Hi, I grew up hearing about how my grandmother put up food before they had electricity at their farm circa 30's and 40's and 2 things in particular I have wondered about.

She was sort of famous for having "fresh" green beans put up in a crock that she saved for the holidays. It was such a treat to have something green and fresh for dinner that it made an impression on my Dad. I'm not sure if she even had a canner...but she was half Cherokee so it might be something she learned growing up.

She put down a layer of green beans and then salt then layered them to top of crock and covered some way or other, probably a cloth and put in the root/storm shelter. This was at their New Mexico farm.

Anyone remember this? My dad didn't remember if she drained the crock or not but it sounds like she used a lot of salt cause the green beans he said were "fresh".

He also told me she used to FRY chicken and rabbits to put up and layered them in crocks or possibly a barrel (per his memory) with HOT LARD then covered with lard to seal off. I assume the principle of this is that the lard formed an air tight environment. I don't know how you'd classify this practice. Would the "fried" meat be "cured" by some sort of biological action while under the lard?