Off Grid Life | Air dried meat

Episode thirty-four, in which we're air drying meat and feeds bottle lambs
This is a vlog about our struggles and joys of living off the grid in the forests of Jämtland, Sweden.
If you like what you see and want to support us you can do so here: / talasbuan :)
Come say hi to us on Instagram:
Tova: / tovachr
Mathias: / javrri
Talasbuan: / talasbuan
You'll find out more about us on our website, welcome!
www.talasbuan.com

[@charlesabaday6815]

Slowly going through your episodes by the original sequence, so my comments are dated (March 2021 now). I started charcuterie and meat smoking a couple of years ago. Just finished processing a batch of Basterma -a dry and spicy Armenian cold cut. It's funny that despite a very different process, I saw similarities with your techniques: 30% weigh loss, and dry time of 3 to 4 weeks, depending on thickness of the cut, and personal preference. I cure my meats vs fermenting. They don't smell sour when done (as you remarked). One doesn't need cold weather to prevent meat from spoiling during the drying phase, it's regularly done in warm climates. The combination of salt, spices, sugar, and sometimes "curing salts" does the trick. You two are doing great. Your courage, persistence, resourcefulness and enthusiasm are so admirable. Thank you for sharing.

[@atticuskilby515]

Years ago growing up in the state of Virginia on a farm we butchered 2 pigs each year in December after it got cold. We had a small structure that we called the meat house where the hams and sausage were dried and cured. The hams were coated with a salt, sugar, and pepper mix and hung. The sausage was spiced and salted, rolled in cloth, not in links but as a pound unit, and also hung. The salt kept the meat from freezing as it dried and cured. Of course, the temperatures were milder than what you experience in Sweden, but in those days it did get cold at times, -12 to -15 celcius, but not for prolonged periods. Thsnks for sharing your experiences. ❤

[@carriagecottage1257]

So great to see you both! Thank you for sharing your lives and beautiful country with us!

[@Talasbuan]

Thank you so much!

[@robineggblue-bp3rq]

That night time-lapse was awesome,

[@cassityart7001]

It is so wonderful to see the skills that you have learned. My Grandma was born in 1900 and she and her family (16children) prepared meat in a like manor. As a child I remember tasting a smoked ham they prepared and thinking it was so good they must be the most cleaver people I know. Real skill for real life. ❤️🌱

[@Talasbuan]

How wonderful, its a shame so much knowledge has been forgotten! Thank you and Have a lovely evening!

[@johnkahts7698]

In South Africa we call it biltong. The process differs from person to person. It will last a very long time and is very sought after. Because it loses a lot of moisture it is about three times more expensive than raw meat.

[@loopylou]

Stunning time lapse of the night sky 😮😮😮

[@cherylcarlson3315]

love your willingness to try so much and patience to try again and not be upset with delays. Am much older than you and have not attained these traits... guess I am not enough Finnish

[@Talasbuan]

Thank you so much Cheryl!

[@mst5632]

It’s hard to say which part of the vlog was my favorite: the beautiful cinematography or when Mathias hit the candle light with the pan and immediately looked up to Tova with a guilty look on his face. Both were awesome. :-) Another great vlog. The lambs are getting so big already. I’m glad they are doing well.

[@Talasbuan]

Hahah, thank you ;D Yeah they grow up quickly, its both good and bad, they are cute when small but i always worry that the fox will take them when they are small and easy to carry away.

[@SnowinSummer37]

Bravo!!! Well done! Extremely informative and wonderful to watch. Keep it up U2. 😊

[@Talasbuan]

Thank you so much Sandy!!

[@PaulaKirsti15]

Thank you for continuing your beautiful videos. I so appreciate and enjoy them. I laughed when you spoke to the sheep/lambs and how they responded to you loud and clear! 🐑😁

[@Talasbuan]

Thank you so much, really appreciate it! Haha, yeah, they are fun to talk to, maybe they are a bit negative because "no" its the only answer they have for me ;) /Tova

[@pinkmona]

Another beautiful time-lapse 🥰

[@asiam7436]

I am looking forward to the results of your dried meats. I am now living and traveling full time in my van. I am able to get signal for now to watch your video. When I am in some desert or mountain locations I might have to wait to see them. It is always a treat.

[@Talasbuan]

That sounds awesome, which area are you traveling in? Have a wonderful journey! /Tova

[@summerwood619]

Yummy dinner, can’t wait to see the dried meat in 3 weeks, thank you for sharing

[@Talasbuan]

Thank you!

