Why Medieval Meat Lasted Years While Your Bacon Rots In Days

Imagine biting into a piece of ham that was cured three years ago... and finding it perfectly edible. Today, if you leave a pack of bacon in the fridge for a week, it turns green. What did our ancestors know about survival that we have forgotten?

In a world without refrigerators, preserving meat wasn't just a culinary skill—it was life or death. In this video, we uncover the brutal and brilliant chemistry behind medieval food preservation and why modern "convenience" has actually ruined the longevity of our food.

In this video, you will discover:

The "Dry Cure" vs. "Wet Cure" Mystery: Why modern supermarket bacon is pumped full of water, while medieval pork was effectively mummified.

The Salt Economy: How medieval peasants used massive quantities of salt to kill bacteria (and why it was worth more than gold).

Smoke & Science: The chemical reaction that happens when you smoke meat for weeks, creating an impenetrable barrier against rot.

The "Potting" Technique: How sealing meat in fat allowed it to last through the harshest winters.

We are diving deep into the history of food, the science of rot, and the survival tactics of the Middle Ages.

Timeline: 0:00 - The Refrigerator Trap 1:24 - How Salt Actually Works (Desiccation) 3:45 - Smoking: More Than Just Flavor 6:10 - Why Modern Bacon Spoils So Fast 8:30 - Could You Survive on Medieval Rations?

Join the discussion: Would you be brave enough to try a slice of ham that has been hanging in a chimney for 2 years? Let me know in the comments below! 👇

#MedievalHistory #FoodHistory #Science #SurvivalSkills #HistoryFacts #Bacon #Preservation