Backcountry Chili
Who doesn’t love chili? Or is it chilli? Who knows… Either way, there’s something extra satisfying and comforting about scarfing down a warm bowl of chili at camp. As a bonus, it can be so versatile. This recipe can be made with any meat that you prefer; it can even be made vegan or vegetarian.
Notable Equipment
- 1 Dehydrator
- 1 Frying Pan
Ingredients
- ¾ cup dehydrated red kidney beans and/or black beans, *add 1/3 cup more per serving if doing meat-free option
- ¼ cup dehydrated lean ground turkey or beef, (omit if making vegetarian or vegan)
- 6 g dehydrated tomato sauce
- 1-2 heaping tbsps dehydrated tomatoes
- 2 tbsps dehydrated onion, use white for a stronger onion taste, red for softer flavour
- 1 heaping tbsp dehydrated mushrooms
- 2 tbsps dehydrated bell pepper
- 1 heaping tsp dehydrated jalapeño
- 2 tbsps dehydrated shredded cheddar cheese, or cheese powder
- ½ tsp bouillon powder, chicken, beef, or vegetable
- 2 tsp chili powder
- 2 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1-2 pinches cayenne, or to preference
- ¼ tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Simply combine all dehydrated ingredients in a sealable container.
SPECIFIC DEHYDRATING INSTRUCTIONS:
Dehydrating turkey or beef:
- 1. In a frying pan, cook ground meat until golden brown (avoid cooking with oil – use water as needed instead – see reasoning in step 2).
- 2. Once cooked, drain oil and, if needed, use a paper towel to pat and absorb excess fats (excess oil increases drying time and decreases shelf life).
- 3. Disperse meat on mesh lined dehydrating trays and dehydrate at 160℉ for approx 7 hours.
Dehydrating Vegetables & Cheese (see notes for more specific instructions for each ingredient)
- 1. De-can and rinse beans, slice or dice vegetables into 1/4″ thick pieces & shred cheese.
- 2. Disperse beans, vegetables and cheese on mesh lined dehydrating trays and dehydrate at 135℉ for approx 6-10 hours.
Notes
- Cheese & 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
- 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: 320kcalCarbohydrates: 19gProtein: 35gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 3.6gCholesterol: 52mgSodium: 498mgFiber: 11gSugar: 6g
Tried this recipe?
Click on the stars to leave a rating!