WhitetailWoods.Blogspot.com

Folks, I am experimenting with tables...

Don't ask me what I am doing as I am really not too sure!

What I did, is copy this table looking thing from a website. I pasted it into the compose tab, then looked at it in the HTML tab. By playing around witht he numbers, left and right, and erasing things to see what happens, I figured out some of the stuff. What I am hoping to accomplish is to understand how to create small for comments, notes, or how tos in a post. That and throw in my usual link stuff.

More to follow!

	A Chronicles' Favorite Whitetail Woods Whitetail Woods

	A Chronicles' Favorite Whitetail Woods Whitetail Woods

Rasch Outdoors Media Group: Link List 22 Jan 2011

Rasch Outdoors Media Group: Link List 22 Jan 2011


http://inastan.blogspot.com/2010/12/bagram-air-field-rocket-attack.html

http://inastan.blogspot.com/

http://trochronicles.blogspot.com/2010/05/its-tuesday-at-mess-hall-that-must-mean.html

http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=12365.135

http://woodworking.com/forum/showthread.php?29837-Stanley-no-71-router-plane-How-s-it-work

http://woodworking.com/forum/showthread.php?54384-Scratches-on-a-plane-sole

The Range Reviews: Tactical: 300 BLK by AAC: An Introduction

The 300 ACC BLACKOUT, designated 300 BLK, is a 7.62x35 round that was developed in response to military requests for an M4/HK-416 platform to launch 30 caliber rounds both subsonic (suppressed) and supersonic. AAC's new caliber offers loadings ranging from 110 grain for hunting and self defense to 220 grain for suppressed weapons - AAC's undisputed area of expertise.

Read More: The Range Reviews: Tactical: 300 BLK by AAC: An Introduction

Link List 01/28/11

http://huntlikeyourehungry.blogspot.com/2011/01/quagmire-week-five.html

http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=14328.15

http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=14369.0

http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=14357.msg134983#msg134983

http://thewildlife2.blogspot.com/2011/01/mr-hunting-expert-bites-back.html

http://norcalcazadora.blogspot.com/2011/01/something-to-cling-to-as-duck-season.html

http://suburbanbushwacker.blogspot.com/2011/01/bagpipes-cooler-than-you-thought.html

http://trrtactical.blogspot.com/2011/01/more-on-300-blk-from-shot-show.html

AR15, AAC, AAC300, AAC 300, AACBLK, AAC300BLK, AAC 300 BLK, Advanced Armament Corporation, 300 ACC BLACKOUT, 300 BLK, 7.62x35 round

The Range Reviews: Tactical: 300 BLK by AAC: An Introduction

The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles: Top Nine Turkey Hunting Tips!

The Best Tips for Hunting Turkeys!

With Wild Turkey season quickly approaching, I scoured the Internet for the best tips for turkey hunting. This is the top ten tips for turkey hunting. I have set them up in the order I think you should consider them. If you have a favorite tip that’s not included, please let me know, and we will put all the new tips in the Turkey Hunting Tips II post!

Read more at: The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles: Top Nine Turkey Hunting Tips!

Bulk Ammo

© 2011 Albert A Rasch and
The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles™
$g&m f9bd 45kd q!?5.

Hello fellow shooters and sportsmen!

Just a quick plug for my friends at BulkAmmo.com who hooked me up with a very, very good deal on ammo for my Colt Gov't Combat 45.


When I needed bulk 45 ACP Ammo I went to BulkAmmo.com, and placed an order for some 230gr Lawman a product from the good folks at Speers.

I wasn't aware that Speer put out their own ammo, but as you know their bullets are excellant and I'm sure the ammo will be as good as any other out there. I will be doing a review on the ammo itself, but that will ahve to wait until I get home and can make some range time.

They have a lot of In Stock 45 ACP ammo, and if Speer isn't your cup of tea, they have another dozen manufacturers and loads to choose from.

