More dehydrating, the making of a meal for camp! Pic heavy!

[monkey boy]

Hamster you need to show me how to do this stuff mate, it looks like a great way to have healthy snacks.
Also we need to meet up soon for a little wonder or a nite in the woods

 

[Mr Adoby]

I dehydrate minced meat. Preferably lean beef to avoid fat that may go rancid. I fry it without any fat in a non-stick pan, and then dry it. Great addition to any soup. Great for fast cooking.

Leeks are great for dehydrating. I cut mine thinner than on the pictures here. When they are dry you can powder them in your hand. But you have to keep them in a plastic bag, otherwise they take up moisture from the air. Also I prefer to cut my carrots and potatoes in strips rather than slices. Quicker to dehydrate and hydrate. I have a little citric acid in the water when I blanche the potatoes. Keeps them from discolouring.

No need to dehydrate garlic or onions. Just carry some fresh.

 

[presterjohn]

Whilst this is an excellent method in many ways, I thnik it would be easier to cook the stew(s) at home, then dehydrate the finished product, then all one needs do at camp is rehydrate and heat. All the suggestions I have seen recommend cutting meat and all other foods to the smallest possible size, or they take for ever to rehydrate, so ground meat in stews is preferred to chunks.
One thing to consider, if you cover your dried meat withj water and leave for some hours to rehydrate before cooking, it will be a wet food in the danger zone of 40 to 140 deg f for a considerable time, which encourages bacterial growth. IMO, that's why fast rehydration is required for me. So I pour boiling water over dehydrated cooked foods for both safety and time condsiderations.

I think a few things are worth considering on those points. Firstly you will get a more flavour filled meal if you cook in the camp rather than in the kitchen before dehydrating. It is also worth noting that restaurant regulations are far tougher than they need to be for the home chef. Beef if left to rehydrate in cool water for the morning will be absolutely fine at lunch time. If you are in the middle of a heat wave then that time should be reduced of course. Beef is one of the more secure meats as well so you could probably leave it all day if you needed to. Obviously thought the longer you leave it the more thoroughly you must ensure it is cooked. On a final note big chunks of meat are what make a stew nice to eat. Grinding the meat to tiny bits makes the meal a lesser dish for me at least.