InSons of the Forest, every day is a constant fight for survival against an unforgiving island with constant threats from cannibals and eating food that has long spoiled. To keep from getting food poisoning and come out a survivor, you’ll need to ensure all your nutrition requirements are met, and a drying rack can help.

While it might be easy to make and use, its necessity and ability to preserve your food shouldn’t be overlooked by even the most advanced settlements. Even if you’re playing alone, ensuring you have a drying rack full of food will keep you fed and thriving in Sons of the Forest.

A screenshot from Sons of the Forest showing the player character looking at a drying rack with two pieces of meat while they hold a small axe with a blue butterfly landing on the tip.

What Is The Drying Rack?

The drying rack is a greattool for preserving foodthat you’re able to find inside the ‘Storage’ section of your survival guide. It takes nine sticks to build, which you can usuallycollect from small treesin the immediate area andplace into the blueprintwith the white outline.

How To Use The Drying Rack

Once built, you’ll need to find some meat to hang on it. This means that you’ll need togo hunting for some animalsif you don’t already have some in your inventory. It will need to be an animal that actually produces meat, soanything larger than a white rabbit will work. You canhang fish and cuts of meaton the drying rack.

Once you’ve killed the animal andharvested the meatfrom it, take it to the drying rack andpress the interaction buttonwhen you get close enough. This will open your backpack, andyou’ll be able to select which meatyou want to hang on the rack.

A screenshot from Sons of the Forest showing the player character holding a small black axe while looking at a dead raccoon. There is a prompt to press ‘E’ to harvest the animal’s meat.

Depending on the meat you’re drying, it couldtake half to an entire in-game dayfor it to finish and all you can do is wait. Instead of cooking faster like a fire, this makes it agreat place to store extra foodwhere you and your allies can find it, but abad place to go for a quick meal.

You’ll knowit’s finished when the meat goes from its normal red color to a brownishcolor with rougher skin.

A screenshot from Sons of the Forest showing three pieces of dried meat on a drying rack above a fire.

Whether it be Kelvin or animals, food can disappear off of your drying rack.Thebest solution is to have multiple protected drying racks, soyou have more to draw from.

Once dried,the meat will last for much longerthan if you were to keep it in your bag raw or cooked and let it spoil. you’re able to eat it or take it with you on a journey, andit will lastuntil you’re able to find other food.