FLAVOUR Homemade food tastes the best! Use your favourite meat, cuts, flavourings and seasonings in endless combinations. Drying meat also concentrates the flavours, yum!
SAVE MONEY
Buying meat in bulk and preserving in a variety of ways works out much cheaper than buying pre-made food, eating out at restaurants and takeaway food. Preparing snacks and meals ahead, ready to eat, makes menu planning and budgeting so much easier! Take advantage of sales and seasonal pricing to preserve a variety of meat products throughout the year – pressure canning means freeing up freezer space and not relying on electricity for storage. Homemade jerky and biltong is so much cheaper and tastier and is also an efficient way to use meat scraps – store bought jerky is easily $70 or more per kilogram!
SAVE TIME
Preserving meat at home means meals are ready to cook (or heat and eat) within minutes - or take advantage of slow-cooking or oven roasting for making bulk meals for the week is convenient for many busy households.
FOOD ALLERGIES
Homemade food is essential when family members have food allergies or sensitivities. Avoid those ingredients and still make delicious meals (which are also cheaper than allergy-friendly commercial products available). Many people are becoming allergic to preservatives, so homemade products mean you can still enjoy your favourite foods safely.
HEALTHIER
Commercially prepared meat products are often high in fat, salt and sugar – plus made with inferior meat cuts and artificial ingredients. Making it yourself means you have control over the type of meat, cut/s used, other ingredients, fat content and seasonings (i.e. minimal or no salt or sugar). Store bought dried meat like jerky is often very high in salt so homemade jerky is better and is also low in fat and very high in protein.
PORTIONS
Eat too much when eating out? Or eat more in a packet of dried meat because the pack is larger? Portioning preserved meat helps to prepare meals in the right size for yourself (or a family for example), to reduce wastage and extend the batch whilst minimising storage space (and expenses). Pressure can meat in different sized jars according to uses, freeze in portions and vacuum pack dried meat products in single servings for camping or snacks to also reduce storage space.
FAMILY/COMMUNITY
Food and cooking brings families together, teaching the next generation (and/or community). Cooking is good for the soul, relaxing and is an enjoyable experience for many.