Freeze-Dried Beef and Rice
Instant rice and freeze-dried beef in one pot. Shelter and time do the work.
- calories
- 620
- weight
- 3.4 oz
- cal / oz
- 182
- protein
- 32 g
- serves
- 1, scales
- prep
- 3 min
- cook
- 20 min
- total time
- 23 min
- water
- 250 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
- Alcohol / Esbit
- Backpacking
- Car camping
- Winter / snow
- One pot
- Pre-mix at home
- Shelf stable
- Dump and stir
Ingredients
| Instant white rice | ½ cup | |
|---|---|---|
| Freeze-dried ground beef | ½ cup | |
| Freeze-dried corn | 2 tbsp | |
| Freeze-dried onions | 2 tbsp | crumbled if whole |
| Freeze-dried cheddar cheese | 2 tbsp | |
| No-sodium beef bullion powder | 1 packet | |
| Olive oil | 1 tbsp | carried in a small dropper bottle |
| Salt and black pepper | to taste |
Method
- Pour 250 ml cold water and olive oil into a pot and set it over high heat.
- While waiting for the water to boil, open your premixed bag of freeze-dried ingredients.
- When water reaches a rolling boil, add the freeze-dried ingredients and stir well for about a minute. Season with salt and pepper.
- Cover the pot, remove it from heat, and wrap it in an insulating layer: jacket, foam pad, or sleeping bag.
- After 15 minutes, stir well and check for dryness. If rice is still wet, let it sit another 5 minutes.
- Eat directly from the pot or divide into bowls if you have them.
Freeze-dried meat rehydrates at the same speed as instant rice—you get real protein in one boil and one sitting period. Cheese adds calories; oil carries the salt through the whole thing and keeps the cheese from clumping into hard beads.
Insulation does the work. The pot sitting covered for fifteen minutes lets everything absorb water and soften; the heat trapped in there means you don’t need a second boil. Stir once halfway through to prevent rice sticking to the bottom, or skip it and wrap the pot in a down jacket, and the same thing happens on its own.
Packing
Mix rice, beef, corn, onions, cheese, and bullion into a single quart freezer bag at home. Carry salt and pepper in separate small containers. Olive oil goes in a dropper bottle. At camp, you are opening one bag and adding two things to water.
Variations
- Add a tablespoon of instant mashed potato flakes to thicken it if you like less broth.
- Skip the cheese and add a foil packet of butter or ghee for similar calories with less flavor carryover to the next meal.
- Fresh green onion or chive flakes from home add brightness if you want to carry them.
https://trailcooking.com/2024/03/05/boondocking-meals-cheesy-hamburger-rice