High-Meat-Recipe Preparation For More Advanced RAFers

[TylerDurden]

The top of my high meat is covered in green stuff and some bubble action is happening. Is that ok or should I throw it out? Its been maybe 2 weeks total and I forgot to air it for a few days, not sure if its still good?

Generally, it's not recommended to eat raw high-meat that has been without exposure to oxygen on a regular basis(at least once very 2-3 days). The idea is that the Inuit sometimes got infected by botulism if they left their raw meats in an unaerated environment  for too long(ie underground under a rock for example). In my own case,  I have sometimes left certain raw meats in vacuum-packs(ie no oxygen) in the fridge at a lowish setting  for a few days and it did not bother me. However, after 7-10 days, the raw-meat would taste extremely foul and I would have to throw it away, unlike the standard high-meat I used which was regularly exposed to oxygen. The latter(once I got psychologically used to the taste!) generally tasted like an excellent aged, raw cheese, more or less.

[Core]

What about green stuff and bubbles? Is that normal on high meat?

[TylerDurden]

What about green stuff and bubbles? Is that normal on high meat?

I doubt it. That said,  when consuming normal, aerated "high-meat", I have often seen molds and funguses form of various colours which posed no problems re health. However, given the fact that the high-meat has been left  unaerated for so  long , I would strongly advise against eating it. Just try out another batch. My own rule is to avoid eating any "high-meat" left in the fridge or under the ground that I have forgotten to aearate for more than 3-4 days.

[Robinlove]

Well what do you mean by that?

That's cuz freezing practically sterilizes food. Doesn't denature enzymes like heat, but the cold kills bacteria

[surfsteve]

I read that cold kills parasites but not so much bacteria though it does keep them from growing. Most bacteria survive freezing. If some species of frogs and fish can survive freezing I would guess that it applies to lots and lots of other stuff. As far as I know those frogs and fish won't survive indefinitely and that they can only do it for a few months not for generations. Perhaps the two weeks recommended by Weston Price Foundation are because the generations of microbes are much shorter.

Can anybody give me the definition of "high meat"? I thought maybe it had to do with the location of a particular cut on the animal but it looks like it's due to a fermentation process. How does the term high apply to that? Is it because it gets you high from eating it?

[Robinlove]

Well it matters for people like me who tend to forget about things and could easily leave it in the fridge for a week before remembering. Surely I'm not the only one with a bad memory from years on a SAD?

 

Put calendar alarms.on your phone to avoid botulism.

[Robinlove]

I read that cold kills parasites but not so much bacteria though it does keep them from growing. Most bacteria survive freezing. If some species of frogs and fish can survive freezing I would guess that it applies to lots and lots of other stuff. As far as I know those frogs and fish won't survive indefinitely and that they can only do it for a few months not for generations. Perhaps the two weeks recommended by Weston Price Foundation are because the generations of microbes are much shorter.

Can anybody give me the definition of "high meat"? I thought maybe it had to do with the location of a particular cut on the animal but it looks like it's due to a fermentation process. How does the term high apply to that? Is it because it gets you high from eating it?

Freezing kills lots of different kinds of bacteria. Please look it up.

[surfsteve]

Freezing kills lots of different kinds of bacteria. Please look it up.

I actually did!

6 Common Myths About Freezing Foods

Myth #3: Freezing Kills Bacteria

Freezing foods renders bacteria inactive but doesn't actually kill anything. That means if your food went into the freezer contaminated, once thawed it will still harbor the same harmful bacteria

http://www.eatingwell.com/healthy_cooking/healthy_cooking_101_basics_and_techniques/6_common_myths_about_freezing_foods?page=4

[Inadequacy]

I've been fermenting my high meat for a month now and the smell and also the taste are really strong. After the first 2 weeks it actually tasted pretty good and I would happily eat it, but then in just a couple days the small started to change drastically. After that I didn't touch the meat (only aired it every 2 days or so). Now after a month I tried 1 piece and I barely got it down my throat. It kind of smells like someones shit and the taste is just too overwhelming for me, but I suppose I could get used to it. I just hope I didn't do anything wrong, like let the flies get to it when I wasn't looking (fly eggs should be noticeable yeah?), because that change of smell after those 2 weeks really surprised me.

[Dingeman]

I've been fermenting my high meat for a month now and the smell and also the taste are really strong. After the first 2 weeks it actually tasted pretty good and I would happily eat it, but then in just a couple days the small started to change drastically. After that I didn't touch the meat (only aired it every 2 days or so). Now after a month I tried 1 piece and I barely got it down my throat. It kind of smells like someones shit and the taste is just too overwhelming for me, but I suppose I could get used to it. I just hope I didn't do anything wrong, like let the flies get to it when I wasn't looking (fly eggs should be noticeable yeah?), because that change of smell after those 2 weeks really surprised me.

