Beef and Mushroom Rehydration Soup
Jerky and mushrooms blooming in creamy broth. Minimal fuel, maximum flavor.
- calories
- 430
- weight
- 4 oz
- cal / oz
- 108
- protein
- 24 g
- serves
- 2, scales
- prep
- 5 min
- cook
- 16 min
- total time
- 21 min
- water
- 950 ml boiled
- cost
- $
Calorie and protein figures are my own estimates, good enough for planning a food bag and not meant as precise nutrition data.
- Dinner
- Canister stove
- Backpacking
- Nut free
- One pot
- Pre-mix at home
- Shelf stable
- Basic
Ingredients
| Dried mushrooms | 1 ounce | chopped into quarter-inch pieces at home |
|---|---|---|
| Beef jerky | 2 ounces | chopped into quarter-inch pieces at home |
| Orzo pasta | 1/4 cup | |
| Whole milk powder | 1/4 cup | |
| All-purpose flour | 2 tablespoons | |
| Powdered beef soup base | 1 tablespoon | |
| Dried onion flakes | 1 tablespoon | |
| Butter | 1 tablespoon | wrap separately in plastic |
| Ancho chili powder | 1 teaspoon | optional |
Method
- At home, chop the dried mushrooms and jerky into quarter-inch pieces. Wrap the butter separately. Put all dry ingredients in a sandwich-size freezer bag.
- In camp, pour the soup mix into a pot and add about 950 ml (4 cups) of water.
- Bring to a rolling boil and boil for one minute.
- Remove from heat, cover tightly, and let rest for 15 minutes. If the weather is cold, wrap the pot in your jacket to hold the heat.
- Stir and eat.
This soup works because three separate things happen during the fifteen-minute rest. The orzo rehydrates into its normal starchy state. The jerky softens and dissolves its salt and savory notes into the broth. Dried mushrooms bloom and release umami. The milk powder dissolves into a creamy suspension. You are not cooking; you are waiting for the broth to absorb what it contains.
The butter and flour are the calories. The jerky and mushrooms are the flavor and substance. Everything else—milk powder, beef base, onion—is infrastructure. One sandwich bag carries dinner for two. One minute of heat brings it to a boil. The rest happens on its own.
Packing
Mix all dry ingredients into one sandwich bag at home. Wrap the butter separately in plastic wrap to keep it from greasing everything else. One small bag fits anywhere in your pack.
Variations
- Serve with crusty bread or hardtack to soak up the broth.
- A pinch of fresh black pepper stirred in at the end adds warmth without weight.
https://www.trailgroove.com/blogs/entry/409-creamy-beef-and-mushroom-soup-backpacking-recipe