I really appreciate that, Thanks!

Awesome! Glad this worked for you!

Thanks Heidi!

You get it!

It is.

You are welcome Jerry. Thanks for watching and commenting!

Thanks so much Dianne, I love to hear how my meals turn out for others!

Thanks so much Happy Outside! I am currently working on a dehydrated meals cookbook. Stay tuned!

Glad it was helpful! I also have a book called Backcountry Eats that you might find interesting. It is on Amazon or on my website www.Backcountry-eats.com

No prob!

Thanks Carly, if you love the recipe then consider my book which you can find at www.Backcountry-Eats.com. Have a great hike!

Thanks CDN soul

Hope you enjoy

My pleasure!! love to hear that!

Hope you enjoy it!

Thanks Roland. I love when people tell me they are using the methods from my videos. I will keep making videos about individual meals because they are fun to do and because people seem to like them but as you point out it really is the same process for every meal that I do. The components can be used for a variety of meals.

Thanks Stephen, will do.

Good luck. If you have a deeper interest, that recipe and more are in my book Backcountry Eats. Cheers.

Most welcome! 😊

Thanks Mama! I am sure your family will like this one. Yes this meal is a bit more effort than some of my other meals. I did all the meal prep in one day but you could do the components separately on different days and it would be less of a burden.

Please do!

Thanks Elsa! Much appreciated!

Elsa and Kevin are 2 of my 3 favorite creators❤️ You both really inspire me. So cool to see Elsa liking this video. My third fave is Bicycle Touring Pro.

@@babsbing7319 Thanks Babs Bing! You are lumping me in with some great creators. Thanks!

Thanks so much!

Thanks, it is a good one!

Thanks! Much appreciated!

Thank you! 😊

Thanks, I appreciate that!

No problem, I hope you enjoy!

Bienvenue!

Good luck with the dehydrator. It has changed how I prepare for a backcountry trip. You have a lot more control with your meals. All the best!

Thanks Erik!

Thanks Free Thinker, do make sure that the dairy you are dehydrating is 2% or less. It won't last forever but I have found yogurt and cottage cheese to be very stable.

@@KevinOutdoors late to the game, but...dehydrated yogurt?

Thanks.

Thanks!

Absolutely! That is why I put the effort into this :) Thanks Derek!

Those are my favorite type of comments! Thanks for letting me know that it worked for you!

Thanks, lots of plans to do more food videos.

Yep, it is a good one!

I was thinking about the veggie version, what would you suggest. Zucchini or eggplant maybe?

Thanks buddy! This one is a bit more effort than the usual dehydrated meal but it is worth it!

I think both would work well!

Thanks 👍 I am pleased that people find my videos easy to follow. You might also be interested in by book www.Backcountry-Eats.com

I love that. Great to hear!

Glad you liked it!!

Thanks Craig!

Thanks Marius. Nice to hear from Germany. I have more recipes on the way. All the best in 2019!

Thanks Blackdogbite!

Thanks Levikrw, I love it when I get a response like that. You can do a lot of different things with that dehydrator. Just curious is it the big 80L version? I have borrowed a friends to experiment with and it is a beast!

Wonderful!

Have a great trip!

Welcome to the channel Ken!

I hope you enjoy it. This is one of my most popular meals that others are making. I think it's because it is a step beyond what most people think is possible for a backcountry meal.

Thanks so much!

Nice to hear. I am sure you will enjoy it, I have gotten a lot of positive feedback. One friend of mine uses bowtie pasta instead of cutting the lasagne strips - a little easier.

@@KevinOutdoors great idea

Thanks so much it is a good one!

Thanks!

Thanks, 2% cottage cheese dehydrates reasonably well but it isn't suitable for long term storage. No problems on a 2-week camping trip. I have a whole video on fat in dehydrated foods, it is a deeper dive than most of my videos... kzfaq.info/get/bejne/kJt9faSCmNiRZZ8.html

A friend of mine suggested I use bow -tie pasta instead of lasagne noodles. It saves a little on the prep time.

@@KevinOutdoors I didn't have a problem with the lasagna. I just took out my kitchen scissors and cut away! 😄

Thanks Matt! You don't have to hit the like button three times but I guess it doesn't hurt :) Thanks!

I do it all the time and recommend it to others, I sometimes forget to show that step in videos. :)

Thanks Dean, I hope to have the book out in about 3 months. Thanks for your patience.

