Theres a thread at BH about whether senior's are goin to be able to afford meat the way the prices are goin. While we dont have that problem in this area yet, I got to thinking about it. When I was growing up the main dish on our table was vegetables. When the crops were in the fields we ate whatever was open for U-picks. If it was black-eyed peas we ate peas and cornbread and always sliced tomatoes. When the season was over we started eating what mama had canned. I know growing up in central Fl was a blessing because we were right smack in the middle of just about any kind of veg. being grown for the mkt. Little road side stands selling most anything were everywhere. Meat was for Sunday. Mama put a little seasoning meat in the beans/peas but that was it. If we had meat thru the week it was in a one pot stew or soup. We've been so spoiled to have such a bounty of affordable meat its goin to be hard for some to give that up.Over the last yr I've been weaning us away from the mindset of building a meal around meat. Pretty soon that may not be an option. It may be necessity And another thing while I'm on my soap box is eating food out of season. We've been changing that for a few yrs too. I dont buy fresh tomatoes from the store. We wait until the gardens come in. If I need tomatoes I use a good brand of diced canned tomatoes. Even in salad or we do without. OK I'm done now
|
|
|
Post by Granny Smith on Apr 16, 2010 18:59:30 GMT -5
I've been thinking about out of season fruit and imported foods in general. The things I would rather not do without, such as black pepper, cinnamon, and the like, I've stocked up on. It's surprising what you can actually grow, though. You can even grow paprika. It's a pepper, but it looks like a tomato to me.
I figure we can hunt a bit, but we can't depend on it because we won't be the only ones with that idea. We can fish. Both of our ponds have fish in them (and snapping turtles, too) I could deal with a vegetarian menu. I was a vegetarian for 10 years. It's not a bad way to eat as long as you be sure to vary the menu. I like to keep a variety of bouillons, beef, chicken, and ham, as well as a wide variety of herbs and spices, in order to bring new flavors to the foods. Plain rice and beans can get old and boring real fast.
I still don't use as much meat as most people I know. I prefer to use small amounts, along with grains and vegetables. The meat is more of a flavoring than the main event. It's not unusual for me to feed 8-10 people on a pound of meat. From what I've read on other forums, my grocery bill is very low compared to others. I seldom spend more than $100 a week, often half that.
One way to stretch those meat dollars is to make broths from meat trimmings, then use the broth to flavor some other food. Beef or chicken broth are good in rice pilafs, while ham broth is good in beans, lentils and other vegetable dishes (like cabbage or green beans). If you have meat flavor, you don't miss the meat so much. Another trick is to add some scrambled eggs to a meatless dish. They give the texture of tender meat, and protein, without breaking the bank.
You can also save meat drippings to add to meatless meals. Again you have the flavor, without the meat. One thing I like to make out of the drippings is a flavorful gravy (brown the flour in the grease, then add milk and cook till thick. Season with salt and pepper) and serve it over biscuits or cornbread. Add some sliced tomatoes and raw onion and you've got a meal.
Our meat prices are still relatively low - the kind of meat that's cheap varies from week to week, but there are still good deals to be had. But I've been poor enough that we had to make whatever meat we had last as long as we could. There's nothing wrong with meatless chili or Chinese food, made with vegetables and rice or noodles.
If you notice, I didn't recommend substituting cheese for meat in some dishes. The reason is, that cheese is more expensive per pound than meat here. I stretch that with white sauce.
|
|
|
Post by Granny Smith on Apr 16, 2010 18:59:58 GMT -5
Dang, I didn't mean to write a book!
|
|
|
Post by meemo on Apr 16, 2010 21:07:27 GMT -5
Hey, books are a good thing. I agree with you about boullion. I use it a lot and will be using it more since I cant have cured meat. For a couple of yrs I cooked all our dried beans with chicken boullion and no fat meat. Once at the table Paul was talking to some company and began expounding on how some people might not cook meat in their beans but he just couldnt eat them that way. I never fessed up.
|
|
|
Post by Granny Smith on Apr 17, 2010 10:55:08 GMT -5
See? People think they need meat, but all they're really after is the taste of meat. Dan gets fooled a lot. I make a taco/burrito filling out of lentils and brown rice. He can't tell the difference and I don't tell him. I've been doing this for years and he still says he doesn't like lentils. If he only knew!
He went to the doctor yesterday. The doctor commented on how good his cholesterol was. Dan said, "It ought to be, my wife boils or bakes everything". The doctor replied, "She must love you". I'd say it will be a good long time before he asks for fried foods. Really, about the only thing he ever asks for is french fries. I don't mind feeding him those now and then. I cook them in canola oil and he likes his without salt, so they're not too bad for him.
|
|
|
Post by arctichomesteader on Apr 28, 2010 18:58:07 GMT -5
I find I have less and less taste for store bought meat the more I've eaten wild meat (and the more times people I know are getting calls/letters that the meat they bought and ate was recalled).
But it seems I only have good luck hunting when I go to real remote areas, most people don't go that far in and most don't get a deer. Small game is nice too. I've been eating beaver too, after trapping so many of them.
If I could get drawn for a moose permit in Northern Vermont I'd have plenty of meat for a long time...but I never get drawn, it's frustrating.
|
|
|
Post by Granny Smith on Apr 28, 2010 19:15:32 GMT -5
We have deer and elk on our place, along with all the usual suspects - rabbits, groundhog, squirrels, etc. When I met Dan, he'd just come back from a hunting trip to Colorado. So, when we married, I figured I had a hubby who would put meat on the table. Boy, was I wrong! Turns out those 'hunting trips' were more like 'drinking trips'. He hasn't gone hunting once since I've known him - nearly 20 years. But he quit drinking, too. I'm happy about that.
