Introduction
Preparing for emergencies with dehydrated meals ensures you have nutritious food ready to go when needed. This guide offers ten recipes that are easy to make and store long-term. Each recipe includes detailed instructions on dehydration and rehydration.
Dehydration Tips
Before diving into the recipes, here are some key tips for dehydrating food:
– Use Low-Fat Meats: To prevent rancidity, opt for lean meats.
– Rehydration Method: Cover dehydrated food with water and add more as needed while simmering.
– Weight Reduction: Expect a significant reduction in weight; for example, 1 lb of ground beef becomes approximately 3/4 cup dehydrated.
– Storage: Store in labeled zip-loc bags or airtight containers. Most meals last 6 months or more when properly dehydrated.
Recipe 1: Spaghetti and Meat Sauce
Ingredients:
– 1 lb ground beef
– 1 onion, diced
– 2 cloves garlic, minced
– 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
– 1 cup water
– 1 tsp salt
– 1 tsp oregano
– 1 tsp basil
– 1/2 tsp sugar
– 1/2 tsp pepper
Instructions:
1. Brown the ground beef with the onion and garlic.
2. Add the crushed tomatoes, water, salt, oregano, basil, sugar, and pepper.
3. Simmer for 15 minutes.
4. Dehydrate the sauce for 12-24 hours.
Recipe 2: Ham and Potatoes
Ingredients:
– 1 lb ham, cubed
– 2 lbs potatoes, cubed
– 1 onion, diced
– 2 cloves garlic, minced
– 1 cup water
– 1/2 cup butter
Instructions:
1. Mix all ingredients except butter.
2. Dehydrate for 12-24 hours.
3. Rehydrate with water and butter, then bake at 350-400°F.
Recipe 3: Chili
Ingredients:
– 1 lb ground beef
– 1 onion, diced
– 2 cloves garlic, minced
– 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
– 1 can (15 oz) kidney beans
– 1 cup water
– 1 tsp salt
– 1 tsp cumin
– 1/2 tsp chili powder
Instructions:
1. Brown the ground beef with the onion and garlic.
2. Add the crushed tomatoes, kidney beans, water, salt, cumin, and chili powder.
3. Simmer for 15 minutes.
4. Dehydrate for 12 hours.
Recipe 4: Beef Stew
Ingredients:
– 1 lb beef, cubed
– 1 onion, diced
– 2 carrots, sliced
– 1 cup water
– 1 tsp salt
– 1 tsp thyme
– 1/2 tsp pepper
Instructions:
1. Brown the beef with the onion.
2. Add the carrots, water, salt, thyme, and pepper.
3. Cook until vegetables are tender.
4. Dehydrate for 12-24 hours.
Recipe 5: Rice Pudding
Ingredients:
– 1 cup rice
– 1 cup water
Instructions:
1. Dehydrate the rice at 125°F for 5 hours.
2. Rehydrate with water.
3. Add milk powder, sugar, and spices to taste.
Recipe 6: Split Pea Soup
Ingredients:
– 1 cup dried split peas
– 1 onion, diced
– 2 cloves garlic, minced
– 1 cup water
– 1 tsp salt
– 1/2 tsp pepper
Instructions:
1. Soak the split peas for 2 hours.
2. Cook with onion and garlic.
3. Add water, salt, and pepper.
4. Simmer for 1-1.5 hours.
5. Dehydrate for 12-24 hours.
Recipe 7: Shepherd’s Pie
Ingredients:
– 1 lb ground beef
– 1 onion, diced
– 2 cloves garlic, minced
– 1 cup water
– 1 tsp salt
– 1 tsp thyme
– 1/2 tsp pepper
– 2 cups mashed potatoes
Instructions:
1. Brown the ground beef with the onion and garlic.
2. Add water, salt, thyme, and pepper.
3. Cook until vegetables are tender.
4. Dehydrate for 12-24 hours.
5. Rehydrate with water.
6. Top with mashed potatoes and bake.
Recipe 8: Turkey Dinner
Ingredients:
– 1 lb turkey, cubed
– 1 cup cranberries
– 1 cup stuffing mix
– 2 cups mashed potatoes
Instructions:
1. Rehydrate the turkey and cranberries.
2. Prepare stuffing mix and mashed potatoes separately.
3. Combine and serve.
Recipe 9: Scrambled Eggs with Bacon
Ingredients:
– 1 cup egg substitute
– 1/2 cup bacon, crumbled
– 1 cup water
Instructions:
1. Mix egg substitute and bacon.
2. Rehydrate with boiling water.
3. Cook until eggs are set.
Recipe 10: Instant Oatmeal Mix
Ingredients:
– 1 cup oats
– 1/2 cup milk powder
– 1/4 cup sugar
– 1 tsp cinnamon
Instructions:
1. Combine oats, milk powder, sugar, and cinnamon.
2. Store in labeled zip-loc bags or airtight containers.
3. Makes 14 servings.
Summary
These dehydrated meal recipes provide a variety of options for emergency food storage. Each recipe includes detailed instructions for dehydration and rehydration, ensuring you can prepare nutritious meals quickly and easily during an emergency.