Self Dehydrated Meals

[mfllood3800]

I'm already maxed out on pouches and pockets on the Tahr
That includes the guide lid, 2 spotters and 2 large belt pouches and one small
Lol
I need the AMR

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[buffsmoker]

Buff
Just added that food pouch to Amazon cart- that's a slick set up and great price too- thx

Sure thing. It seemed to work great for me. Kept my meals piping hot during the 20 minutes of rehydration when the temp was right around freezing outside. And it weighs next to nothing.

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[mfllood3800]

Tasted fantastic

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[Hall256]

Tasted fantastic

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I may have missed it, but did you use your own recipe or did you use one you found? How much water did you have to add to rehydrate?

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[mfllood3800]

Its just our own elk chili the wife makes- simple and from jars etc (other than the elk of course)
I did ask her to make it a bit thicker than normal, knowing I would be dehydrating this.
I didn't weigh any of the parts, just put what looked like a cup and a half full in the vacuum bag. Then added enough water til it was still soupy, knowing it would continue to hydrate and thicken up for the next 15 minutes.

I would guess you would want a cup full of water or so and let it sit for 15 minutes sealed up.
I don't eat a lot, a big eater would want more.
Just remember to let the food remain soupy at first- it will thicken up a bit.

Next will be mac and cheese with elk.

 

[pwsINC]

+1 for using some forms on insulated pouch and freezer bags.

I buy quart size deli containers like 100 of them for 8 dollars from a restaurant supply place. And I store all my dehydrated product in freezer and portion into freezer bags before trips. You could do vacuum seal bags.... but if your carrying out trash zip locs are a cleaner way to go. Plus I usually bring packet of soy sauce, coconut oil etc that I get from minimus and I use the bag to package all the trash.

I have some full meals. I also dehydrate any vegetable that's a few days from going bad and I make ground meat 3 different ways in large qualities, taco meat, ground with Italian. Seasoning, ground with barbecue sauce. Pretty cook and dehydrate rice but I cook it in beef stock. So I can take rice or potatoes add handle full of different vegetables and some ground and packet of soy, hot sauce, bbq whatever and have infinite options when I go to pack... call me a snob I just don't care to eat the same food every day.

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[TJ]

Thx guys
I was hoping to use regular vacuum type sealable bags, leaving them a bit longer, and bringing a clip or even rubber band to hold them tight once I added hot water and folded the top over.

The only meals the girlfriend and I ate last year were homemade dehydrated meals, and we do it exactly as you describe above. I bring along a couple of mini binder clips that I keep in my pullout of food, and after I add the water, I let it sit for 25 - 30 minutes. I use the heavy-duty bags from FoodSaver, and they work great, the standard bags work as well, but some of the dehydrated food will puncture a hole in the bag that will let air in over time.

I've been doing the same as above. Like cousebitten says, some foods may puncture the vacuum bags so it may be necessary to wrap the dehydrated food in something before you vacuum seal it.

I have also used quart freezer bags without any problem as well.

 

[Grundy53]

Tagging to follow along.

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[mfllood3800]

I cannot eat same did every day either

I have heart burn so don't want to eat the spicey salty pre made potions out there

I make sure to get good quality bags and squish food before removing from dehydrater, one to make sure it's done, two, to make sure it won't ruin my seal in the bag

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[Tsnider]

I was coming here to post this same thread, good info. After the pad thai, frito pie and Sheppards pie I have dehydrated myself and eaten, I'll avoid mountain house at all cost now! But also looking for better bags. The vacuum seal bags are a pita and I don't want to clean titanium every night

 

[pwsINC]

Just use quart freezer bags, and a insulated pouch from anti-gravity gear. Another tip get that extra long spoon

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[Tsnider]

I made the leap to go to all dehydrated meals this year. I bought my own mylar bags from Sorbent Systems (Impak). They can be used with a vacuum sealer on the bottom and they even have the tear off zip lock top like the MTN House does. They are super nice and easy to use. I got the vacuum sealer from them as well. Even with the bags and sealer it is still way cheaper than MTN House if you hunt alot.

I spent about 1,200 on MTN House last year.....

this is the route i want to go. what sized bag are you finding works the best for the average meal?

 

[chuckeglenn]

Only issue I've had with dehydrating my own food is rehydrating it. I've let my meals sit sealed in boiling water for very long periods of time only to find it still hard and chewy. Anyone else have this issue?

 

[Tsnider]

Only issue I've had with dehydrating my own food is rehydrating it. I've let my meals sit sealed in boiling water for very long periods of time only to find it still hard and chewy. Anyone else have this issue?

what are you dehydrating? i havent had this problem but havent been doing it long. beef is the one tricky thing i have ran into. i use 94% lean, and you dehydrate like 4 pieces of bread and crunch it up into the beef BEFORE you cook it. then the beef hydrates better.

 

[pwsINC]

what are you dehydrating? i havent had this problem but havent been doing it long. beef is the one tricky thing i have ran into. i use 94% lean, and you dehydrate like 4 pieces of bread and crunch it up into the beef BEFORE you cook it. then the beef hydrates better.

+1

Bread or just bread crumbs from box help rehydrate alot.

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[mfllood3800]

I had no issues with the elk chili being chewy
In fact you would've had a hard time telling it was died and rehyded

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[mfllood3800]

I will add I vacuum packed mine in the 12 mil thick bags and was able to hold then without burning my hand
The food got hot enough as well without a insulator
They make cheaper 4 mil ones
Spend the little bit more $ get the thicker ones

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[pwsINC]

The insulator is like 12 bucks... and for me, alot my dehydrated meal take about 20 minutes to be done. Freeze dried and dehydrated are a bit different.

I have a chamber sealer so have the thicker bags too. Might give that a try. But doubt ill abandon the insulated pouch.

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[chuckeglenn]

what are you dehydrating? i havent had this problem but havent been doing it long. beef is the one tricky thing i have ran into. i use 94% lean, and you dehydrate like 4 pieces of bread and crunch it up into the beef BEFORE you cook it. then the beef hydrates better.

Can't remember everything that I did this past fall, but everything turned out the same way.
Deer chili
Chicken Chili
Couple of different kind of soups
Sweet Potatoes

Another problem that I had was that my food had sharp edges once it was dehydrated it would cut holes in my vacuum bags, and they'd lose their seal. Ended up having to wrap the food with a paper towel and then double vacuum pack it.

 

[Tsnider]

yeah what i learned real quick for the pad thai i made was having issue due to the noodles. i had to cut a short portion of bag, and then the normal length. id put the short bag inside the longer one, seal it and that would usually solve the issue. i think im going to try some of these mylar bags and see how they do.

i havent had the chewy issue though, im curious why that is happening for you. personally for my meals im doing everything seperate rather than together. i bought potatoe flakes, powdered butter, powered cheese, instant rice etc. then im dehydrating veggies and meats all seperate. then mixing together for portions. not sure if that helps anything hydrate better or not. i think if you cook with oils or butter or anything it may not dehydrate correctly.