Nessmuk Cook System

Perhaps I should’ve clarified that this meat had been hanging on the carcass in my horse trailer the first week. Very different from the bulk of the meat which I had hanging in the open air and has no issues.
Even the other pieces I cut off the carcass have no issues, this one had a fold where the flies had been able to hide. And yes, it still grosses me out.
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[@normangerring4645]

Just thought I’d mention that I’m 79 years old and enjoy your talks.

[@OverOnTheWildSide]

Thank you, I appreciate hearing that.

[@seewaage]

It's so interesting that you are doing these experiments. My grandparents grew up without electricity so I often wonder how they managed. You're showing how they may have done it. They were in North Dakota.

[@OverOnTheWildSide]

Thanks for sharing. I bet they had some amazing stories! Yes power isn’t nearly as necessary as we think. Really if I didn’t need to charge my phone I’d probably do away with it altogether.

[@tanzloid9967]

Hey I’m from North Dakota too, what part of the state did they live in?

[@seewaage]

@@tanzloid9967 Way out west! Almost touching Montana. I'm sure it's a great place to grow up. :-)

[@davidkelly414]

Nessmuk must have a great sense of humour . Thank you Cheers

[@OverOnTheWildSide]

Haha! Thanks

[@GRSRiverrider]

I've never looked for a video of the Nessmuk cooking range, but KZbin knew I'd watch one. Thanks for the demo! I don't remember there being a pit in the book. Looks like a worthwhile addition.

[@OverOnTheWildSide]

Ha! That’s awesome thank you! Yes good point, I didn’t clarify that it’s my addition. Maybe that’s why he uses such large logs… for the elevation.

[@Mat-kr1nf]

@@OverOnTheWildSidePlus, with a fire between them, they wouldn’t burn up so much as they do with the fire beneath them. Really enjoyed the vibe of this video, no music either which is definately a plus. 😁. I think I’d have chucked the meat or at least carve out the spoilt section!🤢🤣Apologies, you did chuck it, thanks Christ for that!!🫣

[@jackslapp9073]

👍 Good job. I noticed in the comments that you were experimenting with the pit fire as opposed to an open fire. That's good. I prefer the pit fire for cooking. It helps block the wind. A wind, or a breeze, will make the fire hotter and will cause your fuel to burn faster. Like you mentioned in the video, a lower heat for bread would hinder burning. Most food is cooked over medium to low heat. Hence, dutch ovens use coals that can be manipulated to control heat. Open flames are fine for boiling water or roasting meat. The only issue with open flame for meat is that it can burn the outside before it cooks the inside. So, I usually prefer a low flame that doesn't touch the meat. The fat on meat is fuel that will burn, especially when it becomes hot grease from cooking. And, how you slice your meat, thick, thin, etc. will effect how it cooks over the heat source you select. Keep experimenting! A couple of things I didn't mention in my comment last time was that my folks (family/kin) would put a stick between the ribs of a hanging carcasse to keep it opened up and let the air circulate. And, you want to hang it from a tree that is out in the open and doesn't have other trees and brush around it, so the air can circulate. A second thing is more of an anecdotal story. I have found carcasses of cattle killed in floods, and that were partially buried in mud for about two weeks. When digging them out, the meat was still fresh. No death smell of decay. This was usually in the Spring when Spring rains would flood the creeks and rivers. So, the temperatures were cool as well. My point here is about root cellars and burying food to keep it cool and preserve it. It is the microbes in the air, and bugs, that cause decomposition. Perhaps try a sour dough starter from scratch to observe how yeast in the air can start fermentation? If you do, remember to keep it covered with something that allows it to breathe, but keeps out dirt and bugs. Canned foods will go bad if the seal is broken because microbes will get in and start decomposing the contents. But, for certain foods, like grains, yeast can be useful to help break down the starches and aid in their digestion. The yeast that causes bread to rise is the same type of microbe that causes carcasses to bloat because it creates gasses from the process. With a sour dough starter you want those gasses to escape, and you have to feed it every day for it to continue fermenting. When making wine, I use a balloon that I burp once it is inflated. Sugars, or starches, are what yeast turns into alcohol. But, not all alcohols are safe for consumption. Some will kill you. But, cooking causes alcohols to evaporate. Which is why you can ferment bread dough, and then bake it for food. It imparts a flavor and helps break down the starches for easier digestion. Molds are a different thing though. Moldy cheese can still be eaten by cutting the mold off. But, with a grain like rye, the fungus, ergot, can cause hallucinations. In horses, moldy hay can cause them to colic, but, I have had horses eat hay with white mold that never bothered them. There are good molds and bad molds, usually identifiable by color. Ergot is purplish. Moldy cheese and moldy bread is usually starts out white and turns green as it matures. Black mold is bad. Most people don't know which molds are bad, so it is usually safer to get rid of anything that has mold of any color. Even if it is the mold that penicillin comes from.