[@leroisolitaire]

Very nice video ! So interesting ! Cinematographic skills continue to improve !!! Ps:maybe it was the eagle looking for another drone for lunch. 😉

[@Talasbuan]

Thank you Stephane! I hope your goats are prospering! :D

[@inklanois]

Great video. All super interesting stuff. Loved the last scene with the cooking sausages. Made me hungry LOL.

[@enjoyingthejourneycanceras2355]

The lambs are doing good. great video. Really enjoy watching

[@Talasbuan]

Thank you so much! Yeah they grow almost visible :D

[@rebeccamorrell7810]

OMW!!!! That shot of your land when ya'll were looking up at the sky at the Eagle....Love the layout of how that looks.

[@elisabethe8055]

Är ni hungriga? Jaaaa, säger alla utom en som jag klart och tydligt hör säga NEEEEEEEEEEE! Hahaha! :) Det är så inspirerande att se matlagningstraditioner från en tid då matlagning var ett hantverk, bortom all plast och "snabb" hantering. När maten får vara ett hantverk. Den smakar bättre, upplevs med alla sinnen och gör mer gott för kroppen. Tack för ännu en vlog där alla sinnen får vara med. Glad Påsk! :)

[@Talasbuan]

Haha, jaa de är roliga att prata med, men man får ofta nej till svar ;D Det är verkligen roligt och spännande att följa råvarans väg till färdig "produkt", lite väntan men är förhoppningsvis värt det i slutändan! Hoppas din påsk var lika solig som våran! Ha en fin kväll! /Tova

[@greenrage2484]

The logs are so nice and straight, but I am sure very hard to work with by hand.. Progress one log at a time :) You do have a nice long winter to be able to do meat like that. Perserving without convenience of modern methods. Sounds simular to how Porchetta is made. Great job and nice explaining your methods. The babies (lambs) are getting spunky now. Very entertaining. Nice photography :)

[@tomashcraft7513]

We love your videos! Do what works well for your life, don’t get overwhelmed with too many animals. You have created a very beautiful life, one we can only dream of. We love your integrity for nature, animal, life. We pray blessings to you both and baby (he’s so adorable). 😊🙏🏻❤️

[@alhein6135]

You two make a difference in this world by sharing your experience....wonderful...thank you...

[@MoseLaura]

Great to see some progress on the house! And that meat looks delicious! 😋

[@liubagallucci5275]

Another memory.....Father also dry the meat,,,,"Carne seca" Dry Meat. Thank you for the memories. Stay happy and healthy.

[@johnmanning4577]

I've always called it JERKY (in California USA) which I understand is a word based in South America. The indigenous peoples of this area also made a sausage-like food called PEMMICAN which was made of dried meats, dried berries, herbs and spices and some fat (bear or buffalo, mostly) all pounded and compressed into a casing to make food that would keep for a long time and travel well in all sorts of conditions. I've never had the real thing but I've always thought I would like to try some, if I could.

[@KarlsBerg87]

there is different ways, We hang it in spain in a dark room, other way is smoking it, and other is inside a salt mountain. Im not from village then I dont have so much experience doing it, but thats is a bit common culture/knowledge.

[@darrinmoneer8518]

Your camera work is good now !! REALLY LOVE YOUR VIDS!! THANK YOU

[@Talasbuan]

Thank you Darrin, lovely words!

[@nancywagoner8330]

You are coming along with your cabin! Going to be wonderful when its done! Interesting on the meat..even for a vegetarian! ")

[@Talasbuan]

I agree, can't wait to move in :D

[@mebanks7788]

Did you have enough hay to last you all winter? Loved the video. Thanks for sharing your projects with us :)

[@Talasbuan]

It looks like the hay will be enough, im so relieved, there isn't any to buy and i were afraid it wouldn't last! Now we are waiting for green grass so the sheep can start to graze :D Thank you so much! /Tova

[@themurrrr]

@@Talasbuan Eventho I am a year late, I was also concerned about your hay stock 🤣 It is easy to become invested in your projects and lifestyle, you really make it so easy to fall in love with your vlogs.

[@jimlundstrom2986]

Do you ever see the northern lights? Your photographic abilities are wonderful.

[@HayWoodsandWetlands]

Really curious how that meat will cure. Thanks for sharing as always.

[@Talasbuan]

We also :D Thank you for watching!

[@enricorinaldi4249]

I believe that in the past the life of your farmers was much, much harder than the life of a Tuscan farmer (Italy). Cold, mosquitoes make everything more difficult. You are showing places that are beautiful but that can be interesting for a short time. Then it takes the sun! The sun is life.