But there are ways around not hunting. I let the neighbor hunt on my place. In exchange, he gives me a deer after he gets one for himself. I'm pretty good at butchering a deer. I can cut and package one in less than an hour. I only bone the hunks of meat because I just have a knife to work with, so it's faster.
The old man who used to hunt rabbit here would give me flats of strawberries. He owned a strawberry farm. He died a few years ago. I miss him. He was a sweet man.
Now if I can just find a hunter who knows how to fix roofs, I'll be in business.
|
|
|
Post by arctichomesteader on Apr 28, 2010 21:35:25 GMT -5
Have you ever gone hunting?
Elk...this state used to have elk but they were all wiped out in the 1800's. But on the bright side, we have moose. Moose is delicious, I just wish I'd be drawn for a permit to get one myself...
We also have bears but the meat isn't as good as deer or moose to me. It's sort of like pig meat. The fat rendered is good for cooking with (makes a nice cake) and works good for soap, bullet lube for shooting, etc.. The fur makes for a warm blanket. If I see a bear during the season I'll shoot it as they are useful, especially if deer season goes bad...
|
|
|
Post by meemo on Apr 28, 2010 21:53:17 GMT -5
When we lived in Fl. Somebody gave us a bear roast. It was very good eating. I've never eaten moose but folks that have say its good. The most interesting wild meat I've had is gater tail.
|
|
|
Post by Granny Smith on Apr 28, 2010 22:06:57 GMT -5
The only animal I've ever shot is a mean stray dog. He needed shootin'. One shot, right between the eyes, and it was all over. Good thing, too, cuz I only brought one bullet. It never occurred to me that I'd need more.
We have bears here, too, but not polar bears - just black bears. I wouldn't want to use their fur for a blanket. It feels about like pig hair to me.
|
|
|
Post by arctichomesteader on Apr 29, 2010 9:42:57 GMT -5
Good thing you hit it, a wounded, angry animal is as dangerous as can be. I've run into coyotes here that have no fear of me, and I try to always shoot those. One killed a woman in Canada. No stray dogs have been bad enough to need shooting yet, but someone else ran into one that was bad here. The animal rights fruitcakes jump on anyone who shoots a dog or a cat so I'd never tell anyone if I did have to shoot one.
Well, the advantage to bear fur is that it's so warm. When it gets below zero you won't mind how it feels as long as it's warm. If you line it with something soft it's not bad anyways.
I'm rather glad Vermont doesn't have polar bears either. Those things are dangerous, they actually hunt humans. I'm glad we don't have grizzlies either.
|
|
|
Post by arctichomesteader on Apr 29, 2010 9:45:24 GMT -5
When we lived in Fl. Somebody gave us a bear roast. It was very good eating. I've never eaten moose but folks that have say its good. The most interesting wild meat I've had is gater tail. I've had bear that was cured and smoked like a ham and it was good. But I'm not a big ham eater either. I like bacon but don't eat much because it's so unhealthy. I've heard of bear bacon.
|
|
|
Post by meemo on Apr 29, 2010 11:42:59 GMT -5
The roast we got was from a brown bear. The fellow went hunting in the Ocala National Forest and had a permit to shoot them. I bet the cured meat was good. Living here in Ar its unlikely we'll get that again. They do have elk here. My son in law does the hunting. I'll have to mention that to him.
|
|
|
Post by Granny Smith on Apr 29, 2010 18:44:44 GMT -5
Good thing you hit it, a wounded, angry animal is as dangerous as can be. I've run into coyotes here that have no fear of me, and I try to always shoot those. One killed a woman in Canada. No stray dogs have been bad enough to need shooting yet, but someone else ran into one that was bad here. The animal rights fruitcakes jump on anyone who shoots a dog or a cat so I'd never tell anyone if I did have to shoot one. I never did find out who that dog belonged to. I know all my neighbors' dogs and he didn't belong to anyone on our road. My sister was appalled when I told her I only took one bullet and that I didn't even load the gun till I was outside, then dropped the bullet trying to load it. She said, "You must have a high opinion of your shooting ability" Well, that isn't entirely true. It just didn't occur to me to take more. She also said, "What would you have done if you'd missed and he came after you?". I said I guess I'd beat him to death with the gun. I wouldn't do it again. It was just a brain fart. Not only was the dog mean, he had either been shot or hit by a car. His side was all bloody. He ran my dog off and was hanging around all day. This was when my kids were still in public school and the bus was due any minute, but the dog wouldn't leave and I was afraid of what he might do to me or the kids when they got home. I didn't really have much choice but to shoot him. At least it was quick. We gave him a decent burial.
|
|
|
Post by debi on May 3, 2010 0:53:57 GMT -5
i've been hunting, and yes it is bloody at times, can I hunt? yes i can. will I? yes I will, we have to have meat. I have lots of deer, and such around here. I will hunt it, you bet. and I will get turkeys too, we have many. wild ones. want tohunt this fall when theyoung ones are abotu half grown. they are good eating .small . but enough for a meal. then boil the bones down for broth to can up, to use to cook noodles in, or dumplins.
I will get meat one way or the other. got plenty of squirrels too. I don't care much for it. but my kin does. fried. I am going to get me plenty of chickens, I need t o be getting the eggs, now and hatching them out. so i can have a plenty of chickens this fall to butcher.
|
|