> My family does historical recreation (SCA), and one issue is how to keep
> meat at a week long camping event without a (modern, inconvenient)
> cooler. Currently we have one solution that involves preserving meat in
> spices and vinegar, from a roughly 13th c. source. Other than that we
> use beans, eggs, cheese, etc., which don't have such a serious spoilage
> problem.
>
> Historically, smoking was used to preserve food--but as far as I can
> tell, the smoked foods currently available in the supermarket use it for
> flavor, and require, or say they require, refrigeration. I was wondering
> if people here could point me at sources for smoked meat that would keep
> without refrigeration, or suggest other solutions to the problem,
> preferably ones that don't involve too large an investment of time and
> effort.

Please use caution in replicating preservation mechanisms from the
centuries past. You may find that you life expectency will match
theirs.

Jerky is an example of a age old meat preservation method that is
still practiced today. Dry-cured ham is another example. These are
both room temperature stable, although jerky is easier to make.
Smoking does not "preserve" meats by itself.

Read my review for indepth information if you like:
http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/publication...smoke_rev.html.

Historical Origins of Food Preservation
http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/publication...pres_hist.html

Brian Nummer, Ph.D.
National Center for Home Food Preservation