Yes, this is normal. The smell really gets strong around the 2/3 week mark. Don't worry about it, it smells worse than it tastes. The taste is hard to get accustomed to but it will get easier. Just slowly increase your dosage over time and start with small bits.

If your high meat was infested with fly eggs or gone bad in any other way then your body would've told you so. Consuming bad meat always triggers a reaction such as vomiting or diarrhea.

[XXX]

Why dried up high meat is useless? Does it not still have the beneficial bacteria?

[TylerDurden]

Why dried up high meat is useless? Does it not still have the beneficial bacteria?

I don't know, it just is. Perhaps the moisture allows the "right" kind of bacteria to proliferate. The effect of high-meat occurs because bacteria in it trigger the immune-system and the brain, and thereby boost alertness, concentration and energy.

[XXX]

I don't know, it just is. Perhaps the moisture allows the "right" kind of bacteria to proliferate. The effect of high-meat occurs because bacteria in it trigger the immune-system and the brain, and thereby boost alertness, concentration and energy.

Hmm, alright. So if we have some meat that has been aging  for some months and is becoming dry, is it a good idea to pour some blood in it and mix it and continue aging?

[TylerDurden]

Just add water or moisture-laden-air...

[dair]

I've made high meat by mistake, tastes like old cheese and spicy.  Don't have a fridge atm. Put my meat in a glas container, did a few small holes in the metal lid for aeration (to not get botulism). Put it outdoors. Done this before, but it never got this special taste.
And also there where some white little critters...I don't mind.

[Dingeman]

Has anyone ever added water to their high meat to keep it from going dry? is that fine to do or do problems arise?

[FRANCIS HOWARD BOND]

Certainly works with high fish as it can be recovered from totally dry condition to resume ageing.    Assume it may work with high meat.     No need for special water as this may alter the taste and condition, fresh rain water or just tap water should release from dry condition.    Believe I have mentioned this elsewhere in the Forum.

[Dingeman]

I want to make high meat in a place where I want to limit the smells. Does anyone know if one can keep the jars air-tight (and thus preventing nasty smells from escaping the jar) by replacing the lid every time one opens the jar to let some air in? Ball/Kerr mason jars should be able to do this right?

I would just refresh the air in the jar outside somewhere the smell can escape in the open air, then put on a new lid and make it seal tightly, put it back in the fridge.

 Thoughts or other tips?

[kelpguy]

Ball/Kerr mason jars should be able to do this right?

Ball/Kerr mason jars should work with proper lids.  to make a good seal, i sometimes put a lite duty poly/produce bag over the jar opening before putting on the lid.  it also works for lids that don't have a seal.

[Dingeman]

Ball/Kerr mason jars should work with proper lids.  to make a good seal, i sometimes put a lite duty poly/produce bag over the jar opening before putting on the lid.  it also works for lids that don't have a seal.

So you mean a plastic bag under the ring and band parts? Doesn't this prevent the jar from actually sealing properly?

[kelpguy]

So you mean a plastic bag under the ring and band parts? Doesn't this prevent the jar from actually sealing properly?

sorry i wasn't more clear.  i think a canning jar with a good lid will give you as tight a seal as ur going to get.  you could put a poly bag over the canning jar lid and screw the ring down for insurance but the poly bag itself isn't going to stop the odor.

i'm in the filippines and i use poly bags for recycled jars, canisters, lidded cups, etc. that don't have lids with good seals/gaskets.  for instance, i have a salt jar with a plain lid (no seal) and i lay the side of a thin poly bag over the opening before i put the lid on so there are actually two thicknesses of bag.  it keeps the salt from caking.  also works for herbs/seasonings.

i have a 1liter poly jar with a plain lid that i use to get young coconut juice (buko juice) from a street vender. i put a poly bag under the lid and it keeps the juice from leaking out as long as i keep the container upright (on a motorcycle).  sometimes, i'll float a tomato or something similar in the jar; it helps to keep the juice from sloshing up the sides of the container.  i learned that trick by transporting water in open top barrels with a piece of wood floating on the water but now i'm getting off topic...

[Dingeman]

I just experienced what someone else described before, my high meat just sort of stopped progressing. I think this is because the meat wasn't fresh enough. It was chicken that I bought from a good butcher but I think they store it at like 0 or 1 degrees to keep it sellable. However it is not fresh enough for high meat making, as it turns out. I hate that I wasted 1 month on this batch with bad meat.. anyways, gonna give it another try and ask them on what day they get a new batch of chicken.