What do you dehydrate???

[IntrepidStu]

Ive got a dehydrator but only done the basics like fruit and meat. Im looking for ideas for complete meals to take on long treks. This means i wouldnt be able to carry fresh veggies or dairy. Anyone had any experience in this field?? I was even thinking of dehydrating pre-grilled bacon but wouldnt have a clue as to how to rehydate (YES, i know to use water haha).
Cheers guys.
Stu.

 

[andy_e]

Don't dehydrate stuff myself, so can't help there - but I did wonder if steaming your dehydrated bacon would work. Don't think I'd cook it first though. Once cooked it's fairly dehydrated anyway so I'd have thought storing in fat would be better.

 

[IntrepidStu]

Pork is a bit dodgy to dehydrate without cooking first, at least partly. the problem with storing in fat is the weight. The steaming idea is a good one though, thanks. I really didnt think of that !

 

[ex-member Raikey]

this is intresting Stu,..

how do you carry out the dehydration?

 

[ex-member Raikey]

oops, just re read the post,..

sorry,..

are they expensive?

 

[lannyman8]

you could use zip lock bags and pour water tomato juice or what ever liquid / stock you wanted in and boil in the bag as normal to hydrate.......

never done it, just a thought...........

chris..................

 

[T1Viper]

oops, just re read the post,..

sorry,..

are they expensive?

Like everything they have the expensive models and the cheap ones. but you can get a decent dehydrator for about £30-40 Have a look

Tom

 

[ex-member Raikey]

Like everything they have the expensive models and the cheap ones. but you can get a decent dehydrator for about £30-40 Have a look

Tom

nice one!

cheers mate,..its on the xmas list.

 

[IntrepidStu]

Cant remember where i got mine (was web though) and it cost about 80 quid. Just discovered some beef jerky i did about a year ago...still lovely and fresh. Hang on, thnk it was backpackinglight.com

 

[IntrepidStu]

True, but wouldnt just actualy pouring the stock/whatever in a billy and doing it in that be just the same? Maybe your idea would work quicker and reduce the loss of the water in the form of steam. Defo, a good thought and one to try, Cheers. Any food ideas??

you could use zip lock bags and pour water tomato juice or what ever liquid / stock you wanted in and boil in the bag as normal to hydrate.......

never done it, just a thought...........

chris..................

 

[Toddy]

I'm vegetarian, and so are my sons, we all like stew
I cook potatoes, carrots, celeriac, turnip, onions, peppers (skin them first though) and cut them up into smallish chunks, then dehydrate them. I also just cut up and dehydrate mushrooms.
A ziplock bag of a mix of these, with a couple of spoonfuls of marigold stock and some grated herbs, makes a great basis for a soup or stew when out.
I also make up a bag of doughball mix (herby or cheesy dumplings) and when I have the veggies simmering to rehydrate I pop in the made up doughballs. Good, tasty, filling food

It can be made into a curry just by adding powder to the bag, or add a couple of tomato cuppa soups to it to make it into a good mix for eating with pasta. ( I usually have some tomato puree in the cook box though, but it's heavier than the cuppa soups)
The wee red lentils boil up quickly enough to make daal if you don't want rice with the curry, and if there are meat eaters along the veggies still provide a base for a sausage casserole type meal.

cheers,
Toddy

 

[ex-member Raikey]

I can imagine the mushrooms are pretty special if dropped into a meal,..

i,m definatly going to invest in one i reckon,...

when dehydrated, what kind of containers do folk use to store stuff?

and,

how do you calculate the "use by" ?, or can it be stored indefinatly once dried?

sorry for the barrage but i cant believe i havent already got one of these badboys!

 

[bilmo-p5]

rik_uk3's the one to ask about dehydrating, I believe.

He's bronzing his limbs on the Costa Blanca just now, but I dare say he'll be back before so long.

