Food for camping and hiking

[MEP]

I read recently that you can dehydrate virtually most foods  ( soups, stews, porridge, pasta and sauce, puddings etc) and rehydrate by adding boiling water. This is great for camping and hiking. Apparently pasta that has been cooked al dente, dehydrated and rehydrated again remains al dente.

Has anyone done this or was aware you could do this? This opens up a new world of gourmet possibilities for camping that I didn't know existed!

Would love to hear what you think. Thanks.

[Wonder]

MEP I've read about it and now a few hikers who have mentioned eating rehydrated food but didn't ask if they dehydrated it themselves. From memory if you search for hiking forums you will get a lot of information and instructions.

[MEP]

Thanks Wonder, good idea. DH thought perhaps that's probably what the camping ready-made dinners are. I'll have to look into it some more.

[cookie1]

It would certainly reduce weight. You would also need to have a good water supply available to rehydrate. Possibly handy for emergency food as it would be light.

[MEP]

That's right Cookie, you would reduce the wight component substantially. Agreed, you would need potable water. We mainly do car camping anyway so weight's not really an issue. I was just intrigued about the possibilities for 'gourmet' meals whilst roughing it so to speak.

[achookwoman]

Yes you can dehydrate meals.  Most people I know who use them buy them. They are very expensive.
I personally don't fancy dehydrating meat. Veggies ok and have made a soup mix. Not as nice as the fresh though.
I dehydrated a pile of apples recently and the were lovely. Sealed in small packs and GC take them to school in lunch box. I also used some in Kimmyh's fruit cake.

[MEP]

Thanks for your feedback chookie. I posted the item because I was wondering about the outcome/ quality of the rehydrated food.

[Wonder]

MEP I think you will also find some dehydrator forums if you google a bit and there was also some of the "doomsday prepers" who created a stockpile of dehydrated foods.

Chookie, I would be interested to hear about the apples. I haven't been using my dehydrator much recently.

[achookwoman]

Wonder, I have one of those little machines that cores and peels the Apple in one go. I save the cores and peels and use these to make a pectin base for jams.  The flesh is in a continuous spiral which I cut in half and place in water to which I have added lemon juice.  This stops the apple from going dark.
When I have a large bowl full I dry the apples on a tea towel and then fill all the trays of the dehydrator.
As the slices are an even size they dry fairly quickly. When leathery and cooki pop them in small plastic bags.
I don't freeze Apple pulp anymore but bottle and dry now. The dried apple is nice as part of a Persian Dried fruit Salad. The dried fruit, ( lots of Apricot) , is soaked in a light water syrup with Orange and Apple Blossom water. Can make without the add sugar. Keeps well in fridge.

[cookie1]

I have one of those apple peeler/corners Chookie. If I am peeling more than 2 apples it is so much quicker.
Mep I would be interested if you have success dehydrating meals. We usually travel with the van unless going to the outblocks like Birdsville.

[marabi]

Doesn't  Jo of Quirky fame do a lot of dehydrating of her foods?  Perhaps an email to her might help answer some questions.  She is so generous with her knowledge.

[mcmich]

Apparently there  is a new cook book about to be released - Camping ?

[judydawn]

Don't buy it Michele, you'll only give it away down the track LOL.

[Cornish Cream]

LOL Judy