Hi Jenifer, I am really not sure. I have had that comment once before on a different meal but not as bad as you are suggesting. All I can think of is it may be related to your selection of particular ingredients like onions? Perhaps you found something that is particularly smelly. Sorry this isn't the usual result.

That's what I want to hear! Come back and tell me how it worked out. Or find me on Facebook and send me a message. Love to hear how it goes.

@@KevinOutdoors friend request sent !!!

@@KevinOutdoors I took this on a Rabbit hunt it was better then the store bought meals. I used ground beef, added mushrooms and Kraft parmesan cheese to in ( in the bag).

@@keithress Awesome! I absolutely love to hear when someone actually tries these meals out. Great choice on substitutions! It is your recipe now. Enjoy!

@@KevinOutdoors I was thinking on a Chicken Parmesan in a pasta sauce. any ideas on how??? if you do think of one PLEASE do a Video!!! if I do one that works I'll let you know. I'm trying to tackle the idea of dehydrating the chicken patty or cut it into small pieces.

Thanks Leslie, all the best!

Thanks Riley, I will be researching tapioca maltodextrin. It might just be the logical next step to elevate a dehydrated meal.

Thanks again Gwen. I don't know if you noticed I have written a book on the subject check it out at www.Backcountry-Eats.com

That's awesome!

You could certainly do that but stirring the food once or twice while rehydrating helps.

LOL, thanks Jon! Wish I got paid the same as George R. Martin! :)

Thanks Canoehound!

Thanks so much, Merry Christmas to you too!

I will have to give that a try.

Thanks Tiffany, How long you can store this depends on a lot of variables including how good a job you did at removing fat and moisture. How well you stored it in an airtight and cool dark place. In my experience 6 months is easily achievable and a year is likely. The meals will store even longer in the freezer. Regarding gravel, no the boiling method I use allows the meat to rehydrate quite well.

Sorry, I have no experience with the Ronco 5 tray. I took a look at the machine and I will guess this recipe will fit. I'd leave something out, like the pasta, then see how it goes. You can always do that in another batch. Good luck!

Hi Chuck, the meal will work in a pot or in a freezer bag but I don't do the freezer bag option. I just don't like the plastic taste you get with that method.

🍴😋🍝

Thanks! This one is a bit complicated to make but it is certainly worth it.

@@KevinOutdoors Nothing is complicated, just take time to accomplish it 😊. The ingredients are in the dehydrator as we speak 😁.

Hi Brenda, these meals are relatively shelf stable but it all depends on how well you remove the moisture and any fat. Also the meals must be stored in an airtight container and out of sunlight. If you do all that the meals will likely last at least 6 months and likely a lot longer. I just keep them in the freezer so I don't even have to think about it.

HI Canesser, Jon has a great channel! Yes I add fat back into the meal. Usually in the form of olive oil.

Hi Michael, ricotta cheese won't work unless you can find a low fat version. I only dehydrate food items that are 2% or lower fat content. I have yet to find a low fat ricotta but it might exist.

@@KevinOutdoors that makes sense and thanks for the reply!

Hi Denise, I do store these meals in ziploc bags but it isn't the best practice. Ziploc bags aren't 100% airtight. Vacuum sealing is a better option. But I have had very good luck with just ziploc bags,. especially when I throw them in the freezer.

Hi Lisa, no I haven't done feta. Anything with fat becomes problematic as the fat doesn't dehydrate. I have had success with items that are 2% or less fat.

If you do a good job then it could last 6 months to a year or even longer. If you do a poor job of removing water and fat and don't seal it properly in an airtight container then all best are off. Good luck!

If you could find some 2% ricotta then yes. I have found it online but not in local stores.

Hi Chad. The shelf life is usually up to several months but I often get a full year or more. I store my meals in the freezer until I want them and then I don't worry about it. Yes cheese is an issue for dehydrating. I stick with only cheese products that are less than 2% fat. 2% cottage cheese is common but I have never found low fat ricotta. it might exist somewhere. Anything with high fat stands the chance of going rancid.

I made it, I have a video on that. kzfaq.info/get/bejne/l99hdbihst3Xo2w.html

@@KevinOutdoors my bad I found the other video shortly after I messaged. Thanks for the videos getting into dehydrating and your videos are great!

