What’s portable, has an indefinite expiration date, and is totally delicious? Jerky, every outdoorsman’s second- or third- or fourth- or sometimes fifth-favorite snack!

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

•Meat. Just about anything should work. We suggest using cutlets from a deer, rabbit, squirrel, or bear…if you’ve managed to fight one and win, of course. (See page 104.)

•Three tree branches

•Three sticks

•Twine

•Everything you’ll need to build a small campfire

•A knife, containers, and other cooking utensils

•Salt

•Water

HOW TO DO IT

1.Take the three tree branches and arrange them into the shape of a teepee. This will serve as a tripod that will help you dehydrate your jerky. Then grab the three other sticks and tie them to the base of the tripod toward the top. Now you’ve got the drying racks.

2.Wait until the late morning of a sunny day (this will be important later on). Using the knife, trim away the fat from each bit of meat. Slice “against the grain” of each piece as you cut it into thin strips between ¼ and ⅛ of an inch thick.

3.Now it’s time to whip together the “marinade” that will serve as your salt cure. Grab a pot and, based on which ingredients you have available, mix up a marinade. Place the meat slices in the pot and cover it. Keep an eye on it while you work on the next step. If you’re making grizzly jerky, there’s a good chance the smell might attract some of its still-living, and possibly very vengeful, bear friends. Typically, you’d want to let the meat sit in the marinade overnight, but it could go bad without refrigeration, so that isn’t an option out here.

4.Build a small campfire and allow it to burn down to the embers. Once you’ve got a good-sized bed of hot coals, place the tripod over them and arrange the slices of meat on the drying racks.

5.Make sure that the meat strips aren’t touching one another. You’ll want to maximize their exposure to air and to the coals’ heat and smoke, in addition to direct sunlight, which will be doing most of the work. The smoke should prevent any pesky insects from setting up shop in the meat, but be sure to shoo away any flies or other bugs. Disgusting maggots will put the “jerk” in your jerky, and you don’t want that.

6.Remember: The goal here isn’t to cook the meat. If those slices start sizzling, remove some of the coals.

7.After several hours, the meat should be dry enough to discourage bugs from going after it. Move the tripod to keep it in direct sunlight if needed. Check each slice to see if it’s dry as sunset approaches. If they’re good to go, congrats, you’re a huge jerk! (By which we mean you’ve just made jerky.)

8.If the meat is still wet, place the strips in an enclosed container where animals can’t get to them. Say a quick prayer for good weather and repeat steps 4 and 5 until the strips are dry the following day.

9.Store your jerky in a cool, dry place. It won’t taste as good as the stuff you can buy at the truck stop, but it should keep you going if you wind up on a long march back to civilization. If stored correctly, the jerky should remain safe to eat for at least a few weeks.

LONGEST TIME ADRIFT AT SEA

Captain Oguri Jukichi and sailor Otokichi were off the Japanese coast in October 1813 when their ship was disabled in a storm. They floated all the way across the Pacific and were rescued off the California coast on March 24, 1815. Total time at sea: 484 days.