[@OverOnTheWildSide]

Lots of interesting stuff there. I’ve been wanting to learn to make wine. Very interesting about the half buried cow, I had wondered what kind of odd preservation methods there might be. I wondered about mud but of course it’d get the meat all dirty.

[@OverOnTheWildSide]

I probably should’ve been more accurate, I checked again, 30% are aged 25-34. The next greatest is 35-44 at 19%. Perhaps I should’ve clarified that this meat had been hanging on the carcass in my horse trailer the first week. Very different from the bulk of the meat which I had hanging in the open air and has no issues. Even the other pieces I cut off the carcass have no issues, this one had a fold where the flies had been able to hide. And yes, it still grosses me out. Nessmuk’s book: www.gutenberg.org/files/34607/34607-h/34607-h.htm

[@stephenfields6236]

Thanks for sharing with us about the poor condition of the meat you were cooking. So sorry I missed having dinner with you….Maybe next time.

[@OverOnTheWildSide]

Haha!

[@Borealwalkabouts]

This channel is gold! Been following you about a year and a half.

[@OverOnTheWildSide]

Thanks! I’m gonna get some videos going pretty soon.

[@Passin_thru68]

Great video. Appreciate your honesty. Like that cooking setup!

[@OverOnTheWildSide]

Thanks!

[@justinshelden263]

I appreciated the Young Guns soundtrack shoutout... pulled it up on Spotify for the drive home from work (again, as I had after our conversation a couple of weeks prior!). That fire setup makes a lot of sense, looking forward to trying it! Love the videos, thanks for sharing!

[@OverOnTheWildSide]

Thanks man, you and another guy kinda went without saying on the soundtrack.

[@K0GNITION]

Nessmuk is a legend.

[@OverOnTheWildSide]

Truly

[@joelmcmahan7386]

More fun and good cooking OVER ON THE WILD SIDE enjoying life the way you want to. That’s the American dream there, guess I’m not your average subscriber since I’m nearing 50 now. I just enjoy a man doing what he wants when and how he wants. Thanks again Richard have a good weekend with good tea, good bread and meat not much else a man needs 🎥👍💯

[@OverOnTheWildSide]

You said it Joel! That’s about all a man needs.

[@milesrobertson6882]

Dang it. I’ll be working tomorrow morning so anything live will have to wait for me. But best of luck, and I love your set up. I saw a pic of it on Reddit this morning and hoped you had a video alongside.

[@OverOnTheWildSide]

Awesome thanks for that, I’ll post the live video afterward but yeah, it’s still not the same.

[@harryanderson6691]

Enjoy your how to videos ! Thank you....

[@gregoryluc2876]

No worries about word and cultural hypersensitivity!! I appreciate your historical camping skill and verification. Your opinion is your opinion. No one is holding a gun to my head telling me to listen to you, if your a wanker I’ll just not listen and go on my merry way! Cool gear, cool camping and obviously your enjoying life!! Nice!!

[@OverOnTheWildSide]

Thank you and thanks for watching.

[@pleitrap7073]

Great stuff...

[@johanschemel6244]

Great video!

[@OverOnTheWildSide]

Thanks!

[@OKBushcraft]

Now you need a Nessmuk knife. I liked reading the book a few years ago. Amazing how light his kit was for his day and time. Many a human has eaten less than ideal meat... as the scripture says in proverbs, to the hungry, even the bitter is sweet.

[@OverOnTheWildSide]

Is that Nessmuk knife that’s going around a cop of his? I guess I should look again to see if there’s a pic in the book. Good point, also older meat has more flavor, just gotta scrape off those nasty maggots.

[@OverOnTheWildSide]

It seems like the ones I see are much bigger. That’s a sweet knife though.

[@K0GNITION]

I think that David Canterbury made a video about what his knife would have been like. I can't be sure, but I think I watched a video of his about this ages ago. That being said, I think you care way more about perfect historical accuracy then David does 😆

[@OverOnTheWildSide]

@@K0GNITION haha! Yeah I’m sure I do. I did find a pic in the book.

[@OverOnTheWildSide]

I just checked, it looks like Canterbury was very faithful to the dimensions. He used wood for the knife handle instead of antler but that’s not a big deal. I suspect most of the knives nowadays are bigger because people want more than a 4” blade.

[@kalstreksandtrails7606]

Awesome video my friend. Stay wild it's the only way to live.

[@OverOnTheWildSide]

Absolutely, thanks

[@jeffwilcher3333]

Great video … Onward and Upward is the watchword..

[@OverOnTheWildSide]

Indeed it is

[@stephenfields6236]

A great meal to cook over a camp fire is to fry up a mess of thick sliced bacon. When done cooking the bacon , set that it aside to drain. Save the grease. Next fry up a sliced potato and small onion in the bacon grease. Eat the meal out of the skillet. You only dirty one pan and it’s hard to mess up this meal. Remember to salt and pepper the potato. Goes well with hot coffee.

