Legendary Shelter Survival Guide

Chapter 55 Smoking the meat with makeshift methods

Now that everyone had a certain goal other than completing phase two's objectives. Their minds had become clearer and after having such a blood bath, they needed a break from the skill uses and the killing.

One by one, Sarah skinned the Coyates and the hide was stored inside the shelter as they didn't have a way of processing it for now.

Processing a hide through primitive tools was something nobody had a need of. Even John who was a good camper and did it for many years didn't know a single way of processing the hides.

After the hides were stored for later, Sarah with Ella's help made all the intestines and unwanted material inside the Coyates drain inside a hole they dig like before.

After doing this with every Coyate, they covered it with a layer of soil making the whole stench go away with time.

They found two mana stones till now and the search was still going on.

Small but steak-sized chunks were cut from the meat and kept on a cloth that they had set aside for cleaning purposes, it was the button shirt Lucas was wearing when he came here.

When these basic functions were taken care of, the work of John, his sons, and Lucas started.

John told his group of four to cut off all the unevenness of the meat cuts and take off all the fat if there was any left.

There were 20 edible and good pieces in front of them with even surfaces and only red meat showed.

Now that the first batch was done, John ordered the three to make a firepit right at the camp. The three did as they were told and after taking out all the burned wood from the camp, they started digging a hole quickly.

When they were doing that, John had already started collecting some firewood which was dry and crumbled leaves until he was done with that too.

He brought various small but thick branches to the firepit and after measuring the diameter of the circular pit, he started bringing the branches of similar sizes.

His part of the work was done and he waited till they made a pit until John told them to stop.

He threw all the dry leaves and twigs inside the pit until it was filled to the quarter. He told Sarah to throw a single small fireball inside and after two fingertip-sized fireballs, the dry twigs and leaves started burning and giving off smoke.

"Won't this attract others to the shelter, Uncle John?" Lucas asked, perplexed by all the process they had done so far.

"Good Question, dear boy. I was thinking of how to proceed and I have found it. Bring some of that plant fiber rope, we can make more for the shelter's upgrade later."

As they worked, they engaged in conversation, sharing stories and enjoying each other's company. Lucas was the only one that spoke vaguely about his past and no one pestered him to speak if he was not comfortable aside from Sean who was smacked by his mother on his head for being too nosy.

After some time, John rechecked the smoking pit. The smoke was still coming out steadily, indicating that the fire was burning well. He decided to add a few more dry branches and leaves to ensure a constant supply of smoke throughout the smoking process after carefully lifting some of the branches on which the meat was kept.

Lucas skinned two Coyates in that span of time, faster than the brothers who were also doing it for the first time like him.

Lucas did his part and after taking out two mana stones from the Coyates he skinned and storing them inside the shelter.

His part of the skinning task was done according to Ella so he joined John by the pit, eager to observe the progress. They took turns peeking under the lid to observe the smoke levels, making sure it remained consistent.

John instructed, "Remember, the key is to maintain a good amount of smoke without smothering the fire. We want the smoke to penetrate the meat and infuse it with flavor while allowing the heat to cook it thoroughly."

As the group patiently waited, they noticed the tantalizing scent of the smoking meat growing stronger. It spread through the air, teasing their senses and building their anticipation.

After about twenty minutes, John decided it was time to test the doneness of the smoked meat. He carefully removed one piece from the pit using a stick, examining its color and texture. It looked perfectly cooked and tender.

The only other option to check was to poke it with a clean stick, liquid started poring out when it was squeezed with the stick.

"It's ready!" John exclaimed with delight. "Our first batch of smoked meat is a success!"

The group cheered, their excitement and satisfaction on the top of the roof. They had accomplished their goal and created a valuable product that could be used to pay back Lucas's mother and father who gave them that big corpse that was still lying there unfinished.

John instructed everyone to carefully remove the remaining meat from the smoking pit, placing it on a cloth for further cooling and storage. They made sure to keep track of the order in which the meat was placed on the branches, ensuring equal cooking times for each piece.

As they admired the beautifully smoked meat, John reflected on their progress. "We've come a long way, and I couldn't be prouder of all of you. This smoked meat will not only sustain us but also provide us with a valuable trade opportunity with many. We've taken a significant step towards our survival and prosperity."

With a sense of accomplishment, the group set to work, using the extra clothes they were wearing to store the smoked meat carefully.

They knew that this success was just the beginning and tomorrow... The shelter would upgrade!

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Thank you for reading the chapter!