How to choose between salt-curing and drying for preserving your food

Salt-curing, pickling and drying are age-old methods of preserving foods. Although more popular in days gone by, these methods are still used effectively today, and listed below are the basic techniques.

Salt-curing and pickling, by creating acid conditions, inhibit the growth of spoilage bacteria.These processes significantly alter the taste and texture of food (although in the case of pickling the results can be delicious).

• If salt-curing is done in a strong salt solution, nutritional value is greatly reduced because the food must be thoroughly washed before it can be eaten, a process that will rinse away water-soluble vitamins. A weaker salt solution will preserve more nutrients but increase the risk of spoilage.
• Salt-curing  is not reliable for truly long-term storage: pickles, sauerkraut and relishes must be bottled by the boiling-water bath method if they are to be stored for more than a few weeks after the salt-curing process is finished.

Drying reduces the water content of the food, so preventing the growth of disease-causing bacteria. It is probably the most ancient of all food processing methods, and is the most severe.

• Depending on both the drying method and the quality of the food, it is possible to preserve a high percentage of most vitamins.
• If dried foods are stored for long periods, considerable destruction of vitamins A, C and E can result because of oxidation, especially if food was not properly blanched before drying.
• Vitamins A and E and some B-complex vitamins are broken down by light; considerable food value can be lost by drying outdoors in direct sunlight.
• Air drying of fish is one of the earliest known and most straightforward methods of preserving protein. Small, non-oily fish can simply be hung under shelter and within a week or so they could be stored for use during lean times.

When considering the methods of storing food, make sure to take into account the storage space you have and the food you'll be curing or drying. Also consider how long you intend to store the food and choose the above method that best suits your needs.