DIY dehydrated meals are cheaper, plus when you’re the chef crafting your own camping food, you have complete control over the ingredients. You can customize flavors, adjust spice levels, cater to dietary restrictions, and even make your favorite family recipes.
The best way to make dehydrated meals is to use a dehydrator; these appliances work by circulating air at low heat, allowing food to dry thoroughly without cooking further. You can buy a budget dehydrator for around $40 (the price of four servings of dehydrated beef stroganoff from REI) or use your oven set on its lowest temperature (120-140 degrees Fahrenheit is the ideal temperature for food dehydrating).
We’ve field-tested a few of our favorite recipes for you. Grab your gear and let’s dive into some simple instructions for dehydrated meals and snacks that will keep you energized on your next backpacking adventure!
Ingredients
1lb very lean ground beef (or ground turkey, tofu or chickpeas)
1 medium onion, diced
1 bell pepper, diced
1 jalapeño, diced, seeds removed (optional)
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
15oz can diced tomatoes (I used fire roasted)
8oz can tomato sauce
1 cup beef or vegetable broth
2 tablespoons chili seasoning
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
½ teaspoons red pepper flakes
Salt, to taste
Black Pepper, to taste
1. Brown meat over medium high heat (about 10 minutes). Drain fat.
2. Reduce heat to medium. Add in onion, bell pepper, jalapeno and garlic. Sauté until soft (3-5 minutes)
3. Add seasonings
4. Pour in diced tomatoes, sauce and broth. Stir to combine
5. Reduce heat to low, cover and let simmer for one hour
6. While simmering, go outside. Play with your dog. Read a chapter of a book. Do something fun!
7. Once done simmering, allow chili to cool for at least 30 minutes. Spoon chili mixture into even layers onto dehydrator drying trays using a slotted spoon
8. Dehydrate at 160 degrees Fahrenheit for 8 hours
9. Once dried, break apart pieces and portion out into reusable bags
Storage: 1-2 weeks at room temperature, 1-2 months refrigerated, or up to 6 months frozen.
To rehydrate:
1. Add dehydrated chili to pot. Add enough water to cover the chili (usually about 1 cup)
2. Bring to a boil then let simmer for a few minutes until chili is rehydrated.
3. Stir and enjoy!
Optional: Add toppings such as cheese, sour cream, green onion, or Fritos
Dirty Rice
Ingredients
2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 cup long-grain white rice
1 teaspoon salt
1 pound lean ground beef or turkey
(substitute for tofu or cooked mushrooms)
1 small onion, diced 1 small bell
pepper, diced
1 stalk celery, diced 2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons taco
seasoning
½ teaspoon dried thyme
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
¼ cup chopped
fresh parsley Salt and pepper to taste
1. In medium sauce pan over high heat,
bring broth to a boil. Add in rice, cover and reduce heat to low. Let simmer
for 15 minutes. Turn off heat, fluff rice and set aside
2. In large skillet
over medium high heat, cook meat until browned, 5 to 8 minutes. Drain fat
3.
Reduce heat to medium. Add in onion, bell pepper, celery, garlic, and
seasonings. Reduce heat to medium low, cover and cook until vegetables are
soft, 15-20 minutes. Stir in rice and parsley. Taste and add more seasonings
if needed. Allow to cool for 30 minutes
4. Spread rice in an even layer on
dehydrator drying trails. Dry at 160 degrees Fahrenheit for 8-12 hours until
pieces break with a snap and there is no visible moisture.
Storage: Portion
out into an airtight container, 2 weeks at room temperature, 2 months
refrigerated, or up to 1 year frozen. To rehydrate: Add rice and water to a
pot, with just enough water to cover the rice. Bring to a boil, cover and
simmer until rehydrated, about 5-8 minutes.
Teriyaki Beef Jerky
Ingredients
2 ½ pounds lean beef (round, sirloin or flank
steak)
½ cup soy sauce
¼ cup packed brown sugar
¼ cup rice or white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon ginger powder
1. Trim meat of all
visible fat. Cut meat against the grain into even slabs between 1/8 – 3/8 inch
thick
2. In large bowl, combine remaining ingredients. Add the beef and toss
until evenly coated. To maximize flavor, let marinate in the fridge for 1-8
hours
3. Remove meat strips from marinate, drain and pat dry. Place strips on
dehydrated drying trays with space between so they are not touching
4. Dry meat
at 160 degrees Fahrenheit for 8 hours.
Storage: Place in an airtight container
1-2 weeks at room temperature, 1-2 months refrigerated, or up to 6 months frozen
Cinnamon Apple Chips
Ingredients
2 apples (red or green)
½ lemon, juiced
½ tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1. Remove apple core and then slice into 1/8-inch-thick rounds.
2. Place apple slices in bowl and toss with lemon juice and pumpkin pie spice.
3. Arrange slices on drying tray in a single layer without overlapping
4. Dry at 135 degrees Fahrenheit for 4-8 hours, until crisp
Storage: up to 1 year at room temperature in an airtight container