[@OverOnTheWildSide]

You’re making my mouth water.

[@stephenfields6236]

@@OverOnTheWildSide you got the perfect little skillet for this meal. The key is getting some good thick sliced bacon , a big fresh Idaho potato sliced thin ,and a nice sweet onion. After the bacon is cooked and removed and the grease is nice and hot hot , I start cooking the chopped up onion first , then add the potato slices in with the translucent onions . This meal smells great too. For a guy who eats road kill this meal will be a real feast for you! Ha!

[@glennevitt5250]

HEY Great Video and Information

[@OverOnTheWildSide]

Thanks!

[@glennevitt5250]

@@OverOnTheWildSide You Are Welcome

[@chuckrobb5885]

Great video!!! Jerky might be the best way to go. Man I like your moccasins, do you make them your self?

[@OverOnTheWildSide]

Thanks Chuck! Yes drying would’ve helped, I should’ve explained a little more. This piece had been hanging in my horse trailer, the quarters I had hanging outside seem to be fine. The air and wind exposure made a big difference.

[@jimoneill7657]

Your KZbin recommendation is by far the best recommendation I've gotten yet very nice video I hit subscribe before the video had finished. Check out Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid, my favorite Western movie it has James Coburn ,Kris Kristofferson and Bob Dylan, Dylan does the soundtrack but great video looking forward to a new video and catching up on previous videos. Stay healthy stay safe peace to you and all that surround you.

[@OverOnTheWildSide]

Thanks, I appreciate hearing that! I’m doing a live video this morning at 7:30. And thanks for the recommendation I’ll check that one out.

[@harryanderson6691]

Nessmuk should have been a cowboy...😉

[@thehighcountrycowboy9203]

Also, I have learned, use salt, pepper, cayenne and garlic as a rub on the meat when ya hang it and the flies don't like it.

[@OverOnTheWildSide]

That’s an intriguing idea.

[@thehighcountrycowboy9203]

@@OverOnTheWildSide , I use it all the time. Our weather here is close to the same as yours, so try it and see what ya think. Coat the hell outta the meat, let it hang in cheese cloth for the proper time and Shazam!

[@kurtbaier6122]

Key hole fire lay is better. If the trench is narrow but deep you can dispense with the wood. I would square two sides of the logs.

[@mountaindave01]

Wouldn't be the first time a frontiersman had to eat maggoty meat

[@OverOnTheWildSide]

For sure! It was a good experience, looking back I’m glad it happened.

[@jeffersoncarlisle3125]

Fun!

[@daddypatty9897]

This is my dream life

[@orangeblack1285]

Great video. I'm actually looking for a simple coffee pot for a really long time now. Can't really find one that is suitable for a fire and small enough for one person but too big to carry with you on longer trips.

[@OverOnTheWildSide]

Ccsutlery.com has a good stainless steel one. I have it in my recent camp video.

[@orangeblack1285]

Thanks, I'll take a look. Shipping from the US might be a bit steep :) @@OverOnTheWildSide

[@OverOnTheWildSide]

@orangeblack1285 yeah which country are you in?

[@orangeblack1285]

Germany @@OverOnTheWildSide

[@OverOnTheWildSide]

@@orangeblack1285 a Patreon donor provided this- www.civilwarsutler.co.uk/product/soldiers-mess-equipment/small-coffee-pot/

[@craigmooring2091]

No need to GET a pot with a bail; just PUT a bail on your pot. Thanks for the Nessmuk info.

[@OverOnTheWildSide]

True I could do that. Doing the 1860’s thing though it’s always challenging to make sure I have the right metal and connect it a way that’s done correctly.

[@thomasmusso1147]

👍👍👍 .. nice. 'Maggot Meat' can be cooked once (very well cooked) and eaten. The Rhodesian SF's during their selection, would on day one, issue each candidate with a 24 hour ration pack. On day one too, they would shoot a baboon and hang it up in a tree. By day three, 30/35°+ temperatures with lots of running around and no ration pack re-issue since the first, those remaining would be pretty tired .. and hungry. At the end of day three, baboon aka 'Bobby Jan' would be pretty rank and crawling with maggots. They would be dusted off, bobby cut up and well stewed on a large cast iron pot. Recruits would welcome the meal .. served in their bush hats with some even going back for seconds. That not eaten would be buried. A reheat and eat .. a probable death sentence.

[@OverOnTheWildSide]

That’s very interesting, thank you.

[@thomasmusso1147]

@@OverOnTheWildSide 👍

[@JC_1095]

I subbed for the “I’m anti-society” comment 😆👍

[@OverOnTheWildSide]

Haha! There’ll be more on that subject. Glad you found my channel.