If you're looking for a good deal on ammo, ammo that's in stock, and quality ammo, Check out what BulkAmmo.com has available. You won't be disappointed!

Best Regards,
Albert A Rasch
Member: Shindand Tent Club
Member: Hunting Sportsmen of the United States HSUS (Let 'em sue me.)
The Hunt Continues...

Drying and Preserving Fruit

© 2011 Albert A Rasch and
The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles™
$g&m f9bd 45kd q!?5.

Quick Facts on Drying Fruit...

• Successful drying depends on heat, air dryness and good air circulation.
• Select fresh, fully-ripened fruits.
• Pretreat fruit pieces by dipping in an ascorbic acid, citric acid, or lemon juice solution.
• When dry, allow fruit to condition for four to 10 days before packaging for storage.
• Package dried fruits in tightly sealed containers and store in a cool, dry place.

Drying has to be the simplest, most cost efficient, and most natural method of preserving food. I was able to get the basics on drying fruit from Carol W. Costenbader, the author of The Big Book of Preserving the Harvest.  Drying is a creative way to preserve foods and use home-grown fruit, extra produce (e.g., ripe bananas) and roadside market specials. Like all methods of preservation, drying causes some nutrient loss.

Here are seven easy steps from selection of the fruit, to storage of your dried treasure!

1. Select the Fruit
Use only blemish-free fruits that are fully ripened. Immature produce lacks flavor and color. Overmature produce can be tough and fibrous or soft and mushy. Drying does not improve food quality.

2. Prepare the Fruit

Thoroughly wash and clean fruits to remove dirt or spray. Sort and discard any fruit that shows decay, bruises or mold. Such defects can affect all foods being dried. Now, pit and slice the fruit again discarding any pieces that do not meet quality expectations. The smaller the pieces, the quicker they will dry, but keep all pieces uniform in size so they’ll dry at the same time.

3. Pretreating
Pretreating fruits prior to drying is highly recommended. Pretreating helps keep light-colored fruits from darkening during drying and storage and it speeds the drying of fruits with tough skins, such as grapes and cherries.

As indicated below, some methods work better for some fruits than others.

Blanching (apricots, apples)
Put slices in a steamer (or a colander suspended in a pot of boiling water) for five minutes then place fruit in ice water to stop the cooking. Drain and dry on towels.

Ascorbic Acid Dip (all fruits)
Ascorbic Acid Pretreatment: Ascorbic acid (vitamin C) is an antioxidant that keeps fruit from darkening and enhances destruction of bacteria during drying. Pure crystals usually are available at supermarkets and drug stores. Stir 2 1/2 tablespoons (34 grams) of pure ascorbic acid crystals into one quart (1000 milliliters) of cold water. For smaller batches prepare a solution using 3 3/4 teaspoons (17 grams) of pure ascorbic acid crystals per 2 cups of cold water. Vitamin C tablets can be crushed and used (six 500 milligram tablets equal 1 teaspoon ascorbic acid). One quart of solution treats about 10 quarts of cut fruit. Cut peeled fruit directly in ascorbic acid solution. Soak for 10 minutes, remove with a slotted spoon, drain well and dehydrate. Research studies have shown that pretreating with an acidic solution enhances the destruction of a host of potentially harmful bacteria during drying, including E. coli, Salmonella species and Listeria!

Pectin dip (peaches, berries, cherries)

Mix 1 box of powdered pectin with 1 cup water. Boil together for 1 minute, then add ½ cup sugar and enough cold water to make 2 cups.

Honey dip (bananas, peaches, pineapples)
Mix 3 cups waters and 1 cup sugar. Heat and then add 1 cup honey. Stir well.

 Juice dip (peaches, apples, bananas)

Combine 1 quart pineapple juice, 1 quart lukewarm water and ¼ cup bottled lemon juice.

