The message
from "Ophelia" contains these words:

It's not very rapid, so chunky things like meat or nourishing cabbage
stalks have to be sliced and laid out so they don't contact each-other
in overlap mode.

This worries me a wee bit. If you are dehydrating meat very slowly in a
warm enviroment you could end up poisioned.

Which is why the slices have to be thin. Once drying has begun it gets
increasigly difficult for bacteria to grow.

If the temperature is too cool it dries more slowly and gives them a
better chance to get noshing.

If you want to try it and are worried, it might be a good idea to start
the drying process by exposing them meat in a deep freeze. It doesn't
rehydrate well anyway, and I use it - well, used to use it - ground up
and added to stews etc.

--
Tony
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"anton" wrote in message ...

Dunno, but around this time of year you can cook 'em as a nice soup:

Nettle wine is supposed to be nice

"Anthony E Anson" wrote in message
...
The message
from "Ophelia" contains these words:

It's not very rapid, so chunky things like meat or nourishing cabbage
stalks have to be sliced and laid out so they don't contact each-other
in overlap mode.

This worries me a wee bit. If you are dehydrating meat very slowly in a
warm enviroment you could end up poisioned.

Which is why the slices have to be thin. Once drying has begun it gets
increasigly difficult for bacteria to grow.

If the temperature is too cool it dries more slowly and gives them a
better chance to get noshing.

If you want to try it and are worried, it might be a good idea to start
the drying process by exposing them meat in a deep freeze. It doesn't
rehydrate well anyway, and I use it - well, used to use it - ground up
and added to stews etc.

Tony I aske about this in the preserving site this is the reply I received

Has anyone heard of this before??

Yes. From a former neighbor of mine who characterized it as an expensive
and tedious way to spoil meat.

O

Nettle wine is supposed to be nice
My original query was about drying nettles and they are for my old
horse to eat as they are good for neddies, but all the good idea`s
especially the wine have been great, thank you all
kate

The message
from "Ophelia" contains these words:

Has anyone heard of this before??

Yes. From a former neighbor of mine who characterized it as an expensive
and tedious way to spoil meat.

True, but it depends on what you intend doing with it. I used to take it
as emergency rations when hikung in the Highlands, usually in January,
and often across very sparsely inhabited areas.

Weight was always a consideration, as was carrying high-energy food.
Haute cuisine en haute Écosse was a long way down the list.

--
Tony
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The message
from Kate Morgan contains these words:

My original query was about drying nettles and they are for my old
horse to eat as they are good for neddies, but all the good idea`s
especially the wine have been great, thank you all

Ah, you should have said. I used to dry lucerne, and there are some
things to avoid: I'm presuming that nettles behave in a similar fashion
to clovers.

Dry the cut nettles as you would make hay, and when they are thoroughly
dry - leave them - wait till the leaves absorb enough moisture in the
evening before you bag or bale it, or much of the leaf will break up.

The Agricultural Research Council (as was) did some interesting research
on drying rapidly broad-leaved fodder crops, and a method was devised
where you spray lightly the leaves with a dilute solution of potassium
carbonate.

This is very hygroscopic and draws moisture from the stems, so the
leaves don't dry completely until the stems are dehydrated, and the crop
can be baled when the leaves are still flaccid.

When I had a smallholding I tried it on pea haulm, and the difference in
drying time between that and untreated haulm was impressive.

Thunder-storm approaching - ta-ta!

--
Tony
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Ah, you should have said. I used to dry lucerne, and there are some
things to avoid: I'm presuming that nettles behave in a similar fashion
to clovers.

snip

Thank you Tony, interesting reading, hope the thunder storm did not get
you :-)
kate

The message
from Kate Morgan contains these words:

Ah, you should have said. I used to dry lucerne, and there are some
things to avoid: I'm presuming that nettles behave in a similar fashion
to clovers.

snip

Thank you Tony, interesting reading, hope the thunder storm did not get
you :-)

Ta. It was useful haveing an old college fiend who was a SEO in the ARC
- Anything remotely associated with grassland etc (I had a herd of
goats), fruit growing, (Rasps, gooseberries, strawberries, rhubarb,
[apples and cherries for my own use] blackberries etc), market garden
crops which the goats usually got, and what they didn't, the rabbits
did, and a glass-fibre tunnel in which I grew tomatoes, cucumbers,
grapes (for me!) strawberries and catch-crops of radishes.

I had a VAST folder of interesting data and papers on most of those.
Pity it was a rather swish concertina file 'cos it went when I was
burgled.

The thunder storm flashed, thundered and wetted. They've been bothering
me again today, and being high here (for Norfolk) I just unplug
everything valuable - including the phone line.

--
Tony
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