This study aims to investigate the food preservation methods adopted by the Joseon Dynasty, which existed before the 17th century. A total of 232 food preservation methods were discovered in 25 books, and could be classified by their targeted food types: vegetables (84), sea foods (60), meats (41), fruits (37), and others (10). Depending on the preservation method applied, they are classified as food drying, soaking, mud cellar preservation, and other preservation. Food drying is further classified into 8 sub-types: drying, sun-drying, shadow-drying, wind-drying, dry heat, combined drying, smoking, and others. Soaking could be sub-divided into using salt, ash, dry sand, bran, fermented paste, wet distillers grains, oil, and others. Mud cellar preservation is sub-classified into installing shelf inside the mud cellar, making the mud cellar for food preservation, and making hole or underground tunnel for food preservation. Other food preservation methods include minimizing moisture loss by applying beeswax on a section of the vegetable stem, and cutting the vegetables or fruits with their branches and leaves for food preservation.