Backcountry Shrimp Fried Rice
This recipe requires a dehydrator.
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Okay, this recipe is killer. The sweetness of shrimp, combined with the crunch of vegetables, and the aromatic essence of spices and seasonings will not disappoint. It’s also packed with over 44g of protein and 61g of carbs – making it a fantastic meal to refuel on adventures.
Dietary Preferences: High-protein, high carbs
Approximate weight (per serving): 90g
Macronutrients (per serving):
Carb Energy
61g | 244 kcal
Protein Power
44g | 176 kcal
Fat Fuel
5g | 45 kcal
Learn more about the importance of macronutrients in your outdoor adventure meal plan
Backcountry Shrimp Fried Rice Ingredients
Before you go running to the store, let me give you the inside scoop on the key ingredients:
Rice
Top nutrients: carbs, thiamine, iron
You can use minute/instant rice or dehydrate your own! The bonus to making your own is you can infuse soy sauce into the rice before dehydrating it so you don’t have to pack soy sauce out with you!
Shrimp
Top nutrients: protein, selenium, B vitamins
You’ll want to use medium or small sized shrimp. Dehydrated large shrimp or prawns are chewy and don’t rehydrate as well.
Egg
Top nutrients: protein, vitamin B12, choline
Depending on your preference, you can use whole egg or just egg whites. Read more about this in our post on how to dehydrate eggs
Green Peas
Top nutrients: fiber, protein, vitamin C
You can use fresh, frozen, or canned! Frozen is my typical go-to.
Carrots
Top nutrients: vitamin A, vitamin K, potassium
Like peas, you can use fresh, frozen or canned – although I highly recommend fresh.
Corn
Top nutrients: carbs, fiber, protein
You can use corn kernels – or whole baby corns if you prefer! Like the other vegetables, fresh, frozen or canned work.
Onion
Top nutrients: antioxidants, vitamin C, fiber
Red onion is most ideal because they retain a pleasantly mild and sweet flavour when rehydrated – even when dehydrated raw. White onion is also a good option if you prefer a sharper, more pungent taste. For a milder flavour, blanch white onions before dehydrating.
Garlic Powder
Top nutrients: allicin, vitamin C, manganese
You can use store-bought garlic powder or make your own by dehydrating garlic and blending it into a powder. You can also use garlic salt, but garlic powder provides a more notable garlic flavour.
Ginger
Top nutrients: gingerol, vitamin C, potassium
Like garlic, you can use store-bought ginger powder or make your own by dehydrating ginger and blending it into a powder.
Soy Sauce
Top nutrients: sodium, amino acids, antioxidants
You’ll only need soy sauce during prep if you’re making your own instant or dehydrated rice and want to infuse it with flavor. Otherwise, just pack a bit of soy sauce to add when you’re ready to enjoy your meal.
Salt
Top nutrient: sodium
Table, kosher, sea, himalayan… whatever salt you have will do!
Black Pepper
Top nutrients: manganese, iron, vitamin K
Like my dad says : “I’m not saying I put black pepper on everything, but if it doesn’t have black pepper, I’m probably not eating it.”
How to dehydrate the ingredients
Dehydrating ingredients is a straightforward process, especially with a bit of planning. Prepping your ingredients in advance helps you make the most efficient use of your time. If your dehydrator has enough space, group ingredients that require the same temperature and dehydrate them together. Simply set the timer for the longest drying time needed among those ingredients, and let the dehydrator do the rest.
Rice
105℉
~3 hours
Vegetables
135℉
~8-10 hours
Proteins
160℉
~6-8 hours
Prepping Ingredients for Dehydration
Some ingredients require special preparation, like cooking or blanching. For detailed instructions, click the links below (you’ll also find them included in the recipe
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Storage Instructions
Here are some tips to help you maximize the shelf life of your Backcountry Shrimp Fried Rice:
- Allow ingredients to cool after dehydrating before combining and storing
- Keep stored in a sealable container or bag in a cool, dry and dark place
- Using Mylar bags or vacuum sealing can extend the shelf life by up to three times its normal duration! This is useful if you’re prepping lots for longer term use. Learn the pros and cons of each in our post: The Ultimate Guide to Long-Term Food Storage: Mylar Bags vs. Vacuum Sealing (Bags & Jars)
When dried and stored properly, your Backcountry Shrimp Fried Rice should keep at room temperature for 2-3 weeks, or a few years in the freezer.
FYI:
Eggs & meat protein are considered higher-risk ingredients when it comes to at-home dehydrating for long-term storage. For added food safety, consider storing your prepped meal in the freezer until you’re ready to head out on your trip.
To learn more about high risk ingredients, check out our post Dehydrating Dont’s: Foods to Avoid and Ingredients to Handle With Care
How to Rehydrate Backcountry Shrimp Fried Rice
Keep in mind that the amount of water and time required may slightly vary:
Simmer & Soak (*preferred method)
- Combine dehydrated ingredients in a pot with 1 cup water; cover with a lid
- Bring to a boil and let simmer for 5 minutes
- Turn off or remove from heat and let sit for an additional 7-8 minutes
- Stir & enjoy
*The simmer-and-soak method is preferred because the added heat and water movement usually results in better rehydrated texture – plus, it’s faster!
