Dollar Store to the Rescue

By Jeffrey R. Yago, P.E. Summer 2019, Self-Reliance I have talked with emergency responders who have traveled all over the country to volunteer their rescue efforts at disasters like the recent flooding in Texas. While much...

Pickled Sweet Green Tomatoes

Recipe of the Week  Pickled Sweet Green Tomatoes  Courtesy of Jessica Sackmann  Ingredients 16 cups green Tomatoes, sliced ( 10 to 11 lbs.) 2 cups Onions, sliced ¼ cup canning or pickling Salt 4 cups Vinegar (5%) 3 cups brown Sugar 1...

Ginger beer

Recipe of the Week  Ginger beer  Courtesy of Jackie Clay   You'll find this recipe and over 400 more in Backwoods Home Cooking.Click Here Ingredients 4 oz. dried ginger root 1 gallon water juice from...

Elissaburgettes

Recipe of the Week  Elissaburgettes  Courtesy of Jan Cook   You'll find this recipe and over 400 more in Backwoods Home Cooking.Click Here Ingredients 1 can buttermilk biscuits 1 lb. hamburger 1 medium onion, chopped 1/4 cup ketchup 1/8-1/4 cup mustard 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese Method Grease...

Spider rice casserole

Recipe of the Week  Spider rice casserole  Courtesy of Richard Blunt   You'll find this recipe and over 400 more in Backwoods Home Cooking.Click Here Special Equipment: 1 5-qt. or larger cast iron Dutch oven Ingredients 6 skinless chicken thighs 1/2 tsp....

Hunting, processing, and serving black bear

By Linda Gabris Issue #162 • November/December, 2016 Bear was a popular meat in our house when I was growing up in the rural woods. Black bear was Grandpa's favorite big game animal to hunt and...

Succulent venison stew

Recipe of the Week  Succulent venison stew  Courtesy of Edith Helmich   You'll find this recipe and over 400 more in Backwoods Home Cooking.Click Here Ingredients 3-4 lbs. fat-trimmed venison, cut into 2-inch cubes Marinade: 2 thinly sliced onions 1 thinly sliced carrot 2 stalks...

Pasteurizing milk

By Patrice Lewis Issue #123 • May/June, 2010 In the last hundred years of urban migration, the home or small farm dairy became a lost breed. Who needed to keep a cow when it was so...

Pear honey

Recipe of the Week  Pear honey  Courtesy of Alice Brantley Yeager   You'll find this recipe and over 400 more in Backwoods Home Cooking.Click Here Ingredients 1 qt. of ground Kieffer pears (peel and core before grinding) 3 cups sugar juice of...

Canning 101 — Pickles, fruits, jams, jellies, etc.

By Jackie Clay Issue #53 • September/October, 1998 For some reason, (definitely unknown to me) canning, as a method of very long term food storage, fell into disuse. Maybe it's the hurry/rush syndrome many folks have...

Stovetop Teriyaki

Recipe of the Week  Stovetop Teriyaki  Courtesy of Alice Robertson  Although this recipe calls for chicken, any meat or firm fish may be used. Ingredients 2 pounds Chicken tenders or boneless breast cut into 1inch thick strips 2 Tbsp. Peanut or...

Home canning safety tips

By Liz Case Issue #66 • November/December, 2000 Like many who were born shortly after World War II, I grew up in a family with a solidly "city" lifestyle. My mother saw canning as drudgery. For...

Old World apple chutney

Recipe of the Week  Old World apple chutney  Courtesy of Richard Blunt   You'll find this recipe and over 400 more in Backwoods Home Cooking.Click Here Ingredients 40 oz. cider vinegar 1-1/2 lbs. brown sugar 1-1/2 tsp. kosher salt 1 Tbsp. ground ginger 2 tsp....

Cooking from long-term food storage

By Jackie Clay Issue #55 • January/February, 1999 All self-reliant families know they should have at least a year's worth of food and essential supplies stored up in a large pantry. Unfortunately, actually eating from long-term...

Hungarian venison stew

Recipe of the Week  Hungarian venison stew  Courtesy of Tom R. Kovach   You'll find this recipe and over 400 more in Backwoods Home Cooking.Click Here Ingredients 1 lb. (or a little more) of chopped venison (ground venison works, too) 3...

Zucchini casserole

Recipe of the Week  Zucchini casserole  Courtesy of Pat Ward   You'll find this recipe and over 400 more in Backwoods Home Cooking.Click Here Ingredients 2 lbs. zucchini 1 large onion, chopped 1/3 cup raw long grain rice 1 can cream of mushroom soup 2...