[@andrewcarr3650]

Hang your meat in a meat locker. Wire screens all round, that is how the old folks did it. For coals you need hard wood. No scrappy twigs! :)

[@OverOnTheWildSide]

I live in an off grid cabin so I have limited spaces. As it gets warmer I’m going to have to do something different with fresh meat but I did this video showing how I hang it: kzbin.info/www/bejne/mHnagH9qa6hjrrc The stuff with the maggots was hanging in my horse trailer and didn’t have air circulation.

[@OverOnTheWildSide]

I don’t have hardwood around here so I make do with what I have.

[@luciomororo6998]

🙌😂

[@daddypatty9897]

So did you purchase your own land? How did you acquire the land to live like this?

[@OverOnTheWildSide]

I do have my own land. I started a series on how to simplify life and live this way. There’s a lot of inexpensive land out there but also, if you don’t have horses, you can stay on public land. That’s what I’d be doing if I wasn’t tied down with animals.

[@daddypatty9897]

@@OverOnTheWildSide where can I find that series? I’d love to watch.

[@OverOnTheWildSide]

This should be the playlist: kzbin.info/aero/PLOxmk7z5LVGj9srcPdV1q43KPptKBJrWs

[@daddypatty9897]

@@OverOnTheWildSide amazing! Thank you! Love your videos!

[@johnnovick1643]

I have been eating fermented meat (steak) months to years old. Makes me feel great. Raw pureed organs as well. Have to try BUG ridden meat when I get the balls to do so.

[@OverOnTheWildSide]

Wow! Do you post it anywhere or are you one of those that doesn’t post his life all over social media?

[@OverOnTheWildSide]

Also do you cook the fermented meat or is not-cooked a part of that?

[@johnnovick1643]

@@OverOnTheWildSide He'll ya, facebook or anywhere I can open up someone's mind and get them thinking about what makes sense and get them off this TV fueled panic train ride so many get on and can't find a way out of. Ppl I meet on the street, customers whoever will listen.

[@johnnovick1643]

@@OverOnTheWildSide I try to cut up and ferment in glass jars when I find a bunch of fatty beef on discount. A lot of times I get too lazy but eventually I take out of store wrappers,it's all good. But to be clear I always ferment completely raw in the fridge.It is annoying to always get gristle caught in my teeth so I am going to try to pureed the fermented steak to be able to eat more and quicker. That's the only reason I don't eat daily.

[@OverOnTheWildSide]

If you want to share any of your posts I’d be interested to see some of the meat you’ve eaten.

[@carternelson9704]

You should make an extra video a week or every 2 weeks and make it Patreon exclusive. Charge $5 a month, in return viewers get 2-3 extra videos a month. I know a few podcasts that use this business model. Although they have far more viewers than you have, it seems to work very well

[@OverOnTheWildSide]

I’ve seen that, it could work that’s true. It’s something to think about, thanks.

[@normangerring4645]

I’ve heard you mention the Nesmit (I’m guessing on the spelling) System for awhile now. I tried to look it up but can’t find it. So I’m sure my spelling is no where close to what it is. Help.

[@OverOnTheWildSide]

It’s Nessmuk, here’s a link to his book if you’d like to use it: www.gutenberg.org/files/34607/34607-h/34607-h.htm

[@normangerring4645]

@@OverOnTheWildSide thanks, I’m checking it out now. Funny I can sleep in -40degree weather but I don’t think I can eat meat that I know had maggots.😝

[@OverOnTheWildSide]

@@normangerring4645 haha! Yeah it’s pretty gross. I’ve been thinking about those disgusting things this morning and I’m still grossed out!

[@thehighcountrycowboy9203]

Ever tried bakin powder as opposed to soda?

[@OverOnTheWildSide]

Yes but baking powder is a bit too late for the era I’m doing. For my normal life I use baking powder regularly.

[@thehighcountrycowboy9203]

@@OverOnTheWildSide , well I think ya can get away with it. Bakin powder was pretty common by the 60's. I mean ya had to get it from a pharmacy and not a general grocery, but ya could get it.

[@OverOnTheWildSide]

Not in the 1860’s but if you have some historical references that show otherwise I’d be glad to see it.

[@sandralth]

Why didn’t you salt it.

[@OverOnTheWildSide]

Salt what?

[@charlesmckinney]

I hate maggies. Maggots are eaten by some with cast iron constitutions. I have a weak stomach when it comes to those critters.

[@OverOnTheWildSide]

They’re disgusting. I would’ve thrown out the whole thing if it hadn’t been for being on camera. I’m braver when I have an audience.

[@SupermanBB]

Your logs are way too small. But based on the scenery, I’m sure you were limited on options

[@OverOnTheWildSide]

I generally cook over a small fire.