[@ignacioarreses4284]

great job my friends, you are giving me a lot of couragge and inspiration in this times of lockdown ... Last year i dreamed about to go of gridd in Patagonia argentina but now lockdown catch me in the big city of buenos aires ...

[@HarrietHensley]

everything is awesome.....thanks

[@Talasbuan]

Thank you!

[@rosewoodhomestead]

We love it ! We are in the states my husband's great grandpa came from Norway ! My husband was born and raised in norther Minnesota so he is very familiar with everything you are doing and he just found you on here so he is going to join your patreons very soon we are now in the process of buying a small farmstead to start the same life

[@Talasbuan]

Hi Suzy and Thank you so much, you are building your farmstead in Minnesota? :) /Tova

[@rosewoodhomestead]

@@Talasbuan no I'm from Missouri that is where we are now

[@piascottdenholder5175]

hey guys, nice to see you are getting along ! The girls (our daughters from Ostersund) are down in smaland with us these 2 weeks , celebrating easter. We planted all sorts of things already, strawberries, paprika, tomatoes, a lot of plants (rhododendrons mostly) and an apple and a cherry tree. I hope you guys get a weather break soon too . Greets from Eksjo

[@lulubelleish]

Sausage and Mash Potato .. you forgot the Onion's and Gravy .. Yumm

[@brucekramer8295]

Have you ever fried the kraut in butter, salt and pepper, until golden brown. It's very good

[@cbwmama8461]

Was just wondering how you were doing :o) Just think of the snow as moisture and know that the Hollyhocks should be coming up soon -- to bloom this summer with fantastic colors.

[@Talasbuan]

Oh I really hope the hollyhock survived the winter, i have lost hollyhocks before :/ Love the flowers!

[@cbwmama8461]

@@Talasbuan Just remember to cut them back and mulch them heavily in the fall. With hay being at a premium, you can use leaves. The original plant will only live 2-3 years but will self seed.

[@cindiallain8542]

So, I’m guessing when you say ferment meat you mean drying it. As I think that is what here would happen. However we I think do it in the oven. I have made jerky once. I love the music you play in the background. What is the theme? Or where could I find this type? Thank you.

[@claudp3407]

I’m in Southern Ontario, Canada and my parents used to salt pork belly in crock barrels.

[@JonNgwisha]

Keep up the great videos going through some of the old ones, it’s cool and funny how the chicken warn you about predators!

[@margaretleboeuf6765]

So glad to see you again! Somehow I prefer using barrels for drying and preserving meat. I'm not a big fan of plastic anything, or chemicals overused in everything... How can it not affect the quality of food or liquids, much less humans, animals, nature... So glad to see people striving to live a more natural lifestyle. Sometimes the Old School tried and true methods are proving to be the best.

[@kathleencmcgrane8934]

such a wonderful husband who can build anything with his with help of his beautiful wife

[@subdrvr]

I want to come eat with you two! You always have something wonderful on the table 😁

[@Talasbuan]

Haha, not always maybe but we try our best :D

[@alfaman4113]

The dried meat in English is called jerky

[@rickgreen9936]

Are you now through with your internship Mathias? Busy days ahead, mostly building I guess. You two have a lot of stored up talent that needs places to work....and continue to make good videos like this one.

[@Talasbuan]

Mathias are finished with that one but are starting a new one next week, a two week one. Mathias been busy cutting down some timber and milled some to the new entrance building, so slowly we are getting there! Thank you Rick! /Tova

[@rickgreen9936]

@@Talasbuan Yes you are getting there, slowly or not you are going in the right directions, hang in there.

[@luddechamp]

Glad påsk

[@Talasbuan]

Tack så mycket, hoppas du hade en fin påsk!

[@MordSid]

my cat learned how to climb the same metal stairs you are using to go up and hang the meet. so if she will smell the meat upstairs she will climb up and tear apart this net for sure 😂😂😂 good that your cats can’t do it 👌

[@stephaniewilson3955]

This is were a trained horse would be so useful. They are very good at shifting logs and soon learn tricks of their own to free up snagged logs. They also do no damage to your woodlands, unlike heavy machinery.

[@TxgrlnGa]

Try looking up bottle feeding stations for deer. Maybe you could build something like that so you’re not feeding 1 at a time?