4. Drying

Sun Drying
a) Spread your sliced or cubed fruit on a screen for two to four days, turning slices over half way through the drying process.
b) Don't forget to bring your screens inside at night to keep dew from collecting on the fruit. (Or coons stealing them!)
c) This method works best in climates with 100 degree heat and low humidity.

Oven Drying
a) You can place fruit directly on the racks or first spread cheesecloth over the oven racks.
b) Set the oven to 145 degrees and prop the door open with a wooden wedge (about a half inch) to allow the moisture to escape.
c) Give it anywhere between 4 to 12 hours, checking regularly to see how the fruit is drying.
d) Food should be dry but pliable when cool. Test a few pieces to see if the batch is ready.

5. Curing
When done, place your dry fruit in an open bowl in a warm and dry location where there is some air movement. Cover it with a piece of cheese cloth to minimize dust or insects landing on your dried fruit. Flip it around once or twice a day for a couple of weeks.

6. Pasteurize
You need to pasturize your dried fruit in order to store it for any great length of time; this will insure that you destroy any insect eggs. When drying is complete and you have cured your fruit slices, freeze the fruit for several days at zero degrees in a deep freeze. It must be a deep freeze as a regular refrigerator cannot get the temperature down far enough. Alternatively, heat in a 175 degree oven for 10-15 minutes.

7. Storage

Store in airtight ziplock bags or glass containers kept inside paper bag to protect from light. Store in cool dry place. Since a refrigerator is cool and moist, keep the dried fruit there only in the heat of summer, but make sure the package is air tight.

There you have it my friends. Simple process that yields yummy and nutritious results. It is a great way to preserve fruit, take advantage of sales, and generally speaking is a great skill to have.


Other Posts of Interest:
Planting Fruit Trees

Drying and Preserving Fruit The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles

Best Regards,
Albert “Afghanus” Rasch
The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles
In Afghanistan

Scott Croner Albert A Rasch Albert “Afghanus” Rasch Albert A Rasch Scott Croner Nebraska Hunting Scott Croner, Merriam's Turkey Hunting Albert A Rasch Scott Croner Albert A Rasch Albert “Afghanus” Rasch Albert A Rasch Scott Croner Nebraska Hunting Scott Croner Merriam's Turkey Hunting Albert A Rasch

The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles: Big Cutters, Rank Hogs, and Coffee

The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles: Big Cutters, Rank Hogs, and Coffee

© 2009, 2010 Albert A Rasch and
The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles
$g&m f9bd 45kd q!?5.

Hunting Big Hogs in Florida, Chronicles Style!

I had shot that three hundred pounder right through the cheekbone!

We had been hunting hog at a friend's ranch an hour or so from where I lived. We had been carefully stalking this bad boy for the better part of two hours. There were sows and piglets to contend with, mosquitoes, and the occasional pygmy rattle thrown in for fun. Actually, I was pretty sure those damned chiggers were, at that very moment, burrowing into my tender flesh and making themselves at home.

Skirting palmetto clumps, and patches of scrub oak, we finally got into position with out spooking him or the other hogs with him. taking a prone position in an open patch of sandy dirt,  I took off my leather hat, laid it in front of me, and used it as a rest for my light hog hunting rifle, a 30/06 Weatherby Eurosport. I wanted an instant kill; I had had enough of chiggers, ticks and skeeters for the day, so I carefully lined up for a spinal shot. I was certain of my shooting ability, and I have complete confidence in my Weatherby and the Remington Safari Grade ammo I use.

180 grains of copper clad and partitioned lead went right under his left eye, through the hog's sinus cavity, and smashed right into his spinal column where it demolished nine inches of bone and nerves, disrupting much of his motor functions. But it wasn't enough. By the time I had crossed the forty or so yards between us, he had regained some use of his body. His jaws worked to and fro, slashing at the under growth, hooking roots, branches and the occasional shrub. Apparently he could use his back legs, and had some use of his front right one. He stumbled as he tried to charge me.