I find that freeze dried foods do rehydrate well but I recently got and used some chicken that was very diverse in size. The larger chunks were ~3/4" cubes. All the smaller chunks rehydrated very well after adding boiling water and waiting 20min but the larger pieces weren't completely rehydrated. If your chunks are large let them boil for a few minutes and increase the rehydration time by about 5min. Or, cut them in half before you try rehydrating.

@@KevinOutdoors awesome, thanks so much for getting back to me! :))

HI Natalie, I always pre-cook the meat in these meals regardless of the length of trip I am going on.

@@KevinOutdoors Thank you for your response Kevin! Apologies, my finger typed drying when I mean frying and then dehydrating! In other words, could I fry and then dehydrate the meat if the meal is to be eaten quickly versus your suggested method of boiling the meat?

Oh yeah, 3-4 weeks should be no problem. Have a great trip! You may also be intersted to know that I recently released a backcountry cooking cookbook - www.backcountry-eats.com

@@KevinOutdoors yes I ordered the online version about 20 minutes after posting this comment lol. No way the post would make it to Australia before I leave. Now I am overwhelmed with options haha.

HI Tim, yes that should work. 150g usually rehydrates to about 2 cups of volume so about 500ml.

Thanks K, it actually rehydrates quite well.

You can't hit the love button but I can for you! Thanks Barleytone!

Thanks Mike. I have used the 'oven ready' lasagne pasta before. You do skip a step but it is hard to cut them to a nice shape. If you don't mind breaking them they will work fine. I didn't realize I was so concerned about how good looking my pasta was :)

Sure, I start with 2% (fat) cottage cheese. Anything with a higher fat content won't dehydrate properly. Then I spread it out on dehydrator trays, either using fruit roll trays (Nesco) or parchment paper and I dehydrate at ~135F. The easiest way to not have success is to start with a fatty cottage cheese. Anything with some fat (even low) stands a chance of going rancid so store anything with fat carefully.

Good question. Pre-cooking pasta and rice is a way of saving fuel. I know it looks like we are returning to square one when I cook and dehydrate pasta but it isn't the same thing after it goes through the cooking process. You can cook pasta in the field but you will consume a lot more fuel. Usually pasta takes ~10 min to cook after you bring the water to a boil. This is just simmer time and not as consumptive as when you are bringing the water to a boil but it is burning time that you don't need to do. My meals re-hydrate in boiling water then I turn the stove off. Depending on what meals you bring cooking rather than re-hydrating could easily mean x5 the fuel carried on a trip. Now, I haven't tried this yet but Lasagne comes in both uncooked and 'oven ready' versions. The oven ready variety is used as is without cooking when you make a Lasagne. The 'oven ready' version might work here with the method I use or it might require a little but not a lot of simmering. I have been thinking of experimenting with this.

@@KevinOutdoors Thank you so much for the fast reply! Makes sense now that you explained it. I might try those pre-cooked noodles you mentioned as well. You made everything look very doable for someone just dabbling in this area for the first time. Thank you!

Most of my meals make at least 4 individual meals. Sometimes I get 5 or even 6 out of them.

Yes, I would say so. The most important thing is to ensure you do a good job of removing fat and getting the meal properly dried. After that storing in a cool dark place inside an airtight container will make the meal last longer. The length of shelf stability can be anywhere from 2 months to years if done properly. I throw mine in the freezer and that way they last almost forever.

@@KevinOutdoors Thank you Kevin! I really appreciate the informative video and the follow-up. I am going to try this for my AT thru-hike! My best, Kim

@@KimCrowHikes Very cool, when people show envy at your meal please tell them about my book Backcountry Eats! :) www.Backcountry-Eats.com

@@KevinOutdoors I will and checking out the link now. Thanks!!!!

Great questions snowfish. Generally speaking I dehydrate my meal as a whole. The lasagne is a bit of an exception. But I do prefer to dehydrate any meat separately the meat and other food dehydrate optimally at different temperatures and they will rehydrate better. Vacuum sealed bags are an option an only necessary if you are aiming for very long term storage beyond 6 moths without refrigeration. A meal properly dehydrated will likely last 6 months or even a year without refrigeration if you do a good job of removing the fat and water and you keep the meal in an airtight container in a cool dark and dry place. Good luck!

Thanks Sylvia, I will try and do that in the future.