Items with thick skins or rinds like fruits and vegetables can be placed underground without any kind of protective covering. Just be sure to wash them thoroughly before you eat them![2] X Research source Natural refrigeration can extend the “shelf life” of any type of food, including fresh items like produce, meat, dairy, and bread that would quickly go bad under normal circumstances.
A hand trowel or small camp spade can help speed up the process. However, these tools are by no means a necessity. The better your bundle is tucked away, the less likely it is to attract hungry animals.
If it’s wintertime or you’re in an area with a cold climate, pack a layer of snow or ice on top of the hole to make it completely unidentifiable and keep your food fresh even longer. [6] X Research source Find some way to plainly mark your hole. That way, you’ll be able to find it easily when you come back to dig it up. Your covering serves two important purposes—preventing atmospheric heat from infiltrating the cool subterranean compartment and concealing the hole from any scavengers roaming around in the immediate vicinity.
You’ll know your food has gone bad if it gives off a foul smell or shows signs of molding, rotting, or discoloration. Ground moisture ordinarily has a way of accelerating food spoilage, but in this case, it will keep your edibles nice and cool in the short term. [8] X Research source
Things are going to get pretty smoky, so it’s a good idea to situate your fire pit away from your campsite. Doing so will also ensure that you’re not too close if the scent of smoking meat lures large, aggressive animals.
Oak, ash, apple, hickory, maple, and mesquite are among the best woods to use for smoking, if you know what you’re looking for. Rotten wood is generally safe to burn, but stay away from wood covered with lichens, fungi, or mold. These substances can be harmful if ingested by humans, so you definitely don’t want to infuse them into your food. [11] X Research source
If the ground is dry as a bone, your canteen can supply the necessary moisture.
Use lengths of rope, twine, or parachute cord to hold your structure together. Make sure your smoking racks are hovering at least 2–3 feet (0. 61–0. 91 m) over the coals. If your meat sits too close to the heat, it will burn up before it has time to fully cure. [14] X Research source
Other sorts of heat-safe objects can also be used to make an effective covering, such as sheets of scrap metal, a repurposed drum or barrel, or even a hollowed-out appliance. [16] X Research source The basic idea here is just to keep the smoke contained so it has plenty of time to circulate around the meat and draw out as much moisture as possible.
Try to get the meat as far from the coals as possible. Remember, you’re trying to smoke it, not cook it. [18] X Research source
Avoid opening your smoker for any reason, unless it’s to add small amounts of dry wood here and there in order to keep the coals burning. Smoking in the wild can be a bit of a hit-or-miss venture. As such, there’s no guarantee that your homemade jerky will be edible for more than a few days. It’s always best to consume smoked goods as soon as possible. [20] X Research source
Don’t worry if you don’t have a good way to clean your food. The drying process itself will usually be enough to kill off most illness-causing microbes, especially if you’re relying on the sun. Most fruits are ideal for sun-drying, thanks to their high sugar and acid content. [22] X Trustworthy Source National Center for Home Food Preservation Publicly-funded center dedicated to educating consumers about research-backed safety practices for preserving food Go to source
While you’re doing your cutting, be sure to trim off any fatty, moldy, bruised, or discolored sections.
Avoid shady areas, or those that only receive dappled or partial sunlight. They’ll be too dim to and too cool to stave off moisture-related spoilage and decomposition.
Other items you can use to put together a DIY drying rack include steel grate, shoelaces, or a length of parachute cord. If possible, find a way to get your drying rack off of the ground and create more circulation around the food. Better airflow means a shorter drying time. There’s also less chance of it being swiped by marauding bears or raccoons this way. [27] X Trustworthy Source National Center for Home Food Preservation Publicly-funded center dedicated to educating consumers about research-backed safety practices for preserving food Go to source
To encourage your items to dehydrate faster, turn them over about halfway through their daily allotted time in the sun. Also, be sure to bring them inside or move them to a dry, sheltered spot when night falls or it looks like rain. [29] X Trustworthy Source National Center for Home Food Preservation Publicly-funded center dedicated to educating consumers about research-backed safety practices for preserving food Go to source More specific drying times can be tough to predict, as different foods have different structures and contain different amounts of moisture. When dried properly, most foods can remain edible for an almost indefinite amount of time.
A good general rule of thumb is to always park your cooler a minimum of 100 yards (91 m) away from your campsite in order to avoid up-close encounters with bears and other unwanted visitors. [31] X Trustworthy Source US National Park Service Agency responsible for the maintenance and promotion of national parks and monuments Go to source You may be able to get more mileage out of your cooler foods if you have access to a ready supply of ice.
It’s important to keep your locker closed and latched whenever you’re not using it. Otherwise, anyone—or anything—that wanders near will have no trouble getting inside. Read through the regulations for the campground you’re visiting carefully. In some cases, it may actually be not to use the food locker provided for you. If you’re caught storing your food out in the open, you could get slapped with a hefty fine. [33] X Research source
Accessories like carabiners and ratchet straps can help you secure your storage container and ensure that it doesn’t slip out of its lofty nest. Store food generally about 100 feet away from where your tent is as not to attract any animals or critters. Bears, raccoons, squirrels, and other critters are expert tree climbers. You can thwart their attempts to make off with your supper by suspending your stash near the outer part of the limb, where it will be harder for them to reach.
If possible, take a few extra minutes to rinse your empty food packages, along with any dining ware you might have used, to deaden the scent it puts off. Don’t be tempted to bury your food scraps. They may be out of sight and out of mind to you, but nearby animals will still be able to track them down and dig them up. [36] X Research source