I had stoked the Weatherby with another Remington Safari Grade Swift A-Frame before I was even up. As I raised the Weatherby for a follow up shot, Matt put his hand on my shoulder. "Wait, don't waste the bullet, let me finish him with my .22." Moments later the big hog was down.

And what a hog! Scarred and cut up from slugging it out with the other males, he was a brute; three inches of whetted tusks stuck out either side. I had him mounted, but unfortunately over the years he has deteriorated to the point that it was, in my mind, disrespectful to his memory to have him displayed in that condition. So he now resides sealed in a large bin with a desiccant package and a pest control devise. Maybe, when times are a little better, I can have him refurbished, and he can take place of pride over my desk again.

I really need to get out hog hunting...

But that's not why I tell the tale. Cooking, that's what I want to talk about.

It all started, innocently enough, when I happened upon Miss Jamie's blog Borderland Adventures: Her Perspective and her post Stinky Little Pigs.

Now I like pigs. I like them as livestock, pets, and wildlife. I like them alive and I like them roasted. Now Miss Jamie is actually writing about the New World equivalent of the pig, that being the peccary also known as the javelina. Miss Jamie does an excellent job of explaining their natural history and taxonomy; and she does it with great humor. In addition you will find great narratives of the border area, posts on cooking both in the home and out in the field, and a product review. Not only that, but she has some great photography too! I heartily recommend visiting her Blog Borderland Adventures: Her Perspective.

Now back to the cooking. As it turns out both peccaries and that big ol' hog I took, have similarities. They both stink real bad. As in rank.

I don't like to waste game. But a rank old hog is unpalatable. Simple as that; just plain inedible. I had Matt carve out the tenderloins, if that's not a misnomer I don't know what is. I also got the two roasts. Matt got the rest to grind up for sausage.

When I got home I threw a box of coarse salt over the meat and ice in the cooler. I figured that would buy me enough time to figure out what I was going to do.

I've got one of those big enameled roasting pan, and I always have a lot of garlic. Work with what you got I always say. As I was trying not to pass out from the testosterone induced odor, I remembered reading somewhere that instant coffee neutralized the odor and helped to tenderize the meat. I couldn't remember how much was recommended, so I dumped a big handful in there. I mean I poured it into my hand and dumped it over the roast. With that done, I took a knife skewered that roast and stuffed garlic into every hole I made. I doused it thoroughly with some white wine, the cheap stuff I keep for those meddlesome neighbors, and put the cover on it.

I set the oven on low (325 F) and came back to it about four hours later.

Holy smokes! It worked! The smell was gone, and in its place a delectable and genuinely delicious aroma of cooked pork with subtle tones of garlic. After due deliberations though it was decided that a couple of more hours wouldn't hurt. I cut up some more garlic, potatoes, carrots, and celery, and poured in some more wine and water.

A couple of hours later we were sitting around the table enjoying a tender and tasty roast.

I've tried it out with other cuts of tough meat both wild and domestic with similar results. Oh and there is no taste of coffee either. What is in the instant coffee that does that is unknown to me. All I know is that it works.

Amazing what you can do with some coffee...

Best Regards,
Albert A Rasch
Member: Shindand Tent Club
Member: Hunting Sportsmen of the United States HSUS (Let 'em sue me.)
The Hunt Continues...


Update:
While cruising the Blogsphere this morning, I came upon this "The Bacon Weave." For those of you that don't have enough cholesteral in your diet, this is a sure fire way to get it up there! Brought to you by the fellows at BBQ Addicts!

AAR





Scott Croner Albert A Rasch Albert “Afghanus” Rasch Albert A Rasch Scott Croner Nebraska Hunting Scott Croner, Merriam's Turkey Hunting Albert A Rasch Scott Croner Albert A Rasch Albert “Afghanus” Rasch Albert A Rasch Scott Croner Nebraska Hunting Scott Croner Merriam's Turkey Hunting Albert A Rasch