 

[Toddy]

I use the Tupperware type storage containers or the big airtight screwtop jars from the cookshops. That way I can mix up whatever I like for my mixtures.

Forgot to add, beetroot works really well, makes a mess at first but if you buy the precooked packs and just dry them off with kitchen towels, cut them into chunks and dry they work fine.
All these veggies work juliened too, and make great stir fries once rehydrated.........don't do bamboo shoots, they don't work, they stay like woody things

Home made pasta, filled like tortellini, or raviolli, works really well. Use it kind of fresh though, the fillings go a bit :blech: if you aren't careful.

Your grilled bacon would rehydrate nicely in the stew or soup, but my husband prefers if I derind a ham joint or gammon steak, cook it and dehydrate that. Turkey steaks work very well indeed.

For the vegans and vegetarians, beancurd twists work really well in the stew

cheers,
Toddy

 

[ex-member Raikey]

I use the Tupperware type storage containers or the big airtight screwtop jars from the cookshops. That way I can mix up whatever I like for my mixtures.

Forgot to add, beetroot works really well, makes a mess at first but if you buy the precooked packs and just dry them off with kitchen towels, cut them into chunks and dry they work fine.
All these veggies work juliened too, and make great stir fries once rehydrated.........don't do bamboo shoots, they don't work, they stay like woody things

Home made pasta, filled like tortellini, or raviolli, works really well. Use it kind of fresh though, the fillings go a bit :blech: if you aren't careful.

Your grilled bacon would rehydrate nicely in the stew or soup, but my husband prefers if I derind a ham joint or gammon steak, cook it and dehydrate that. Turkey steaks work very well indeed.

For the vegans and vegetarians, beancurd twists work really well in the stew

cheers,
Toddy

thanks Toddy,...

does the pasta revert to something like its pre-cooked state then?

 

[IntrepidStu]

Some good ideas. thanks.

 

[IntrepidStu]

It keeps till it goes off basically haha. Keep it away from moisture and maybe in a dark place, and 6 months isnt really asking too much. Ive just had some year old jerky.

I can imagine the mushrooms are pretty special if dropped into a meal,..

i,m definatly going to invest in one i reckon,...

when dehydrated, what kind of containers do folk use to store stuff?

and,

how do you calculate the "use by" ?, or can it be stored indefinatly once dried?

sorry for the barrage but i cant believe i havent already got one of these badboys!

 

[Gweedo]

I dehydrate minced beef - cook as normal. Drain off the fat (as much as you can) and then dehydrate. Re-constitute with stock cubes and water.

For packing I use a vacuum sealer that I got from ASDA - perfect for lots of things including vacuum sealing socks, tee shirts etc so they take up less room.

 

[IntrepidStu]

The only vacuum sealers ive seen are massive bags the you put loads of cloths in and attach to a hoover nozel. Id love to get one of the types you have.

I dehydrate minced beef - cook as normal. Drain off the fat (as much as you can) and then dehydrate. Re-constitute with stock cubes and water.

For packing I use a vacuum sealer that I got from ASDA - perfect for lots of things including vacuum sealing socks, tee shirts etc so they take up less room.

 

[Toddy]

thanks Toddy,...

does the pasta revert to something like its pre-cooked state then?

It's just like the dried tortellini that you can buy, but it lets you make your own (gluten and egg free for me) and add whatever fillings you like. Tastier than the shop bought iimmc, and diet wise it's happy food for anyone who won't eat the usual stuff.

The good thing about this precooked stuff is that it doesn't need to boil as such, it just needs to simmer, or in the case of the veggies, just sit in hot water to cook. Not such a faff to get up to heat and keep it there if the weather's agin you.
It works fine too if you do get a pot of boiling water, add the veggies and then pour the whole lot into a flask. It'll do it itself without you needing to fuel it, so to speak. It won't cook the doughballs or rice, etc., though, but it does make one burner cooking quite possible.

cheers,
Toddy