How to make your own backcountry dehydrated burrito bowls

A DIY meal designed to fuel you on the mountain without sacrificing quality of ingredients. Approximate nutritional value: 734 calories, 100g carbs, 61g protein.

 

ESTIMATED TIME:

1 – Hour Prep 6 – 10 Hours of Dehydration

ESTIMATED SERVINGS:

1 backcountry meal. During prep you can cook/prepare multiple servings at once.

EQUIPMENT NEEDED

• Sauté pan
• Large cooking pot
• Strainer
• MEAT! 10-Tray Dehydrator
• MEAT! Vacuum Sealer
• MEAT! Vacuum Sealer Bags
• 6 – sheets of parchment paper cut to the size of the dehydrator trays

INGREDIENTS

Note: per serving or individual meal (we recommend cooking in bulk ex: 3 cups of black beans = approximately 6 meals of ingredients or 2lbs of Venison = approximately 6 meals of ingredients).

• 1/2 cup pinto beans 
• 1/2 cup black beans
• 1 cup (cooked) of Spanish, brown, or white rice 
• Fresh cilantro
• Fajita mix 
• 5 oz cooked venison (substitute lean ground beef, the less fat the longer shelf life/better preservation)
• 1/4 cup hatch green chilies 
• 1/2 cup fresh salsa

DIRECTIONS

• PREP: All ingredients should be cooked to proper/safe temps prior to dehydrating.

• BEANS: Strain the black and pinto beans to remove as much moisture remaining from the beans as possible. In a sauté pan, heat the beans on low heat until any reaming moisture is cooked off and set aside (be sure not to burn the beans).

• VENISON: In a sauté pan, cook the venison on medium heat until brown and crumbly. Add fajita mix, salt, and pepper to liking and set aside. (Pro tip: if the meat isn’t seasoned to liking before it’s dehydrated it’s not getting more flavor, so make sure it tastes good!)

• RICE: Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a medium sauce pan. Once boiling stir in 1 cup of rice and cook for 17 - 20 minutes or until tender. Strain any remaining water and set aside. 

• DEHYDRATING:

Prep by placing a piece of parchment paper on a dehydrator tray. Each individual ingredient should be on its’ own tray. Make sure the ingredients are separated and can get maximum air flow once placed into the dehydrator. Vegetables/sauce dehydrate better at lower temps (120 - 130°F) and meat at higher temps (158 - 168°F). To save time you can combine all ingredients with proper portion sizes and dehydrate at 165°F.

• BEANS: Spread 1/2 cup of each type of bean on a parchment paper lined dehydrator tray. Set dehydrator to 120 - 140°F for 4-6 hours. The beans are done when they split open and are not chewy and show no signs of moisture.

• VENISON: With a MEAT! Scale, portion 5 – 6 oz of venison and spread the venison on a parchment paper lined dehydrator tray. Set dehydrator to 158 - 160°F for 4-6 hours.  Meat is done when crunchy and shows no sign of moisture or chewiness.

• RICE: Spread 1 cup of rice on a parchment paper lined dehydrator tray. Place in dehydrator and set to 120 - 140°F for 4-6 hours. Rice is done when grains are hard, not chewy and show no signs of moisture. 

 

• GREEN CHILIES, CILANTRO, AND SALSA: Spread a thin layer of portioned green chilies on a parchment paper lined dehydrator tray. Set the dehydrator to 120 - 140°F for 6–8 hours. Chilies are done when they become leathery to flaky. Repeat for cilantro and salsa.

• SEALING: 

• Combine portioned ingredients into 1 MEAT! Vacuum Sealer Bag (you can use any size bag but we used the Chamber Vac 6x10). Pro tip: Double bag meals. The dehydration process can create sharp edges and when the bag compresses it can create punctures.

• Seal with MEAT! Vacuum Sealer. Optional: add food-safe silicone bag. This helps capture any unwanted moisture. 

• HOW TO COOK:

• Add 1.5 - 2 cups of water in your jet-boil.

• Once boiling stir in the dehydrated burrito mix, cover and let it simmer for 10 minutes. Stir periodically to evenly rehydrate.

• Let it cool for a few minutes and enjoy!