I got a lot of meat in a freezer. I live in an apartment, so I don't know what I'll do if the power goes out. Haul my freezer outside and use a generator? Stand by it all day so that people don't steal the food?
Freeze some filtered water in gallon jugs in those freezers. Leave a little room for expansion, then u have drinking water when it melts but it could save that meat a little longer. Maybe take half that meat and dehydrate too. I'm sure you guys already know this but I couldn't help myself from sharing
Do you have a grill or smoker? Get cooking. Find recipes online for how to make beef jerky in a smoker. Jerky lasts longer - until you open it. Pro tip - get some various sizes of mylar bags and a woman's cheap hair flat iron (looks like a curling iron someone pounded with a hammer). Also get some oxygen absorbers (or you can make your own - search online). Make the jerky and pack it in small batches in the mylar bags with an oxygen absorber and seal it with the flat iron. Then pop them in your freezer until you need them. You can do this in an oven as well if necessary but it will cost more in electricity - you are better off getting a dehydrator. Get one that is big enough for big batches of jerky because it takes a while so the more you can do at once the quicker you get done.
Honestly I was getting ready to purchase a Harvest Right freeze drier this Veteran's Day until the contract I was working on was unexpectedly terminated due to the economy. Now I have to worry about getting a job first. But - Tractor Supply has those freeze driers every day at the price Harvest Right sells them for on Black Friday only. They also give a 15% discount on everything to veterans on Veteran's Day (only). I figured if I got the "medium" one I could just start buying things like avocados, berries, eggs, meat, and even stuff like spaghettios when they went on sale, freeze dry them, and put them up for when I need them. I know for example avocados at Sam's Club near me can go below $2 a bag of 5 large ones in parts of the year, but they were almost $7 yesterday. They freeze-dry really well and I use them a lot, so eventually the freeze drier would pay for itself in my case. I planned on also using it for my large freezer of meat.
Edit - note. I don't work for, or know anyone that works for either Harvest Right or Tractor Supply. I do cyber security. I just really want one of those, and found the best price that I could. Hopefully it helps someone that was looking for the same.
I've heard that if you don't open the freezer for something like 3 days the contents should stay good. However, that probably also depends on how hot it is outside. If it's crazy hot out, then it might be more like 1 day. I would pray about it.
Also, if you have a south facing window or access to outside you might want to look into getting a small solar charger (50-100 watt?) and maybe something like a jackery battery as well. I got a 200 watt one a few years ago, wish I'd have gotten something like a 600 watt instead. But, at least I can run a fan or a light and charge my phone and also an LED lantern that will charge by USB. The solar charger I have has a couple USB plugs.
I'm having trouble thinking of what I'd use the solar panel to charge. Phone, well, if the power grid goes out, there will be no cellular signal right?
Possibly, but I don't think power will go out everywhere, though I could be wrong. I guess I'd suggest to pray and the holy spirit can give you personal guidance or suggestions.
We have purchased over 300 cans of tuna. And other stuff like spam and cans of salmon. And chicken in the can. I simply canβt let no power stop us from eating meat. Not gonna happen
I got a lot of meat in a freezer. I live in an apartment, so I don't know what I'll do if the power goes out. Haul my freezer outside and use a generator? Stand by it all day so that people don't steal the food?
Freeze some filtered water in gallon jugs in those freezers. Leave a little room for expansion, then u have drinking water when it melts but it could save that meat a little longer. Maybe take half that meat and dehydrate too. I'm sure you guys already know this but I couldn't help myself from sharing
Thanks. Make jerky out of the meat?
Why does the water need to be filtered in the gallon jugs?
So you have clean water to drink when it melts.
Do you have a grill or smoker? Get cooking. Find recipes online for how to make beef jerky in a smoker. Jerky lasts longer - until you open it. Pro tip - get some various sizes of mylar bags and a woman's cheap hair flat iron (looks like a curling iron someone pounded with a hammer). Also get some oxygen absorbers (or you can make your own - search online). Make the jerky and pack it in small batches in the mylar bags with an oxygen absorber and seal it with the flat iron. Then pop them in your freezer until you need them. You can do this in an oven as well if necessary but it will cost more in electricity - you are better off getting a dehydrator. Get one that is big enough for big batches of jerky because it takes a while so the more you can do at once the quicker you get done.
Honestly I was getting ready to purchase a Harvest Right freeze drier this Veteran's Day until the contract I was working on was unexpectedly terminated due to the economy. Now I have to worry about getting a job first. But - Tractor Supply has those freeze driers every day at the price Harvest Right sells them for on Black Friday only. They also give a 15% discount on everything to veterans on Veteran's Day (only). I figured if I got the "medium" one I could just start buying things like avocados, berries, eggs, meat, and even stuff like spaghettios when they went on sale, freeze dry them, and put them up for when I need them. I know for example avocados at Sam's Club near me can go below $2 a bag of 5 large ones in parts of the year, but they were almost $7 yesterday. They freeze-dry really well and I use them a lot, so eventually the freeze drier would pay for itself in my case. I planned on also using it for my large freezer of meat.
Edit - note. I don't work for, or know anyone that works for either Harvest Right or Tractor Supply. I do cyber security. I just really want one of those, and found the best price that I could. Hopefully it helps someone that was looking for the same.
I've heard that if you don't open the freezer for something like 3 days the contents should stay good. However, that probably also depends on how hot it is outside. If it's crazy hot out, then it might be more like 1 day. I would pray about it.
Also, if you have a south facing window or access to outside you might want to look into getting a small solar charger (50-100 watt?) and maybe something like a jackery battery as well. I got a 200 watt one a few years ago, wish I'd have gotten something like a 600 watt instead. But, at least I can run a fan or a light and charge my phone and also an LED lantern that will charge by USB. The solar charger I have has a couple USB plugs.
Thank you for the info.
I'm having trouble thinking of what I'd use the solar panel to charge. Phone, well, if the power grid goes out, there will be no cellular signal right?
Possibly, but I don't think power will go out everywhere, though I could be wrong. I guess I'd suggest to pray and the holy spirit can give you personal guidance or suggestions.
use it to keep your freezer cold
Wouldn't you need a huge battery and high wattage solar panel system to run a freezer for a week?
Edit: I asked Grok. Here is it's answer:
Given these considerations, here's what you might look for:
6 x 300W solar panels for generation.
Battery bank capable of storing 8-9 kWh, which might translate to something like 400Ah at 24V or equivalent in a 48V system for better efficiency.
1000-1500W inverter for power conversion.
MPPT charge controller to handle the power from the panels efficiently.
I can't do that in an apartment unfortunately.
As soon as marauders know you have food, you will have much less food.
But I expect food sharing to be widespread, nobody will go hungry, far less violence than the left would love would love to see will actually occur
This "blackout" isn't going to last long BTW
I am in an apartment to friend.
We have purchased over 300 cans of tuna. And other stuff like spam and cans of salmon. And chicken in the can. I simply canβt let no power stop us from eating meat. Not gonna happen
Sardines better than tuna... Better nutrition, less mercury.
Well I sure as hell hope that the situation isnβt permanent π
Very good ideas!