[@Talasbuan]

We hope we get better luck next spring and the mothers don't reject so much lambs

[@carolgoergens9275]

I wish there was a big barn with different stalls then when sheep is ready you could put her in stall by herself and she would be alone w/ her babies when giving birth

[@marlenereimchen9141]

that was very interesting. Thanks you

[@chriswilder100]

Your photography is beautiful

[@arrebarre72]

I have the same vedpanna!! They are fantastic :) Great pan for köttbullar med brunsås

[@arrebarre72]

stekpanna menar jag :)

[@bradleyholcombe6114]

For those coming from black bear forge video. The candle holder in question is at 8:15

[@briandavis2957]

Should have sent the drone up and showed that eagle who's boss :).....What ever happened with the drone?

[@Talasbuan]

Yeah probably (but i really think the eagle would show that he's the boss). We will talk about it in the next vlog but we shipped back the broken one and got a new one in return! So relieved! /Tova

[@philiproseel3506]

3:40 to 3:52 left me speechless...the end made me very hungry.

[@bertdinienroute7226]

Amazing those stars !

[@allanhubbell8870]

I was mesmorised. Absolutely stunning 🤩

[@allanhubbell8870]

Ooops, that was from Marie Hubbell ❤️

[@beachfiredude]

Wonderful Thank you for sharing When will you start teaching workshops or adventures in Jamptland ?

[@Talasbuan]

Thank you! We have thought about it and maybe we will have something like that in the future, when i can't say :)

[@alfaman4113]

Masonite is correct but you can also call it particleboard

[@loopylou]

Wow I never knew chickens were aware of predators like that or that they warned the others.

[@bigrhom55]

Fermented meat has a lot of vit K2

[@Talasbuan]

Awesome!

[@petter5721]

Glad Påsk 🇸🇪👍🏻

[@Talasbuan]

Tack så mycket, hoppas din påsk var fin!

[@user39h2j8il]

@Talasbuan can you please do a vlog purely on the northern lights?

[@Talasbuan]

I would love to. But for some reason it is pretty seldom we se good ones here where we live. This winter I haven't seen one good at all.. /Mathias

[@user39h2j8il]

@@Talasbuan it's on my bucket list to see one day. You live in a most beautiful and spiritual part of the world.

[@shineyrocks390]

In one word Amazing

[@loopylou]

Do you keep the vacuum packed meat at room temperature before you take it out to dry it?

[@Talasbuan]

Salt and spices in vacuum pack, in fridge temperature, then cold smoke, then dry in cold, dry spring mountain air until it looses at least 30%of weight.

[@loopylou]

@@Talasbuan Thank you.

[@PaulaSand]

Nice video!

[@guubagaaba8391]

goddamn , you guys don't need no stinking gym ,,, you guys get a workout every day !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! luv you guys !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@torlarsen2683]

God påske til dere, hilsen Den7vendefarivedhaugen!

[@Talasbuan]

Hoppas ni hade en fin påsk!

[@curl-E]

That must have been the eagle that eats your chickens and breaks your drones ;)

[@carolgoergens9275]

Plywood it’s called

[@memmiiis]

Vad är det för märke på din jacka? Den gröna 😊

[@Talasbuan]

Mathias jacka är från Chevalier, Venture Anorak :)

[@enricorinaldi4249]

Yes we cal bresaola but we don’t do like your product. I think you should see well how meat can be smoked. The fire should probably be placed in an adjoining room and the smoke conveyed to the room where there is meat ...that avoid carbon residues and the product remains clean. Anyway I am not expert on it .

[@judyduguay6349]

We bottle our meat and rabbit.

[@karenzaller9659]

Matias! Your must have gotten herniated!

[@margaretbacon7874]

Why don’t you build a lamb feed it holds as many bottles as you need and would making feeding the lambs easier. I am sure there must be a video on KZbin to show how to make one out of wood. Maggie

[@Francoiseg1987]

Comment

[@petter5721]

Lite bra musik till er alla: open.spotify.com/track/7ED5a6srDnZM0wJnoawdg9?si=yyUas6_yQAyr4zfLRwEefA

[@dusicaivkovic6971]

👍👏😃🤗😘🙋💯🇷🇸

[@andreasklie1459]

In South Africa we have a traditional dried meat called “Biltong”. Its made predominantly with beef but is also made with various kinds of venison. It’s briefly dipped in vinegar then sprinkled with a salt, pepper and roasted coriander mix set in the fridge for a few hours then hung to air dry for a few days. It’s absolutely delicious. en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biltong

[@Talasbuan]

Yes! I've heard of that. Need to learn and try. /Mathias