camp meals

Dehydrated Vegetable Chip Seasoning Drizzle

A vinegar-and-oil drizzle with syrup and smoked paprika, mixed at home and poured over vegetables before they hit the dehydrator.

calories
130
weight
1.1 oz
cal / oz
118
protein
2 g
serves
4, scales
prep
5 min
cook
0 min
total time
5 min
water
none
cost
$

Calorie and protein figures are my own estimates, good enough for planning a food bag and not meant as precise nutrition data.

  • Snack
  • No cook
  • Backpacking
  • Car camping
  • Day hike
  • Thru-hike
  • Bikepacking
  • Vegetarian
  • Vegan
  • Gluten free
  • Dairy free
  • Nut free
  • Eat in the bag
  • Dehydrate ahead
  • Shelf stable
  • Basic

Ingredients

Olive oil 2 tbsp
Vinegar 1 tbsp cider or balsamic, both work
Maple, birch, or agave syrup 1 tsp
Smoked paprika 1 tsp
Salt 1/2 tsp
Sliced vegetables about 4 cups beets, kale, zucchini, or sweet potato, cut thin

Method

  1. At home, whisk the oil, vinegar, syrup, paprika, and salt in a bowl until the syrup dissolves.
  2. Slice the vegetables thin and even. An eighth of an inch is the target; a mandoline is the only reliable way to get there.
  3. Toss the slices in the dressing with your hands until every piece is coated but nothing is dripping.
  4. Lay them flat on dehydrator trays with no overlap. Run at 125°F for 8 to 10 hours, until a slice snaps instead of bending.
  5. Cool completely on the tray, then seal in a jar or bag. Anything still leathery will mold later.
  6. On the trail, open the bag and eat. Nothing to add.

The point of this one is the dressing, not the vegetable. Vinegar, oil, a little syrup, and smoked paprika stick to a wet slice and stay stuck once the water leaves. Dry seasoning sprinkled on bare vegetables mostly ends up on the tray.

Keep the syrup to a teaspoon. More sugar and the slices go tacky instead of brittle, and tacky chips absorb humidity in a pack and turn to leather by day three. The same rule applies to the oil: enough to coat, not enough to pool, or you carry rancid grease up the hill.

Packing

Store in a jar at home and portion into snack bags the morning you leave. These crush easily, so pack them in a hard container or in the lid pocket, not under a bear can.

Variations

  • Swap the paprika for curry powder or chili flake and the same base still works.
  • Skip the syrup entirely for a sharper, more savory chip.
  • Dry a double batch unseasoned and crumble it into dinner as a vegetable boost.

https://morningchores.com/dehydrated-vegetables