Just add water
- Add 1 cup boiling water
- Stir well
- Let sit for 20-25 minutes
- Stir & enjoy
Rehydrating Tips:
- Use a container with a lid to contain as much heat as possible… Have a packable insulated container? Even better.
- After soak time is finished, add more hot water if you find the meal dry or crunchy.
More dehydrated recipes:
Backcountry Shrimp Fried Rice FAQ's
Can I use a different protein?
Yes! Feel free to swap out the shrimp with chicken, beef or pork.
Can I add more vegetables?
Sure you can! Just remember that you’ll need to increase – or decrease – the amount of water you use when rehydrating.
Can I use an oven to dehydrate the ingredients?
No, most ovens don’t operate at low enough temperatures for dehydrating (most ovens can go down to 170℉ at the lowest). If the temperature is too high, you risk either cooking the ingredients or causing “case hardening,” where the outer layer hardens, trapping moisture inside and preventing proper drying.
Backcountry Shrimp Fried Rice
Okay, this recipe is killer. The sweetness of shrimp, combined with the crunch of vegetables, and the aromatic essence of spices and seasonings will not disappoint. It's also packed with over 44g of protein and 61g of carbs – making it a fantastic meal to refuel on adventures. COOKING METHOD: Dehydrating
Notable Equipment
- 1 Dehydrator
- 1 Frying Pan
Ingredients
- 6 dehydrated shrimp
- 1 tbsp dehydrated egg or egg powder
- ¾ cup dehydrated or instant rice
- 1 tbsp dehydrated green peas
- 1 tbsp dehydrated carrots
- 2 tbsps dehydrated corn
- 1 tsp dehydrated onion
- ¼ tsp garlic powder, or to preference
- ¼ tsp ground ginger, or to preference
- 1 pinch salt, or to preference
- 1 pinch pepper, or to preference
- 1-2 tbsps soy sauce, see notes
Instructions
- Simply combine all dehydrated ingredients in a sealable container.
SPECIFIC DEHYDRATING INSTRUCTIONS:
Dehydrating Rice: (click to learn more about dehydrating rice)
- 1. Cook rice according to instructions.
- 2. If using left over rice, and it’s a clumpy, rinse under water and lightly massage to break up clumps as much as possible.
- 3. If adding soy sauce, do so now and stir to combine.
- 4. Arrange on a mesh lined dehydrating tray with enough room for air to circulate between the grains (although unrealistic to separate each grain, avoid large clumping and over lapping as much as possible)
- 5. Place in dehydrator and dehydrate at 105°F for about 2-3 hours
Dehydrating Shrimp:
- 1. Steam or pan-fry the shrimp (in water - not oil) for about 3 minutes.
- 2. Combine shrimp with marinade in a container. Marinate in fridge for 30 minutes.
- 3. Disperse shrimp on a dehydrating tray and dehydrate at 160℉ for approx 6 hours.
- Note: You can dehydrate the shrimp & egg at the same time
Dehydrating Egg: (click to learn more about dehydrating eggs)
- 1. Cook the eggs without using any oils or additives: scrambled or omelette style is recommended; scrambled is typically easier to avoid sticking.
- 2. If doing omelette style: Once cooked and cooled, slice into unison sized strips or bite sized squares.
- 3. Arrange on a mesh lined dehydrating tray with enough room for air to circulate between the pieces (avoid over lapping as much as possible).
- 4. Place in dehydrator and dehydrate at 160°F for about 8 hours.
- Note: You can dehydrate the shrimp & egg at the same time
Dehydrating Vegetables:
- Below are general instructions for vegetables; they can be dehydrated at the same time since they require the same temperature. See notes for links to more specific dehydrating instructions
- 1. Slice vegetables into ¼″ thick pieces.
- 2. Fresh carrots, fresh corn and white onion should be blanched (omit if using red onion or frozen or canned carrots/corn)
- 3. Drain any canned vegetables
- 4. Arrange on a mesh lined dehydrating tray with enough room for air to circulate between the pieces (avoid over lapping).
- 5. Place in the dehydrator and dehydrate at 135°F for about 8-10 hours
Notes
- Soy Sauce: If you're using store-bought instant rice (or not infusing your at home dehydrated rice with soy sauce), you'll want to pack some out with you to add before you enjoy your meal.
- Eggs & meat protein are considered higher-risk ingredients when it comes to at-home dehydrating for long-term storage. For added food safety, consider storing your prepped meal in the freezer until you’re ready to head out on your trip. To learn more about high risk ingredients, check out our post Dehydrating Dont’s: Foods to Avoid and Ingredients to Handle With Care
- Pro-tip: Label the container you're storing it in with the rehydrating instructions
- You can marinate the shrimp before dehydrating if you like. Use any oil-free marinade. I like using a combination of hot sauce, brown sugar, lime juice and teriyaki or soy sauce.
- Dehydrating times may vary (the thickness, water and fat content of the ingredients, as well as the humidity and altitude of your environment will impact dehydrating time)
Nutrition
Serving: 1gCalories: 458kcalCarbohydrates: 61gProtein: 44gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 160mgSodium: 900mgFiber: 4gSugar: 6g
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The Foodie Behind the Screen
Hi there! I'm Bri. I'm sharing my love for cooking - and the outdoors - one recipe at a time.
Looks yummy! I’ll have to try it out someday🙏🏼