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Backpacking beef stroganoff

Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Keyword backpacking dinner, camping food, dehydrated meals, trail stroganoff
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 10 hours
Total Time 10 hours 30 minutes
Servings 4 servings
Lean beef and mushrooms in a creamy stroganoff sauce, dehydrated at home and finished with noodles on the trail in about 12 minutes.

Ingredients

  • 1 lb extra lean ground beef (454 g)
  • ½ cup bread crumbs (65 g)
  • 1 onion diced (200 g)
  • 4 cloves garlic minced (20 g)
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 tablespoon beef bouillon
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ¼ teaspoon onion powder
  • 4 oz mushrooms
  • 5 oz noodles
  • Pack for the trail: ¼ cup heavy cream powder (1 tbsp per serving); 4 tablespoons olive oil (1 tbsp per serving)

Directions

At home

  • Wash your equipment, hands, and work area with soap and hot water. Heat the dehydrator to 145°F.
  • Work the bread crumbs into the ground beef until fully blended. Wash your hands again.
  • In a nonstick pan over medium heat, add the beef, onion, garlic, and salt, crumbling the meat as it cooks. Add oil only if needed.
  • Cook for 15 to 20 minutes, until no pink is left and the onions are soft. Break up any large clumps.
  • Stir the cornstarch and bouillon into about a half cup of water; add the garlic powder and onion powder. Pour into the pan, stir, and cook for about one more minute. Take off the heat.
  • In the meantime, cook the noodles for one to two minutes less than the package directs.
  • Spread the beef, sliced mushrooms, and noodles on lined trays without crowding; keep the noodles from sticking together.
  • Dehydrate at 145°F for 6 to 12 hours, dabbing off any fat that rises to the surface a few times; if your dehydrator has vertical airflow, swap the trays around. It is done when the beef and noodles are hard and the mushrooms snap.
  • Let cool completely. Divide into single bags; add 1 tablespoon heavy cream powder per serving. Pack about 1 tablespoon olive oil per serving on its own.

On the trail

  • Put the meal in the pot with about 200 mL water per serving. Cover, bring to a boil, and boil for one minute. Stir, take off the heat, and set in a pot cozy for 10 minutes, or until rehydrated (or simmer until rehydrated).

Notes

Within two weeks: airtight in a cool, dark place. Vacuum sealed: 1 to 2 months cool and dark, or up to 6 months frozen. Use the leanest beef; fat shortens shelf life. Safety: beef is fully cooked before drying (USDA advises heating meat to 160 F); discard anything you are unsure about. Contains dairy and wheat.

Nutrition

Serving: 227g | Calories: 468kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 8.8g | Trans Fat: 1.3g | Cholesterol: 81mg | Sodium: 1176mg | Potassium: 559mg | Fiber: 2.3g | Sugar: 3.7g | Vitamin A: 17IU | Vitamin C: 4.3mg | Calcium: 50mg | Iron: 3.1mg

Nutrition is an estimate per serving from USDA FoodData Central, for 4 servings; extra lean ground beef counted as beef, 85% lean, raw, ½ cup bread crumbs counted as white bread (a slice 28 g), beef bouillon counted as beef bouillon powder, mushrooms counted as white mushrooms, noodles counted as dry pasta. Brands and portions vary, so use it only as an approximation.