Someday we may have to face a world in which electricity is just an empty word or a distant memory. Without electricity, we are screwed. The best thing you could do with your fridge will be to bury it and convert it into an underground cellar. You better start learning some of these eggs and dairy preservation techniques if you want these food items.

But even so, once you’ve found a new use for your fridge, you will need to fill it with food items that last for a long time. Besides your jerky, dairy items and eggs will be a good addition to your new cellar. It’s best to know about eggs and dairy preservation techniques.

If you are able to have fresh eggs and dairy items in your house day in and day out you are lucky. Maybe you have your own farm or you have a friendly neighbor. One that provides you with these items in exchange for some of your supplies.

Even if that’s the case, one should not rely on that scenario. Learning eggs and dairy preservation techniques should assure you a good supply of those foods.

Main eggs and dairy preservation techniques:

Dairy preservation techniques – Milk

  Milk, as you probably know, has an extremely short life. In order to make it last longer, you need to employ proper preservation techniques.

Depending on the quantity of milk you want to preserve you will need to sterilize a couple of glass jars. Once the jars have been sanitized, pour milk into the sterilized glass jars. Take a large pot and boil water in it. You need to add two tablespoons of vinegar in the boiling water. This prevents the glass jars from cracking. Place jars, with closed lids in the boiling water for 30 minutes.

Turn off the heat and allow the water to cool. After some time, take the jars out of the container. Allow it to cool before storing the jars in a dark, cool place. This is one of the most used dairy preservation techniques. You can conserve milk for almost a year.

Dairy preservation techniques – Butter

When it comes to dairy preservation techniques, preserving butter by canning is a common thing. I must say this method is rather simple since all you need to do is get your hands on some butter that is on sale.

You will need pint jars that have to be heated in a 250-degree oven for 20 minutes, without rings or seals. One pound of butter slightly more than fills one pint jar. If you melt 11 pounds of butter, heat 12-pint jars. Use a pan or baking sheet to hold the pint jars while in the oven.

A simple DY project

While the jars are heating, melt butter slowly until it comes to a slow boil. Using a large spatula, stir the bottom of the pot often to keep the butter from scorching. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes at least: a good simmer time will lessen the amount of shaking required as you will see below. Place the lids in a small pot and bring to a boil. Leave the lids in simmering water until needed.

Stirring the melted butter from the bottom to the top with a soup ladle or small pot with a handle. Pour the melted butter carefully into heated jars through a canning jar funnel. Leave 3/4″ of head space in the jar, which allows room for the shaking process.

Wipe off the top of the jars, then get a hot lid from the simmering water. Add the lid and ring and tighten securely. Lids will seal as they cool.

Once a few lids “ping,” shake while the jars are still warm, but cool enough to handle easily. The butter will separate and become foamy on top and white on the bottom. You have to shake and repeat until the butter retains the same consistency throughout the jar.

Once the butter has hardened in the jar, you can store it on a cool, dark shelf. The butter should last for 3 years or longer.

Dairy preservation techniques – Cheese

In order to preserve cheese, you have to make sure the cheese you’ve purchased from the market is packed in an airtight plastic bag. Also, make sure it has not exceeded its expiration date.

Take a glass container and sterilized it. Once the container is sterilized, cover its base with a paper towel. Remove the cheese slab out of the bag, wipe it with a dry paper towel. Polish the surface with fresh canola, olive or cooking oil.

Although oil will protect the cheese against food microorganism you have to check from time to time so that there aren’t patterns on the cheese. It shouldn’t occur if you’ve disinfected the containers. If it happens all you need to do is to use a paper towel to wipe it and polish the same area with oil. With this preservation method, the cheese will survive for at least 8 months.

Eggs preservation technique

Although not part of dairy preservation techniques, you can prevent eggs from going bad through oiling. This works as long as the eggs are not washed with water. To properly oil your eggs, they must be at room temperature (50 to 70 degrees F) and they must be dry.

Make sure your oil is free of bacteria and mold by heating it 180°F for about 20 minutes. Once the oil has cooled down pour the oil in a dish and put the eggs in the dish. Do not use bare hands, use plastic gloves, a pair of tongs or a spoon to maneuver the eggs.

You can even use a cooking brush to make sure your eggs are properly oiled. Once you’re done oiling the eggs, set them aside on a rack such as the ones used in candy making. Let them drain for about 30 minutes. Pack them away in clean, dry cartons or plastic containers. Store the container in a cool place. The warm temperature may cause the eggs to crack. If you’ve noticed a cracked egg, remove it immediately from the container. It will contaminate all other eggs if you fail to do so.

Unfortunately, there aren’t any dairy preservation techniques for sour cream, cream and yogurt for a long period of time without freezing. However, if you’ve preserved milk correctly, you should be able to make your own, once you’ve learned the proper dairy preservation techniques.

Stay Safe and God Bless!

Here are some other food preservation articles you might like:

How to dehydrate food

Food Preservation using oil